Protesters march in fight for new special school

Demonstrators voiced their concerns about the lack of a new special school on Saturday

About 300 campaigners marched through Llanelli on Saturday to demand a new school for pupils with additional learning needs.

Campaigners claim Carmarthenshire council broke a promise made seven years ago to fund a new building for Ysgol Heol Goffa.

Now 9,000 people have signed petitions urging the authority to do what they said.

The council said it has commissioned an independent review of additional learning needs provision in Llanelli, and will listen to learners, parents, staff and governors.

Protestors met outside Heol Goffa and marched to Theatr Ffwrnes in Llanelli town centre.

Carmarthenshire council said it was spending £500,000 to improve facilities at the current Ysgol Heol Goffa building.

The 124-pupil special school caters for children aged three to 19 with additional needs and for children with autism, social, emotional and behavioural needs.

Chairman of school governors, Owen Jenkins, said: "This issue will not go away until it is resolved to the satisfaction of our pupils and staff.

"It's a stark reminder of the depth of feeling and emotion that exists in the local community and beyond."

Chairman of school governors, Owen Jenkins, said the issue would not go away until it was resolved

Local MP Nia Griffith said: "What we all want to see is a new school built."

She urged the council to "get on" with building a new faculty.

Former Ysgol Heol Goffa headteacher, Nikki Symmons, said: "Somewhere there is a reasonably priced option for this school.

"So OK, we don't have the all singing and all dancing school, we cut back to a certain extent.

"But still they deserve that specialist school, they deserve that specialist knowledge, they deserve that specialist curriculum."

Parents reacted with fury when the council announced in May it would not fund a new school because of rising costs.

Llanelli Town Council leader David Darkin said: "I just hope that the leadership in Carmarthenshire council will have the strength of character to admit their mistake, change their mind, and ensure that they deliver on the new school they've promised."

Campaigners want a new building to replace Ysgol Heol Goffa

Carmarthenshire council said the former additional learning needs chief at Vale of Glamorgan council, David Davies, would lead the independent review.

Mr Davies will consult learners, parents, staff, governors and others.

Any proposals that come after the review will face a public consultation.

Councillor Glynog Davies said the authority would provide a "first-class education"

Carmarthenshire council education member, Glynog Davies, said the authority was committed to investing in improved additional learning needs provision to provide a "first-class education".

Parent Becki Davies, and Ysgol Heol Goffa action group secretary, said: "Let's show Llanelli, and more importantly, Carmarthenshire County Council the love we have for this school."