Sunday, September 11, 2011
Pontyclun News - September Newsletter
PONTYCLUN NEWS _____________________________________________________________________________________ ISSUE 9 SEPTEMBER 2011 THE ‘LEEKS’ DEVELOPMENT GREAT ASSET TO THE AREA OR DESTROYER OF VILLAGE LIFE? By the time that you read this issue of Pontyclun News most will have heard of the vast new development proposed for the site of Leeks store, the brown land behind it and part of the virgin Pant Marsh behind that. This plan has been hatched by the developers and RCT with the minimum publicity until the project seemed almost a certainty. Questions have to be asked about this proposal before it is a fact. Firstly it is promoted as ‘The New Town Centre’. There is no ‘town’ to have a new centre. Are the planners attempting to wreck villages to form a town simply for the developer’s gain and an increase in local taxation for RCT? The pamphlet produced to promote this idea is full of over simplifications. Let us look at a few ‘pros’ and ‘cons’. It will create ‘more than 1,900 new jobs’. PRO. Jobs are needed and full employment always improves the ‘well being’ of an area. CON. This statement does not mention two facts. Firstly, that some jobs will be lost in the existing, local retail sector and, secondly, that the jobs created will be in the retail and hotel trades, probably the two lowest paid sectors in the UK. Giant factories such as Bosch have left the area and there is little to attract the kind of real employer that would replace that loss. ‘Research has shown that the locality needs additional shops business space and homes’. What ‘research’? Who was asked? PRO. More shops means more choice for the consumer. CON. It is very unlikely that existing retail outlets in the villages will survive another major onslaught. The area has already such ‘high street’ names as M & S, Boots, Aldi, Peacocks, Asda Living, Argos, Matalan, Comet and many others as well as a Tesco Extra. We also have the existing large and very useful department store of Leeks and Arthur Llewellyn Jenkins for furniture. Talbot Green has smaller convenience stores and Pontyclun has the best range of local shops in a village that one could imagine. Retail business in Pontyclun has suffered from the arrival of the small Tesco store, another Development is not wanted by locals but may be allowed by RCT. ‘..with cinema complex, cafes, restaurant, bars and a (sic) hotel’. PRO. There is not a cinema within a fair distance of the villages at present. CON. There is very little business in the area large enough to call for hotel accommodation and there is already the Miskin Manor and other, smaller establishments to serve the current need. This is not a tourist area. Pontyclun has seven restaurants and four take-away establishments already, some struggling to survive. There are many others in Talbot Green and on the A4119. How much can we eat? ‘New apartments and town houses’. Has anybody in RCT or Valad Developments tried to sell smaller modern houses in this area recently? Obviously not, since they are proving very difficult to sell and, hence, the demand for more appears fictitious. Will this be the poorly planned, tightly packed type of development with inevitable parking on pavements and generally ‘tatty’ appearance, fully approved by the planners? Probably so, from the indications in the pamphlet. CON. TRAFFIC. The pamphlet put out by the developers has ‘Andy Pandy’ traffic diagrams and an assurance that there will be no new traffic. 1,900 new jobs on the site will mean 1,000 cars per day, all the new houses and apartments will have a car, if the retail development is to succeed that will mean at least 1,000 cars per day; that is around 3,000 cars per day, in and out, mostly onto the A4119/A473 roundabout and many trying to access the M4 in the morning. You decide! Construction traffic will be a serious problem if allowed to use the A4222 through Pontyclun, Brynsadler and Talygarn. This road is already grossly overloaded. (See June Pontyclun News.) There is a PUBLIC MEETING in Pontyclun Community Centre at 7.30 pm on Thursday 22nd September organised not by PAG but by a group NOT specifically opposed to the development. Please attend and let your views be known, for or against, to PAG, the developer and RCT.. PAG NEEDS TO KNOW YOUR VIEWS URGENTLY BY E-MAIL (drmbor@aol.com)IF WE ARE TO ACT ON YOUR BEHALF. PAG NEWS DISTRIBUTION. PAG HAS AN E-MAIL LIST WHICH IT USES EXCLUSIVELY TO KEEP LOCAL PEOPLE UP TO DATE WITH NEWS ITEMS BETWEEN ISSUES OF PONTYCLUN NEWS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THAT LIST, PLEASE SEND YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS TO BRENDAN O’REILLY AT DrMBOR@aol.com PAG CHRISTMAS FAYRE 2011. PAG is suggesting that the village of Pontyclun and the surrounding area could hold a Victorian Christmas Fayre during the approach to Christmas 2011. This could be a two day or two evening event over a weekend for example. A lot of preparatory work has been carried out by PAG member Mark Cleverley and his ideas are really excellent. However, for this to be a success, it would need the support of the whole community and, particularly, the local businesses. It is thought best to hold the fayre principally indoors on account of the reliable local weather but a venue where there could be outside activity as well is in mind. There would be stallholders both professional and individuals, music groups, dancers, food and drink, Father Christmas, Punch and Judy, etc.. It would not be intended to make a charge for stalls but donations to PAG would be appreciated from the stallholders. If you are interested in this idea please contact PAG. The earlier the better as we feel that this could be a real community affair with much enjoyment for all at Christmas. PAG FINANCES PAG is a totally volunteer organisation. Nobody involved with it claims expenses or is paid and the only expenditures that we have are donations to local causes and the cost of printing Pontyclun News. We do rely on a very small number of members for this and we would like to ask that anybody who feels that a local action group such as PAG is worthwhile make a small gift to our funds. This could be a once a year donation or a standing order for a small amount each month (say £1 to £5). If you would like to make a regular payment to PAG please let the Chairman know and the treasurer will contact you with the necessary bank details. Thank you all in advance. The By-pass Issue. Comments that PAG has received on the article in June’s issue of Pontyclun News have been, with one exception, all in favour of the by-pass idea. PAG will consider what action it can take in the near future. NEWS FROM PONTYCLUN COMMUNITY TRUST Latest news on the land at BRYNSADLER MILL is that a ‘final’ version of the lease has been agreed by both sides. This has been sent to the Welsh Government by Pontyclun Community Council, once again via their solicitor. This was a totally agreed version and the Trust understands that no further changes will be made before the proposed lease is submitted to the WG. At the Trust AGM on 17th August, this was reported to Trust Members present and the only question was, ‘How long now?’ The Trust has no idea of how long the WG will take to deal with this matter but it clearly hopes that WG will realise the urgency of getting the land back into a well managed state. As soon as the WG approval is in place, a formal lease signing ceremony will be arranged. PONTYCLUN NEWS TO GROW? PAG is considering increasing the size of Pontyclun News from its present two pages to four. To do this it would be of great help to obtain a very small amount of revenue from advertising. The facilities to insert existing pictures and artwork exist. Would local businesses interested in the possibility of really low cost advertising distributed to the whole area, please contact the PAG Chairman (details below).
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
PAG is holding a fashion show to raise funds and we hope to give a donation to the Pontyclun Soccer Club to help them with their new Clubhouse.
This is a women only event and I am informed that these fashion shows are great fun.
The event is taking place in the Athletics Club on Tuesday 22nd March at 7.30pm.
The clothes are by Greenhouse which is a top label.
There will be a sale rack with price reductions.
We’ll have wine & nibbles and there will be a great raffle with prizes donated by local businesses.
Tickets are £5
We only have 200 tickets – if you want to invite friends please let one of us know so that we can get you the number of tickets that you need. If there are leftover tickets they will be available at the door.
PAG has quite a sizeable email list but many residents are not on our list. We will have posters up in the village and word will go around but if you have a neighbour or friend who you think would like to go to this event please let them know about it.
We are grateful to the Athletics Club which is helping PAG with this event.
We really would be grateful for your support.
Sincerely,
Brendan O’Reilly
This is a women only event and I am informed that these fashion shows are great fun.
The event is taking place in the Athletics Club on Tuesday 22nd March at 7.30pm.
The clothes are by Greenhouse which is a top label.
There will be a sale rack with price reductions.
We’ll have wine & nibbles and there will be a great raffle with prizes donated by local businesses.
Tickets are £5
We only have 200 tickets – if you want to invite friends please let one of us know so that we can get you the number of tickets that you need. If there are leftover tickets they will be available at the door.
PAG has quite a sizeable email list but many residents are not on our list. We will have posters up in the village and word will go around but if you have a neighbour or friend who you think would like to go to this event please let them know about it.
We are grateful to the Athletics Club which is helping PAG with this event.
We really would be grateful for your support.
Sincerely,
Brendan O’Reilly
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
PAG Newsletter No 7
PONTYCLUN NEWS
_____________________________________________________________________________________
ISSUE 7 DECEMBER 2010
DO WE NEED TO BE ‘CALMED’ IN PONTYCLUN?
The all embracing proposals for ‘traffic calming’ in the village have been shown to all in public exhibitions of the plans in the Community Centre and the Library. PAG accepts that there are many views on these proposals, some for and some against, and that there are some questions that need to be answered before the plan is put into action.
The first is the cost. Would the money be better spent elsewhere in times of financial constraint? The condition of the roads in the area is generally poor and improvements and repairs to worn out surfaces, subsidence and pot holes could be seen as more important.
Next there is the 20 mph speed limit for the whole village including the residential roads on both sides of Cowbridge Road. Is this really necessary? Would 20 mph zones just for the schools be better? At busy times, when it could be said that there is the greatest risk of accident in Pontyclun, one can rarely reach 20 mph anyway. Environmentally, vehicles are more polluting at 20 mph than 30 mph!
The principal cause of traffic congestion is heavy vehicles, which are totally unsuited for the main road through both Pontyclun and Brynsadler. These cover several routes and some could be diverted simply or banned by limiting vehicle size. Those accessing the industrial estate via Station Terrace should be made to use the Coed Cae Lane Industrial Estate route. Full size articulated vehicles cannot be necessary for deliveries to the small Tesco outlet and, even more out of proportion, is the use of the same juggernauts to deliver to Domino’s Pizza, one of the smallest retail premises in the village. It has also been noted that many trucks pass southwards though Pontyclun, Brynsadler and Talygarn only to return immediately. One assumes that they seek access to the motorway at Talygarn bridge and return when they find there is not. ‘No Access to M4’ signs at entrances to the area would solve this. Trucks from the quarry have no obvious alternative route if they wish to go north. This why a by-pass is needed for Talygarn, Brynsadler and Pontyclun, a scheme once discussed but apparently forgotten. If you are a village in the valleys you will get a by-pass or, more likely, already have one. The need here is just as great.
Parking is another part of the great plan. Many residents will find further restrictions on the time that they can park outside their own houses on Cowbridge Road, for example. We hope that the major cause of the present parking problems is to be removed shortly by the return to free parking in the Community Hall car park. However, any new restriction will mean fewer people using Pontyclun shops and serious hardship to our excellent retail outlets. There is also a plan to make four of the existing spaces on the main road into ‘disabled’ spaces. Do we need four?
Finally, there is the extra pedestrian crossing proposal. Few would disagree that crossing Cowbridge Road in Pontyclun can be hazardous, other than on the existing crossing or where there is a refuge in the centre of the road. However, the side effects of another crossing at the Post Office end of the village must be considered. These include any possible further reduction in parking spaces each side of any crossing and visibility of the crossing when approaching from the north over the railway bridge.
These few comments are simply ‘thinking points’. Your views are very welcome and, although technically too late, should still be addressed to RCTCBC as well.
CAR PARKING IN PONTYCLUN;
GOOD NEWS AT LAST
After a campaign, started by PAG but taken up and pressed home by the Community Hall Committee, it has been agreed that PCC will lease the car park opposite the Community Centre from RCTCBC and return it to a free car park for the benefit of all those shopping in Pontyclun, taking children to and from the primary school, using the Community Hall, etc.. The Community Hall Committee must be congratulated on this fantastic outcome. It is expected that the lease between PCC and RCTCBC will be signed during December and the car park charges will be removed shortly afterwards.
PONTYCLUN COMMUNITY TRUST NEWS
The Trust has asked that we keep you informed on progress with the land at Brynsadler Mill. Negotiations for a lease from Pontyclun Community Council to the Trust are well advanced but, as with all things legal, these take time. The basic agreements in the lease are decided but a few matters need to be finalised. Monthly meetings of the Trustees are held and the Trust now has over 140 members but more are always welcome.
ATTENDANCE AT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
It has come to the attention of the PAG representatives, who attend almost all Pontyclun Community Council meetings as observers, that one member of the Council has not attended a meeting since July 2009. This is not acceptable for an elected representative and it is PAG’s view that this councillor should be made to stand down and a by-election should be called. The next formal elections to the PCC are not due until 2012 so, if this non-attendance continues, there is under representation of the electorate on the Council. PAG asks the PCC to enforce the rules on this matter and act accordingly.
FOOTPATHS IN MISKIN
A resident of Miskin has approached PAG concerning the state of some footpaths, which link the various developments in the area. The footpath, which has been brought to PAG’s notice, is that linking Crystal Wood Drive with Brynamlwg. This footpath is understood to be well used by the community but has no surfacing material whatever. Are there other such paths? Would the money being planned to ‘calm’ Pontyclun be better used on surfacing these paths? Clearly those taking children to school, pushing pushchairs and the less able need a surface for sure footing and the paths should have been surfaced from the start. Why do the planning
authority not make the surfacing of such paths a compulsory part of the planning permission for the developers? Having failed in that simple and obvious manner, will they now rectify the matter by surfacing these paths and maintaining them? PAG will be investigating this and would like to hear of other footpaths in the area that are regularly used but in poor condition. Please let us know.
SHOP IN PONTYCLUN
PAG is aware of a considerable reduction in turnover being experienced by several of the established traders in Pontyclun. While some of this was the result of the car parking charges, and we hope will return, much is also the result of the Tesco store. PAG asks all local people to use the local shops whenever possible. ‘Use them or lose them’ is a fact of life for local shops. Please ‘use them’ to ensure we do not ‘lose them’.
ARTS FESTIVAL FOR PONTYCLUN?
It has been suggested that a festival could be held in Pontyclun to celebrate literary and musical art and possibly add the visual arts as well. There are published poets and writers living in the area as well as musicians and painters. PAG is happy to form a committee to organise this but we need the support of the local people. Please let PAG know if you are interested in such a festival and we will progress the idea if there is sufficient support.
SUPPORT FOR THE HUNGRY AT CHRISTMAS
FOODBANK is a local charity that supports and feeds the less fortunate in the district. Collection points for all that food that you will never get through at Christmas are to be found in Spar and the Bethel Baptist Church. PAG asks for your generosity.
PAG
wishes all residents of Pontyclun, Brynsadler, Groes Faen, Miskin and Talygarn a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous 2011.
MEMBERS OF THE PAG COMMITTEE.
Chairman: Brendan O’Reilly,
Tel: Home - 226932, Mobile - 07855 030296.
e-mail: drmbor@aol.com
Vice-chairman/treasurer: Bruce Chivers.
Secretary: Janis Jones. Area Consultant: Tony Lane.
Newsletter Editor: Ken Forsdyke. Media PRO: Cecil Walker.
Conservation/Environment: Cecil Walker.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
ISSUE 7 DECEMBER 2010
DO WE NEED TO BE ‘CALMED’ IN PONTYCLUN?
The all embracing proposals for ‘traffic calming’ in the village have been shown to all in public exhibitions of the plans in the Community Centre and the Library. PAG accepts that there are many views on these proposals, some for and some against, and that there are some questions that need to be answered before the plan is put into action.
The first is the cost. Would the money be better spent elsewhere in times of financial constraint? The condition of the roads in the area is generally poor and improvements and repairs to worn out surfaces, subsidence and pot holes could be seen as more important.
Next there is the 20 mph speed limit for the whole village including the residential roads on both sides of Cowbridge Road. Is this really necessary? Would 20 mph zones just for the schools be better? At busy times, when it could be said that there is the greatest risk of accident in Pontyclun, one can rarely reach 20 mph anyway. Environmentally, vehicles are more polluting at 20 mph than 30 mph!
The principal cause of traffic congestion is heavy vehicles, which are totally unsuited for the main road through both Pontyclun and Brynsadler. These cover several routes and some could be diverted simply or banned by limiting vehicle size. Those accessing the industrial estate via Station Terrace should be made to use the Coed Cae Lane Industrial Estate route. Full size articulated vehicles cannot be necessary for deliveries to the small Tesco outlet and, even more out of proportion, is the use of the same juggernauts to deliver to Domino’s Pizza, one of the smallest retail premises in the village. It has also been noted that many trucks pass southwards though Pontyclun, Brynsadler and Talygarn only to return immediately. One assumes that they seek access to the motorway at Talygarn bridge and return when they find there is not. ‘No Access to M4’ signs at entrances to the area would solve this. Trucks from the quarry have no obvious alternative route if they wish to go north. This why a by-pass is needed for Talygarn, Brynsadler and Pontyclun, a scheme once discussed but apparently forgotten. If you are a village in the valleys you will get a by-pass or, more likely, already have one. The need here is just as great.
Parking is another part of the great plan. Many residents will find further restrictions on the time that they can park outside their own houses on Cowbridge Road, for example. We hope that the major cause of the present parking problems is to be removed shortly by the return to free parking in the Community Hall car park. However, any new restriction will mean fewer people using Pontyclun shops and serious hardship to our excellent retail outlets. There is also a plan to make four of the existing spaces on the main road into ‘disabled’ spaces. Do we need four?
Finally, there is the extra pedestrian crossing proposal. Few would disagree that crossing Cowbridge Road in Pontyclun can be hazardous, other than on the existing crossing or where there is a refuge in the centre of the road. However, the side effects of another crossing at the Post Office end of the village must be considered. These include any possible further reduction in parking spaces each side of any crossing and visibility of the crossing when approaching from the north over the railway bridge.
These few comments are simply ‘thinking points’. Your views are very welcome and, although technically too late, should still be addressed to RCTCBC as well.
CAR PARKING IN PONTYCLUN;
GOOD NEWS AT LAST
After a campaign, started by PAG but taken up and pressed home by the Community Hall Committee, it has been agreed that PCC will lease the car park opposite the Community Centre from RCTCBC and return it to a free car park for the benefit of all those shopping in Pontyclun, taking children to and from the primary school, using the Community Hall, etc.. The Community Hall Committee must be congratulated on this fantastic outcome. It is expected that the lease between PCC and RCTCBC will be signed during December and the car park charges will be removed shortly afterwards.
PONTYCLUN COMMUNITY TRUST NEWS
The Trust has asked that we keep you informed on progress with the land at Brynsadler Mill. Negotiations for a lease from Pontyclun Community Council to the Trust are well advanced but, as with all things legal, these take time. The basic agreements in the lease are decided but a few matters need to be finalised. Monthly meetings of the Trustees are held and the Trust now has over 140 members but more are always welcome.
ATTENDANCE AT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
It has come to the attention of the PAG representatives, who attend almost all Pontyclun Community Council meetings as observers, that one member of the Council has not attended a meeting since July 2009. This is not acceptable for an elected representative and it is PAG’s view that this councillor should be made to stand down and a by-election should be called. The next formal elections to the PCC are not due until 2012 so, if this non-attendance continues, there is under representation of the electorate on the Council. PAG asks the PCC to enforce the rules on this matter and act accordingly.
FOOTPATHS IN MISKIN
A resident of Miskin has approached PAG concerning the state of some footpaths, which link the various developments in the area. The footpath, which has been brought to PAG’s notice, is that linking Crystal Wood Drive with Brynamlwg. This footpath is understood to be well used by the community but has no surfacing material whatever. Are there other such paths? Would the money being planned to ‘calm’ Pontyclun be better used on surfacing these paths? Clearly those taking children to school, pushing pushchairs and the less able need a surface for sure footing and the paths should have been surfaced from the start. Why do the planning
authority not make the surfacing of such paths a compulsory part of the planning permission for the developers? Having failed in that simple and obvious manner, will they now rectify the matter by surfacing these paths and maintaining them? PAG will be investigating this and would like to hear of other footpaths in the area that are regularly used but in poor condition. Please let us know.
SHOP IN PONTYCLUN
PAG is aware of a considerable reduction in turnover being experienced by several of the established traders in Pontyclun. While some of this was the result of the car parking charges, and we hope will return, much is also the result of the Tesco store. PAG asks all local people to use the local shops whenever possible. ‘Use them or lose them’ is a fact of life for local shops. Please ‘use them’ to ensure we do not ‘lose them’.
ARTS FESTIVAL FOR PONTYCLUN?
It has been suggested that a festival could be held in Pontyclun to celebrate literary and musical art and possibly add the visual arts as well. There are published poets and writers living in the area as well as musicians and painters. PAG is happy to form a committee to organise this but we need the support of the local people. Please let PAG know if you are interested in such a festival and we will progress the idea if there is sufficient support.
SUPPORT FOR THE HUNGRY AT CHRISTMAS
FOODBANK is a local charity that supports and feeds the less fortunate in the district. Collection points for all that food that you will never get through at Christmas are to be found in Spar and the Bethel Baptist Church. PAG asks for your generosity.
PAG
wishes all residents of Pontyclun, Brynsadler, Groes Faen, Miskin and Talygarn a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous 2011.
MEMBERS OF THE PAG COMMITTEE.
Chairman: Brendan O’Reilly,
Tel: Home - 226932, Mobile - 07855 030296.
e-mail: drmbor@aol.com
Vice-chairman/treasurer: Bruce Chivers.
Secretary: Janis Jones. Area Consultant: Tony Lane.
Newsletter Editor: Ken Forsdyke. Media PRO: Cecil Walker.
Conservation/Environment: Cecil Walker.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Pontyclun Community Centre Car Park Charges
Dear All,
This email is to update you on developments with the Car Parking charges at the Community Centre in Pontyclun.
The Community Council has negotiated with Rhondda Cynon Taff [RCT] that the Community Council rent the car park from RCT. The annual rental cost will be £6,700. Once the lease is signed it is intended that the charges will be removed. This is great news.
Unfortunately we do not know the date that the charges will be removed and we feel this is unlikely to be before Christmas - which is such a pity for the local businesses. We hope we are incorrect on this.
We understand that this car park is the ONLY car park in RCT that is not free coming up to Christmas.
PAG will have a newsletter out shortly. I'll also send this out by email.
If there are any volunteers to help deliver the PAG newsletter we would be delighted to hear from you - otherwise its back on the road for us!!
Every good wish,
Brendan O'Reilly
This email is to update you on developments with the Car Parking charges at the Community Centre in Pontyclun.
The Community Council has negotiated with Rhondda Cynon Taff [RCT] that the Community Council rent the car park from RCT. The annual rental cost will be £6,700. Once the lease is signed it is intended that the charges will be removed. This is great news.
Unfortunately we do not know the date that the charges will be removed and we feel this is unlikely to be before Christmas - which is such a pity for the local businesses. We hope we are incorrect on this.
We understand that this car park is the ONLY car park in RCT that is not free coming up to Christmas.
PAG will have a newsletter out shortly. I'll also send this out by email.
If there are any volunteers to help deliver the PAG newsletter we would be delighted to hear from you - otherwise its back on the road for us!!
Every good wish,
Brendan O'Reilly
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
April Newsletter
PONTYCLUN ACTION GROUP
NEWSLETTER
_____________________________________________________________________________________
ISSUE 5 APRIL 2010
PUBLIC MEETING ON LAND AT BRYNSADLER MILL
TUESDAY 25th MAY, 7.30 p.m.
PONTYCLUN COMMUNITY CENTRE
FORMATION OF CHARITABLE TRUST
A Charitable Trust, ‘Pontyclun Ward Community Trust’, is in the process of being registered as a charity. It is hoped that this new Trust will be able to lease the land at Brynsadler Mill from Pontyclun Community Council and preserve it as a public amenity with emphasis on preserving the flora and fauna of the area and providing a peaceful public space in the village. The Trust will need the involvement of local residents in several ways.
This meeting is being arranged to encourage membership of the Trust and to explain the plans to the community for whose benefit it is being formed. Membership will be open to any interested resident with the aims of the Trust at heart and you will be able to join at the meeting. If you are unable to attend, please contact PAG (see below)for a membership form.
We will also require Trustees to run the trust and to be legally responsible for its affairs. We have an initial number, sufficient to register the charity and start the legal processes, but a proper and lasting Board of Trustees will be required shortly. The process for achieving this will also be outlined at the meeting and the way forward explained.
This is all great news compared with the situation a few months ago.PAG must thank the PCC for its understanding of the concerns of the people of Pontyclun. The PAG/PCC joint committee has worked very harmoniously on the matter and will continue to do so until the joint aims are achieved and, we hope, beyond.
PLEASE ATTEND THIS MEETING
CAR PARK CAMPAIGN GATHERS MOMENTUM
At a combined meeting of PAG, Pontyclun Community Council (PCC), Pontyclun Chamber of Trade, the Community Centre Committee, over 50’s Group, retired people and local residents held in the Community Centre on 23rd February, it was resolved to send a letter to all members of RCTCBC by e-mail and a formal letter to members of the cabinet of RCT objecting to the car parking charges at the Community Centre car park in Pontyclun. The seven groups involved in the meeting were unanimous in their condemnation of the imposition of charges.
The letter, with signatures from many of the groups, has now been sent. It dwelt on the inconvenience caused to the most vulnerable groups of the community, the damage to the trade of Pontyclun and, hence, village life as a whole and the total lack of advantage to any person or organisation resulting from the charges. It pointed out also that Pontyclun is the only Community Centre car park in RCT to which charges have been applied as far as can be determined.
The reductions in the numbers of our more elderly residents attending the Community Centre for lunch and the increased costs to members of the mother and toddler group are direct effects of the charges on the community. The fact that two user groups have stopped using the Centre also puts the Centre itself at risk financially. If any resident would like a copy of the letter, please contact PAGChairman, Brendan O’Reilly as below.
There has also been a decided decline in patronage of the Pontyclun shops since the introduction of the parking charges and this is simply not an acceptable result of heavy handed CBC behaviour.
A petition sign by over 1200 residents has also been prepared and submitted to the full council at RCTCBC.
Be assured, this campaign has in no way run out of steam and all the local groups involved will continue to negotiate firmly with RCTCBC.
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SIXTH FORM AT Y PANT SCHOOL
There is move afoot by RCTCBC to do away with a number of sixth forms in local comprehensive schools and develop ‘sixth form colleges’ as separate centres of learning. This move would include Y Pant School in Pontyclun.
There are many reasons why this rearrangement of education at sixth form level is undesirable and among these are the very high cost, the travel that will be required and the lack of continuity in local education. Students will have only two years in such a ‘college’ and then move on to the world of employment or to university and higher education. Disruption at two year intervals cannot be good for learning, surely.
A PUBLIC MEETING WILL BE HELD AT Y-PANT SCHOOL HALL ON
Full details of a campaign to reverse this decision can be found atwww.sosypant.com and readers are encouraged to visit this excellent web site.
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GENERAL ELECTION HUSTINGS MEETING IN PONTYCLUN
With the General Election on May 6th a meeting has been arranged in Pontyclun where you will be able to ask questions of all the main party candidates for our Westminster constituency. This is a scoop for Pontyclun and is the idea of Alan Watt, who should be congratulated on organising the event.
The meeting will take place at Bethel Baptist Church
The candidates from most of the parties standing, including Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru and UKIP, have agreed to attend. Each will give a short address before the question session begins.
As a large turn out is expected the meeting will be organised with time limits for answers and only written questions accepted. You are asked to write your question on one side of a postcard, with your name, and these will be placed in receptacle as you arrive at the meeting. The meeting chairman will draw cards at random for the questioner to ask and candidates to answer. Duplicate questions will be avoided but no other censorship, within normal rules of etiquette, will be applied.
This is a first for Pontyclun and all interested in the future of theUnited Kingdom
Addition: The Hustings meeting did go ahead as planned and it was attended by all of the candidates, superbly organised and went very smoothly.
SOS y Pant were there in numbers wearning white teashirts which said - "Save out 6th Form College" and they displayed plackards. They really make their point, which PAG supports.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Hustings Meeting at the Bethel Baptist Church
All of the Parliamentary Candidates for the Pontypridd constituency appeared at the hustings meeting last night. I have to congratulate the Members of the Church for the work they did in preparation for the meeting. This was very impressive.
200 people turned up which is a great turnout and there was a very lively debate. I can't comment here about what was siad by the candidates because PAG is politically neutral.
The meeting was screened live on the internet by Media Wales and it was also reported on live on Twitter. The link is here: http://yourponty.walesonline.co.uk/2010/04/27/live-debate-follow-pontys-hustings-from-home/ [click the grey screen to see the live tweets]. This is the first time we've come across this and it is fantastic. The potential for this is huge.
There was also a TV company present. This company is doing a documentary on the Parliamentary process. So this was also interesting.
The group opposing the closure of the 6th Form College at y Pant had a big presence. They had banners and wore teashirts with "Save Our Sixth Form College". They really got their message across that we want to Keep this College open. Congratulations to them.
All in all a great event.
200 people turned up which is a great turnout and there was a very lively debate. I can't comment here about what was siad by the candidates because PAG is politically neutral.
The meeting was screened live on the internet by Media Wales and it was also reported on live on Twitter. The link is here: http://yourponty.walesonline.co.uk/2010/04/27/live-debate-follow-pontys-hustings-from-home/ [click the grey screen to see the live tweets]. This is the first time we've come across this and it is fantastic. The potential for this is huge.
There was also a TV company present. This company is doing a documentary on the Parliamentary process. So this was also interesting.
The group opposing the closure of the 6th Form College at y Pant had a big presence. They had banners and wore teashirts with "Save Our Sixth Form College". They really got their message across that we want to Keep this College open. Congratulations to them.
All in all a great event.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Reply from Councillor Andrew Morgan
Thank you for your detailed letter dated the 19th march 2010 regarding the issues affecting the adjacent Community Centre, residents and businesses in the town relating from the car parking charges in the Heol yr Orsaf Car Park, Pontyclun.
As you are aware, the charges were introduced in May last year, not only in Pontyclun but also in other town centres with larger car parks - Porth, Tonypandy and Mountain Ash. At the same time, charges were also increased in Aberdare and Pontypridd where they had been in place for many years.
These changes to the car park charging regime were introduced as part of a raft of measures required to address the Council's financial shortfalls brought about by lower than required income from the Assembly. Even though the usage of the car park has been less than anticipated, the income received is more than covering the monthly outgoings and will recoup the initial set up cost and provide a net revenue stream for the Council.
The issues that you raise regarding the cost to traders to park in the town centre and users of the Community Centre were all raised at the time the car parking charging orders were the subject of an advertising period during which objections could be made. These representations were considered prior to a decision being made whether to proceed with the charging. However, the Council was in a position where it could no longer afford to run the car parks without any form of income. As such, the decision was reluctantly made to implement the charges. At present, the Council's financial position has not improved and there are currently no proposals to remove the charges.
I would, however, inform you that there has been an approach from the Pontyclun Community Council to purchase the Car park from the Council. A full valuation has now been undertaken by this Council and details have been forwarded to that Council for their consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Andrew Morgan
Cabinet Member for Transport and Customer Care
As you are aware, the charges were introduced in May last year, not only in Pontyclun but also in other town centres with larger car parks - Porth, Tonypandy and Mountain Ash. At the same time, charges were also increased in Aberdare and Pontypridd where they had been in place for many years.
These changes to the car park charging regime were introduced as part of a raft of measures required to address the Council's financial shortfalls brought about by lower than required income from the Assembly. Even though the usage of the car park has been less than anticipated, the income received is more than covering the monthly outgoings and will recoup the initial set up cost and provide a net revenue stream for the Council.
The issues that you raise regarding the cost to traders to park in the town centre and users of the Community Centre were all raised at the time the car parking charging orders were the subject of an advertising period during which objections could be made. These representations were considered prior to a decision being made whether to proceed with the charging. However, the Council was in a position where it could no longer afford to run the car parks without any form of income. As such, the decision was reluctantly made to implement the charges. At present, the Council's financial position has not improved and there are currently no proposals to remove the charges.
I would, however, inform you that there has been an approach from the Pontyclun Community Council to purchase the Car park from the Council. A full valuation has now been undertaken by this Council and details have been forwarded to that Council for their consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Andrew Morgan
Cabinet Member for Transport and Customer Care
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