Important – Have your say on possible cost increases to Pemberton Track sessions.
We welcome members views on the Club’s Tuesday and Thursday Pemberton track sessions, including your views on the cost of these sessions. The Club hire the track from Scarlet’s Regional Ltd who are proposing increases to our hire costs. We are looking into a number of ways to manage these proposed changes and feel it is important that members views are considered. Shown below is a recent letter we have sent to Carmarthenshire County Council, the Rural Council and MP’s, which explains the position.
Please send your views/comments to Helen Williams at Laacchair@gmail.com by 15th April 2026.
Councillor Hazel Evans
Re-generation, Leisure, Culture and Tourism,
Democratic Services,
County Hall,
Carmarthen.
CC.
- Ian Jones Head of Leisure CCC
- Mr Stephen Morgan Assets CCC
- Mr Simon Davies Assets CCC
- Cllr Sharen Davies SDavies@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
- Cllr Andrew Hart Llanelli Rural Council Andrew.Hart@llanelli-rural.gov.uk
- Cllr Andrew Stephens Llanelli Rural Council Andrew.Stephens@llanelli-rural.gov.uk
- Dame Nia Griffith nia.griffith.mp@parliament.uk
- AM Lee Waters Lee.Waters@senedd.wales
15th March 2026
Dear Councillor Evans,
I am writing to you on behalf of Llanelli Amateur Athletics Club to make you aware and express my concern regarding a proposed 68% increase in Pemberton track hire costs proposed by Scarlets Regional Ltd. Costs would increase from £25 to £42 per hour. Scarlets Regional Ltd have explained that the increase is due to operating costs and the need to include VAT in the charge. This will have a significant impact on the ability of the Club to continue to offer athletics to the community of Llanelli because over 85% of those we coach are either children or students, with often more than one child per family participating. We are currently consulting parents and seeking their views, and would also really welcome Carmarthenshire County Council (CCC) views and help.
Please would you advise:
- In the immediate term, as CCC is the owner of the facility are you able to exert influence to ensure the Club is able to continue to use the track facility at an appropriate cost? Either by the terms of a lease or by some other means, or by financial support to the Club enabling us to manage the increase?
- In the longer term, what is the Council’s vision for athletics in Llanelli? In-particular does the existing community track at Pemberton play any part in this?
Llanelli Amateur Athletic Club was founded in 1978 following a public meeting, organised by Don Roberts and the Brin Isaac Committee which has over the years fostered sporting endeavour in Llanelli. The Club continues to play a significant part in promoting health and well- being in the community through athletics for juniors and seniors. We are based at Parc y Scarlets Pemberton Track and are so grateful that an all- weather track was installed there in 2008. The synthetic track is a 6 lane with a rugby field in the centre which is used by the Scarlets mainly for training purposes and youth games. The Club have access to one toilet at the track and no changing facilities. Only 60% of the floodlights now work and the East and West ends are in darkness during the winter months. The track no longer meets competition standards.
The Club currently hire the track two evenings a week, coaching Juniors from aged 9, from across Llanelli and the surrounding district. All our volunteer coaches are qualified Welsh Athletics Coaches and take no expenses or payments for their work. Pemberton track is now the only track in Llanelli and parents would be very unlikely or unable to travel during the week to the refurbished tracks at Carmarthen, Ammanford and Swansea.
We understand that the provision of a Community Facility underpinned the original Parc Y Scarlets Agreement and also included a “ sinking fund” provisio, so that the Council could specifically replace the artificial track surface. In discussions with Carmarthenshire Council officers, we have highlighted that the track surface is now almost 20 years old and urgently needs to be resurfaced. The surface is breaking up and lane markings have almost disappeared. Even though we only hire the facility, in order for us, (and others who hire the track), to continue to be able to use it, we have had to address the safety concerns. Using grants from various bodies and our own funds and Club volunteers we have:
- Repaired holes in the track surface
- Had a survey of the discus/hammer cage
- Refurbished the long jump pits
- Refurbished the shot- put circle
Over the years I’m not aware that Scarlets Regional Ltd have carried out any obvious maintenance to the track facility other than washing the mud off the track surface following their annual ~£40K field/pitch replacement; which results in the Club being stopped from using or even walking on the field during June and July each year. During winter the lighting is so poor because of “blown” lights , we have to restrict track use on the far side and cannot coach throws on the field.
Indeed, Scarlets have openly stated they would prefer the track to be grassed over so they can “get a better run up for throw-ins”.
The Club cannot apply for the usual Sports Wales grants to refurbish the track surface because we only rent the facility. Such grants are only available to the lease holder or owner, and exclude businesses. Neither can we apply for grants to up grade the lighting to LED although the Scarlets Regional Ltd could have previously applied for business grants but didn’t.
Last year we have highlighted to CCC Assets team the need to make provision for a full technical survey of the track which would be used to inform refurbishment work. This survey would cost ~£3k and Welsh Athletics can guide on this. We are not aware if any provision has been made.
The proposed increase in hire charges is comparable to Club hire charges at the fully refurbished Carmarthen and Ammanford tracks, Ammanford costs £49/hr and VAT is not charged. These leisure facilities also provide toilets and changing rooms and full lighting.
We have requested a copy of the lease from your Assets Team to understand what if any conditions with regard to community use were included. The track lease is a short- term lease and is separate to the main stadium. We understand that this lease may not have been renewed, but the old one should be referred to. To date we have not received a copy. We have also submitted a FOI request for this and having been waiting for this for some time.
Finally, we draw your attention to the change in VAT arrangements were
local authorities’ leisure services are provided under a statutory framework, they can be treated as non-business for VAT purposes. Clearly, Scarlets Regional Ltd cannot benefit from this, and the Club will be further penalised by this added charge.
I would be happy to meet you at any time to discuss this further, along with Club founder member and President Paul Oram.
Yours sincerely,
Helen Williams Chair Llanelli AAC