‘More than a leisure centre’

IN SOME interviews you can often get the best flavour of the interviewee at the end of your time together. By then you have batted questions and answers back and forth and both have a clearer idea of what you both want to achieve from the process.

And so it was with former leader of Carmarthenshire County Council and current Executive Board Member for Regeneration, Cllr Meryl Gravell.

“Too often in West Wales in the past, people have said ‘it will do’.” Cllr Gravell told our reporter, “I think we are far better served by thinking big.”

Referring to Llanelli, Cllr Gravell said: “People said we wouldn’t get a golf course. It took a while, but we did. People said we wouldn’t be able to build executive homes nearby, but we did and they sold.

Nobody can accuse the County Council of lack of ambition in respect of the Wellness project it is part of in Llanelli. In the course of our interview with her Cllr Gravell took considerable pains to spell out the scope of the project.

“It is much more than a leisure centre,” Cllr Gravell agreed. “There IS a need for a new leisure centre in Llanelli, the one there now is out of date, but we are looking at something more than that.”

Indeed, what has been referred to as a Wellness Centre, a Wellness Village, is now to be part of a Wellness Enterprise Zone.

Cllr Gravell told us how she became involved in advancing the proposed development: “I went to a wellness conference and spoke there about wanting much more than a new leisure centre for Llanelli. After I spoke at the conference, I was contacted by the Regional Health Consortium (ARCH) and that began my involvement there.

The key word that occurred several times while Cllr Gravell spoke to us was the word ‘exciting’, and it was difficult to escape the impression that her enthusiasm for the project and what she hoped it would deliver was genuine and unfeigned. The key concepts that she returned to on a number of occasions were the educational and economic opportunities the project could potentially deliver.

There is more to the development than simply providing new facilities, as Cllr Gravell was eager to make clear: “The aim of ARCH (the Regional Consortium for Health) is to be proactive in keeping people healthier for a longer time. It is about ensuring that people are healthy throughout their lives and are supported and encouraged in leading healthy lifestyles.

“It starts before babies are born by bringing pregnant mums together to learn about good nutrition. In my own ward of Trimsaran, we are aiming to create the first Wellness School. We are working with Coleg Sir Gar and the University of Swansea to provide opportunities for learning and training. One thing I know is valuable is providing facilities for those with learning difficulties: I was involved with a drama group for people with learning difficulties, the work of the group helped them with their daily lives and confidence. The sort of space we have in mind will bring those things together. It’s not only about swimming and going to the gym.”

While Cllr Gravell is positive and upbeat about the Wellness Zone, we asked whether there was a tension between the Council’s commitment to it and the asset transfer process. In particular we referred to Labour Leader Jeff Edmunds’s view that the parks and playing fields subject to the asset transfer scheme were themselves individual ‘wellness facilities’.

“Of course I agree with Jeff Edmunds on that,” she responded, “Jeff Edmunds was a member of the Board when we began our involvement in ARCH. The situation there is that there are financial pressures. While some communities have always funded their own playing fields and parks, it is unusual that in Carmarthenshire we have a situation where some communities are responsible for parks and playing fields’ upkeep, others have the same facilities provided by the County Council. It is a question of fairness to everyone.”

Cllr Gravell was also clear on the economic case for the development: “While we were clear on the need for a leisure centre, what we also want to do is deliver jobs. We want to keep people educated in West Wales working in West Wales. We don’t want to export our brains. By providing educational, training and business opportunities we want to provide a career path for young people to stop the brain drain. The Council is committed to playing a large part in that. So students at the University, for example, could do training and develop careers as part of the scheme.

“We looked at one site in Llanelli first, but Delta Lakes provided more land and more scope. Near the site is a place we are building a new school. It is possible that the school would be another Wellness School, the second, and it would be able to use the facilities nearby.”

Cllr Gravell also told us that the County Council would not be alone in making an investment on the project. “While I cannot provide you with details at this stage, we are in discussions with a major international investor who is considering coming on board with us.”

While Cllr Gravell is positive and upbeat about the Wellness Zone, we asked whether there was a tension between the Council’s commitment to it and the asset transfer process. In particular we referred to Labour Leader Jeff Edmunds’s view that the parks and playing fields subject to the asset transfer scheme were themselves individual ‘wellness facilities’.

“Of course I agree with Jeff Edmunds on that,” she responded, “Jeff Edmunds was a member of the Board when we began discussing our plans. The situation there is that there are financial pressures. While some communities have always funded their own playing fields and parks, it is unusual that in Carmarthenshire we have a situation where some communities are responsible for parks and playing fields’ upkeep, others have the same facilities provided by the County Council. It is a question of fairness to everyone.”

We asked how deeply the Council was committed to ARCH and the Llanelli Wellness project. Cllr Gravell told us: “The Council is involved on several levels with ARCH in aiming to bring this project to fruition. The Head of Regeneration, Wendy Walters is on one working group. I am on another working group. The Chief Executive is involved at the level of discussions with the Chief Executive of the Health Board. As a council, we are fully integrated into ARCH and its aims and our involvement is integral to its delivery of this exciting project.”

Cllr Gravell concluded: “This facility will not only be for Llanelli it will be for the benefit of the whole of Carmarthenshire.

“The aim is – well it’s a bit like an all-inclusive holiday. We want people to come here, to be attracted to live here. The area needs GPs, we need businesses to come in to Carmarthenshire. One thing we think will make it a more attractive proposition is the research and development element associated with what we are trying to achieve in Llanelli. Small enterprises, bigger businesses: we want to deliver good jobs and good futures.”

She also pointed out that the aim of the facility was to aim for whole life involvement in wellness as a lifestyle. “We are considering the provision of housing for older people. We want to tackle the problem of loneliness within our communities. This is something which ties together the whole package for Carmarthenshire. The Millennium Coast Path, Pembrey, the Care centre we plan to build. It is part of a bigger picture for the Council. And our key aim is to provide good jobs, good education, and to attract people to come to our area, not only as tourists but with their businesses.”