Politics
More cuts could have devastating impact, Sport Wales warns
SPORTS WALES warned any further cuts to its budget by the Welsh Government next year would have a potentially devastating impact.
Brian Davies, chief executive of Sport Wales, and Tanni Grey-Thompson, its chair, gave evidence to a Senedd inquiry about the impact of culture funding cuts on October 9.
Delyth Jewell, who chairs the culture committee, asked what would happen if cuts to Sports Wales’ budget were repeated in next year’s budget which will be published on December 10.
“It would be a big problem,” Mr Davies replied, saying Sport Wales was fortunate this year to be able to absorb the 10.5% cut from the Welsh Government.
He said further reductions would pose an “existential” challenge for smaller governing bodies that are funded by Sport Wales, which is responsible for developing and promoting sport.
Mr Davies suggested this year’s cut has impacted participation and equality, adding that Sport Wales has tried to minimise this by only passing on a 3.5% cut to partners.
He told the committee: “Cutting sport, which is a fantastic tool for the preventive health agenda, is a false economy … for every £1 of public money spent on sport and physical activity, there’s a £4.44 return in terms of social investment for Wales.”
Sport Wales’ written evidence said the £2.5m cut to its budget in 2024/25 is estimated to have led to a loss of £11.1m in terms of social return on investment.
Baroness Grey-Thompson said: “We might not see the impact of it for a couple of years actually … but there will be an impact in terms of what people are able to deliver.”
Pressed by Labour’s Lee Waters about suggestions of an “instinct to protect elite sport first”, Mr Davies said: “No, I don’t think that’s fair – in fact I know that’s not correct.
“Governing bodies, in the main … have such a broad range of responsibilities for their sport in the sector – elite sport is only one. There’s an awful lot that goes on.”
Baroness Grey-Thompson added that Sport Wales has moved away from demanding medal targets because it drives a culture that impacts grassroots sport.
The Paralympian said: “Partners understand that if you don’t develop that broad base, you’re not going to get the medallists.”
She stressed the importance of physical activity, calling for a focus on young people and “harder-to-reach, easier-to-ignore” groups to develop good patterns of behaviour.
Mr Davies agreed about the importance of prevention as he cautioned that Sport Wales is not as entwined as it should be with health and education.
Quizzed about the impact of council cuts, such as to leisure centres, Mr Davies said facilities are a critical issue as he pointed to a Sport Wales energy grant scheme.
He agreed about the role schools could play in opening up their facilities out of hours, particularly in rural Wales, but he warned Sport Wales has “hit a bit of a brick wall”.
Asked about accessing funding from trusts or foundations, Mr Davies said income generated by Sport Wales could be clawed back by the Welsh Government under its remit letter.
He told committee members: “It is an interesting area that we haven’t progressed and I don’t think any other sports council has either.”
Baroness Grey-Thompson said sponsorship for governing bodies is “considerably lower than you might imagine”, with a drop off after the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
Mr Waters raised concerns that standalone Welsh bodies may find it increasingly hard to sustain operations, with some potentially reverting to GB or England and Wales bodies.
Pressed about the Welsh Rugby Union, Mr Davies welcomed progress on governance, saying Sport Wales has reinstated funding that was withdrawn two years ago.
Business
Saundersfoot 72-home development work set to begin
PLANS by one of the UK’s largest housebuilders to build 72 homes, 25 of them affordable, on the outskirts of a Pembrokeshire seaside village have been given the final sign-off, with works due to start in the spring.
Back in 2022, Persimmon Homes applied to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for the scheme on a 2.26 hectare area of land adjoining the northernmost houses of a long-established Sandyhill Park residential estate, Saundersfoot.
The application, including 47 open market dwellings, proposed a variety of detached, semi-detached, terraced and apartment properties to create an “attractive and integrated extension to Saundersfoot”.
The application was given delegated approval when it came before the national park’s July development management committee, with conditions including the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement relating to the affordable housing.
The affordable housing units will be split into four low-cost ownership units and 21 socially rented units, the report for national park planners said; the 35 per cent affordable percentage taking precedent over an affordable housing policy requirement of 50 per cent as it is designated as an allocated site.
As well as the affordable housing element and an open space provision, the scheme included a financial contribution to cover the contribution towards Active Travel Routes within the local area (Saundersfoot Harbour to New Hedges).
After that approval, Persimmon Homes West Wales and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park have now signed the S106 agreement and Persimmon is planning to begin groundworks next Spring, with sales launching soon after ahead of the summer season.
Welcoming the agreement, Persimmon Homes West Wales’ Managing Director, Stuart Phillips, said: “We’re pleased to have finalised the S106 agreement that will allow us to deliver 72 new, high-quality homes for local people in Saundersfoot.
“The development will provide a wide range of zero-carbon ready homes that will be of particular help to young families and first-time buyers, who otherwise might struggle to get onto the housing ladder in Pembrokeshire.
“Throughout the planning process, we have worked closely with officers and stakeholders to ensure that our homes are in keeping with – and enhance – the local area, and I’m thankful to officers and the project team for their collaborative efforts throughout.
“The scheme will deliver substantial community benefits, including new facilities, enhanced green spaces, and significant investment in public infrastructure, as well as the transfer of 25 properties to a local housing association.
“Persimmon has a proud record of delivery in Pembrokeshire, and we are excited about this latest development as we continue to build the best-value homes in sustainable and inclusive communities for local people.”
Local community council Saundersfoot had objected to the scheme on a number of grounds, also asking for a caveat that no property is bought for second-home holiday use.
News
Paul Davies MS visits Forest School outdoor education facility
LOCAL Senedd Member Paul Davies has visited Forest School Pembrokeshire, an outdoor education facility based near Haverfordwest. Mr Davies had a tour of the facility and met with Kate Morgan to hear more about the type of experiences that the Forest School provides. Mr Davies then took part in some pumpkin carving with Kate and some of the children.
Mr Davies said, “I’ve been a longstanding supporter of outdoor learning and so it was a pleasure to visit the Forest School and learn more about their facilities and the type of activities that they provide.”
“The Forest School offers inclusive and accessible experiences in a forest setting, and it was clear to me that the children were fully engaged and very enthusiastic during the pumpkin carving session.”
“Kate and her team have done a wonderful job in developing the Forest School and I’d encourage parents across Pembrokeshire to find out more about what the School offers.”
Community
Quayside building and community hub works approval expected
PLANS to refurbish a quayside building in Haverfordwest’s conservation area with works including an outdoor terrace, as well as works to the existing Haverhub community hub are expected to be approved next week.
The application, by Gitti Coats, for the refurbishment and extension of Haverfordwest’s Quayside Building to form multi-functional community spaces, along with an extension to the bar building to create a first-floor terrace at Quay Street is recommended for conditional approval at the November 5 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee.
A report for planners says: “The application site comprises of two existing buildings and associated outdoor area located within the Quayside area of Haverfordwest. One of the buildings is known as the Quayside Building, which fronts the quayside and is currently vacant. The second building, which currently addresses Quay Street to the west, is known as the ‘Haverhub’ community hub.”
The Grade-II-listed Haverhub building, is a former post office, described as “a finely designed neoGeorgian Post Office in Bath stone,” built in 1934-6 for the General Post Office (GPO), and “is an example of the high quality neo-Georgian post offices of the inter-war period”.
A report for planners says the Quayside building would increase in height from approximately 7.9 metres to 11.7 metres with the creation of a second floor and accommodation within the roof space, the ground floor utilised for space in connection with a performance space within the Haverhub building.
To the first floor would be a multi-function room, which would also connect to a proposed bar area and associated first floor terrace which includes outdoor seating. The second floor of the Quayside building would include a second multi-function and meeting room.
The main Haverhub building would be extended to provide a gallery and entrance lobby. The existing bar and kitchen would also be extended.
“The proposed development would still allow the Haverhub building, including its ornate features, to be viewed within the context of the wider conservation area, whilst protecting the setting of the listed building and the surrounding conservation area,” the report says, adding: “It is considered that the scheme creates an important and attractive enhancement to this part of the Conservation Area.”
The Haverhub building was granted a change of use to a community hub in 2018, with the use and building benefiting from a ground floor internal outdoor courtyard area, which is located below the proposed first floor terrace.
The report says that, as there is already an outside space for the community hub to utilise “the addition of the first-floor seating area would not create a significantly greater impact in terms of noise generation or impact on amenity than the existing outdoor area to the ground floor”.
The proposal is recommended for conditional approval.
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