Angry scenes as council confirms Llancaiach Fawr will be ‘mothballed’

Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

Llancaiach Fawr, the Tudor mansion described by supporters as “the jewel in the crown” of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cultural attractions, will be mothballed by the end of the year, putting jobs at risk.

At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday September 25, senior councillors backed their original proposal to mothball the site, sparking angry scenes in the public gallery.

Cllr Sean Morgan, who leads the local authority, challenged hecklers who shouted “shame on you” and “total mismanagement” at him and his colleagues.

“I am quite happy to take ‘shame on you,’” he replied, adding he would feel “no shame while protecting” other key services.

The council argues the move is necessary because it needs to plug a £45 million funding gap in its budgets for the next two years.

Supporters who want to save the site railed against the mothballing plan, branding it “tantamount to cultural vandalism”.

It was an angry end to a long consultation and decision-making process, which supporters of Llancaiach Fawr had hoped would swing in their favour, following a scrutiny committee meeting on September 24.

During that meeting, many councillors signalled their support for the site, and the committee recommended that cabinet members should take a softer approach to the manor’s future and make it “sustainable over the long term”.

The council currently spends just short of £500,000 a year subsidising Llancaiach Fawr.

But discussions between cabinet members proved more cautious, focusing on the wider budget pressures Caerphilly Council faces.

Cllr Morgan said the financial outlook was “gloomy” and like “austerity on steroids”.

Head of financial services Stephen Harris warned cabinet members that any more use of the council’s reserves could put at risk other capital projects, such as new schools.

But school capital projects are ring-fenced. 

Later, Cllr Morgan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the comments related to as-yet unspent capital reserves.

The mothballing process will take six to seven months, and £53,000 has been set aside for the building’s upkeep, Allan Dallimore, regeneration service manager, told the meeting.

An “exiting” of staff at Llancaiach Fawr will take place “this financial year” – the site reportedly employs 20 workers and a further 18 volunteers.

Cllr Morgan said the plan was for the venue to be mothballed “for a short period of time” before new arrangements could be made.

“We have no intention of losing the facility,” added deputy leader, Cllr Jamie Pritchard.

But those messages failed to impress those in the public gallery, who included long-serving members of the Friends of Llancaiach Fawr organisation.

“It’s an absolute disgrace,” one said as they left the council chamber.

Another told the LDRS the cabinet’s decision had “gone against the council [committee] and against what the people want”.

After the meeting, Cllr Morgan said he hoped Llancaiach Fawr could reopen without the need for a council subsidy, and pointed to the recent closure of Coffi Vista in Caerphilly town centre, which is set to become an Italian cafe.

Reaction

Cllr Lindsay Whittle, who leads the council’s opposition Plaid Cymru group, said: “I’m disgusted that the public consultation which showed overwhelming backing to keep Llancaiach Fawr open – as well as support from the council’s own scrutiny committee – has been ignored. I worry about how long it might be shut.”

Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Cllr Whittle said time and money had been invested to create a “magnificent building” which he described as an amazing asset of this council.

“This is the second most important building in Caerphilly. This building oozes history. It is dripping out of  every window and down the guttering. This building is an absolute credit to this council and borough.”

He said that the council needed  to make greater efforts to promote the building and attract more people as visitors to Llancaiach Fawr.

“Let’s save Llancaiach Fawr for future generations. I think it is vital,” he urged and was applauded by people attending the Cabinet meeting.”

Caerphilly’s Labour Senedd Member Hefin David described the decision as “disappointing” and said: “Sadly, times are extremely challenging and the council has a responsibility to make these difficult decisions, so they are able to continue to provide important frontline public services, like the Meals Direct service.

“The mothballing also ensures that staff can be relocated within the council. We’ve seen how a situation like this can become a positive through the previous issue with Coffi Vista, so I hope a similarly positive result can be found for Llanciach Fawr in the near future.”

Plaid Cymru Senedd Members Delyth Jewell and Peredur Owen Griffiths described the council’s decision as “beyond dismaying” in a joint-statement.

The South Wales East MSs continued: “If this building closes its doors, a tangible link with our area’s past will be lost, and chances for children to learn about this chapter in our shared history will be denied them.

“We must question why the council is pressing ahead with closing the site, instead of looking at alternative arrangements first.”

They added: “It will surely cost thousands upon thousands of pounds to continue to heat the site, and keep it safe, without any income coming through its doors.

“We would question why the council have spent such high sums of money on consultants, which will take away from any money that will be saved. We are utterly dismayed that so little value is being placed on our heritage, and the things we will pass on to future generations.”