July / August
Hello Everyone. Here is a summary of the main items discussed by Pentyrch Community Council during July & August. As always, thank you to everyone who continues to attend meetings, raise local concerns, and support community initiatives.
Welcome to a New Councillor
The Council was pleased to co-opt Carol Owen as a new councillor during July. We look forward to benefiting from her experience and involvement in local issues.
Taffs Well Quarry (Photo kindly provided by Natalie Bower).
The 30th July is a date the village will not forget
Following a blast at the Taff’s Well Quarry a wall of water hit the village creating devastating damage to homes & businesses.
The Emergency Services & Cardiff Council were quickly on site & did all they could to safeguard the community. Cardiff Council worked very hard to get access open into Heol Berry on Friday evening.
Cardiff Council has continued to locate officers at the Village Hall to support the different needs of residents.
An investigation has been launched into the reasons for the flooding & whether it could have been avoided. Many dignitaries have visited the site & been shocked by the extent of devastation.
The First Minister and his team visited the affected residents on Sunday morning and spent some considerable time with them. Cardiff Council officers and Senedd Members were on the ground on Friday morning. An excellent response which was much appreciated by the community.
At difficult times we see “what communities are made of “and there have been many offers of support & residents volunteering to help others.
Pentyrch Community Council is acting as a collection point for donations to the village of Gwaelod Y Garth.
Supporting Local Groups
Several community grants were approved during July, including support for:
Creigiau Recreation Charity planting projects (£250)
Women Wellbeing Walks Gwaelod (£300)
Gwaelod telephone kiosk project (£500)
Crafty Crafters' anniversary tapestry project (£680)
Gwaelod y Garth School Friday Girls and Boys groups (£500)
These grants are intended to help a range of community activities, environmental improvements and local wellbeing initiatives.
Looking After Local Spaces
A number of projects involving Council-owned land and community facilities continued to move forward:
Progress continues at Terrace Woodlands, with councillors reporting positive developments following recent work.
Plans are being explored to bring an overgrown area next to the Creigiau allotments back into use, although further investigations are needed because of flooding concerns.
A request to use Garth Woodlands as a wedding venue was approved in principle, subject to appropriate insurance and risk assessments.
The Council also approved updated signage text for the Garth and agreed to review signage more widely to ensure restrictions and routes are clearly understood.
The Garth and Woodland Access
Councillors received an update on the North Cardiff Woodlands Project, which is working to improve woodland habitats while balancing access for different users. Discussion focused on the impact that informal mountain bike trails can have on woodland environments and the efforts being made to manage routes more sustainably.
The Council agreed to:
Review signage on the Garth.
Continue discussions with the woodland project team.
Ask for references to cycling trails on the Garth to be removed from relevant websites.
Support efforts to discourage the creation of new unauthorised trails.
Community Events
The Council agreed to support 2 community events taking place later this year:
Turn the Garth Pink
Permission was granted for the event to proceed, and the Council agreed to cover the event insurance costs.
Climb for Hope
Permission in principle was agreed, subject to final event information, insurance and risk assessments being provided.
Creigiau Recreation Centre Update
Representatives from Creigiau Recreation Centre provided an update on the new pavilion. An official opening is planned for September, although the building is already attracting bookings and interest from local groups. Increased running costs, including cleaning, CCTV and Wi-Fi, were highlighted and financial sustainability is a key consideration.
Residents' Survey
The work of the council is focused upon meeting the needs of residents and:
The main Residents Survey will be distributed in September
A separate survey is also being prepared to gather views on the future of Fairmeadow.
We encourage residents to take part when these surveys are released, as the feedback will help inform future Council decisions.
Looking Ahead
Key topics likely to feature in the coming months include:
Quarry operations and resident concerns.
Ongoing environmental and woodland projects.
Accessibility improvements to Council communications and the website.
Community events and facility improvements.
Analysis of feedback from the upcoming residents' surveys.
Thank you for taking the time to keep up to date with local matters. If you have an issue, suggestion, or would like to get involved in community activities, please get in touch with Pentyrch Community Council.
