NEWS

BATTLE CONTINUES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

With the end of Covid restrictions in sight we look forward to things getting back to normal. For many small local businesses, however, things may not be as they were for many months to come, if ever. The pandemic has presented an enormous economic challenge, resulting in the collapse of many small businesses and independent traders. For those that have survived, the future looks bleak and without further support from the government they will struggle to continue. I have been contacted by local businesses who have been refused funding support and when I questioned Mark Drakeford about this, he responded that, “...it simply isn’t possible with the funding we have to fill every single gap that exists...” This is simply not good enough and I will continue to challenge Welsh government on sufficient funding for businesses. I want local businesses not only to survive the pandemic but to thrive after it. Our constituency office is always available for advice on funding or benefits available for small local businesses.

CAROLINE JONES MEMBER OF THE SENEDD 88b John Street, Porthcawl, CF36 3BD Tel 01656 773680 Mob 07790 785059

WRONG LOCATIONS FOR NEW OFFENDER CENTRE

As I write this, Bridgend County Borough Council is due to meet with UK Government to find out more about its plans for establishing an all-new Wales Residential Women’s Centre. Unbelievably, the Atlantic Hotel in Porthcawl and Sunnyside House in Bridgend town are among potential locations under consideration. While I support the rationale for establishing a centre within South Wales, Bridgend County Borough is absolutely the wrong place for it to be located, and the council will fight these proposals every step of the way. We are already home to South Wales’ largest prison, the only youth offending institute in Wales and the only medium security facility for people with complex mental health needs in Wales, yet do not receive adequate levels of resource necessary for providing additional services related to these facilities. This is nothing to do with nimbyism – we clearly already have much more than our fair share of regional and national sites for people with complex needs, and the proposed locations are entirely inappropriate. Following the loss of Bridgend Ford Engine Plant, what we need from UK Government is a multi-million pound investment into our communities, not these half-baked plans, and I call for them to be scrapped immediately.

COUNCILLOR HUW DAVID Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council Tel 01656 643643 www.bridgend.gov.uk

NEWS FROM THE MAYOR OF PORTHCAWL

I hope you are staying safe and well. There is some optimism that things may be improving. I urge everyone to make sure they get their vaccination when offered. News this month is about how we as a town can commemorate one of the worst seafaring disasters in our history that of the Liberty Ship SS Samtampa. Just think back to that time in 1947 when the SS Samtampa with 39 young men on board lost steerage and drifted towards Sker rocks in extremely rough seas. The Mumbles lifeboat Edward Prince of Wales was launched and made its way through treacherous seas to save the crew of the SS Samtampa. Tragically the lives of the crew of the SS Samtampa & Edward Prince of Wales lifeboat were all lost. Gary Victor and his colleagues on Porthcawl Shout have been committed to providing a permanent memorial to those that lost their lives that day. I am delighted to say that Cllr. Norah Clarke supported by Porthcawl Town Council has teamed up with Gary and his colleagues to make this happen. A fabulous memorial has been produced as a granite sculpture and, in very positive discussions with Bridgend County Borough Council officers, site options have been identified. Porthcawl Town Council is fully behind this project as we feel that this is a very important part of our Towns history, to pay tribute to those who gave their lives and also to appreciate our very own Porthcawl lifeboat crew.

COUNCILLOR BRIAN JONES Mayor of Porthcawl

PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL WOMEN’S CENTRE

I know that many of my constituents were surprised to learn that the Atlantic Hotel in Porthcawl and Sunnyside House in Bridgend are among a number of sites across South Wales being considered by the Ministry of Justice as possible locations for its proposed residential women’s centre. I am amazed that the UK Government is looking at these sites. One is in the middle of a prime tourist area and the other next to a new housing development and surgery. Bridgend Council has objected to these plans and has set out their reasons for doing so very clearly. I have also made my own representations to the UK Government objecting to these plans. This looks like a proposal made in London without consultation. The county borough has already embraced more than its fair share of regional and national sites for people with complex needs. I do not disagree with the principle and I absolutely agree with my Labour colleague Sarah Murphy who has said if an all-Wales pilot scheme for women offenders is to be a success, it needs to be done properly and in the right place, not just for surrounding communities and businesses, but also for the women themselves.

CARWYN JONES MS for Bridgend

FURTHER INVESTMENT INTO COSY CORNER

Plans to establish new community facilities at Cosy Corner have seen the council commit an additional investment of £385,000 in order to match £1m that is already being provided by Welsh Government. The money has been pledged to enable the delivery of new facilities, which will benefit residents, visitors and tourists alike. We have developed a range of proposals for how the site could be used that are both ambitious and realistic. These include establishing a high-quality children’s play area to complement nearby attractions, creating a new outdoor performance space with seating and landscaping, providing facilities for use by community organisations such as the Sea Cadets, building new premises suitable for small retail and startup enterprises, and establishing storage and changing facilities for users of the nearby marina. As well as being an iconic seafront location, we want Cosy Corner to remain an important part of the public realm within Porthcawl while supporting our regeneration plans for the Salt Lake and Esplanade areas. We also want it to complement completed regeneration projects such as the new marina, new sea defences, newly-restored Jennings Building and more. You can expect to see an opportunity for people to comment upon the plans very soon.

COUNCILLOR HYWEL WILLIAMS Deputy Leader Bridgend County Borough Council Tel: 01656 643643 www.bridgend.gov.uk

SOUTH CORNELLY PLAN WILL CREATE NUISANCE

I am alarmed by plans to locate a stone crushing plant on land near people’s homes in South Cornelly. Residents are being asked for their views on plans to create this operation in the heart of the village. It would process 4,000 tonnes of stone every day for use as aggregate. While recycling old building materials is welcome, this is not the right site for it. I well remember the fight put up by local residents against plans some years ago to locate a wood recycling plant on this same land. That scheme failed and I believe that this one should as well. It will create large amounts of dust, a high level of noise over a 12 hour working day and result in 22 extra lorries an hour visiting the site. Objections to it will focus on air pollution from the dust and from the generator, which will burn up to 1 million litres of diesel every year. The extra lorries on the roads surrounding the village will also be a crucial argument against it. I backed residents opposed to the wood recycling scheme and I will back residents now in their opposition to this plan.

SUZY DAVIES MS Welsh Conservative Party www.suzydavies.com

NEW OPERATOR CONFIRMED FOR THE PORTHCAWL ROAD TRAIN

I’m delighted to see that the social enterprise, Emmaus South Wales, has been chosen as the operator for Porthcawl’s new road train attraction, and that the service could be up and running this summer as long as pandemic conditions allow. The seasonal service will operate between Sandy Bay and Rest Bay to connect the town centre with the seafront, taking in key stops such as Coney Pleasure Beach, Porthcawl Marina, the town centre, the Grand Pavilion and the Rest Bay Watersports Centre. The train will have three carriages, one of which will be wheelchair accessible, and Emmaus will establish a ticket office and waiting area at its store on New Road, Porthcawl, which is near the start of the road train’s route. The new road train is being introduced using £11,453 secured from Welsh Government as part of the Visit Wales Tourist Attractor Destinations scheme, and Emmaus will take on the responsibility of the scheme’s subsequent operational costs. As we look towards a cautious return to ‘normal’ life with shops, hotels and other businesses starting to reopen, the road train is sure to become an important part of Porthcawl’s overall recovery, and I am looking forward to seeing it in action.

COUNCILLOR CHARLES SMITH Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration Bridgend County Borough Council 01656 643643 www.bridgend.gov.uk

CENTRE PLAN IS NOT ACCEPTABLE

I am fighting plans to locate a Residential Centre for female offenders in the locality. The Ministry of Justice has shortlisted two sites locally – The Atlantic Hotel in Porthcawl and the Wellness Village being built at Sunnyside in Bridgend. Neither of these sites is suitable. Porthcawl is a seaside resort and the loss of one of its leading hotels will be a blow to the tourism sector there. Although The Atlantic Hotel is up for sale, local residents have been hoping that any new owners would retain it as a hotel because Porthcawl needs to offer holidaymakers a wide choice of accommodation. It also has poor public transport so residents in the centre would not be able to keep in touch with families easily. The site is Bridgend is surrounded by residential streets and includes a health centre, which will draw in hundreds of people every day. Bridgend already has a prison, a young offenders’ institution, a drug rehabilitation centre and secure mental health accommodation. Locating an extra semi-custodial facility with its potential attendant problems relating to drugs and alcohol abuse in the area is not on. I have conveyed my strong objections to Ministers and will be holding further meetings with them.

JAMIE WALLIS MP for Bridgend