Leighton Andrews

Rhondda Life

Maybe the doom-merchants and mud-slingers will back off now that the audit report confirms that there has been no wrong-doing at Rhondda Life.

I met representatives of Rhondda Life, the Morlais, the Rugby and Cricket Clubs last night. It is evident that we will not have enough information to share about the future of the Glynrhedyn building until September, so I have decided to put back the public meeting till then, by which time I hope that RL, the Welsh Government and the brewery will have met to follow up the Government's letter to RL and its proposal for continuing community involvement. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions, feel free to email me on [email protected]. I expect now to hold the public meeting in the week beginning 10 September, obviously in a Ferndale venue.

We must preserve the Glynrhedyn building for the community

As the Assembly Member for the Rhondda, over recent months I have met and had discussions with a variety of organisations in Ferndale and Blaenllechau, including Rhondda Life, the Ferndale Rugby Club, the Morlais Choir, and representatives of BCR Ltd, owners of the Bell Centre, to discuss issues related to the funding of the Morlais Hall development and the Glynrhedyn building.

News that the Welsh Government is not prepared to put more money into Rhondda Life is disappointing but not surprising. The priority now must be to try to ensure that the building is retained in community ownership. I think that we may need to try to establish some sort of community trust to do this. 

I know that the Welsh Government is involved in discussions with the brewery, Greene King, with a view to ensuring that the building stays in community ownership, and that profits from the commercial element of the Glynrhedyn building can be used to pay back Rhondda Life's creditors over time. I know that the Minister for Housing, Regenration and Heritage, Huw Lewis, who has been immensely supportive of the community interest throughout, wishes to see a community steering group established to represent the community's interest in the Glynrhedyn.

That said, it is disappointing that the Leader of Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood, instead of supporting efforts to ensure the building stays in community ownership, has decided to play politics over the issue. She needs to remember that the funding for the project was approved and announced by her predecessor, Ieuan Wyn Jones, when he was the Deputy First Minister and the Minister for Economy and Transport. The overwhelming bulk of the money was paid out when her Plaid Cymru colleague, Jocelyn Davies, was the Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration. For more on this, see my blog-posts of 2nd July and 4th July.

 

 

 

Government statement on Rhondda Life

Huw Lewis, Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage, made the following statement on Rhondda Life:

Rhondda Life Limited (RLL) is a company limited by guarantee, comprising three independent organisations: Ferndale Rugby Club, Cor Meibion Morlais (Morlais Male Choir) and Blaenllechau Community Regeneration (BCR). RLL was established as a social enterprise to coordinate activities for development and regeneration of the locality. Since 2009, a total of £1.844m has been invested by the Welsh Government in RLL and the three member organisations. RLL has reported that it has trained 24 people experiencing barriers to employment, it has employed 14 people, and it has the potential to create up to 35 jobs over time.

RLL and its member organisations have been subject to routine monitoring procedures linked to Welsh Government grant funding. Our procedures are well-established, but we review them regularly. In November 2011, officials were made aware by the Board of RLL of a further funding requirement relating to the first phase of the company’s development plan: the Glynrhedyn Centre. A series of meetings has subsequently been held to explore potential funding opportunities.

The nature and content of these discussions is commercially confidential at this time. Although the future plans and governance of the company are ultimately a matter for its Board, the Welsh Government is, as per usual project appraisal practice, seeking assurances about RLL’s business plan and performance to date before we consider any funding offer.

BCR, the Bell Centre and Rhondda Life

As the constituency member for the Rhondda, I have never been in any doubt of the good work done at the Bell Centre in Blaenllechau owned by BCR, including over the years the community cafe, the nursery, the community travel service, the arts and heritage work and so on, and the hard work that has gone in from volunteers and trustees to deliver that.

However, there is no question that the failure by BCR Ltd to sell the Bell Centre has been one of the factors that has damaged the viability of Rhondda Life. The original plans, as described to me first in 2008 and then in a meeting in April 2009 organised by the organisations that came together to create Rhondda Life - BCR, the Ferndale Rugby Club, the Cor Meibion Morlais and the Ferndale and Blaenllechau Partnership, involved the sale of the Bell Centre with a sum of income expected to accrue to Rhondda Life of, I am told, around £40,000. 

For three years, BCR Ltd has failed to sell the Bell Centre, and former employees and trustees and other constituents have expressed their frustration at the lack of progress. I have been concerned about this sale process for some time and decided finally, on Monday, to refer the matter to the Charity Commission as I was not clear whether the directors of BCR Ltd had acted in accordance with Charity Commission rules on the disposal of property. There are many more questions that could be asked about this sale process.

In today's Western Mail the Chair of BCR, Mike Duxbury, says that he did not have a copy of the memorandum of understanding signed by BCR Ltd to hand.

Well, maybe. 

However, in late 2008. the partner organisations published a feasibility study on the potential for the Rhondda Life Glynrhedyn development:

That document makes it clear that a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed by BCR Ltd, the Cor Meibion Morlais and the Ferndale Rugby Club on the 1st August 2008:

There is no ambiguity here - the plan was to sell or lease the Bell Centre to invest in the old Salisbury Hotel site.

I am surprised that Mr Duxbury doesn't have this document to hand. He chaired the group that published the Feasibility study:

Not only that, but the report of BCR's trustees for the financial year ending 31st March 2009 explains how BCR had agreed to pool resources with the other organisations:

Later, in the BCR Report for the financial year ending 31st March 2010, the intention to sell the Bell Centre is again mentioned, as is collaboration with Rhondda Life:

I am clear that the failure to sell the Bell Centre is only one of the factors which have caused financial problems for Rhondda Life, and I described some of the others on Monday. But it is a significant factor.  

Stop talking down the Rhondda, Leanne

I don't know if Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has ever set foot in the Glynrhedyn building in Ferndale. I assume not. If she had, perhaps she wouldn't be as quick to use the word 'failure' about a building that has won the 'Welsh project of the year' award from the Royal institution of Chartered Surveyors and provides a major community facility that the Rhondda Fach so desperately needs.

I set out some details of the problems facing Rhondda Life on this blog on Monday. Despite the problems, I am pleased that the Glynrhedyn is, in the words of its brewery Greene King, 'back open for business' and I agree with the brewery 'it's great to see it trading again.' The building has been a hit with local people and on the information I have been given has been doing ok in trading terms. The key problem, as I set out in Monday's blog-post, has been the historic debt it has been carrying. As the Western Mail makes clear, the Welsh Government is aware of the problems facing Rhondda Life.

Not only has Rhondda Life developed important community facilities, the success of Rhondda Life in getting people back into work was noted by Leanne Wood's Plaid Cymru colleague Jocelyn Davies in December 2010 when she was Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration:

The Deputy Minister met Akinola Verissimo, Nikki Davies, Susan Pilkington and Jared Walters, who have all found employment through JobMatch’s Employment Routes programme at Rhondda Life, a community regeneration project that has also received funding from the Heads of the Valleys Regeneration Area to create a community facility and tourist attraction in Ferndale with the aim of creating local jobs for residents of the Rhondda Valley.

The original funding for Rhondda Life was of course awarded by Leanne Wood's predecessor as leader of Plaid Cymru, Ieuan Wyn Jones, when he was Minister for Economy and Transport, who said at the time:

"It supports the work the Assembly Government is already undertaking to promote and develop tourism in the Valleys and it’s great to see community groups working together to drive forward a project of this scale."

“It is a highly imaginative sustainable project designed to bring a wide range of long lasting benefits to the local community."

I am sure lessons can be learned as to how the project has been implemented but what is really needed now is a constructive approach to preserve the asset for the community and ensure the continued trading of the Glynrhedyn building, with, I hope, Rhondda Life continuing to develop projects that provide community benefit. What the Rhondda doesn't need is negativity and sniping for short-term political gain. Unlike Leanne, I have visited the the Glynrhedyn on several occasions, and last year I took WRU Chief Executive Roger Lewis there to discuss the potential future phases and the ambitious plans Rhondda Life has had. The project needs stabilizing and its future underpinning for the long-term benefit of the community, and I set out some suggestions for this on Monday. 

What next for Rhondda Life?

Over the last three years the local social enterprise Rhondda Life has done great things. It has 

- supported the reconstruction of the Morlais Hall

-  led the development and construction of the award-winning Glynrhedyn building, which includes a restaurant, bars and community facilities

- successfully helped people back into work through the Welsh Government's Job Match programme

- renovated a shop in the centre of Ferndale as the original base for Rhondda Life,  available for letting

Added to this it has organised events such as Rhondda at War and promoted the Rhondda's heritage in other ways, such as the Stanley Baker lounge facility, as well as being involved in a variety of community activities.

I was delighted when the then Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones, agreed the funding for Rhondda Life on behalf of the One Wales Government and announced it in May 2009:

You can read the full text of the DFM's statement here.

The success of Rhondda Life in getting people into work was acknowledged by the then Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration, Plaid Cymru's Jocelyn Davies, on behalf of the One Wales Government, in December 2010:

Jocelyn met four people who had been given training and skills by Rhondda Life and heard their stories. You can read the full text here. 

The Glynrhedyn officially opened in May 2011. In May this year, it was announced that Rhondda Life's Glynrhedyn building had won the top 'property Oscar' awarded by the RICS, the Welsh project of the year. As the Chair of the RICS in Wales said:

The building that previously stood in place of the Glynrhedyn was old and practically in ruins. Through community support and government backing, as well as hard work and perseverance, the old building and site has been completely transformed. The Glynrhedyn is now a thriving local business and a community hub, which we believe will stand the test of time. It is truly a Welsh project and we are delighted to award it RICS Wales Project of the Year.

When Rhondda Life was originally established, there were three partner organisations behind it, the Cor Meibion Morlais, the Ferndale Rugby Club, and Blaenllechau Community Regeneration (BCR - owners of the Bell Centre). I note that BCR is no longer listed as a partner organisation on the Rhondda Life website, and I am told that there has been little contact between Rhondda Life and BCR since early 2011. 

There has been no question that Rhondda Life has faced serious financial challenges over the past six-nine months in delivering the Glynrhedyn building. The Bell Centre, owned by BCR, was meant in the original plans to be sold and the proceeds of the sale after debts were cleared to be invested in Rhondda Life. I have a number of questions as to why that has still not happened and I will return to those in a separate article. There was a small construction over-spend due in part to delays after the discovery of an unmapped water culvert. There had been an expectation that Rhondda Life would obtain a grant from the SEWCED scheme, but for whatever reason, that was not forthcoming. On top of that, the closure of the Job Match scheme because of the UK coalition government's welfare reform agenda meant Rhondda Life lost a further source of income and had to lay off two members of staff.

These difficulties have had an impact on the ability to maintain trading at the Glynrhedyn building on the basis of a full-time employment model, although forward bookings are I understand being honoured. There is no secret about these issues. However, rumours of course are rife. A week or so ago, on Saturday June 23rd, I got a text suggesting that the receivers had been called in and the brewery was now in control of the Glynrhedyn building. I drove over to Ferndale and met a member of my constituency staff there in order to try and find out what was going on. We found that the brewery certainly had representatives there intending to operate the bars but after making enquiries I was told that Rhondda Life was not in receivership. 

Checking today, we have found that according to the Companies House website, there is a section 38 receivership issue with regard to Rhondda Life. As I understand it, this means that the receivers are in action with regard to an asset owned by the company - I assume the Glynrhedyn - rather than the company itself. 

What next for Rhondda Life? It is clear that the organisation has contributed significantly to the regeneration of Ferndale over recent years. The Glynrhedyn building was intended to be a three-stage development and I hope that the further stages still have potential. As constituency member for the Rhondda, I certainly hope  Rhondda Life's full plans come to fruition. 

However, it is also clear that the challenges of the Glynrhedyn development have been testing for all involved in Rhondda Life, and I wonder whether this is now the time to consider a different model for the future of Rhondda Life in respect of the Glynrhedyn building, whereby Rhondda Life retains the ownership of the building and looks after the community facilities, but allows the trading element to be managed and operated by commercial operators who pay a rental or franchise for the privilege? These are obviously matters for the directors, but I hope that they will be given active consideration.

Huw Lewis visits Rhondda Life and re-opens Morlais Hall

Last week, Huw Lewis (Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage) visited Ferndale to view the Rhondda Life community regeneration project. He was treated to a tour of the new Stanley Baker Lounge, sports bar and Ferns Restaurant, and then went on to officially re-open Morlais Hall. The project has received vital funding from the Welsh Government’s Heads of the Valleys programme and is helping to transform this part of the Rhondda.

Rhondda Life Ltd is a not for profit social enterprise organisation based in the Ferndale area of the Rhondda Fach. Founded by three organisations (Ferndale Rugby Club, Blaenllechau Community Regeneration and Cor Meibion Morlais) with the vision of regenerating the Rhondda by adhering to the following objectives.

• Promoting community participation, cultural activities, health recreation and sport.
• The promotion and facilitation of both urban and rural regeneration through events and facilities within the Rhondda for the public benefit.
• Development of Skills and capacities of both individuals and communities within the Rhondda with a special regard to those who are economically or socially disadvantaged.

Morlais Hall is 130 years old and owned by male voice choir Côr Meibion Morlais. The £300,000 restoration has seen it transformed into a fantastic community venue, which houses a ‘Living Museum of Song and Music’. Huw Lewis officially re-opened the building with Chris Bryant MP and me, before seeing a magnificent performance by Côr Meibion Morlais.

We then heard from the choir's musical director (and chairman of Rhondda Life) John Asquith, who talked about the journey that the community had been on during the regeneration of Morlais Hall. Huw, Chris and I also said a few words, before the entire audience joined the choir for a rendition of Cwm Rhondda. The re-opening event was extremely well attended, demonstrating its importance in the local community. It was also covered by BBC Wales here.

Click on these links to see more images of Morlais Hall, both past and present:

• Morlais Hall – A Pictorial History
• Morlais Hall – Refurbishment Photos 

You can also view my photos from Huw’s visit to the Rhondda Life building and Morlais Hall.

Re-Opening of Llanfair Uniting Church in Penrhys

 
Last Friday, I was pleased to attend the re-opening of Llanfair Church in Penrhys, along with Mayor Councillor Sylvia Jones and other local RCT Councillors. It was great to meet a number of the volunteers who play such an important part in the Penrhys community, as well as a group of local school children, who peformed a song in three languages - English, Welsh and Madagascan - signifying the international work that the church and community groups undertake.

We also saw a video that documented the creation of the church, the challenges that the building has faced in recent years and the successful repair work that has been undertaken in order to secure its existence. The project received much needed funding from the Welsh Government, so it was excellent to be able to see it in my capacity as the Rhondda AM and also as a member of the Government.

Llanfair Church is the only church in Wales that is supported and recognised by eight different demoninations. It provides a range of services for the local community, including after-school homework clubs and music lessons for children, as well as a cafe, a laundrette and a ‘nearly new shop’ for local residents. These are important services for many people in Penrhys, who would be unable to access such facilities otherwise. I hope this community project continues to grow from strength to strength with the energy of Llanfair volunteers and the support of local people.­­­­­­­

 

Rhondda Life - Regenerating the Rhondda

 
In June, I had the pleasure of speaking at the opening of the new Sir Stanley Baker Lounge, situated in the Rhondda Life building in Ferndale. Rhondda Life Ltd is a not-for-profit social enterprise, founded by three organisations (Ferndale Rugby Club, Blaenllechau Community Regeneration and Cor Meibion Morlais).

The Rhondda Life website communicates a vision of regenerating the Rhondda by adhering to the following objectives:

• Promoting community participation, cultural activities, health recreation and sport.
• The promotion and facilitation of both urban and rural regeneration through events and facilities within the Rhondda for the public benefit.
• Development of Skills and capacities of both individuals and communities within the Rhondda with a special regard to those who are economically or socially disadvantaged.

The website goes on to say that:

“In practice we believe this will provide local jobs for local people, with an eye to supporting those who have barriers to work or those who have been long term unemployed.”

Having supported this project since the planning stage, it is fantastic to see the facilities come to life, focussed on regeneration and community participation, as well as providing sustainable jobs for local people. Whether you’re interested in a quiz night, Sunday lunch, or a place to watch the rugby, Rhondda Life has all of this on offer, as well as an opportunity to contribute to the local economy.