Plaid Cymru Senedd Members Delyth Jewell and Peredur Owen Griffiths have urged Caerphilly Council to extend the consultation period on big changes to the support given to Llancaiach Fawr Manor House, Blackwood Miners Institute and changes to the Meals on Wheels services to the county borough.

The consultation is due to end at 5pm on Tuesday 10th September 2024.

The MSs would like to see the council extend the consultation so more people can make their opposition known to the changes.

The MSs have written to every community and town council in the county borough of Caerphilly urging communities and councillors to make their views known.

In a joint statement Delyth Jewell MS and Peredur Owen Griffiths MS said:

“We appreciate the difficult financial climate for local authorities that have been caused by Tory austerity. This is, regrettably, a situation unlikely to improve anytime soon because of the current UK Government’s unwillingness to restore sufficient investment into public services. 

“However, the proposed cuts to two landmark buildings in our county, as well as cuts to a vital service on which so many vulnerable people depend have caused us great concern. It seems many residents of the county borough share our feelings.”

The Plaid Cymru representatives have already written to the Leader of Caerphilly Council, Councillor Sean Morgan expressing their opposition to the proposals.

In their letter to the Labour leader of the council they said:

“We have considerable concerns about the scope and length of this consultation period. The consultation is taking place during the summer holidays, when many families will be on holiday, and they may not realise that the consultation is taking place.

"Similarly, the consultation ends before the Senedd will return from recess, and we would be keen to request that the Welsh Government provide urgent support to the local authority in order to prevent these drastic closures from taking place.

“We would urge you please to extend the consultation period to later in the year so that any urgent discussions could take place, and so that all families who enjoy these attractions can give their feedback. We would, furthermore, ask that you hold consultation events in areas beyond the immediate environs of Blackwood Miners and Llancaiach Fawr.

“The whole of the county borough, and beyond, enjoy the use of both attractions and it would seem unjust to limit the scope of the consultation: we would urge you to please increase the number of these consultation events.”

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