NUMEROUS calls have been made by politicians for the Welsh Government to step in and save two vital community assets facing an extremely uncertain future.

Bosses at Caerphilly Council have drawn up a series of money saving measures including withdrawing funding for Blackwood Miners Institute and Llancaiach Fawr, a popular tourist attraction.

The move has sparked uproar within the community with protests and petitions calling for a rethink gaining in excess of 10,000 signatures.

Natasha Asghar MS, who represents South Wales East, this week raised the issue with the Welsh Government’s Culture Secretary in the Welsh Parliament.

She told the chamber: “Blackwood Miners Institute is a vital community asset and has become renowned for being a thriving arts and entertainment venue with a range of events staged there.

“And Llancaiach Fawr is an extremely popular Tudor manor house tourist attraction, enticing hordes of visitors each year

“Both of these sites, Cabinet Secretary, are indeed an integral part of the community’s history and the council cannot be allowed to get away with this.

“I have raised my concerns directly with the leader of the council and I sincerely hope they reflect on the public outcry and drop these plans, but Cabinet Secretary, in case they decide to push ahead regardless, is there any scope for the Welsh Government to intervene and save these important sites?”

Jane Hutt MS, the Welsh Government’s Culture Secretary, replied by saying it was important the topic was being discussed. 

Commenting after the exchange, Natasha Asghar MS said: “I cannot stress enough just how important these two sites are and it’s completely unacceptable that the local authority is even looking at taking away funding.

“We should be doing all we can to help venues like these thrive, not setting out to hamper them.

“It is incredibly disappointing that the Welsh Government failed to commit to taking action in a bid to save these sites.”

Leader of Caerphilly Council Cllr Sean Morgan has previously spoken about the impact that the charitable status of the Blackwood Miners Institute is having on the plans, and said they have been taking advice on the "most appropriate" course of action. 

He promised on September 18 that there would be update relating to Llancaiach Fawr and the Meals Direct Service following the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, with other service review announcements expected over the coming months. 

He previously added: “I would urge everyone to continue to have your say, so you can help us shape the way we deliver your services in the future."

South East Wales Senedd Members for Plaid Cymru Delyth Jewell and Peredur Owen Griffiths have written to the newly appointed minister for culture to call for the Welsh Government to intervene. 

The MSs have written to Jack Sargeant, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership in the week he was appointed to his role in the Welsh Government.

They said they hope the Government will recognise the "immense value" of these sites and provide the council with the support to keep them open. 

They said: “We are deeply concerned about what might happen should the council’s Cabinet decide to press ahead with these closures. Petitions in support of saving these sites have each received more than 6,000 signatures in a short space of time.

“We appreciate the difficult financial climate facing local authorities, which is why we have asked whether there is anything the Welsh Government could do to aid the council, or indeed whether the government could assist in finding other ways of keeping these sites open for the community."