Plaid Cymru has called on Llanelli Chamber of Trade and Commerce to hold a full public consultation with the people of Llanelli before proceeding with a formal bid for city status.
Carmarthenshire County Council Leader, Darren Price stated:
“Despite the obvious excitement, the people of Llanelli must decide whether they want the Chamber of Trade to submit a bid on their behalf.
“There’s a duty on politicians and businesses to listen to the views of the people first before going any further. The only way to do that fairly is to appoint an independent organisation to hold a formal public consultation.
“There are presently, of course, a number of unknowns. Those proposing the change must therefore set out in detail prior to the public consultation the proposed boundary of the city, the perceived benefits, along with any costs. These details can then be subject to important public scrutiny and debate.
“Plaid Cymru’s focus is centred fully on trying to attract investment into the town. It is only by creating jobs and wealth that we will turn around Llanelli’s fortunes. That’s why we are focussed on delivering the multi-million-pound Pentre Awel development which will create hundreds of jobs in the town.
“Similarly, we all need to be focussed on trying to improve the town centre. Practical investments such as the redevelopment of the YMCA building and the development at Market Street North are a start. These, and the successful £15m Levelling Up bid, are all designed to try and breath new life into the town centre. But there is so much more to do.
“The town centre has been decimated as a result of out-of-town shopping at Trostre and online shopping. I believe that the decision to develop Trostre to such an extent by previous Labour Councils over the decades has proven to be a really damaging strategic move for the town.
“We are now having to react to that reality, and we all need to think about practical ways in which that can be done. Changing the town’s status, in my opinion, will not significantly alter that.”
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