Labour accused of trying to sabotage project
INDEPENDENT Llanelli Town councillor Sean Rees has attacked the Labour party in Llanelli for trying to ‘sabotage’ Llanelli’s prestige Wellness and Life Science Village.
The former Plaid Cymru councillor hosted a councillor advice surgery for residents living in Machynys and The Links in Llanelli.
He said: “One of the hot topics of the evening was the Wellness and Life Science Village.
“If done right, this project has potential to transform the economic fortunes of our town.
“At the heart of the project is a commitment for an Institute of Life Science, facilities for business start-ups and research, a health and wellbeing hub and a new state-of-the-art leisure centre.
“All of which is estimated to create up to 2,000 jobs, bringing £467m to the local economy.
“Our area cannot afford to lose out on such an investment opportunity.
“I do believe the leadership of Carmarthenshire County Council could have been more transparent. There are some questions that need answering. In the last few months alone, we have had a number of suspensions at Swansea University, the ending of a collaboration agreement with Sterling Health.
“The fact there is very little in the way of private sector finance in place and even rapid independent reviews being undertaken by both the UK and Welsh Governments have delayed this project further.
“Concerns have also been raised over flood plains, pollution levels and wildlife protections all of which need to be taken into consideration and addressed.
“I would expect the authority now to move quickly to provide residents with the reassurance and clarity that they deserve that procedures have been properly followed and public funds protected.
“I have been disappointed, however, by the approach taken by the opposition Labour Group who have seeked to exploit this situation solely for political gain and potentially even sabotage this project.
“This will only lead to further uncertainty within our community.
“Thankfully, ground investigation work has now started and project leaders insist that much of the village will be completed by the end of 2021.
“It is very clear to me moving forward that what is actually needed is a more participatory approach that puts community engagement at the forefront of the project. A development of this size and importance will only work if everyone in the community actually feels a part of it.
“The project needs to give greater focus to more public ownership involvement, lots of local firms and opportunities created locally for all our young people.
“Everyone should want to make sure this project is a success and that any concerns are taken on board.”