Council agrees extra funding for new all-weather sports pitch

Senior councillors have backed the release of up to £145,000 of funding for a new all-weather sports facility in Oakdale.

The current MUGA (multi-use games area) at the old Oakdale Comprehensive School site will be closed to make way for a new housing development, and the council is partially funding a replacement facility at Islwyn High School.

The MUGA will sit alongside a new “wellbeing space” for pupils, and will be open outside of school hours to the wider community.

At a Caerphilly County Borough Council cabinet meeting on Wednesday June 5, members heard there was support for the project from Islwyn High and a local councillor.

Richard Edmunds, the council’s corporate director of education, told the meeting the school’s governing body had “come together” to back the project and “want to get on with” the MUGA and wellbeing space project.

Islwyn High will provide most of the money for the new facilities and the school’s contribution will not be reduced in light of the council’s funding pledge.

If any of the £145,000 is not spent on the project, it will be returned to the council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) fund.