Tredomen playground re-opens amid political row between Labour and Plaid Cymru

Parents and community volunteers have celebrated the re-opening of a children’s playground in Tredomen – with a war of words breaking out between Labour and Plaid Cymru.

The playground was closed down last year by Caerphilly County Borough Council so local resident Diana Turk took up the fight to persuade the council it was unsafe for it to shut.

Mrs Turk and the Ystrad Mynach Partnership began the task of raising funds for new playground equipment. The result is a state-of-the-art playground, which is proving popular with local children.

The playground was recently re-opened by Labour’s Caerphilly MP Wayne David – who took a political swipe at the Plaid Cymru-led council.

He said: “I was delighted to be asked to re-open the children’s playground. The Plaid Cymru controlled council acted in a blinkered way by closing the children’s area – not caring about the facility or children’s safety.

“But I was delighted that local people in Tredomen fought back. They forced the council to re-consider its position and successfully secured funds for new equipment. It shows what can be done when people stand up against an out-of-touch local council.”

Councillor Ron Davies, who while an independent councillor is standing for Plaid in next year’s Assembly elections, has hit back at Mr David.

He said: “Wayne David has made a huge blunder here. He has upset the great working relationship which used to exist in the Ystrad Mynach Partnership by the cynical way he has used his invitation to attend a community event for his own party political ends. He should realise by now that when anybody in elected office attends events such as this they do so as a public not a party representative. It is quite inappropriate to seek to turn a real community achievement into a political football.

“He should also have checked the facts. This project was funded largely by the Community Partnership applying to the council’s Regeneration Fund.

“As chair of the awards panel I was pleased to recommend the payment of the £30,000 which made this project possible. Applications are made and assessed on merit and it is grossly unfair to the panel, who make the decisions, and to previous and future applicants to suggest, as the MP does, that there is an element of persuasion or coercion in the process.”