THREE Carmarthenshire primary schools are taking part in a pilot to redesign primary school lunch menus in the county, using local produce to promote health, wellbeing, sustainability, social value and education.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Future Generations Menu pilot aims to align public sector catering with local and national policies, including environmental sustainability, rural economic growth, and net-zero targets.

The Council has commissioned the local non-profit organisation, Cegin y Bobl, to work with Ysgol Teilo Sant, Llandeilo Primary School and Ysgol Pen Rhos, in co-creating the new menus.

Catering staff, teachers, parents, and children are joining chefs and educators from Cegin y Bobl to develop nutritious meals that will be served in the schools’ canteens. The redesigned menus are being created to reflect the seasonality of Welsh produce, which helps increase local economic impact and reduce reliance on imported food.

As a result, fresh, seasonal produce from Bremenda Farm in Llanarthne will be grown specifically for schools across the academic calendar. This 100-acre farm, owned by the Local Authority, is being used as a trial location to grow high-quality, affordable fruit and vegetables for the public plate. This initiative supports local agriculture, reduces the environmental impact of food production and transportation, and introduces children to the benefits of eating fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

The redesigned menus will be introduced to the three participating schools in September 2025, with plans for a county-wide rollout in September 2026. A recipe file will also be made available as an open-source resource for other local authorities in Wales, helping other schools integrate sustainable food practices.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member responsible for Rural Affairs, Planning and Community Cohesion, Cllr Carys Jones, said: By involving the entire school community, we’re creating a collaborative approach to better food choices. This initiative isn’t just about changing menus; it’s about helping young people understand where their food comes from, why it matters, and how it connects to a healthier future for both them and the planet.

This pilot has been funded by the Welsh Government through the Backing Local Firms and Innovation Funds and is part of Carmarthenshire County Council’s broader commitment to local and sustainable food.

For more information, visit the Future Generations Menu web page.

WITHYHEDGE landfill site near to Haverfordwest has re-opened and has welcomed members from local community councils, county councillors, MSs and MPs, and local organisations including Spittal School, Haverfordwest Airport, and Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services.

Withyhedge landfill site was closed temporarily between 15 May 2024 and 6 January 2025 to enable engineering, and infrastructure works to be completed to address odour issues.  Following a thorough investigation by the site owners and specialist geotechnical engineers, it became clear that the odour was due to the site receiving compliant waste that reacted uncharacteristically when placed in the cell. 

Site owners Resource Management UK Ltd (RML), in collaboration with landfill specialists and regulators, have implemented a series of comprehensive new measures to ensure there is no repeat of the odour event.

Currently the site is only accepting pre-qualifying materials from Dauson Environmental, but it is expected that the site will recommence the acceptance of third-party wastes later in the year should they meet the waste acceptance criteria.

RML Director David Neal said:  “Since the issues experienced last year, we have invested over £10 million at the site.

“This has included major improvements to the site gas management including the installation of an additional gas network, additional flares and enhanced monitoring and recording instrumentation.  In addition, we have reviewed and revised our waste acceptance and waste testing procedures to the satisfaction of the Regulator and to provide confidence and reassurance to the local communities that the chances of any reoccurrence of odour have been minimised as far as possible.

“In direct response to concerns raised by the local community, we have committed to funding an additional 12 months of static air quality monitoring at Spittal School. This monitoring, along with the air quality sensors around the perimeter of the Withyhedge site and those within the surrounding community, will enable RML and other stakeholders to effectively monitor and assess odours within the community.”

Mr Neal added “I would like to thank the local community for their understanding through this challenging time; we are a part of the community, and we want to continue to be a good neighbour.  We will continue with regular updates and more site visits later this year.”

Since the Withyhedge landfill site re-opened on 6 January 2025, NRW, has conducted several compliance visits and have undertaken inspections looking at incoming waste, on site processes and the effectiveness of the revised procedures implemented by RML. 

Boy shut himself in to avoid assembly

A CLASSROOM assistant used a 20p coin to unlock a toilet cubicle and check on a young boy who had been inside for several hours without food or water, a professional standards hearing has heard.

The incident occurred at Waldo Williams Primary School in Haverfordwest on May 22, 2023, when a pupil, referred to as Child A, shut himself in the toilet to avoid attending a school assembly. He remained in the cubicle from around 11:00am until after 3:00pm, according to teaching assistant Samantha Thomas, who gave evidence to the Education Workforce Council on Monday (April 8).

Mrs Thomas said she repeatedly checked on the child, asking if he needed anything to eat or drink, but he did not respond. She eventually used a coin to release the door mechanism and partially open the door, which opened inwards. Inside, she saw the child sitting in the small cubicle—approximately two metres square—which contained a toilet, basin and, unusually, a chair.

Despite her concerns, Mrs Thomas said she was instructed by class teacher Sally Berry not to interact with the child while he remained in the cubicle. Mrs Berry allegedly told her the boy’s behaviour plan required minimal stimulation and that he should be left to calm himself.

However, under questioning, Mrs Thomas said she did not see Mrs Berry personally check on the child during that time, aside from overhearing her say, “Are you alright, buddy?” at one point. She also confirmed that although the door was closed, she knew it could be opened using the slot-lock from outside.

The panel heard that the child often used the toilet as a “safe space” and had not wanted to attend assembly that day. But former headteacher Cora O’Brien, who had worked closely with Mrs Berry before retiring, said that if such an incident had happened during her leadership, it would have triggered serious safeguarding concerns and the senior management team would have been alerted immediately.

Debbie Williams, who was the acting headteacher at the time of the incident, told the hearing she had not been informed about the situation until near the end of the school day. She confirmed that senior leaders were unaware the child had been in the cubicle for such a long period.

The panel is considering a number of allegations against Mrs Berry. These include claims that she:

• Allowed the pupil to remain in the toilet for more than three hours;
• Failed to provide proper guidance to teaching assistants about how to respond in line with the child’s behavioural support plan;
• Did not ensure the child was supervised over the lunch break;
• Failed to notify senior staff or the pupil’s parents in a timely manner;
• Misrepresented how often she had checked on the child;
• Submitted a behaviour report containing inaccurate information.

Mrs Berry is also accused of a separate safeguarding failure involving another child, referred to as Child X, in January 2023. She allegedly did not report a threatening comment made by the pupil to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Person or to the local authority’s Child Care Assessment Team in a timely manner.

The hearing continues.