CAERPHILLY County Borough Council has drawn up a Health and Leisure Strategy that could possibly see seven 7 of the 11 existing leisure centres in the area close, including the much loved and well used Cefn Fforest Leisure Centre.
Therefore, may I take this opportunity to personally thank all the residents who turned up to the recent public meeting at St Thomas’ Church to discuss this possible closure? There was a tremendous turnout where more than well over 100 people spoke with anger and passion against the short-sightedness of these plans, especially after £800,000 was spent on the leisure centre in 2010/2011 financial year. Concerns were also raised that none of the local schools was ere consulted and yet most of them use the facility for swimming lessons. Also the negative impact this would have on one of the most deprived areas of CCBC. There is a petition circulating in local shops which has been started by Blackwood tTown councillors Andrew Farina-Childs, Bill Baber and Delwyn Davies to keep this well used facility open. There is also an online petition at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-cefn-fforest-leisure-centre-and-others-from-closure. The Cefn Fforest County councillors will present the petition to the next Full Council Meeting.

Andrew Farina-Childs,
Twynyffald Road,
Blackwood