Community

Council chiefs quizzed over leisure and library cuts

Published

4 weeks ago

October 24, 2024

COUNCIL chiefs warned of “no fat left to cut” with leisure centres and libraries across Wales facing the threat of closure due to “unprecedented” financial constraints.

The Senedd culture committee took evidence from councils on October 24 as part of an inquiry on the impact of cuts on the arts, culture and sport.

Emily Owen, deputy leader of Conwy Council, said: “Everything’s on the table that isn’t statutory at the moment, we’re in that much of a difficult financial situation.”

The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), the national voice of Wales’ 22 councils, warned spending on culture, recreation and libraries has fallen by up to 43% over a decade.

Cllr Owen said: “Last year, our economy and culture service had a 20% cut and the year before it had an 11% cut. That’s a serious amount of money that has gone from services.”

With the WGLA warning of a £432m funding gap across Welsh councils, Cllr Owen told the committee the council is trying to avoid closing leisure centres.

“We strongly believe that once they’re gone, they’re gone,” she said.

The Labour councillor cautioned cuts have had a considerable direct impact on participation of the most vulnerable people amid a mental health epidemic.

“It’s really not good,” she said. “If we’re having to remove facilities and access for people to be able to manage their mental health and wellbeing … we are having a really big impact.”

She pointed to plans to turn Venue Cymru in Llandudno into a culture hub, hosting library services, tourist information and welfare benefits advice.

Huw Thomas, leader of Cardiff Council, warned the scale of the budget gap leaves councils little latitude to continue to fund loss-making facilities they are not legally required to provide.

Cllr Thomas, who is culture, arts and leisure spokesperson for the WLGA, told the committee Cardiff is facing a £60m gap in the coming year.

He said: “We’re at the toughest point of budget setting I think we’ve experienced even in 14-15 years of austerity.”

Setting out the scale of the deficit, the Labour councillor told committee members the city’s combined annual budget for parks and libraries totals about £12m.

He said the council felt obliged to move away from a £1m-a-year subsidy for St David’s Hall.

Cllr Thomas cautioned it is increasingly difficult to find savings after 14 years of austerity, adding that councils are overwhelmingly prioritising services in areas of higher poverty.

He made a case for additional funding for Cardiff as the capital, raising the example of other cities in the UK receiving help with policing costs for major events.

Sarah Ecob, head of culture at Conwy Council, said: “We’re fighting really hard to keep our buildings and our services open in a backdrop of extremely severe financial difficulties.”

She expressed concerns about a lack of longer-term investment in facilities, warning: “We still have leisure centres that are desperately, desperately in need of major capital funding.”

Amanda Davies, managing director of Byw’n Iach which runs 12 centres across Gwynedd, cautioned: “There’s no fat left to cut. We’re running on a basis of individual staff running some facilities – you can’t cut back further … it’s not possible.”

Ms Davies raised concerns about a crisis in terms of ageing leisure facilities across Wales, with increasing costs and some centres set to close for maintenance.

Asked about cultural venues, Roland Evans, assistant head of economy at Gwynedd Council, said numbers are yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.

He warned that without the shared prosperity fund (SPF), which replaced EU structural funds, the council would be facing a “cliff edge” with little arts and museums activity.

Ms Ecob echoed this, saying: “The SPF has absolutely rescued us this year.”

She warned core staff are “very much under threat” when the funding comes to an end, which would have knock-on impacts in terms of applying for grants.

Mr Thomas agreed about the importance of the SPF as he similarly raised concerns about uncertainty surrounding funding beyond March 2025.

Community

Rent in Pembrokeshire rises 7% over past year

Published

1 day ago

November 22, 2024

Design Team

NEW figures reveal that private rental costs in Pembrokeshire have climbed by 7% in the past year, with the average monthly rent reaching £625 in October. This is a significant increase from £582 a year earlier and represents a 22% rise over the past five years, where the average rent was estimated at £511.

The data, collected by Rent Officers Wales as part of the Housing and Regeneration Division, highlights growing pressure on tenants amidst rising costs. The collection aims to cover approximately 15% of the rental market by gathering data from landlords and letting agents.

Across Wales, the average monthly rent has risen 8% year-on-year to £766. Cardiff recorded the highest rental cost in the country at £1,062 per month, while Powys had the lowest at £556.

Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, commented on the challenges faced by renters in a press statement sent to The Pembrokeshire Herald. She said: “Getting good news about your rent is about as common as discovering your housemates have washed up for you, or your landlord suggesting you get a dog. For many, the only way out of the endless cycle of rising costs is to buy, but that’s far easier said than done when rents absorb so much of your income.”

The situation is compounded by a lack of available rental properties. Nathan Emerson, chief executive at Propertymark, explained: “As we continue to see further increases in rental prices across the UK, our members emphasize the lack of rental stock versus an ever-growing number of tenants. Selling up or turning to the short-term letting market has become a more attractive option for landlords due to challenging legislative changes and increased financial liabilities.”

Breakdown of Rental Costs in Pembrokeshire

The figures show a range of costs depending on property type and size in Pembrokeshire:

– A one-bedroom property: £462 per month

– A two-bedroom property: £576 per month

– A three-bedroom property: £732 per month

– Homes with four or more bedrooms: £934 per month

By property type:

– Detached houses: £768 per month

– Semi-detached houses: £653 per month

– Terraced houses: £629 per month

– Flats or maisonettes: £521 per month

In October, the average rent for private properties across Great Britain stood at £1,307 per month—up 9% compared to the same period last year. This equates to an increase of £105 per month.

As landlords adapt to changing regulations and financial pressures, the shortage of rental properties continues to push prices higher, creating further challenges for tenants across Pembrokeshire and beyond.

Climate

Pembrokeshire group plans for larger community wind turbine

Published

1 day ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A NORTH Pembrokeshire group which has raised more than £76,000 from its community wind turbine for local projects is hoping to expand with a bigger turbine.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Abergwaun Community Turbine Ltd, through agent Machynlleth-based Dulas Ltd is hoping to get permission for a larger turbine to replace the existing Abergwaun Community Turbine.

The proposed turbine, in a pasture field at Trebover Farm, to the south of Fishguard, would be 67m tall, the existing 2015 one being 45 metres.

In supporting statements, parent company Transition Bro Gwaun said: “The Community Climate Fund (CCF) is the mechanism by which Transition Bro Gwaun (TBG) is fulfilling our ambition of funding projects in Fishguard, Goodwick and across North Pembrokeshire, using income from the community wind turbine.

“The core themes for grants are climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhancement of biodiversity and improvements to community resilience through promotion of community engagement and resource sharing.”

In 2015, TBG raised its 50 per cent share of capital funding for the project by means of loans from 28 local individuals and four community groups, contributing a total of £286,500, the other 50 per cent contributed by landowners Parc-y-Morfa Farms Ltd.

The statement added: “Profit generated by sale of electricity from the turbine is split 50:50 between TBG and Parcy-Morfa Farms Ltd through the jointly owned trading arm, Abergwaun Community Turbine. By the end of 2022, all loans had been repaid, allowing the launch of TBG’s Community Climate Fund. This year we have awarded our third round of grants bringing the total amount granted to £76,036.”

In 2022, £15,274 was awarded to seven projects, including Fishguard Sports AFC to install solar panels on their clubhouse as part of their Tregroes Park development, Ysgol Bro Gwaun for their Increasing Biodiversity and Bees project, and Nevern Valley Veg / Llysiau Cwm Nyfer to install a solar powered vegetable irrigation scheme.

In 2023, £39,85 was made available for seven projects, including Sea Trust Wales to part fund the installation of solar panels on the Ocean Lab roof and to produce a display on solar technology, Letterston Memorial Hall to part fund the installation of an air source heat pump heating system, and Fishguard and Goodwick Rugby Club to install solar panels on their clubhouse.

2024 awards of £20,917 were made to six projects, including Theatr Gwaun to insulate their loft to reduce heating loss, Parc Cerrig Growers for developing a rainwater harvesting system with a pond to irrigate their allotments, Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture for an electric cargo bike for delivering organic vegetables in the Fishguard and St Davids areas, and Nevern Valley Veg to develop wildlife ponds and rainwater harvesting for food production.

The supporting documentation concludes: “The repowering of the existing turbine at Trebover would require a limited increase in turbine size which would result in a very limited change in landscape and visual effects in comparison to the existing Trebover turbine.”

The application will be considered by planners at a later date.

Community

Council warns of icy conditions as temperatures drop

Published

2 days ago

November 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ROAD users in Pembrokeshire are being urged to exercise caution tonight as temperatures are forecast to dip below freezing.

Pembrokeshire County Council has announced that road surface temperatures could reach as low as -2°C, with the possibility of sleet or snow on higher ground. In response, precautionary salting of the county’s primary routes will be carried out this evening and overnight.

A spokesperson for the council said: “Road users are advised to take care if travelling on untreated roads.”

Motorists are reminded to plan ahead and drive carefully, particularly in areas that may not have been treated.

Stay tuned to The Herald for updates on road conditions and weather warnings.