COAL TIP SAFETY: Welsh Government to revise tip boundary above demolished Godre’rgraig school this autumn — as council launches new public information hub

The tip boundary above the former Godre’rgraig school — evacuated in 2019 and later demolished after a geotechnical report identified landslide risk — is to be officially revised by the Welsh Government this autumn, Neath Port Talbot Council has confirmed.

The disclosure was made in a press release announcing the launch of a new public information hub bringing together technical reports on every known coal and quarry tip across the county borough.

For the first time, residents can read the specific technical reports relating to the tips above the former Godre’rgraig school — a site at the centre of one of the most contested coal tip safety decisions in recent Welsh history.

Pupils at Godre’rgraig Primary School have been taught in temporary portakabins in Pontardawe since the original building was closed in July 2019. The Cilmaengwyn tip above the school had been identified as posing a medium risk of landslide. The school building was eventually demolished.

A subsequent proposal to merge Godre’rgraig with Alltwen and Llangiwg primary schools into a single ‘super school’ at Parc Ynysderw, Pontardawe, was scrapped in 2022 after community opposition and a High Court ruling that found the council had failed to properly assess the impact on Welsh-medium education.

Godre’rgraig pupils have remained in portakabins ever since. The council has applied to the Welsh Government for funding to build a replacement school — but the bid has run into difficulties, with officials reportedly assessing it as if it were for a brand new school rather than a replacement.

In September 2025, then-opposition Plaid Cymru MS Sioned Williams — now Deputy First Minister in the new Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Government — accused the then-Labour First Minister Eluned Morgan of giving a “shameful” answer in response to questions about the delay. Welsh Labour’s then-Education Secretary Lynne Neagle later agreed to visit the school.

Councillor Wyndham Griffiths, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Transport and Connectivity, said the technical reports being published on the new website set out the basis for the original decision.

He said: “The reports set out the risks of movement on the hillside next to the former Godre’rgraig school building had it remained open for children or other users.”

He added: “Following the agreed recommendations of the Council, consulting engineers, and the Mining Remediation Authority, the Welsh Government will revise the tip boundary shown on its national register in its next update in autumn 2026.”

The boundary revision now falls to the new Plaid Cymru Welsh Government, which took office on 13 May following the Senedd election. First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth leads a minority administration after Plaid won 43 of 96 seats. Sioned Williams — who represents Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, the constituency that includes Godre’rgraig — has championed the school’s cause from opposition for years, and as Deputy First Minister now sits in the cabinet that will sign off the boundary revision.

Community campaigners have raised questions about how the Godre’rgraig case has been handled. A group calling itself Save Our Schools has been publishing a detailed investigation series on social media, which it says raises concerns about how the tip boundary has been recorded and how that information has been used in subsequent decisions about the site.

Swansea Bay News has asked Neath Port Talbot Council for a response to the specific points raised by the campaign group.

The launch of the new web hub comes against a backdrop of significant change in how coal tips are regulated in Wales. Landmark coal tip safety legislation came into force requiring modern monitoring and inspection, and the Welsh Government has confirmed plans to establish a new Disused Tips Authority for Wales.

From April 2027, that new body will take on responsibility for inspecting disused tips across the country — a role currently handled through a combination of the Welsh Government’s National Coal Tip Register, the Mining Remediation Authority (formerly the Coal Authority) and local councils.

Neath Port Talbot has one of the highest concentrations of disused coal tips in Wales, many of them close to homes, roads and rivers. Earlier this year the council secured £3.6 million in Welsh Government funding — part of a wider £80 million programme — to inspect and maintain more than 620 former coal tip sites across the county borough.

The funding is supporting a dedicated Tip Management Team, ongoing collaboration with the Mining Remediation Authority, and targeted mitigation works.

Cllr Griffiths said: “Safeguarding communities from unsafe coal tips is vital. This new online resource is part of our commitment to keeping residents informed about the work being undertaken.”

He added: “Combined with the funding we have secured, it demonstrates our proactive approach to managing coal tip safety and addressing the challenges posed by the sites. We hope this provides reassurance to residents that their safety remains a priority.”

The new resource is at www.npt.gov.uk/coal-tips.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Minister agrees to visit Godre’r Graig school after six years in portacabins
Education Secretary Lynne Neagle agrees to visit after Plaid Cymru MS Sioned Williams raises the issue in the Senedd.

‘Shameful’ answer from First Minister on replacement for demolished Swansea Valley school
Sioned Williams MS accuses the First Minister of playing politics with the future of Godre’r Graig Primary School.

£3.6m secured to make more than 620 coal tips safe in Neath Port Talbot
Welsh Government funding supports a new Tip Management Team and targeted mitigation works.

New data reveals rising coal tip risk in Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot
Three Godre’rgraig coal tips reclassified to Category D — the highest risk level requiring the most frequent inspections.

TGJONES: New Deputy First Minister raises alarm over Neath Post Office threat as she writes to chain over closure risk

Wales’s newly-appointed Deputy First Minister has written to TGJones demanding answers about the future of its Neath store — warning that its closure would put a Post Office counter used by some of the town’s most vulnerable residents at risk.

Sioned Williams, Plaid Cymru MS for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, wrote to the chain on 12 May raising concerns about the impact of the proposed restructuring on communities in her constituency, where both the Neath and Brecon branches have been rumoured to be among those at risk.

The Neath TGJones store currently hosts a Post Office counter — a service that Williams said raises concerns not just about the variety of shops in the town centre, but about continued access to basic services for residents, especially older people and those with limited mobility or access to transport.

In a Facebook post accompanying the letter, Williams said: “I am concerned to hear that the Post Office in Neath may be at risk given the proposed closure of TGJones stores across Wales — where the Neath Post Office currently sits.”

She added that any loss of the sites would raise concerns not only about retail provision, but about access to basic services for residents who depend on them.

The letter, addressed to TGJones management, asks the chain to clarify whether any Welsh stores are currently under active consideration for closure or subject to landlord negotiations, how community impact and service dependency are being assessed when decisions about store viability are made, and what engagement has taken place — or is planned — with Post Office Ltd, local authorities, or other stakeholders where stores host essential services.

Williams also called for alternatives to full closure — including relocation, service-only retention, or partnership approaches — to be explored in locations where the loss of a store could significantly affect a town centre.

The intervention comes as seven TGJones branches across south-west Wales face an uncertain future — including the Swansea Quadrant, Neath, Llanelli, Carmarthen, Bridgend, Tenby and Haverfordwest — after owner Modella Capital announced plans to close up to 150 stores nationally as part of a major restructuring.

The financial picture facing the chain is bleak. Documents circulated to creditors revealed that TGJones owes £8.4 million to HMRC, with a six-month payment agreement struck in April — and a further £3.4 million in business rates arrears, with bailiffs reported to be a real threat if payments are not maintained.

WH Smith, which sold its 480 high street stores to Modella Capital in March 2025 before they were rebranded as TGJones, has separately refused to fund enhanced redundancy payments for staff who could lose their jobs.

The restructuring requires approval from a High Court judge, with a hearing expected in late June. Landlords are likely to face demands for severe rent reductions, and those who refuse could simply have their stores handed back to them.

Post Office has previously said it will update communities if any of its services hosted within TGJones stores are forced to relocate as a result of the closures — but has given no guarantees that services would remain in the same towns.

Williams’s letter represents the most senior political intervention in the TGJones crisis in Wales to date. She was this week named Deputy First Minister in Wales’s first ever Plaid Cymru government — notably, the letter was written on 12 May, the day before the cabinet was announced.

The High Court hearing in late June remains the key date for staff and communities across south-west Wales with an interest in the future of the affected stores.

The Neath branch is one of three TGJones stores in south-west Wales known to host a Post Office counter — the Swansea Quadrant and Carmarthen branches also provide the service. Post Office Ltd has previously pledged to update communities if any hosted services are forced to relocate, but has given no guarantee that alternative provision would remain in the same town.

Our TGJones coverage

Seven south-west Wales stores at risk as chain announces 150 closures
The full list of at-risk branches across the region.

Bailiff threat and tax debts cast fresh doubt over south-west Wales stores
TGJones owes £8.4m to HMRC and faces a bailiff threat as WH Smith refuses to fund redundancy.

Post Office promises to update communities if any branches are forced to relocate
What the closures could mean for Post Office services hosted within TGJones stores.

WH Smith sells high street stores — which will be renamed TGJones
How the chain ended up in Modella Capital’s hands in the first place.

SENEDD: South-west Wales politicians take key roles as Rhun ap Iorwerth names his first Plaid Cymru Cabinet

Rhun ap Iorwerth has wasted no time in putting his stamp on the Welsh Government, naming a full Cabinet within hours of being confirmed as First Minister — and going with experience, with politicians from south-west Wales given some of its most significant roles.

The most senior appointment from the region is Sioned Williams, one of the six Members of the Senedd elected for the Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd constituency, who has been named Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Social Justice and Equality. Williams, who served as a Plaid Cymru MS in the sixth Senedd, becomes the second most powerful figure in the Welsh Government — a remarkable rise that places a familiar face from the region at the very top of Welsh politics.

Speaking after her appointment, she said she was “humbled” to have been named Deputy First Minister. “This Government for all is committed to turning promise into immediate action for the people of Wales,” she said, pledging to focus immediately on the childcare offer and tackling child poverty.

Adam Price, who was elected in Sir Gaerfyrddin after returning to the Senedd from third on Plaid’s list, has been handed the brief for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy. The former Plaid Cymru leader, who previously served as MP and then MS for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr before stepping down as leader in 2023, returns to the frontline of Welsh politics with one of the most economically significant briefs in the Cabinet.

Cefin Campbell, who topped the poll in Sir Gaerfyrddin as Plaid’s lead candidate in Carmarthenshire, has been appointed Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education. A former MS who served in the sixth Senedd, Campbell is a well-known figure across the county — his brother Darrel, a teacher at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, was among those caught up in the knife attack at the school in April 2024, an incident that shocked communities across the region.

The three appointments reflect ap Iorwerth’s clear decision to go with experience for his first Cabinet. Williams, Price and Campbell all served in the previous Senedd, giving the new administration a significant bedrock of knowledge and political credibility from day one in government.

The full Cabinet also includes Elin Jones as Cabinet Minister for Finance — a significant appointment given the questions already raised about Welsh Government funding commitments under the new administration, including the 75% funding pledge for the new Ysgol Heol Goffa in Llanelli.

Heledd Fychan has been appointed Trefnydd — the Welsh Government’s equivalent of Leader of the House, responsible for managing the government’s legislative programme and business in the Senedd — alongside her role as Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport.

Other Cabinet appointments include Mabon ap Gwynfor for Health and Care, Anna Brychan for Education and the Welsh Language, and Siân Gwenllian for Local Government, Housing and Planning.

Ap Iorwerth said the Cabinet would have a “relentless focus on doing what’s best for Wales.” He added: “United and filled with talent and experience ready to serve, my government will believe in the art of the possible, working as one team every day to improve the lives of the people of Wales.”

Welsh Labour said it would play an active role in holding the new government to account. A spokesperson said: “We look forward to being an effective opposition, scrutinising and holding the new Welsh Government to account. We’re living in a world with much uncertainty and all governments face challenges. No one knows better than our party that it is a privilege to govern and that immense responsibility now rests on different shoulders.”

Dan Thomas MS, Leader of Reform Wales, offered a cautious welcome while stressing his party’s intention to scrutinise the government. “The people of Wales need this Cabinet to deliver,” he said. “Our NHS, our schools and our economy need urgent change, and while I may disagree with Plaid, we all need them to succeed.”

He added: “We will scrutinise their actions and work to ensure that their attention is on our public services and not Welsh independence.”

With Cabinet now in place, Wales’ first Plaid Cymru government is formally up and running — just 24 hours after ap Iorwerth was confirmed as First Minister in the Senedd on Tuesday, ending 27 years of Labour leadership of the Welsh Government.

More on the new Welsh Government

Rhun ap Iorwerth confirmed as First Minister as Plaid Cymru makes history
How Wales’s first Plaid Cymru First Minister was confirmed in the Senedd.

Sir Gaerfyrddin: Reform and Plaid take three seats each as Labour wiped out
The Carmarthenshire result that returned Adam Price and Cefin Campbell to Cardiff Bay.

Mike Hedges warns Wales could face another election next year
The challenges facing the new minority government from day one.

Plaid Cymru largest party, Reform UK historic breakthrough — the new political map of Wales
The full story of the election that changed Welsh politics forever.

Politicians demand action as M&S closure sparks row over council “vanity projects”

Liberal Democrats have accused Swansea Council‘s Labour leadership of making “ridiculous” assurances about the impact of multimillion-pound regeneration schemes, pointing to recent claims that the new library would drive footfall to M&S.

Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams MS has written to the Welsh Government demanding support for the 92 staff facing redundancy, describing the closure as a “sickeningly familiar story” of high streets losing historic stores.

The political fallout comes just days after M&S confirmed it will shut its Oxford Street store later this year, ending nearly a century of trading in the city centre.

Welsh Liberal Democrat lead Senedd candidate Cllr Sam Bennett said: “Time and time again the Labour Council Leader has assured us that the massive city centre projects would be the saving of the high street, and this announcement raises big questions.

“At the most recent Council meeting the Leader went as far to say how people were celebrating that the move of the library meant they could now go to M&S, this now sounds ridiculous.”

Cllr Chris Holley, Leader of the Opposition on Swansea Council and Welsh Lib Dem Group Leader, went further, claiming the council had privately assured them M&S would remain once the Yr Storfa development opened.

“We have continually asked and been told that Labour’s vanity projects would be the saving of our high street, and even been told in a meeting M&S would stay once Yr Storfa had opened,” he said.

“This is deeply embarrassing for Labour, and is a tragedy for the city centre workers and shoppers as the Swansea high street takes another blow.”

The Liberal Democrats say they have long called for cheaper and easier parking to encourage city centre use, alongside reforms to business rates and VAT cuts to support high street retailers.

Torsten Bell, Labour MP for Swansea West, struck a more conciliatory tone, expressing “deep disappointment” at the closure and focusing on the impact on staff and customers.

“This decision will be a blow to the many loyal customers who regularly use the store, and for the dedicated employees, some who have worked for M&S over many years,” Mr Bell said.

“They need to be shown the dignity and respect they deserve, while it’s vital they are treated fairly during this difficult time. I have already contacted Senior M&S Managers, with a meeting arranged for next Friday to discuss this further.”

Mr Bell noted the closure comes “at a time when the City Centre has seen huge regeneration at key sites and more top retailers showing confidence in Swansea.”

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for South Wales West, drew parallels with M&S’s departure from Neath in May 2024, saying the closures represent more than just job losses.

“As with Marks and Spencer’s departure from Neath in May 2024, this is more than losing a job or losing a shop, it’s losing a piece of local history,” she said.

“The Oxford Street store is an important part of many people’s lives, not least for the 92 who work there currently. During its 100 year presence in Swansea, there will have been people who have given their working lives to this store and loyal customers who have helped build this company’s multimillion pound profits.”

Ms Williams said she had written to the Welsh Government asking what support will be offered to staff, and will be writing to M&S to urge them to retain a full-line store in the area.

“I’m glad to see the company not ruling out maintaining a presence in Swansea, but that location should be in the city centre, and not out of town,” she added.

The closure announcement has raised questions about the effectiveness of Swansea Council’s regeneration strategy, which has seen millions of pounds invested in projects including the Copr Bay arena, the new library and museum complex, and the ongoing Yr Storfa development.

M&S has indicated it is considering alternative locations in the Swansea area, but has not confirmed whether any replacement store would be in the city centre or at an out-of-town retail park.

The Oxford Street store, which has traded for nearly 100 years, is expected to close later in 2026, with staff consultations now underway.

Call for new Human Rights law in Wales amid fears of US‑style crackdown

Plaid Cymru MS Sioned Williams is urging the Senedd to back a new Human Rights Bill for Wales, saying global events show how quickly protections can be weakened. She said a “powerful and co‑ordinated movement” is trying to redraw “who deserves dignity and protection”, and warned that Wales cannot assume its own rights framework is safe.

Her comments come after reports from the US of violent confrontations involving ICE agents, which she says show how easily governments can restrict freedoms when rights are not legally enforceable.

Warning Wales is not immune

Ms Williams said Wales has its own human rights failings, pointing to a Welsh Government report which described the detention and hospitalisation of people with learning disabilities and autistic people as a “human rights scandal”.

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru, said too many people in Wales still face barriers that breach basic rights.

“It’s not enough to say that human rights are already regarded in Wales, when they’re not enforceable,” she said. “For too many people with learning disabilities and autistic people, their rights are being breached, right here in Wales.”

She said the problems extend across society, including gender‑based violence, poverty, structural racism, and the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.

“A Human Rights Bill for Wales would ensure ministers and public bodies are bound by law to uphold the human rights of civilians,” she said. “It would improve accountability and make rights clearer and more accessible.”

What the Bill would do

The proposal calls for Wales to write key international human rights treaties directly into Welsh law. That would allow people to challenge public bodies in court if their rights are breached.

Ms Williams said the move was promised in the Welsh Labour Programme for Government but has not been delivered.

Her proposal is a Members’ Legislative Proposal, meaning it is non‑binding but will show the level of support a full Bill might receive.

Opposing voices

Reform UK has repeatedly argued for the UK to scrap or scale back human rights legislation, saying current laws are too broad and restrict government powers. The party has called for the UK to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights and replace existing protections with a new domestic framework.

A Reform UK spokesperson has previously said the current system “puts the rights of criminals and illegal migrants above the rights of the British public”, and that the UK needs “a simpler, tougher approach”.

The Welsh Government has not yet responded to Ms Williams’ proposal.

Ospreys ‘at risk’ as Plaid Cymru demands Welsh Government step in over WRU cuts

The warning came after South Wales West MS Sioned Williams raised the issue in the Senedd, calling for ministers to intervene and force the WRU to publish the full social, economic and community impact of any decision to scrap a team.

Williams, who represents Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend, said the Ospreys were “widely understood to be at particular risk” as the WRU looks to reduce the number of regions from four to three.

She told the chamber that the consequences would stretch far beyond elite rugby, affecting schools, community clubs, local businesses and regeneration projects across the region.

“Over the last two weeks there has been growing frustration and anger at proposals by the WRU which would put the Ospreys at risk,” she said.

“This is not just a debate about elite sport. From schools to cafés, from community rugby clubs to local councils, there is deep concern about the wider impact of removing a professional rugby team that underpins participation pathways, local pride and regional identity.”

Williams said the threat also cast doubt over the future of the planned redevelopment of St Helen’s in Swansea, warning that losing the Ospreys would “damage both local economic ecosystems that rely on sport‑related activity and the city’s sporting profile”.

She asked ministers to confirm what discussions they had held with the WRU, what steps they would take to protect communities in South Wales West, and whether they would require the WRU to publish a full impact assessment before any decision is made.

In response, Welsh Government minister Jane Hutt said the matter was “for the WRU”:

“This is, of course, the Ospreys, in terms of impact, particularly on Swansea and the surrounding area region and Wales. This is a matter for the WRU, of course, but it is important that elected representatives, indeed at local and national level, can raise these issues.”

This prompted an angry reaction from Williams afterwards:

“It’s disappointing that the Welsh Government has failed to recognise its role in the matter,” she said. “Welsh rugby as we know it, and all that it signifies for my region, is being eroded on their watch, and it’s not good enough for them to wash their hands of the matter.”

Plaid Cymru says the Welsh Government cannot distance itself from the issue, pointing out that ministers have invested almost £5 million in the WRU since 2020 and still hold a £12.4 million loan to the governing body.

Williams said that level of public investment meant the Government had a responsibility to ensure decisions were based on evidence, transparency and the interests of communities.

“It’s important that Welsh Government demonstrate they are in full receipt of the facts about the impact to South Wales West before any decisions are made to reduce the number of regions,” she said.

The WRU has not yet confirmed which region is under threat, but speculation has centred on the Ospreys amid ongoing financial pressures and stalled talks over the future structure of the professional game.

Concerns grow over ‘shoddy’ work as CES collapse leaves households in limbo

Nearly 300 jobs were lost when CES, which operated a major base in Llansamlet, ceased trading on 9 January following the UK Government’s decision to scrap the ECO4 funding scheme. The scheme had provided grants for home energy‑efficiency improvements, particularly for low‑income and vulnerable households.

Since the announcement, residents across Swansea and the wider region have contacted Sioned Williams MS, raising concerns about incomplete installations, unresolved faults and poor workmanship carried out by contractors working on behalf of CES.

Households left with no recourse

A BBC report cited a CES spokesperson confirming that the company would not be able to complete repairs or address existing complaints. Many of those affected are believed to be elderly or already living in fuel poverty.

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, said:

“The recent news that Consumer Energy Services has ceased trading has sent shockwaves around the region I represent: initially in terms of the job losses at Llansamlet and the impact on the vital work to reduce fuel poverty in Wales, but now it’s becoming apparent that many have been left suffering from shoddy work at the hands of contractors operating on behalf of CES, with little clue as to how this will be resolved.”

She said constituents had reported homes left in a worse condition than before applying for ECO4 grants, with no clear route for repairs or compensation.

Questions over oversight and funding

Ms Williams said the collapse raised wider concerns about how the ECO4 scheme was overseen and the impact of its removal on efforts to tackle fuel poverty in Wales.

She highlighted reports that CES recorded significant profits in 2024, despite growing complaints from customers about workmanship and unresolved faults.

Sioned Williams MS said:

“Wales has some of the oldest, coldest and leakiest housing stock in Europe, and it’s concerning that this funding stream, which was greater than the Welsh Government’s own Warm Homes Scheme, has been scrapped with no replacement to date.”

She added that the loss of ECO4 funding would have a direct impact on the Welsh Government’s ability to support vulnerable households, particularly during winter.

Impact on Warm Homes programme

Ms Williams has previously questioned Welsh Government ministers about the reliance on ECO‑funded work to supplement the Warm Homes programme. She said the Chancellor’s decision to end ECO4 at the end of March would remove around £150 million a year from energy‑efficiency work in Wales.

Sioned Williams MS said:

“It is imperative that Welsh Government now review the effectiveness of their own Warm Homes programme, because the real fear is that this matter is a serious blow to ensuring warmer and more efficient homes in Wales, right in the middle of a very cold winter.”

Hundreds of workers still seeking answers

CES employed around 295 people across Swansea and Treorchy. Administrators have confirmed the company has ceased trading with immediate effect and will not complete any further work for customers.

The collapse has left both workers and households facing uncertainty, with local representatives calling for urgent clarity on how outstanding issues will be resolved.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Mass redundancy as Swansea energy firm goes into administration
Initial report on CES entering administration and the loss of nearly 300 jobs.

Report warns Welsh Government failing to deliver on human rights promises

The findings come from the Cross‑Party Group on Human Rights, chaired by South Wales West MS Sioned Williams, which has published its inquiry into the state of human rights in Wales. The report concludes that despite a decade of recommendations from the UN, Senedd committees and civil society organisations, key international treaties have not been incorporated into Welsh law.

The group is calling for a new Human Rights Wales Act to be introduced “at the earliest opportunity.”

Sioned Williams said the report revealed “a Wales where human rights are too often promises rather than protections — aspirations rather than guarantees.” She added that poverty, barriers to healthcare, housing and education, and ongoing discrimination against disabled people, women, racialised communities and children showed why stronger legal protections were needed.

The report was produced by Professor Simon Hoffman of Swansea University and Glenn Page of Amnesty Cymru. Glenn Page, Director of Amnesty International Cymru, said: “It is not enough to say we support human rights; the Welsh Government must protect human rights in law to ensure that now, and in the future, people’s everyday rights are protected and upheld.”

The report will be launched at the Senedd today (Wednesday 12 November), with a debate scheduled later in the evening on the importance of strengthening human rights for the people of Wales.

#amnesty #amnestyInternationalCymru #crossE28091partyGroupOnHumanRights #glennPage #humanRights #humanRightsLaw #humanRightsWalesAct #professorSimonHoffman #senedd #sionedWilliamsMs #swanseaUniversity #welshGovernment

Minister agrees to visit Godre’r Graig school after six years in portacabins

Pupils at the school have been taught in temporary portacabins miles from their community since the original building was closed and demolished in 2019. Despite a funding application for a replacement school being submitted by Neath Port Talbot Council, no decision has yet been made — and Welsh Government officials are reportedly assessing the proposal as if it were for a brand-new school.

“This isn’t a new school — it already exists”

Raising the issue in the Senedd this week, Sioned Williams MS, who represents South Wales West, urged the Cabinet Secretary to meet with school leaders and “understand the exceptional context” of the application.

“What is of concern to me is the impact on the many learners at Godre’r Graig School who have never been educated in a permanent school building in their own community,” she said. “This isn’t a ‘new school’ — the school already exists.”

Ms Neagle confirmed she was “very happy to visit the school,” and acknowledged the wider impact of the situation on Welsh suppliers and families.

Community frustration grows over delays

The funding application is being considered under the Sustainable Communities for Learning Nine-Year Rolling Programme, but concerns have been raised about the criteria being applied. A letter from Welsh Government officials reportedly referenced the impact a “new school” could have on pupil numbers at neighbouring schools — but not the disruption already affecting Godre’r Graig pupils.

David Chadwick MP, Liberal Democrat Member for the area, has also written to the Cabinet Secretary urging urgent action:

“Five years after its closure, pupils are still being taught in temporary offsite portacabins. These facilities are not suitable for long-term education, and parents continue to raise concerns about uncomfortable temperatures and extended daily travel.”

He called for clarity on the timeline for reviewing the application, the criteria being used, and whether any interim support would be offered to improve current learning conditions.

Rejected super school plan still casts a shadow

The original proposal to merge schools in the Swansea Valley into a single “super school” was overwhelmingly rejected by the local community in 2021. Campaigners argued that the plan would strip three communities of their local primary schools, including Godre’r Graig.

With the demolition of the original building now complete, campaigners say the lack of a permanent replacement risks undermining the future of a successful school — and leaving a generation of learners without a stable, community-based education.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

‘Shameful’ answer from First Minister on replacement for demolished Swansea Valley school
Senedd response sparks anger over lack of progress on permanent school rebuild.

Council to discuss multimillion-pound school building plans
Neath Port Talbot outlines future investment in education infrastructure.

Swansea Valley super school plan rejected
Community campaign succeeds in stopping controversial school merger.

‘Listen to the people’: NPT Council urged to reject plans to close Swansea Valley schools
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#DavidChadwickMP #education #GodreRgraig #GodreRGraigPrimarySchool #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #newSchool #Pontardawe #portacabin #SionedWilliamsMS #SwanseaValley #WelshGovernment

“Shameful” answer from First Minister on replacement for demolished Swansea Valley school

School closed over landslide risk

Godre’r Graig Primary was shut in July 2019 after a geotechnical report identified a medium risk of landslide from a quarry spoil tip above the playground. Pupils were moved into portable classrooms near Cwmtawe Community School in Pontardawe, more than three miles away. The original building has since been demolished.

Neath Port Talbot Council has submitted an application to Welsh Government for funding to build a replacement school. But uncertainty over the bid, and how it is being assessed, has raised concerns among staff and parents about the school’s long‑term future.

Clash in the Senedd

Raising the issue in the Senedd on Tuesday (30 September), South Wales West MS Sioned Williams said correspondence seen by the school suggested the application was being treated as if it were for a brand‑new school, rather than a replacement forced by “the scars of our industrial legacy.”

In response, the First Minister said:

“Well, my understanding is that the Plaid council blocked the new school proposal, and that is something that you may want to reflect on.”

The remark referred to the previous Labour administration’s controversial “super school” plan, which would have merged Godre’r Graig with Alltwen and Llangiwg primaries on a new site at Parc Ynysderw, Pontardawe. That proposal was overturned by the council’s new rainbow coalition in 2022 following strong community opposition.

“Children deserved a better response”

Speaking afterwards, Ms Williams said:

“The children, staff and community of Godre’rgraig deserved a better response to their situation than that given by the First Minister today.

This building was closed through no fault of the school, its staff or its pupils but rather the scars of our industrial legacy – that are continuing to impact our children to this day.

It was shameful to see the First Minister play politics with the future of Godre’r Graig Primary School without even trying to answer my question about the need to recognise the exceptional circumstances that led to the school requiring a new building.”

She confirmed she will be writing to the First Minister to demand a “substantive response more befitting of her office.”

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• Council to discuss multimillion-pound school building plans

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• Decision day set for controversial Swansea Valley super school plans

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• Senedd Member calls for Pontardawe super school plan to be rejected

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• Council to review Swansea Valley super school decision made by previous administration

  New coalition leadership re-examines the controversial education project after local backlash.

• Plan for new super primary school in Swansea Valley recommended for council’s cabinet approval

  Officers recommend approval for a £22m single-site school at Parc Ynysderw, Pontardawe.

• Three Swansea Valley schools could be replaced with one new one under latest council plans

  Proposals outlined to merge Godre’r Graig, Alltwen and Llangiwg primaries into a single new build.

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