Club and council reject criticism over CAT transfer

Garw Valley football club Carn Rovers and Bridgend County Borough Council have rejected comments made on social media criticising an ongoing community asset transfer (CAT) process.

Since taking on the day-to-day management of the Cwm Garw Pavilion and playing fields in September 2021, Carn Rovers have developed plans for delivering a range of improvements.

Under the council’s CAT fund, the club has already been allocated £10,883 for pavilion refurbishments as well as £10,000 towards the cost of pitch maintenance equipment. They also received £1,000 from the council’s Sports Support Fund 2020-21 towards the cost of new kit and training equipment.

Now the council is supporting the club’s plans for making £25,000 pitch improvements and accessing additional funding from other sources such as Sports Wales.

The council is also discussing how the club can apply to this year’s sports support fund for club development grants of up to £2,000 and asset development funding of up to £3,500.

Given the work that we have already undertaken in close partnership with Carn Rovers over a prolonged period of time, it was both disappointing and surprising to see these efforts criticised, especially as it has enabled the club to improve and develop its facilities. When we sought to clarify the situation with the chairman of the club, he confirmed that the views expressed on social media do not reflect those of the club itself.

Critics of the scheme are often quick to highlight that the council faced a situation where fees would have to hugely increase in order to meet the actual costs, but they rarely clarify that this was because we were subsidising local sports facilities by as much as 80 per cent, and could no longer afford to do so following massive cuts in the funding which we receive and use to provide local services.

The community asset transfer process has always been about finding new ways to ensure that such facilities can remain open for public use, and it has proven to be a big success. Numerous facilities have flourished as a result, and we are continuing to work closely with local clubs and other organisations, including Carn Rovers, to maximise the amount of funding that they can apply for and benefit from.

Deputy Leader Hywel Williams

Speaking at the completion of the club’s CAT process in September 2021, Carn Rovers director Carl Jones said: “As a club, we would like to thank the council for giving us the opportunity to take over the pitch and pavilion.

“It has given us the opportunity to grow the club, which now has two senior teams playing in the Bridgend League and four mini teams playing in the Bridgend and Port Talbot League.

“It has been a long process, but we are over the moon with the result, and we are looking forward to growing the club in the future.”