A GROUP of residents and local councillors have planned a rally against the planned mothballing of a beloved community building. 

Blackwood Miners Institute is facing the possibility of being mothballed and having its funding withdrawn at the end of this year if Caerphilly Council's plans for cuts are approved. 

The performing arts venue, which hosts a range of events and plays host to numerous local community groups, has been threatened with closure after Caerphilly County Borough Council announced proposals to effectively ‘mothball’ the venue by withdrawing its funding.

If the plans are approved, the council will remove the funding for the venue in December, meaning community groups will have very limited time to find alternative venues to continue running their classes and clubs. 

Llancaiach Fawr, another cultural attraction within the Caerphilly county borough, is also facing closure as part of these planned council cuts. 

Multiple locals, councillors and politicians have all voiced their dismay at the suggestions that these popular cultural attractions could close as the council is forced to make what they have previously described as "difficult decisions". 

Blackwood deputy mayor Cllr George Etheridge, who set up a petition to save the venue, has previously said that he believes Caerphilly Council “wish to throw the venue to the wolves”, adding that the proposals are “driving people out of the Valleys, and into the cities.”

He also said: “The miners who worked hard and tirelessly to pay a levy to help build the Institute would be extremely disappointed in today’s world if they thought all their efforts were in vain.”

Cllr Etheridge has now organised a rally at the steps of Blackwood Miners Institute on Saturday, September 7, at noon to protest against the proposed plans. 

The petition that has been set up in a bid to try and save the institute has more than five thousand signatures to date. 

A public consultation into the mothballing of Blackwood Miners Institute, the closure of Llancaiach Fawr and the potential halt of Caerphilly Council's Meals Direct service, is currently underway and is due to end on Tuesday, September 10 at 5pm. 

Local members of the Senedd and Plaid Cymru, Delyth Jewell and Peredur Owen Griffiths have urged Caerphilly Council to extend the consultation period. 

The MSs would like to see the council extend the consultation so more people can make their opposition known to the changes.

The MSs have written to every community and town council in the county borough of Caerphilly urging communities and councillors to make their views known.

In a joint statement Delyth Jewell MS and Peredur Owen Griffiths MS said:

“We appreciate the difficult financial climate for local authorities that have been caused by Tory austerity. This is, regrettably, a situation unlikely to improve anytime soon because of the current UK Government’s unwillingness to restore sufficient investment into public services. 

“However, the proposed cuts to two landmark buildings in our county, as well as cuts to a vital service on which so many vulnerable people depend have caused us great concern. It seems many residents of the county borough share our feelings.”

They have also written to leader of Caerphilly Council, Cllr Sean Morgan, to express their concerns over the consultation period and their opposition to the proposals. 

In their letter to the Labour leader of the council they said:

"We have considerable concerns about the scope and length of this consultation period. The consultation is taking place during the summer holidays, when many families will be on holiday, and they may not realise that the consultation is taking place. Similarly, the consultation ends before the Senedd will return from recess, and we would be keen to request that the Welsh Government provide urgent support to the local authority in order to prevent these drastic closures from taking place.

“We would urge you please to extend the consultation period to later in the year so that any urgent discussions could take place, and so that all families who enjoy these attractions can give their feedback. We would, furthermore, ask that you hold consultation events in areas beyond the immediate environs of Blackwood Miners and Llancaiach Fawr.

“The whole of the county borough, and beyond, enjoy the use of both attractions and it would seem unjust to limit the scope of the consultation: we would urge you to please increase the number of these consultation events.”