Rebel councillors repeat call for new business case on £7m Bargoed cinema

Councillors opposed to a £7million cinema for Bargoed have repeated their calls for a new business case on the scheme to be published.

Rebel Labour councillors forced a review of the controversial cinema plan in December last year, but are still waiting to scrutinise new proposals for a council-owned building.

Caerphilly County Borough Council Leader Keith Reynolds has previously stated he remains “committed” to the project.

Concerns have been raised about the cost of the planned cinema, that would likely be leased to Odeon, at a time of austerity.

Suggestions have also been made that money generated by the lease would not cover the repayments of a planned £4m loan to fund construction of the building.

Blackwood councillor Nigel Dix, who survived a disciplinary for speaking out over the issue, said he would rather see any money put aside for the cinema, and the proposed loan, spent on education.

He said: “Under this Conservative government, over the next five years, the cuts are going to be unhindered.

“The original support for the cinema was based on Caerphilly having 170,000 residents and no cinema in the county borough.

“The proposal was agreed before huge cuts to our budget and before the new privately-funded Maxime Cinema opened in Blackwood – which is highly successful.

“Officers have spent enough time looking at this and need to come back and ask themselves is this still desirable.

“The money going towards the Odeon cinema can be used in other budgets. If we are going to loan money, couldn’t we put it towards our children’s education?

“There are other more critical things that we can do and should be doing now. It’s a vanity project and we need to get our priorities sorted.”

Penmaen councillor Roy Saralis wrote to the Chief Executive of Caerphilly County Borough Council asking why the reviewed proposals have not been put before councillors.

Caerphilly Observer understands he has not yet received a response.

A Caerphilly County Borough Council spokesperson said:“There has been much rumour and speculation over the Bargoed cinema proposals, but the leader of council has provided an assurance that the authority remains committed to ensuring the development is brought to fruition.

“The council‘s architect is currently developing a revised design and the council remains in negotiations with Odeon about this exciting development.

“The authority is fully aware of the expectation in the community and recognises that this is a key part of the wider regeneration scheme, but these are difficult financial times and, as a public body, we must be accountable to our residents and clearly demonstrate best value when committing to such a major investment.”