Council takes over trusteeship of community centre threatened with closure

Anthony Lewis, local democracy reporter

The future of a community centre threatened with closure has been resolved after the local authority took over trusteeship.

A Merthyr Tydfil Council statement confirmed that following a full council meeting on Wednesday (July 31) it has secured the transfer of trusteeship of the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale community centre from Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust, allowing services there to continue as normal.

The council statement said: “We are pleased to confirm that, following work with the Charity Commission and the approval of full council yesterday evening, the council has secured the transfer of the trusteeship of Aberfan & Merthyr Vale Community Centre.

“The council will now look to recruit new trustees who are anchored within the community of Aberfan, to take the community centre forward. In the meantime, services will continue to operate as normal.

“We would like to thank the Charity Commission, our local MP Gerald Jones, and Senedd Member Dawn Bowden, for their support and partnership working to achieve this resolution.”

Transferred 

In May, Merthyr Tydfil Council entered into an agreement with Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust to temporarily occupy and run services at Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre until August 1 and now the trusteeship of the centre has been transferred to the local authority.

The council said it has worked with local MP Gerald Jones and MS Dawn Bowden, the Charity Commission and the trust’s insolvency practitioner to secure the long-term future of the centre.

There has previously been 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.

In April, Merthyr Tydfi’s leisure and cultural services returned to the council with an alternative experienced leisure provider operating leisure services on the council’s behalf but Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre remained the responsibility of its trustees, the leisure trust.

Over recent months the council said it had continuously attempted to contact the trustees to find a resolution and way forward for services before the chair of Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust responded to requests to meet to discuss the future of services at the centre and then a management agreement was signed.