Funding approved for improvements to community facilities

Bridgend County Borough Council has approved capital funding bids for a host of improvements to community facilities across the area.

As part of the council’s work in partnership with town and community councils to develop facilities which could otherwise be under threat due to budget pressures, a report was presented to Cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday 6 April to outline the latest funding bids.

The requests for funding from the Town & Community Council Capital Grant scheme 2021-22 and Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Fund included:

• A request for £25,675 from Brackla Community Council for essential repairs to Brackla Community Centre, which it took on under a CAT in 2015.
• Bids from Cornelly Community Council for £7,225 towards continued improvements to North Cornelly Community Centre and £5,000 for fencing improvements at North Cornelly Playing Fields. The community council is in talks over the transfer of the playing fields, including the pavilion.
• Coity Higher Community Council requested £15,002.57 to refurbish the Heol Mair Play Area in Litchard.
• Coychurch Lower Community Council, which is currently finalising the CAT of Coychurch Play Area, sought funding to complete phase two improvements with the BCBC offering to provide up to £14,910.54 towards the cost of the project, taking into account the support already provided by the local authority under the Play Accessibility initiative.
• Llangynwyd Middle Community Council requested a £5,000 contribution towards drainage improvements at Llangynwyd Playing Fields to support Llangynwyd Rangers Boys and Girls Club. The club is currently progressing a transfer of the playing fields.
• As part of its redevelopment of the former Register Office at Ty’r Ardd at Sunnyside into a new town hall, Bridgend Town Council requested £15,000 towards accessibility adaptations and ground works and a further £5,500 for new flooring.
• Cefn Cribwr Community Council requested a £15,014 contribution for public footpath re-surfacing near the war memorial in the village.

Bridgend County Borough Council has been increasing its collaboration with town and community councils in recent years to foster a culture of joint working and recognise the extremely important role they can play in helping to manage and maintain facilities and services that may otherwise be lost.

In 2020-21, the council approved funding for a host of refurbishments, including the Litchard Park Play Area, Bryntirion & Laleston Community Centre, and the John Street Public Toilets in Porthcawl, as well as upgrades to Penyfai playing fields, Cae Gof Pavilion in Cefn Cribwr, North Cornelly Community Centre and Pencoed Pavilion.

Funding was also given for essential external maintenance of Bettws Life Centre, in partnership with Awen Cultural Trust, and the provision of play equipment at Waun Cimla Park in Pyle.

Additionally, a grant fund was established to support sports clubs undertaking CATs in the Llynfi Valley.