LLANELLI: Wetland centre to get £400k makeover — but visitors warned of disruption

WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre has secured funding to completely transform its entrance and visitor centre, promising a “more welcoming and accessible” experience for families.

The project, backed by Welsh Government cash and council support, will see the front of the centre redesigned with new pathways, wider doors and improved facilities.

But the upgrade comes with a catch.

Construction is due to begin in April 2026 and will run through to November — meaning months of changes for visitors, including temporary entrances and relocated facilities.

Despite the disruption, the centre insists it will stay open throughout.

Bosses say the revamp is badly needed, with the current entrance no longer fit for purpose.

New features will include modern welcome points, bilingual signage and interactive displays highlighting the wetlands and wildlife.

There will also be eco-friendly upgrades, including a drainage system designed to reduce flooding and boost biodiversity.

Centre manager Jo Jones said the changes would transform the visitor experience.

She said: “Our newly transformed visitor centre will ensure everyone receives a warm and inclusive welcome.

“While there will be some temporary disruption during the build, we’re carefully planning the works so people can continue to enjoy the wetlands.”

The £400,000 project includes £300,000 from the Welsh Government’s Brilliant Basics Fund, with the rest funded by the charity itself.

Ministers say the investment will help secure the site’s future as a top visitor attraction in Carmarthenshire.

Rebecca Evans, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, said: “WWT Llanelli is a remarkable natural asset, and this investment will ensure it becomes even more accessible, inclusive and welcoming for everyone. The Brilliant Basics Fund exists to enhance the essential infrastructure that underpins great visitor experiences – improving accessibility, facilities, and supporting destinations to offer year-round, sustainable tourism.

“This project at WWT Llanelli embodies those aims and I’m delighted that the Welsh Government can help drive this transformation, which will benefit visitors, wildlife and the wider Carmarthenshire economy for generations to come.”

Cllr Hazel Evans, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, added: “Working in collaboration with WWT Llanelli, this exciting project will enhance visitor experience and improve accessibility by updating pathways, doors and ramps as required to meet universal standards, providing bilingual interpretation and installing clear wayfinding systems. I look forward to seeing the results of this project in the future.”

The work is expected to be finished in time for a major milestone — the centre’s 80th birthday celebrations.

In the meantime, visitors are being urged to follow signage and plan ahead as building work gets underway.

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Political battle erupts as Llanelli Rural Council approves 8% council tax rise – bringing three-year increase to 47%

The decision will affect residents across communities outside Llanelli town centre, including Llwynhendy, Pemberton, Five Roads, Bynea, Dafen, Felinfoel, Swiss Valley, and Glyn.

Opposition councillors from Plaid Cymru and Independent groups condemned the decision, warning it will place a further burden on households during the ongoing cost of living crisis, following an “eye-watering” 32% increase last year.

But Council Leader Cllr Rob Evans hit back, claiming the opposition councillors themselves were responsible for driving up the precept by insisting on ward-specific projects – and accused them of hypocrisy for criticising allowances while earning approximately £20,000 per year as County Councillors.

Cllr Alex Evans, Leader of the Opposition, said the decision shows “the administration is out of touch with the priorities of ordinary residents.”

“People are already struggling to get by. Forcing them to pay almost 50% more in council tax than just three years ago is just not on — that is why we had to vote against the proposed budget tonight. Residents are being asked to pay more while council leaders spend on luxuries,” he said.

Opposition councillors also criticised continued spending on councillor attendance payments, along with a leased car and chauffeur to escort the Chair of Council to events. An optional attendance payment allows councillors to claim £15 for each meeting they attend, with several meetings lasting less than 10 minutes in 2025, and the shortest lasting only three minutes.

“Opposition councillors and residents will rightly question the judgement and priorities of Labour councillors after refusing to scrap attendance payments and return the leased car,” Cllr Evans added.

Opposition councillors contrasted the move with neighbouring Llanelli Town Council which voted to freeze its tax.

The council has since moved from being Labour-run to a new Independent administration and has committed to scrapping councillor payments.

Cllr Sharen Davies, Independent member who also voted against the budget, challenged the administration’s claim that the tax rise was driven in part by the Canolfan Llwynhendy project.

“This development has been funded largely through grants and partner support. It should not be used as a smokescreen to justify excessive tax rises. Llwynhendy residents deserve investment and improvements in our community,” she said.

“This tax hike is completely unacceptable and will put serious financial pressure on our residents. Labour must rethink this further tax increase and start cutting back on unnecessary luxuries.”

However, Council Leader Cllr Rob Evans strongly rejected the criticism, pointing out that the Council’s administration is a coalition of Labour, Independent, and Plaid Cymru members – not a solely Labour-led authority.

He said the current Council has inherited a significant backlog of issues from the previous administration’s “lack of foresight” when adopting numerous new projects and asset transfers.

Cllr Evans explained that last year’s 32% increase was driven by unavoidable commitments, including £107,000 required in the Llwynhendy/Pemberton Ward to complete the new Canolfan Llwynhendy build and to fund unexpected drainage works at Gwili Fields in Cllr Sharen Davies’s ward, recruitment of additional staff to support growing community facilities, and replacement of a grounds maintenance vehicle.

He said this year’s 8% rise primarily reflects investment in Plaid Cymru and Independent wards, including £40,000 for refurbishing a play area for the Five Roads/Glyn Ward – Cllr Alex Evans’s ward – and further investment in Canolfan Llwynhendy.

“It is important to note that had Councillors Alex Evans and Sharen Davies not insisted on these additional ward-specific projects, this year’s rise would have been closer to the general cost of living and would have eased financial pressure on local households. For a Band D property, the increase equates to 28 pence per week,” Cllr Evans said.

On the Chairperson’s car, he said the Council continues to maintain a car and driver because the Chair must represent the Council at numerous civic events across the community, and not all Chairpersons are able to drive. “This support ensures the Chair can fulfil the role effectively and inclusively,” he added.

Regarding councillor allowances, Cllr Evans said Llanelli Rural Council is one of the largest and most ambitious town and community councils in Wales, and as a result, councillors face increasing demand on their time to meet governance and regulatory requirements.

“The role is no longer entirely voluntary in practice. Members dedicate substantial time to reading agendas, reports, and background papers, in addition to attending meetings. The meeting allowance ensures councillors are not out of pocket for fulfilling their duties,” he said.

He added:

“It must also be acknowledged that the councillors quoted in the opposition press release are themselves County Councillors. County Councillors receive a basic salary of approximately £20,000 per year, and for context this is more than the rural council’s entire budget.”

The council’s administration said it remains committed to transparency, responsible financial management, and ensuring that all communities within the Council area benefit from sustained investment and high quality services.

Wife and lover jailed for 19 years each after plotting to murder her husband in armed caravan ambush

Michelle Mills and Geraint Berry, both 46, were sentenced after a jury found them guilty of conspiracy to murder Christopher Mills, Michelle’s husband of ten years. The case exposed months of planning, chilling discussions about how to kill him, and a final ambush that only failed because the victim fought back.

A plot to clear the way for an affair

The court heard that Mills and Berry had been in a secret relationship for several months and were desperate to remove Mr Mills from their lives. Detectives uncovered messages showing the pair discussing a range of ways to kill him, from poisoning him in his sleep to staging a shooting or causing his car to explode. The intention, police said, was to make his death look like a suicide so they could continue their relationship without suspicion.

Two failed attempts before the caravan attack

Investigators found that the pair had already made two aborted attempts to attack Mr Mills in late August 2024. Berry injured his knee during one of the failed raids, but the planning continued. Messages between the pair showed Mills encouraging Berry and reassuring him that she would make sure her husband was vulnerable when the time came.

The night the plot came to life

The final attempt took place on 20 September 2024 at a caravan in Cenarth, Ceredigion, where Mills and her husband were staying. Mills encouraged Mr Mills to drink so he would fall asleep, while Berry messaged her moments before he and a second man, Steven Thomas, burst into the caravan wearing masks and carrying imitation firearms.

Despite being beaten, Mr Mills fought back and managed to raise the alarm. Armed officers, dog units and the police helicopter were deployed, and Berry and Thomas were found hiding in nearby undergrowth. Mills herself dialled 999, pretending to be an innocent bystander with no idea why her husband had been targeted.

A fake suicide note and a web of lies

When officers searched Berry and Thomas, they found gas masks, imitation firearms and a typed suicide note purporting to be from Mr Mills. Detectives said this discovery changed the entire direction of the investigation, revealing that the attack was not a random burglary but a planned killing.

Mills continued to deny any involvement, insisting she had no idea why her husband had been attacked. But digital forensic work quickly linked her to Berry and exposed the affair, along with months of messages discussing how to kill her husband. Officers said she never once tried to stop the plot — her only concern was not being caught.

“Cold and calculated” – detective condemns pair’s lack of remorse

Detective Inspector Sam Gregory said the case had been one of the most disturbing his team had dealt with, describing Mills and Berry as “cold and calculated individuals” who had shown “no remorse for the devastation they caused.”

He said the dramatic twists of the case should not distract from the reality that Christopher Mills’ life was genuinely at risk.

DI Gregory said:

“It is easy to get carried away by the dramatic details in this case, with its many twists and turns, and to forget that there is a victim behind the sensational headlines and lurid media stories.”

He added that the betrayal at the heart of the plot was almost as shocking as the violence itself.

“Mr Mills’ life was truly at risk, and the person he should have been able to trust the most was behind the plans to harm him.”

The detective said the pair had never accepted responsibility for what they had done.

“Despite their not guilty pleas, and claims that the plots to kill Mr Mills were just fabrications, the evidence showed that Mills and Berry’s conspiracy was very real and that there had been multiple attempts to bring their plots to fruition.”

He said the investigation had revealed a level of planning and persistence that left officers in no doubt about the pair’s intentions.

“I believe both Mills and Berry are cold and calculated individuals, who have shown no remorse for their actions despite the devastation they have caused.”

Sentences handed down

Mills and Berry were each jailed for 19 years for conspiracy to murder. Thomas, who had earlier admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, was sentenced to 12 months — time already served on remand.

DI Gregory said he hoped the sentencing would allow Mr Mills to begin rebuilding his life after what he described as an “unimaginable” ordeal.

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New community hub opens in Llwynhendy as old library gets fresh lease of life

The renovated facility, now named Canolfan Llwynhendy, is open to the public following completion of works funded by the Welsh Government, Carmarthenshire County Council, Llanelli Rural Council, and Our Llwynhendy. Furnishing costs were supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The centre includes meeting rooms, a café, an automated library service, housing and employment advice, training opportunities, and a programme of events delivered through Pro-Vision Llwynhendy and Our Llwynhendy. Ownership of the building has officially transferred from Carmarthenshire County Council to Llanelli Rural Council.

The venue will operate Monday to Friday, with facilities available for hire seven days a week. An official opening ceremony is being planned, subject to ministerial availability, and a series of community events will be held to mark the launch.

“A fantastic venue for the community”

Council Leader and Chairman, Cllr Sue Lewis, said:

“Canolfan Llwynhendy is a fantastic venue for the community. It’s a fresh, light and welcoming space that has completely transformed the old library building. We’re proud to offer a place where people can access vital services locally and enjoy a wide range of activities.”

She added that the centre’s integration with outdoor improvements at Parc Y Gwili — including new play areas and landscaping — creates a seamless environment that encourages wellbeing and community use.

Cllr Deryk Cundy, Chairman of the Recreation and Welfare Committee, said:

“This is a real asset for Llwynhendy. The automated library service means longer opening hours and greater accessibility — no more part-time library services. But it’s not just about books; Canolfan Llwynhendy brings together a range of vital services under one roof.”

“The addition of a café creates a welcoming social space for residents to meet, relax, and engage with others, helping to build a stronger sense of community. Combined with the new play provisions and landscaping at Parc Y Gwili, the centre offers a seamless indoor-outdoor experience that makes the area a true destination for all ages.”

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Two taken to hospital after car leaves road near Llwynhendy

Emergency response

The alarm was raised at around 8.15pm on Tuesday, 23 September, when a private vehicle left the B4304 and came to rest close to a water channel.

Crews from Carmarthen and Llanelli fire stations cut back sections of woodland to create an access route, before using a rescue sled to extricate the casualties. A specialist rescue team and wading team were also deployed.

Both casualties were handed into the care of the Welsh Ambulance Service and taken to hospital with what were described as minor injuries.

Police statement

Dyfed‑Powys Police confirmed officers attended the scene alongside fire and ambulance crews. A spokesperson said:

“Dyfed‑Powys Police attended to a report of a single‑vehicle road traffic collision on the B4304 near Llwynhendy at around 8.15pm on Tuesday 23 September. Two people were taken to hospital. The road was closed while emergency services attended the scene and reopened at around 11.50pm.”

Road closure

The B4304 was shut for more than three hours while emergency services worked at the scene, reopening shortly before midnight.

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#DyfedPowysPolice #Llanelli #Llwynhendy #MidAndWestWalesFireAndRescueService #RoadTrafficAccident #waterRescue