CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER STEPS IN: Watchdog demands meeting with health board over special school nurse crisis

In a significant development, Rocio Cifuentes MBE has confirmed she will be writing to Hywel Dda University Health Board to “raise the issue and seek a meeting” regarding the lack of a dedicated, full-time nurse at Ysgol Heol Goffa.

The move comes just days after Swansea Bay News reported that campaigners, including parents and local councillors, had called for the commissioner to investigate, warning that “lives may be at risk” as teachers are forced to provide complex medical care to pupils with life-limiting conditions.

In a powerful statement, Ms Cifuentes said she had received correspondence raising “serious concerns” and understood the anxiety the situation was causing.

“I will be writing to Hywel Dda Health Board to raise the issue and seek a meeting. Estyn’s report clearly indicated the need for a dedicated school nurse so I hope that this issue can be addressed swiftly. I would also like to meet with the children, parents and staff affected at Ysgol Heol Goffa so that I can hear their views directly.”

The Commissioner’s intervention adds significant weight to the campaign, which has been backed by parents, school staff, and local politicians. Her statement directly references the Estyn inspection report which campaigners have pointed to as clear evidence that a full-time nurse is required.

Ms Cifuentes highlighted that the issue at the Llanelli special school is part of a wider, systemic problem across Wales.

“Children with complex and life-limiting medical needs have the right to feel safe and properly supported in school, and their best interests must always come first. Last year we published a report examining the experiences of children and young people with disabilities in Wales. Within it, we found that many parents feel schools do not always have access to the specialist knowledge and medical expertise required to fully support their children.”

She confirmed that her office has already been raising the issue with Welsh Government officials, asking them to “strengthen the role of health in meeting the needs of children who have Additional Learning Needs or who are disabled.”

As reported previously, parents and staff at the school have been calling for a full-time nurse for five years. Anxious parents said they were “horrified” to discover the provision was not in place, while Llanelli Town Councillor Shaun Greaney warned the authorities were playing “Russian roulette with pupils’ lives.”

Hywel Dda University Health Board previously stated that it provides a “dedicated school nurse to meet their universal health needs” and offers training to school staff.

Drawing a parallel with a previous successful intervention, the Commissioner noted her office’s involvement in securing a new, modern building for the school, which was approved in July 2025 after her office sought assurances that children’s voices were being heard.

She concluded with a message of optimism, stating: “I hope that we can reach a similarly positive conclusion for the children and young people at Ysgol Heol Goffa this time.”

‘Lives may be at risk’: Watchdog probe demanded over Llanelli special school nurse crisis

Teachers and teaching assistants at Ysgol Heol Goffa are being forced to give lifesaving and urgent medical aid to pupils because of the lack of an on-site nurse at all times, according to parents and staff.

Despite having training, campaigners say education staff are not fully qualified to treat vulnerable children with life-threatening and complex medical needs.

Anxious parent Hannah Coles, herself a qualified nurse, said:

“I fear not just for the life of my son, but for those of my friends’ children every day. Parents should not have to have such awful anxiety because they send their children to school.”

She said parents had been “horrified” to discover there is no full-time nurse on site.

“It came as a complete shock. We all assumed the nurse who calls in from time to time was full-time and based in school. That is what we need and are demanding from the Hywel Dda University Health Board,” said Hannah.

School headteacher Ceri Hopkins said she had been calling for a full-time nurse on-site for five years.

“The staff are not happy to be dealing with emergencies that could jeopardise the children. They do their best at all times, and will do whatever is required, but school staff should be teaching, not nursing.”

Now Llanelli Town councillor Shaun Greaney, who represents Lliedi ward where the school is located, has written to the Children’s Commissioner for Wales calling for her to ensure there is no future tragedy at the school, where more than a dozen children have life-limiting or severely complex medical conditions.

“What alarms and angers me is that these children could be condemned to an early death,” he said.

“That is why I have written to the Commissioner, Rocio Cifuentes, who is the highest authority in Wales, urging her to bring much-needed pressure on Hywel Dda University Health Board to employ a full-time nurse at the school without delay,” said Councillor Greaney.

“The parents say they have been lucky to date that a child has not died but the authorities cannot keep playing Russian roulette with pupils’ lives. Should a preventable and foreseeable tragedy happen, I believe it would be their fault,” he added.

In her letter to the Commissioner, Hannah said:

“My son is tube fed and requires rescue medication for Dystonia. He is life limited and is medically complex. Every day I send him to school I put enormous trust in the systems meant to keep him safe.

“I want to sincerely thank Councillor Shaun Greaney for bringing this issue to your attention. Many of us as parents feel frightened and unheard, and we are grateful that someone has spoken up on behalf of our children.

“The staff at the school are compassionate, dedicated and do their absolute best. I cannot praise them highly enough. But they are not nurses. They are not medically qualified to deal with complex and potentially life-threatening emergencies.”

Llanelli MS Lee Waters has written to Lynn Neagle, Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Education, stating that there had been “limited senior engagement until very recently”.

He calls for her “support in raising the issue with Welsh Government officials and ensuring the necessary steps are taken to provide the school with the clinical support its pupils urgently require”.

He has also written to the chair of Hywel Dda, Dr Neil Wooding, expressing “deep concern” that Carmarthenshire County Council had been raising the lack of a full-time on-site nurse with the health authority for “several years”.

He says in the letter that the situation “warrants urgent attention and decisive action”.

In response, Hywel Dda University Health Board have said they are working with the school and county council to “understand the additional needs” of the school and staff following Estyn’s recommendations.

Sharon Daniel, the health board’s Director of Nursing, Quality & Patient Experience said:

“The health and wellbeing of all children and young people is fundamental to their ability to learn, thrive and reach their potential, and is a priority for the Health Board. We support the children and young people at Ysgol Heol Goffa with a dedicated school nurse to meet their universal health needs, and through the provision of training for staff at the school.

“The Health Board provides specialist support, ensuring each child and young person with healthcare needs can be cared for competently and confidently within the school environment.

“The Health Board has taken on board the recommendations made by Estyn to the school and Carmarthenshire County Council and is working to understand the additional needs of the school and the staff. Through continued partnership working and a shared commitment to improvement, the Health Board will support ongoing actions to strengthen provision and ensure the best possible outcomes for the pupils and staff at Ysgol Heol Goffa.”

Campaigners call for bleed control kits in every Carmarthenshire school

The military‑grade kits, which have saved lives on battlefields and in major trauma incidents, are already widespread across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. Hundreds have been installed through an initiative led by former High Sheriff of West Glamorgan Melanie James and the Heartbeat Trust charity.

Llanelli town councillor Shaun Greaney says Carmarthenshire needs to catch up — and fast.

He said the kits could be rolled out across every primary school in the county for less than £10,000, adding that the price of a single kit is just £95.

“Llanelli and Carmarthenshire is lagging behind our neighbours,” he said. “The lives of adults and children here could be saved at a price of just £95 per kit. For less than £10,000 all 94 Carmarthenshire primary schools could get that extra protection.”

Thirteen secondary schools in the county have recently received kits thanks to sponsorship from Morgan Laroche solicitors. Several Llanelli businesses and residents have also bought kits for vehicles and private defibrillator cabinets.

Greaney said Llanelli Town Council had already installed kits in its nine defibrillator cabinets, most of them outside community centres and public buildings. He hopes other councils and community groups will follow.

‘These kits save lives’

The push for bleed control kits in Wales was inspired by the work of the Daniel Baird Foundation, set up after 26‑year‑old Daniel Baird was stabbed to death in Birmingham in 2017. It was later established that his life may have been saved if a publicly accessible kit had been available.

Melanie James, now a trustee of the Heartbeat Trust, said catastrophic bleeding can happen in many ways — not just violence.

She said: “Catastrophic bleeds can happen after a car accident, a work‑related injury or a fall. There are 30,000 bleed control kits in England and just hundreds in our part of Wales. I think they should be available in all secondary schools.”

James said the charity also provides awareness sessions to give people confidence in using the kits.

“In less than an hour people will be equipped with skills that could save a life,” she said.

Free training sessions announced

Free CPR, defibrillator and bleed control kit training will take place at:

• Wesleyan Community Hall, Campbell Street, Morfa – Tuesday 24 February, 6–7pm
• Paddock Street Hall, off Station Road, Llanelli – Monday 16 March

To book a place, residents can contact Llanelli Town Council on 01554 774352.

Row erupts in Llanelli as councillors trade blows over ‘watered‑down’ Skip Day plan

The dispute follows Llanelli Town Council’s decision to back a pilot “Skip Day” scheme aimed at helping residents dispose of bulky waste and cut down on illegal dumping. But behind the scenes, the debate has turned into a full‑blown political scrap over who is to blame for the town’s mounting rubbish problem — and who should pay to fix it.

Labour group leader David Darkin, who submitted the original motion, said fly‑tipping in Llanelli had reached “unacceptable levels” and accused the Plaid‑led Carmarthenshire County Council of failing to get a grip on waste and enforcement.

He said the motion only passed after being softened by Independent group leader Sean Rees, whose members outnumber Labour on the town council.

“Labour does not hold a majority,” he said. “The motion could not have passed without Councillor Rees, who insisted on weakening the language calling out county‑level failure. I accepted the amended wording because securing action was better than letting the motion fall — but the underlying problem hasn’t gone away.”

Darkin said residents were being “let down twice” — first by fly‑tipping, and then by a county system he says isn’t working.

Labour colleague Shaun Greaney went further, accusing Plaid of being “to blame” for the mess and branding the Independent amendment “ineffective” and “feeble”.

“Residents are sick of rubbish piling up,” he said. “Plaid are in power in County Hall and seem oblivious to the concerns of residents. Councillor Rees and former Labour councillor Sarah Evans backed a scaled‑back plan that lets the county council off the hook. It’s a betrayal of residents’ real concerns.”

But Independents Sean Rees and Sarah Evans hit back hard, accusing Labour of proposing a scheme that would have landed residents with higher bills during a cost‑of‑living crisis.

They said the unamended Skip Day plan could have cost “up to £100,000 a year”, calling it “financially reckless”.

“Either Labour have found a magic money tree, or they were prepared to push the Town Council to financial ruin,” they said in a joint statement.

They also accused Labour of political timing, saying the party had “years to address fly‑tipping” and was only now treating it as an emergency “with elections on the horizon”.

“Residents already pay enough council tax for waste collection,” they said. “We were not prepared to see them pay twice for the same service. Our amendment was responsible, evidence‑led and sustainable.”

The Skip Day pilot will now go ahead — but the political fallout shows no sign of being tidied away.

Llanelli backs ‘Skip Day’ plan to tackle fly‑tipping scourge — with councillors insisting: ‘Charge the offenders, not the community’

The plan, which will now be developed into a fully costed pilot, could see skips placed at key locations on set days to give people a simple, legal way to dispose of bulky waste. Councillors say the move could help cut down on the sofas, mattresses and household junk that regularly appear in hotspots across the town.

Town Council leader Cllr David Darkin, who brought the original motion forward ahead of this week’s meeting, said the scale of fly‑tipping had become impossible to ignore.

“Fly‑tipping and rubbish are blighting communities across Llanelli, and residents are rightly frustrated,” he said. “Waste services are a county council responsibility, but… we continue to see problems go unresolved locally.”

Cllr Darkin said the Town Council “cannot simply stand by”, adding that a Skip Day scheme “will not solve everything, but it provides a much‑needed outlet for residents and begins to tackle an issue that is being ignored at County level.”

His motion was co‑signed by Cllr Shaun Greaney, who said residents were being pushed into difficult situations.

“Residents want to do the right thing, but when services do not work properly, it leads to frustration and illegal dumping,” he said.

He added that councillors were “stepping up to try and bridge that gap and give communities some immediate relief.”

Cross‑party amendment tightens the plan

When the proposal reached the council meeting on Wednesday (4 February), Independent councillors backed the idea but pushed for a more tightly controlled pilot — one that is fully costed, time‑limited and evidence‑led before any long‑term commitment is made.

Their amendment, which secured support from across the chamber, also calls for safeguards to prevent commercial or illegal dumping and for officers to explore partnership working with enforcement teams.

Independent members said the principle was clear: “Charge the offenders — not the community.”

What happens next

Town Council officers will now draw up a detailed pilot scheme, including potential locations, costs, environmental considerations and enforcement measures. A report will return to councillors once the work is complete.

Shared frustration over fly‑tipping

Despite political differences over how the scheme should be developed, councillors from all groups agreed that fly‑tipping has become a serious and growing problem across Llanelli.

Members said residents deserve clean streets and fair treatment — and that those responsible for dumping rubbish should be the ones paying for it.

More stories on fly‑tipping

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Vehicles crushed in fly‑tipping crackdown
Enforcement teams seize and destroy vehicles linked to illegal dumping.

Man pays heavy price for dumping waste in woodland
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Outrage after far‑right group urges parents to boycott school mosque visit

Voice of Wales, which has previously been linked to far‑right activism in South Wales, targeted Welsh Primary School, Ysgol Gymraeg Ffwrnes in Llanelli after the school arranged an educational trip to Swansea as part of the curriculum on world religions. The group made a series of false and inflammatory claims about Islam and encouraged parents to keep their children off school on the day of the visit.

The posts prompted a strong backlash from local residents, teachers and community leaders, who accused the group of spreading misinformation and stoking division. Voice of Wales has denied being a racist organisation, but its content has repeatedly drawn criticism from anti‑racism campaigners.

Llanelli Labour town councillor Shaun Greeney said the comments were “bitter and twisted racist remarks designed to incite hatred”.

“We’re entering a very dark place in Welsh politics when scoundrels like the so‑called Voice of Wales make such remarks aimed at the Muslim community attending the mosque in Sketty,” he said.

“My other concern is that it puts Furnace School at the centre of a storm of far‑right extremism. Such appalling remarks should be investigated by the police. It is high time the Voice of Wales site was taken down on the basis that such comments potentially incite violence.

“My biggest fear surrounds young people at the school, parents and teachers who have been thrust into the front line through no fault of their own. Visiting a mosque is part of a programme aimed at teaching school students about different religions and cultures so that they can become well‑informed and rounded citizens of the future.”

Cllr Greeney also warned of parallels with the unrest seen when far‑right activists infiltrated protests at the nearby Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli.

Green Party councillor Rob James, whose son attends Ysgol Gymraeg Ffwrnes and will be taking part in the mosque visit, also condemned the posts. He said he was “more than happy” for his child to visit a mosque, church, synagogue or temple as part of learning about different beliefs. “That is how we live in a tolerant Wales,” he said.

Residents responding to the posts criticised the rhetoric as fear‑mongering and divisive. One Llanelli parent, posting anonymously due to concerns about being targeted, described the claims as “misinformation, collective blame and emotional manipulation”. Others pointed out that school visits to places of worship have been part of the curriculum for decades.

Voice of Wales has been the subject of previous controversy, including its support for Cinema & Co during the venue’s anti‑COVID regulation stance in the pandemic — a position that drew criticism from anti‑racism groups after the cinema welcomed the organisation. The group has also been linked to previous incidents involving far‑right agitation in Swansea and Llanelli.

One of its founders, Dan Morgan, received a suspended jail sentence in 2023 for his role in a PPI call‑centre scam that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims.

Despite this, some comments beneath the group’s posts were supportive, while many others condemned the rhetoric and defended the school’s decision to teach pupils about different religions.

Voice of Wales refute claims that their organisation is racist.

Commenting on the news, Torsten Bell MP, said: “This is the second utterly disgraceful recent attempt by the far right to use children to further their politics of hatred and division in Swansea.

“It won’t work because parents know education should be celebrated not weaponised by extremists. And it won’t work because across Swansea and South Wales people want to celebrate the different communities that contribute so much to our civic, cultural and economic life.

“I have been in touch with Sketty Mosque to offer my solidarity and support. More importantly so have many parents and others across Swansea and Llanelli.”

New defibrillator installed at Llanelli play area as council tackles ‘defib desert’

The device, now active at Nightingale Court play area, has been registered on The Circuit, a national database that helps ambulance crews locate the nearest defibrillator in the event of a cardiac emergency.

Town councillor Shaun Greaney, who represents Lliedi ward, said the area had previously been a “defibrillator desert” — with no publicly accessible devices nearby.

“Every minute without treatment reduces the chance of survival by around 10 per cent,” he said. “We’ve seen tragic cases where cardiac arrests or critical bleeds could potentially have been survivable if help had been available immediately.”

The council says the new device is part of a broader push to improve emergency readiness across Llanelli.

“This Labour-led town council is spearheading a lifesaving safety drive,” Cllr Greaney added. “Early defibrillation, combined with CPR, can increase survival rates to 50–70 per cent if delivered within five minutes.”

National figures show survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests remain below 10 per cent — but experts say bystander CPR and rapid access to an AED (automated external defibrillator) can dramatically improve outcomes.

Council leader Cllr David Darkin said the council will begin offering free public training in the coming months, covering both defibrillator use and Critical Bleed Control Kits — specialist equipment designed to stop catastrophic bleeding.

“These kits are army-grade and invaluable in emergencies,” he said. “We’ll be rolling out training in community centres across Llanelli next year.”

Cllr Darkin praised Cllr Greaney for introducing the bleed control initiative to the council, and said it complements the town’s wider Sports, Youth and Activities programme, aimed at improving health and wellbeing outcomes for residents of all ages.

Cllr Gareth Lloyd, who represents Bigyn ward, said the new defibrillator was already being welcomed by local families.

“It’s a vital addition to the play area,” he said. “We’re proud to be making lifesaving equipment more accessible to the community.”

#aed #automatedExternalDefibrillator #bigyn #cllrGarethLloyd #cllrShaunGreaney #cpr #criticalBleedControl #criticalBleedControlKit #davidDarkin #defibrillatorDesert #defibrillators #llanelli #llanelliTownCouncil #lleidi #nightingaleCourt

Anger as frail veterans left unable to access Llanelli Cenotaph

RAF veteran and Labour councillor Rob Evans has criticised what he described as “disgraceful inaction” by the Plaid Cymru‑led authority, after his request for a temporary access ramp at the Old Llanelli Town Hall was rejected.

The Cenotaph, which sits in the grounds of the former town hall, is currently only accessible via steps — leaving elderly and disabled veterans unable to take part in this year’s commemorations.

‘Basic dignity’

Cllr Evans said he had asked in early October for a temporary ramp with a handrail to be installed in time for the Week of Remembrance.

“They should put a temporary ramp in as soon as possible, and most definitely before this year’s Week of Remembrance,” he said. “And then install a permanent one before next year.”

The council turned down the request, citing short notice.

‘Disrespectful and shameful’

Labour town councillor Shaun Greaney backed the call, saying he could not understand the county council’s position:

“Surely it can’t be beyond their wit and ability to construct a ramp as soon as possible.

If they can’t do a permanent one in the timescale, then a temporary one with a rail for the week of Remembrance in November does not seem too much of an ask.

In my view, for them not to take action on this right now is disrespectful, shameful and an embarrassment.”

Armed Forces Covenant

Llanelli Town Council leader, David Darkin, also urged the county council to reconsider, arguing the refusal was at odds with its commitments under the Armed Forces Covenant and the Disability Act.

“This petty refusal of such a small demand, which would make a difference to a number of veterans, seems very mean‑spirited,” he said.

“Veterans have served our country with distinction. What’s more, the county council’s refusal seems to be disrespectful to the war dead themselves. This is not what they fought and gave their lives for.”

Carmarthenshire County Council has been approached for comment.

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Llanelli workers face pre-Christmas earnings hit after Jaguar Land Rover cyber attack

Hundreds of workers in Llanelli are facing a loss of income in the run-up to Christmas after a cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) disrupted supply chains and halted production across the UK.

Agency staff laid off as overtime dries up

The impact has been felt acutely at Marelli and Gestamp, two major automotive suppliers in Llanelli with a combined workforce of 360. Agency workers have already been laid off, while permanent staff have been told to stay home and “work back” hours — effectively cancelling overtime many rely on for festive spending.

Local Labour MS Lee Waters raised the issue in the Senedd this week, warning that the cyber attack had left Welsh workers “in limbo” and calling for urgent clarity on when UK Government support will reach affected sites.

Welsh Government in daily contact with suppliers

First Minister Eluned Morgan said Welsh Government teams were in daily contact with around 30 suppliers across Wales, and that support services including React and Working Wales were on standby to assist affected workers.

“The JLR cyber attack has hit Welsh suppliers and the people who work in those companies hard,” she said. “We welcome the £1.5bn UK loan guarantee, but Welsh workers need to know when the money will land.”

She confirmed that both Marelli and Gestamp were being actively monitored, and that Economy Secretary Rebecca Evans had written to UK ministers seeking urgent updates.

Tata under pressure over lack of cyber insurance

Mr Waters criticised JLR’s parent company Tata for failing to have cyber insurance in place, despite previous high-profile attacks on UK retailers. He urged the Welsh Government to press Tata directly for support for downstream suppliers in Wales.

Llanelli Labour councillor Shaun Greaney added:

“Why is it the poor workers who always pay the price for ineptitude at a higher level? They should be compensated by JLR’s owners Tata.”

JLR introduces supplier support scheme

In response, JLR said it had launched a short-term financing scheme to help suppliers with cashflow, including faster payments and reimbursement of financing costs. A dedicated help desk and manual payment system have also been introduced, with automated systems now being restored.

The company said the scheme would initially support critical suppliers needed to restart production, before expanding to include non-production partners.

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Councillor saves man with CPR in Llanelli town centre

A Llanelli town councillor who has long campaigned for more public defibrillators has helped save a man’s life in the town centre.

Cllr Shaun Greaney, who represents the Lliedi ward, spotted a man lying motionless in Stepney Street in the early hours of Thursday morning.

“I feared the man was dying,” he said. “He was perfectly still, barely breathing, and unresponsive.”

Cllr Greaney dialled 999 and, guided by the call handler, began chest compressions. “Despite my nerves I remembered the importance of staying calm. The call handler was amazing, counting me through every compression.”

After several minutes, a First Responder arrived with a defibrillator. “I think he came in the nick of time,” said Cllr Greaney. “The ambulance service gets a lot of criticism but they were absolutely first rate, going into action swiftly and professionally.”

The man regained consciousness but declined to go to hospital. Police and ambulance crews later met him nearby.

Cllr Greaney said the incident underlined the need for more 24/7 defibrillators in busy areas. “It’s ironic that I couldn’t reach the nearest ones quickly enough, even though there are three close by — but only accessible in the day. For the sake of less than £2,000 each, more lives could be saved.”

He added: “The chap we treated was just lucky we were there. Anything could have happened.”

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#ambulance #CllrShaunGreaney #CPR #defibrillators #FirstResponder #Llanelli #StepneyStreet