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Bargoed RFC is poised to take over the running of its home ground, as one of three deals struck between community groups and Caerphilly County Borough Council.
The local authority is promoting the use of Community Asset Transfers (CATs) as it looks to trim costs and shrink its estate.
Under the CAT scheme, local groups can take on the responsibility of owning or running council buildings and assets.
At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday April 15, senior councillors agreed to back the transfer to the club of Bargoed Park’s playing field – known as The Duff – along with its sports facilities.
Nigel George, the cabinet member for corporate services, said the deal would give the site “long-term security” that could also create new funding opportunities for the club, which has represented Bargoed since 1882.
The club supports hundreds of players across its various age-level teams, its chairman Neil Carter told the meeting, adding a CAT would “open doors” for new grant funding.
“We see it as a future development for ourselves,” he said of the 25-year CAT proposal.
The Welsh Rugby Union, Bargoed AFC and Heolddu Comprehensive School are among the other organisations to show their support for the deal.
Separately, cabinet members backed a CAT agreement with the Morgan Jones Bowling Association for the lawn bowls green and clubhouse in the group’s namesake park, in Caerphilly town.
The deal will hand responsibility for the assets to three local clubs, who collectively have around 70 members ranging in age from 20 to 88.
Club representative Rob Cavanagh told the meeting the deal would help increase engagement with local schools, to try and raise the profile of the sport.
“We’re confident the club has the commitment, volunteers and vision needed to manage the site successfully,” he added.
The cabinet member for sport and leisure, Cllr Chris Morgan, commended the group for participating in the CAT so quickly after the council announced it would have to cut its financial support to bowls clubs.
The meeting also heard a CAT deal for allotments in Lewis Street, Blackwood, would help improve local health and wellbeing.
Stacey Williams, representing the community group, said the allotments also provided “a chance to get children off their devices and out into the fresh air”.
The group currently has 25 plots but plans to create more for beginners, set up a ‘wellbeing zone’, and link up with a local primary school and children’s group.
Cllr George said CATs could “empower communities” by handing them direct control of assets “for long-term public benefit”.
There is also the matter of cost-cutting – and he said Caerphilly Council “continues to face significant financial challenges, and is unable to retain direct responsibility for all services and facilities”.
The council recently agreed to invest more in promoting CATs, and hired a specialist officer to walk interested groups through the process.
Other successful transfers have included a new gym opening in a former council building in Rhymney, and plans for a new cafe at old public toilets in a Risca park.
But in other cases, community groups have criticised the promotion of CATs.
Campaigners against the council’s plans to close down ten libraries have said it is the local authority’s duty – not that of the public – to provide that service.
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