March for Ysgol Heol Goffa planned for first week of September

CAMPAIGNERS are calling for a mass march to demonstrate love for a special Llanelli school they say has been betrayed by Carmarthenshire County Council.

The ‘We Love Ysgol Heol Goffa’ march, planned for Saturday September 7, is designed to raise the profile of the campaign after the Plaid-led local authority backtracked on a seven-year promise to build a new school.

The county council’s Plaid leadership scrapped the new school plan, claiming costs had soared.
The U-turn provoked a major controversy and more than 6,300 people have signed a protest petition demanding the new school is built.

School campaigner and Llanelli town councillor Shaun Greaney, who represents Lliedi ward, who set up the paper petition, said: ‘We’re grateful to everyone who has signed the petition and would like to see as many people as possible taking part in our march from the school into the town centre to show their support.

‘It would mean so much to the pupils, the parents and the school itself if there’s a good turnout.’

He described the decision to axe the new school as ‘a scandal and a disgrace’.

‘If Plaid had any conscience at all they would not have ditched the plan, but would have gone ahead with the project to create a 21st century school with full modern facilities that the children deserve and need,’ he said.

‘Anything less is a betrayal of some of the most needy and vulnerable children in the county. The wellbeing of the children, parents and teachers has been badly affected by Plaid’s decision.

‘And there is a feeling that their decision to review the situation is kicking it into the long grass and may not be truly independent,’ said councillor Greaney.

Lliedi ward county councillor Anthony Leyshon, who is a member of the Ysgol Heol Goffa action committee, said: ‘Many people have heard of our fight but many haven’t, so that’s why we’re holding this march to raise the profile of the plight of the children who have been let down despite a promise by the Plaid-led county council seven years ago.’

‘The county is ignoring deserving children with additional learning needs in Ysgol Heol Goffa.

‘Those who take part in the march would be showing that the school has a special place in the heart of the community.

‘Many, many parents have expressed their gratitude for the work of the staff at the school to make the lives of their children better. The school does nothing but promote equality for its pupils, making them feel safe and comfortable, and engaged in many extra-curricular activities, such as taking them shopping, or trips, such as to Harry Potter World and to see Madagascar at the Wales Millennium Centre, and some pupils have taken part on the Special Winter Olympics.

‘The school offers unparalleled opportunities for ALN children – something that couldn’t be replicated anywhere else.’

County council Labour group leader, councillor Deryk Cundy, said the Llanelli Town and Rural Labour councillors and the County Labour group was committed to, and united in its support, for a new school for Ysgol Heol Goffa.

He added: ‘It was realised by this Plaid administration seven years ago that thisunique and excellent school desperately needed to be replaced due to overcrowding and the increasing need for places.

‘The whole county council voted for a much larger new school, [purpose-built, unlike the current school that is supposed to house 75 children but currently has 124 pupils.

‘This overcrowding is something that this administration should hang their heads in shame over – it is nothing to be proud of.’

Councillor Cundy said: ‘We allocated the land, spent a fortune decontaminating and clearing it and then this Plaid Cabinet broke their promise to usall and decided not to build it.

‘This is despite there being enough money to build the school, it is just that they prefer to spend the funds elsewhere and that is unacceptable, cruel and mean-spirited.

‘If we were in power atCarmarthenshire County Council we would make this our top priority and build it because it is needed desperately.’

Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith, who has been appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales, said: ‘Most authorities recognise that there are some children for whom specialist provision is absolutely essential and for whom it is difficult to provide in a mainstream setting.

‘As an ex-teacher I totally understand how many teachers in mainstream would love to do more for children with additional learning needs but simply cannot find the time, resources nor the expertise to do so.

‘That is why I’m so concerned about having the new school for Ysgol Heol Goffa and keeping the vital expertise of this school community together.

‘The Welsh Labour Government recognises the need to support children with additional learning needs by providing a 75 per cent grant for new school buildings, as opposed to 65 per cent for the non additional learning needs buildings.

‘Councils across Wales, including our neighbours in Swansea and Pembrokeshire are taking advantage of this opportunity, so I really, really cannot understand why the Plaid-led Carmarthenshire County Council is not also driving down this money to help our children here in Carmarthenshire.

‘I will be fighting to tell this Plaid-led county council why we are so desperate to get the funding which is on offer from the Welsh Labour government.’


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