Sports clubs across Carmarthenshire are celebrating after a Plaid Cymru motion calling on the County Council to freeze a highly-controversial plan to increase charges for sporting facilities was passed in full council last Friday, 7 March.
The scheme had angered thousands of football, rugby, cricket and bowls club members of all ages, who faced a massive hike of up to 3,000% in charges or lose local facilities unless they agreed to run the pitches themselves.
Plaid’s Cllr Emlyn Dole, who proposed the motion, slammed the “totally unattainable charges introduced in an effort to implement a totally unworkable Asset Transfer Policy.”
He added:
“The Executive Board today conceded that there had been a ‘failure in procedure’ on asset transfer. This policy would have had serious consequences for hundreds of volunteers and thousands of sports club members. At a time of great concern about obesity and related health problems, everyone should be given every opportunity to keep fit and healthy through sport at a local level.”
Plaid Cymru group leader Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths pointed out that the policy had been brought to public attention by Plaid, who called three public meetings late last year. He praised the stirling efforts of the Carmarthenshire United Sports Committee, established since then to fight the council’s plan, and promised that Plaid Cymru will hold the council to its promise to consult with all interested parties before making any further decision on this matter.
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