A local councillor has hit back at claims that HS2 funding could allow a new school to be built in Ammanford.

Kevin Madge, Labour shadow cabinet member for resources and environment on Carmarthenshire County Council has hit back at comments made by Plaid Cymru Councillor Colin Evans regarding the UK Labour government.

Mr Madge has denied Mr Evans' statement that Wales receiving more funding for the HS2 project would benefit the development of Ammanford.

He said: “I can assure him; I have been fighting for the Amman Valley for the last 50 years. Funding would not come down to Ammanford to build schools. Railways in the UK have nothing to do with building schools.”

Mr Madge also criticised Carmarthenshire County Council for allegedly losing £8m – a pot of money he claims should have been used to build a new school.

Mr Madge continued: “I’m challenging to ask why the £8m disappeared before making statements about funding for railways. This is a smokescreen for Plaid Cymru. They have now been in power for over ten years.

“They bought the land, yet they didn’t develop a school let alone wanting to build a new leisure centre.”

However, Mr Madge’s claims over the £8m investment into a new school has been rebuked by the county council, stating Ammanford MEP Primary investment project has experienced many challenges over the years

A spokesperson revealed there were three reasons why the development didn’t take place: scale and complexity, availability of suitable land of sufficient scale and aspirations to support wider regenerations objectives.

They said: “Scale and complexity- as the Ammanford scheme has progressed, pupil numbers have increased, this in part was due to a significant increase in demand for Welsh primary education in the Ammanford area. 

“The size of schools required to adequately house mainstream and ALN pupils would equate to over 1,000 places.

“Availability of suitable land of sufficient scale- due to the increases in the pupil population a preferred option is being reviewed in line with the regeneration of Ammanford town.

“Aspirations to support wider regeneration objectives- with a pupil population of this size careful consideration is being given to options which best suit the regeneration of the town and community of Ammanford. 

Carmarthenshire County Council added that school projects are funded under the 21st Century Schools scheme and are subject to a business case process with Welsh Government.

“There would not have been an £8m allocation for this, as any scheme would have been subject to WG approval. The scheme did not get this stage because of the above points," the spokesperson added.