Calls have been made for the Welsh Government to step in and save two vital community assets facing an extremely uncertain future.
Bosses at Caerphilly Council have drawn up a series of money saving measures including withdrawing funding for Blackwood Miners Institute and Llancaiach Fawr, a popular tourist attraction.
The move has sparked uproar within the community with protests and petitions calling for a rethink gaining in excess of 10,000 signatures.
Natasha Asghar MS, who represents South Wales East, this week raised the issue with the Welsh Government’s Culture Secretary in the Welsh Parliament.
She told the chamber:
“Blackwood Miners Institute is a vital community asset and has become renowned for being a thriving arts and entertainment venue with a range of events staged there.
“And Llancaiach Fawr is an extremely popular Tudor manor house tourist attraction, enticing hordes of visitors each year
“Both of these sites, Cabinet Secretary, are indeed an integral part of the community’s history and the council cannot be allowed to get away with this.
“I have raised my concerns directly with the leader of the council and I sincerely hope they reflect on the public outcry and drop these plans, but Cabinet Secretary, in case they decide to push ahead regardless, is there any scope for the Welsh Government to intervene and save these important sites?”
Jane Hutt MS, the Welsh Government’s Culture Secretary, replied by saying it was important the topic was being discussed, but swerved the question about her government intervening.
Commenting after the exchange, Natasha Asghar MS said:
“I cannot stress enough just how important these two sites are and it’s completely unacceptable that the local authority is even looking at taking away funding.
“We should be doing all we can to help venues like these thrive, not setting out to hamper them.
“It is incredibly disappointing that the Welsh Government failed to commit to taking action in a bid to save these sites.”
