Fears for Ysgol Heol Goffa School Plan If Political Shift Hits Senedd Elections Next Year

Llanelli Labour councillor Shaun Greaney has warned that the long-delayed project to build a new special school for Ysgol Heol Goffa could be at risk if there is a major political shift at the next Senedd elections in May 2026.

Current Senedd Polling Stats as of July 8th:

• Reform UK: 28%

• Plaid Cymru: 26%

• Labour: 23%

• Conservatives: 10%

It’s a long way to go until May next year, but Greaney, who represents the Lliedi ward, claimed that a potential Reform UK-led Welsh Government could jeopardise funding for the long-promised development. The project, currently awaiting a final decision from Plaid Cymru-run Carmarthenshire County Council, is being supported by a 75 per cent Welsh Government capital grant, which Greaney says could be at risk under a new administration.

“There is a real prospect that Reform would pull the plug on the 75 per cent pot of money the county council can currently lay its hands on from the Welsh Government,” he said.
“That makes a new school the number one priority for the county council in the opinion of the Labour Party locally.”

The proposed school is expected to replace the current Ysgol Heol Goffa site, which caters for pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) and has been described by campaigners as “no longer fit for purpose”. In June 2025, the council narrowed down its options to either a 150-pupil school with ASC satellite centres or a standalone 250-pupil school, with estimated costs ranging between £36 million and £58 million.

“The school the pupils are in is substandard and past its sell-by date,” Greaney argued. “That is fact, no matter how they try to spin the story to their advantage.”

Greaney also levelled criticism at Plaid Cymru’s leadership in Carmarthenshire, accusing them of delaying the project and failing to meet with the Ysgol Heol Goffa Action Group, a local campaign group that gathered more than 9,000 signatures calling for the new school to be built.

“They’ve made no public announcement on an official timeline for decision-making or progressing the school,” he said.
“They may have tried to make a merit out of the fact that they ditched the original plan for a 125-place school, but they had taken a huge axe to the whole prospect of a new school until we gathered a 9,000-plus name petition.”

The Labour councillor also questioned the council’s decision to commission an independent expert review into ALN provision in the Llanelli area, suggesting it delayed much-needed action.

“Hiring an independent expert merely kicked the can further down the road,” he said. “We all knew Llanelli was crying out for a new special school. We all knew that the county council was sailing very close to the wind in its legal obligations.”

Regarding the Reform UK party, which is polling strongly ahead of the 2026 Senedd election, Greaney warned:

“Reform have no policies for Wales, and no answers. They couldn’t organise a p*** up in a brewery, let alone run a nation. They have some very right-wing candidates and we know the right wing are no friends of children with special needs.”

While Reform UK has not published detailed education policies for Wales, their national platform has focused on cost-cutting and devolved power reviews—prompting concerns about the continuity of existing Welsh Government-funded initiatives if power were to shift.

Greaney concluded:

“If the new school doesn’t get built because Reform or a Reform-led coalition take power in the elections next May, each member of this disgraceful bunch in Carmarthen will be infamous for failing hundreds of vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the Llanelli area.”

Carmarthenshire News Online reached out to Reform Llanelli for their response. At this time, Reform Llanelli have not issued us a statement or commented on this issue.

Context and Verification

• Review commissioned: An independent review of special education provision in Llanelli was completed in early 2025, confirming a need for expanded capacity.

• Council plans: The council is currently weighing two options and has not yet announced a formal decision timeline.

• Petition: The Ysgol Heol Goffa Action Group submitted over 9,000 signatures and held a public demonstration in 2024.

• Funding: The Welsh Government has committed to covering 75% of capital costs, but this could change under a new administration.

• Reform UK policy: No clear published stance yet on Welsh school capital funding; councillor claims are speculative but reflect political concern.