Thursday 26 January 2017

Have Rhondda Cynon Taf something against my village community?


We in the village of Beddau and Tynant  are asking ourselves whether Rhondda Cynon Taf Council have a particular animosity to our twin villages


We have already seen them close  Beddau and Tynant Library and the local Day Centre by the Labour controlled R.CT. and now the local Rugny Club os coming under threat.

Before I continue I must issue an apology at the time of the closure of the Library I wrote on this Blog,


I am afraid I can't be part of this  . To me  it  could create a dangerous precedent where it could be argued  that all such amenities should be run on a voluntary basis in the Big Society of David Cameron.
I know I am in danger of being accused "Of cutting of my nose to spite my face" but its where I stand.
I now  admit I was wrong and since then can only expires my admiration to those  who worked so hard in giving their time raising the funds to reopen it .

It's reopening as Beddau and Tynant Community Library has seen it not only reissuing books but conducting a large number of social activities.

Indeed I am now giving a few hours a week volunteering there ,

Now alad we may find ourselves faced with another threat to our community.



 Rhondda Cynon Taf council says there are "a number of issues" surrounding Beddau RFC's Club Premises Certificate - which is now being reviewed - and the findings of an investigation will be put before its licensing sub-committee.
Such a certificate is needed by clubs or organisations to sell alcohol - or to provide entertainment like music performances of film screenings - to members or guests.
The club argues it "happens all across South Wales every Saturday" when, for instance, away teams are invited back to the host team's clubhouse after a match.
An online petition, entitled "Save Beddau Rugby Club" , claims the council is "challenging our status", and its author claims to have "never been asked for a membership card in any of the rugby clubs I have visited in 47-and-a-half years".
On Friday, a council-issued notice was put up at the clubhouse, off Castellau Road.
It says: "The licensing authority seeks to apply for the review of the Club Premises Certificate (CPC) of Beddau RFC, on the basis that the club has been operating in breach of its CPC and has failed to promote the licensing objectives."
Gareth Jenkins, the club's treasurer, said: 
"It's been an ongoing thing for about two years now - they [the council] have a few issues with us but the main one is about serving [alcohol to] non-members of the club.
"I've spoken to the council about this - for instance, when away teams come back to the club, we serve them drinks but they are not members of the club.
"It happens all across South Wales every Saturday. That is the issue, not anything like under-age drinking.
"We can't understand what they have against us. There's never trouble here - the police are never here."There is a strong feeling about this - we put up a petition on Sunday night and by Monday morning 1,400 people had signed it.
"
Mr Jenkins added that the club is of huge importance to the local area.

"There's nothing in Beddau - no astro turf, no sports centre.
"We run our senior rugby teams, you also have the Welsh League football club Cwm Welfare run from here, as well as mini rugby and mini football, and also a cycling club
Indeed Beddau RFC is the second most successful club in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area after Pontypridd RFC
 Today, Beddau RFC plays in the WRU Championship. In the 2006-07 season, Beddau RFC won the Division One East League, but were denied promotion to the Premier League as their grounds were deemed not to meet WRU criteria. This ruling was upheld at an EGM by 67% of members.[4] The Club was entered into the inaugural Swalec Championship and had several good seasons in the second WRU league tier before being relegated in 2013/14. In 2014/15 With new coaches Lee Davies and Ben Daniels at the helm the Green and Golds led by Glenn Slater bounced back immediately to the Championship winning the Division One East Central title in emphatic fashion, winning 21 out of their 22 fixtures and going unbeaten at home. Winning the league meant a Play-off game for promotion to the Championship against Penalta RFC which Beddau won .

Currently the club is lying fourth in the second tier  WRU Championship.

Why is a club being singled out by the council , when it appears that they are using what is common practise for virtually every Rugby club in Wales ?

I have never be asked for my membership card in my few visits to Pontypridd RFC nor have I seen any visitor challenged.

If the Licencing Authority are going to enforce the letter of the Law in Beddau then it must do elsewhere.

Such a move could have dire consequences  for all such venues through not just the council area but the whole of Wales


Remember all the Club House profits go back in to running the successful Teams it is not going to some Pub Chain.


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