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The leader of Neath Port Talbot CBC, Cllr. Derek Vaughan, says that the youth centre in Cwmgwrach only needs a lick of paint to make it fit for use. Mrs Chattington and the community council say that The Cabin is falling down and that total rebuilding would be necessary if youth activities were to resume on the site.
These views are based on the same report by council officials, which few members of the public have seen. Liberal Democrats say: publish the report, and let the public decide.
19 comments:
We as friends of the Cabin have the report, and hope to be able to put it on line in our own website shortly. it does say that there is work to be done the floor has the first time recommed repair noted ( the floor will need to have some attention or to be renewed in four to five years)
why close this facility with no need???
Please look out for our website soon.
We look forward to it.
When will the friends of the cabin website be up and running for all to see the cabin report - after the election on May 1st?
Come on friends of the cabin - where is your website? Surely there are other venues available to hold a youth club while the cabin issue is ongoing? St Mary's Church has just been renovated, what about the Scout Hall, the community hall or the school?
Do you want to provide youth facilities or just want the cabin building?
As County Borough Councillor I too, have a copy of the report and can make it available for anyone to see. There is also a copy in Cwmgwrach post office and Glynneath Library. see extracts of the report below.
2.01 General
Due to the age and type of the building it is evident that the building has exceeded its economic and practical lifespan. Any works undertaken to the building would be inefficient in the long-term.
The roof comprises a shallow pitched structure with profiled asbestos cement covering, and thought to be the original construction. Inspection was carried out from ground level, and the covering appears to be in poor condition. Evidence of water damage to internal finishes is apparent to several areas of the adjacent ceiling surfaces. The asbestos cement roof covering is nearing the end of its practical lifespan and replacement is required.
The community council has offered the use of the Welfare Hall for a Youth Service as an interim measure but this has been refused by Friends of the cabin , who are now Labour party candidates in Thursday's election.
Over the course of the last four months I have liaised with officers and met with Cllr Vaughan but have ben repeatedy told there is no money or staff to run a youth service in Cwmgwrach.I think it is to the credit of the neighbourhood watch that they have managed to keep this facility going for over seven years with very little support.
Well the friends of the cabin may have a website up and running,at long last, but they still haven't published the report. From what I have read about the condition of the building, it is going to take more than a lick of paint! The friends of the cabin have used the wrong name for their group - with friends like that who needs enemies? The cabin friends had a dirty slating agenda just to get themselves elected onto the community council! I hope that they will cater for the needs of all the village, not just their cabin campaign.
Labour took up the cause of the Cabin, and look to have won the ward on that single issue. It is now up to the new councillor and the Labour administration to make good their promises.
You are right, Labour only won the ward in Cwmgwrach due to the cabin controversy. It is a shame that some of the community are blinkered by this issue and have forgotten the hardwork that the Plaid councillors carried out in the community - renovation of the community hall, a new children's play area, mini football pitch, monthly skip for rubbish collection - whilst conducting themselves with honesty and integrity. The only issue the new community council is bothered with is the re-opening of the cabin - does this mean that the above works will be neglected at the expense of an old army hut? Was there this much controversy in Cwmgwrach when Siloh Chapel closed or when the old age pensioner's hall in Dunraven Street was no longer fit for use that the pensioners moved to the community hall? The answer is no. As the majority of friends of the cabin are now labour councillors, I fear that the village will be neglected as they up their crusade to re-open the cabin. To end this village slanging match - sell the cabin building and give the money back to the selar trust or to charity!!!
The only item on the Cwmgwrach Labour candidates leaflet distributed in the village was to re-open the cabin. It is such a shame that a run down building has caused so much quarrelling in Cwmgwrach. If the Labour councillors are so obsessed with the cabin are they going to neglect important issues such as speeding, litter, anti social behaviour etc?
Cwmgwrach now has a labour community council - if my priority is not the re-opening of the cabin, will they dismiss any issues I may have?
I still need to be convinced that Neighbourhood Watch, for all the good they did in the early years of the century, did not get sidetracked when the development potential of the Cabin site became obvious.
Planning committee deliberations on the development application are going to be interesting, not to mention what happens if it comes before full council. The trouble is, that because of my known stance on the issue, I won't be allowed to vote on it. :-(
(Councillor) Frank Little
What has happened in Cwmgwrach? A dirty labour campaign to be elected onto the community council with one mission to re-open the cabin - is that all these village people are concerned with? Wake up Cwmgwrach - what about wind farms, health service, public transport, litter, youth annoyance, or has Cwmgwrach been brainwashed with visions of this cabin?
Can someone please tell me how Councillor Derek Vaughan can tell the friends of the cabin that all the place needs is a lick of paint and then condradict himself by telling Councillor Edwards that no money is available?
I understand that this building is owned by the neighbourhood watch, do the friends of the cabin think that by being elected as community councillors this will make a difference?
If this cabin is re-opened who is going to foot the bill for the renovations - another council tax increase for Cwmgwrach perhaps!
From what I hear it will take nearly £74000 to bring this cabin up to an acceptable standard for use as a youth facility - does Cwmgwrach want to expose their children to a building with asbestos and one that is unsafe in line with health and safety requirements? Where will the money come from?
Still no report published on the cabin website it is now august.
are the labour party afraid for the rest of the borough see how shamefully they behaved before and during the election campaign. Come on, let us see the true facts. i don't see them in the guardian every week now.
Their lies may have coned the people of cwmgwrach, but they certainley didn't connvince the people of the lamb and flag area because they couldn't get in there.
As usually is the case, there are two sides to every story. Sometimes a few fibs, a few nasty personal comments, and occasionally some downright lies find their way into such situations.In the "valley of the witches" all is not well.
Mediation is the answer, for the sake of the personal lives of those involved, but more importantly for the sake of a provision for the youth of the village. It cannot be denied that AND by the youth of the village.
I do have just two questions to each "side"
One to the Trustees. If you succeed and have a sum of money to dispose of, can you/will you state which organisations will benefit from those funds? Secondly, will the youth of the village have any say how that money will be distributed, as it is my understanding that the Selar contribution was requested as a donation to enhance the services to the youth of the village.
To the "friends" If you succeed and get the cabin taken from the Trustees due you have a set of plans for the future? If you do not succeed because the Trustees win the legal battle (by the way a very costly route to travel?), will you as a group strive for alternative provision or will the friends pack up?
well friends of the cabin proved to everyone that thats all it did need was a bit of painting... its been open for a cuple of weeks and there has been none stop kids coming in enjoying themself..friends of the cabin did they best to get it back and they did just goes to prove that they wont going to give up well done all of you!!
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