Agreement reached over future of Aberfan Community Centre

Anthony Lewis, local democracy reporter

The future of Aberfan Centre looks to have been secured after an agreement has been reached between the council and the leisure trust over the running of services there.

The council has confirmed that Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre is open after a signed management agreement had been received from Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust.

The council statement said: “We are delighted to confirm that we have received the signed management agreement from Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust and Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre is open.
“It has been a challenging few months and we are delighted to finally have a resolution for the staff, service users of the centre and the community of Aberfan.”

The council previously said that the chair of Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust responded to its requests to meet to discuss the future of services at Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre.

In the statement on Tuesday, April 30 the council had said that this was likely to be on the morning of May 1 so this would mean a slightly delayed opening on that day.

On April 24, the council issued a statement saying it was the council’s assumption at that point that the trust will continue to run services at Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre from Wednesday, May 1.

Resolution

This came after the council said that over recent months it had continuously attempted to contact the trustees to find a resolution and way forward for services but that no indication of the future of Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre had been provided by the trust and that it was a matter for the trustees.

It follows widespread community concern over the future of the building with councillors calling on the trust to engage with the council in recent months to secure the future of the building which played a significant role in the community following the Aberfan disaster.

On Tuesday, April 30, Merthyr Tydfil’s leisure and cultural services returned to the council with a view to an alternative, experienced, leisure provider operating leisure services on the council’s behalf.

This includes the reopening of the pools at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre in the coming weeks and all council-owned buildings are returning to the council as part of that transfer with library and parks services directly run by the council.

Redhouse, is returning to the control of its owners, Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association.