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| Llanelli considers breaking free from Carmarthenshire County Council | Llanelli considers breaking free from Carmarthenshire County Council |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Town councillors are discussing an attempt for Llanelli to break away from Carmarthenshire County Council amid claims the town is being neglected. | Town councillors are discussing an attempt for Llanelli to break away from Carmarthenshire County Council amid claims the town is being neglected. |
| Mayor Winston Lemon said Llanelli desperately needed new jobs and the town centre was a "disgrace". | Mayor Winston Lemon said Llanelli desperately needed new jobs and the town centre was a "disgrace". |
| Councillors are discussing the issue on Wednesday. | |
| Carmarthenshire council said the plan was a "non-starter" and the Welsh government said it had no intention to separate Llanelli from Carmarthenshire. | |
| Councillor Lemon said: "We're so used to being an industrial town, one of the biggest industrial towns in the world. | Councillor Lemon said: "We're so used to being an industrial town, one of the biggest industrial towns in the world. |
| "Surely there must be ways and means of keeping industry in and around a place like this. | "Surely there must be ways and means of keeping industry in and around a place like this. |
| "You see all the land being plundered for housing and people coming into Llanelli from God knows where for God knows what because there are no jobs here." | "You see all the land being plundered for housing and people coming into Llanelli from God knows where for God knows what because there are no jobs here." |
| He questioned the way public money was being spent by Carmarthenshire council and said there was a need to regain control of decision making. | He questioned the way public money was being spent by Carmarthenshire council and said there was a need to regain control of decision making. |
| He said the town centre was a disgrace and much needed to be done to revive it. | He said the town centre was a disgrace and much needed to be done to revive it. |
| Research commissioned by BBC Wales last year suggested that Llanelli had the highest shop vacancy rate (27.9%) in Wales among the major towns and cities. | Research commissioned by BBC Wales last year suggested that Llanelli had the highest shop vacancy rate (27.9%) in Wales among the major towns and cities. |
| The town had also seen the largest vacancy rise over the past three years. | The town had also seen the largest vacancy rise over the past three years. |
| Mr Lemon said there was plenty of public support for Llanelli to leave Carmarthenshire council, although any final decision would not be made for some time. | |
| "This isn't a flash in the pan, this is something I've been thinking about for years," he said. | "This isn't a flash in the pan, this is something I've been thinking about for years," he said. |
| "I've been watching the demise of Llanelli. I'm born and bred here... lived here all my life and it's just gone from bad to worse." | "I've been watching the demise of Llanelli. I'm born and bred here... lived here all my life and it's just gone from bad to worse." |
| Llanelli Town Council would take a vote on a possible break-away in principle. There was a borough council based in the town between 1974 and local government reorganisation in 1996. | Llanelli Town Council would take a vote on a possible break-away in principle. There was a borough council based in the town between 1974 and local government reorganisation in 1996. |
| The existing assembly and parliamentary constituency of Llanelli, which includes communities such as Burry Port and Kidwelly, has a population of around 78,000. | The existing assembly and parliamentary constituency of Llanelli, which includes communities such as Burry Port and Kidwelly, has a population of around 78,000. |
| This is larger than four existing local authorities - Merthyr Tydfil, Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent and Ceredigion. According to the 2011 census, the population of Carmarthenshire is 183,800. | This is larger than four existing local authorities - Merthyr Tydfil, Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent and Ceredigion. According to the 2011 census, the population of Carmarthenshire is 183,800. |
| But Carmarthenshire council chief executive Mark James said the Welsh government was concerned that councils were already too small. | But Carmarthenshire council chief executive Mark James said the Welsh government was concerned that councils were already too small. |
| "They could not break away. It would need a complete reorganisation of local government in Wales," he said. | "They could not break away. It would need a complete reorganisation of local government in Wales," he said. |
| "The Welsh government view is that many councils are already too small and hence the reason why they are forcing collaboration. This is a non-starter." | "The Welsh government view is that many councils are already too small and hence the reason why they are forcing collaboration. This is a non-starter." |
| The council also disputes the claims made by Mr Lemon and said millions of pounds had been invested in the town recently. | The council also disputes the claims made by Mr Lemon and said millions of pounds had been invested in the town recently. |
| Examples put forward by the council include the new £25m Eastgate development which features offices, shops and a cinema, and the new £15m Furnace Theatre. | Examples put forward by the council include the new £25m Eastgate development which features offices, shops and a cinema, and the new £15m Furnace Theatre. |
| The council said millions had also been spent on new schools, council house improvements and leisure developments such as Parc y Scarlets and Ffos Las racecourse. | The council said millions had also been spent on new schools, council house improvements and leisure developments such as Parc y Scarlets and Ffos Las racecourse. |
| The Welsh government, which has responsibility for the organisation of local government, along with the Welsh assembly, said: "There is no intention to separate Llanelli from Carmarthenshire. | |
| "Should there be a case for the review of a local government area, that could be referred to the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales to consider. | |
| "Should town or community councils wish to seek delegation of any functions to them from their county council, that is a path that is open to negotiation between the parties concerned." |