People fear plans to transform outdated sports centre could be 'kicked into the long grass'
People fear plans to transform outdated sports centre could be 'kicked into the long grass'
Vale of Glamorgan Council expressed an interest in redeveloping the sports facilities in Barry, but a number of reasons led them to re-think their plan
Residents are still waiting for answers on what will happen to the Colcot Sports Centre in Barry
(Image: Google Maps )
Residents and park users are still waiting answers on what will happen to a sports facility in Barry that's seen as being "well beyond" its lifespan. Vale of Glamorgan Council's live well scrutiny committee met on Tuesday, May 27, to discuss the future of the Buttrills and Colcot sports sites.
The discussion came about five months after the council announced it would not be able to follow up on its proposal to upgrade Colcot Sports Centre due to a number of reasons, including a lack of funds.
Plaid Cymru group leader at Vale of Glamorgan Council, Cllr Ian Johnson, requested that the matter be considered at Tuesday's scrutiny committee meeting, fearing the issues would be "kicked into the long grass". For our free daily briefing on some of the major issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here .
Cllr Johnson, who is also a ward councillor for Buttrills, said the sports centre was now 60 years old and "well beyond its lifespan".
A public consultation on Vale of Glamorgan Council's plans for Colcot Sports Centre in 2024 found that the preferred way forward was a refurbishment of the existing facility.
However, in December it was announced that the cost of the scheme had risen significantly.
Cllr Johnson said: "In 2021, the boiler [of the Colcot centre] was condemned because of safety concerns.
"It is a dark and grim building which has barely changed since I first set foot in there, playing [football] back in the 1980s.
"It is certainly not the modern 21st century building you would expect with a sporting hub for Wales' largest town, nor is it a welcoming environment for girls and women's football."
Labour councillors, Cllr Belinda Loveluck-Edwards and Cllr Emma Goodjohn, added their voices to calls for answers on the future of Colcot Sports Centre and the Buttrills and asked what efforts the council would make to secure funding from external sources.
However, councillors were left none the wiser on how soon residents could expect progress on improving facilities in both areas.
Operation manager for neighbourhood services, healthy living and performance at the council, Dave Knevett, said Colcot Sports Centre was beyond its life expectancy and called it "embarrassing" at a council meeting in December, 2024.
Speaking at Tuesday's meeting, he again recognised a need to improve facilities.
Mr Knevett said the council had been in discussion with potential partners for future projects at the Buttrills and Colcot sites, including Cymru Football Foundation, but was unable to give further details on a timescale for future plans.
He added: "I can't give specifics in terms of where we are. There are various deadlines in terms of grants.
Article continues below
"We do need to do some more consultation in terms of the site and we are eager to do some local consultation, bearing in mind the... comments that came from the community with the original proposals.
"It's important that local needs are taken into account as well as the needs of the sports that will be provided at these facilities."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Telegraph
Graeme Souness: Don't fall for Nigel Farage – he is a chancer
Graeme Souness has branded Nigel Farage a 'chancer' who 'doesn't care' about Scotland ahead of a by-election that could see the country elect a Reform MSP for the first time. Liverpool and Rangers legend Souness also accused the party's leader of being someone who vanished 'when it matters' amid a bitter battle for a seat representing Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse at Holyrood. Souness, now an outspoken pundit, joined fellow football icon Sir Alex Ferguson in urging voters to choose Labour's Davy Russell over Ross Lambie, who is standing for Reform in Thursday's poll after defecting from the Conservatives. Souness told the Daily Record: 'Don't fall for Farage, he's a chancer — all talk, and he doesn't care about us. He'll show up for the cameras, then disappear when it matters. 'Davy Russell is different. He's one of your own, a local man that knows what it's like to graft, to face challenges head-on, and to stand up for his community. Vote for someone who knows you and will stand up for you – Davy Russell.' Scotland has never elected a Reform MSP, although Michelle Ballantyne became its leader in Holyrood after joining from the Tories before being voted out four years ago. After making huge gains in last month's elections in England, Farage's party is locked in a three-way race with Labour and the SNP for a seat held by the latter until the death of Christina McKelvie in March forced a by-election. Souness's endorsement of Russell came almost a month after the latter received the backing of former Manchester United manager Ferguson. 'I've known Davy Russell for years, and I can say without hesitation that he's a man of integrity, determination, and deep commitment to his community,' Ferguson said. 'He's from here, he understands the people, and he never forgets where he comes from. Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse need someone who'll fight their corner – and Davy is that person. I'm proud to support him and know he'll work tirelessly for the place he calls home.' Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar welcomed Souness's endorsement, saying: 'I'd like to thank Graeme Souness for his support. He couldn't be more right, Nigel Farage is a dangerous clown and the people of Scotland see right through him.' Farage visited the country on Monday ahead of Thursday's by-election, days after a row over an online video put out by his party that falsely claimed Sarwar had said he would 'prioritise' the Pakistani community. Sarwar branded the advert 'blatantly racist', prompting Farage to accuse him of introducing sectarianism into Scottish politics.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Why is Labour's pick to be football regulator leading to cries of foul play?
L isa Nandy, secretary of state for culture, media and sport (DCMS), has decided to recuse herself from the final decision on the appointment of the first official football regulator, David Kogan, the government's preferred nominee. At a relatively late stage in proceedings, Kogan revealed in his confirmation hearing at the DCMS select committee that he had donated 'very small' amounts of money to both Keir Starmer and Nandy. This has led to allegations about a conflict of interest and, now, Nandy's unusual decision to stand aside from the decision-making process. Much more than the 'freebies scandal' in Labour's first days back in power, this is the most prominent case of anything like 'sleaze' or ' cronyism ' touching the Starmer administration. How did this happen? It's not entirely obvious. Had Kogan found a way to make his financial support for Starmer and Nandy clear at the earliest possible opportunity, then his embarrassment, and that of ministers, might have been avoided. Or perhaps Starmer and, more apposite, Nandy might have done so. Why didn't she? We don't know. Arguably, leaving it so late made it look like he had something to hide, but there's no reason to think that he's been given any special treatment by the Labour government. Indeed, Kogan was first 'tapped up' for the transfer by the Conservatives, who first proposed creating such a post. Who is David Kogan? He's well qualified to be the football regulator, to be fair. He's had a long career in the media, having worked for the likes of the BBC, Wasserman Media Group and Magnum Photos, and was later the chief media rights adviser to the Premier League between 1998 to 2015. He has also worked with the English Football League, the International Olympic Committee and the US National Football League. The select committee, despite their misgivings, saw fit to endorse his nomination. The committee chair, Caroline Dinenage, however, noted that: '[His] past donations to the Labour Party will inevitably leave him open to charges of political bias in a job where independence is paramount.' In response, Nandy delegated final approval of Kogan to Stephanie Peacock, a junior DCMS minister. How 'Labour' is Kogan? Very. As a young man, he was co-author of The Battle for the Labour Party (1982). The book, written alongside his uncle Maurice Kogan, is one of the best contemporary accounts of the party's traumas during the Thatcher ascendancy. He has made nine donations to the Labour Party, totalling some £33,000 since 2022, including a payment of £5,000 for Rachel Reeves's activities. He was also chair of LabourList until last month. What are the opposition parties doing about it? Making a small fuss. The Tory spokesperson, Louie French, says that it is a 'potential breach of the Governance Code on Public Appointments' that 'must urgently be investigated' and 'represents a clear discourtesy to both this House and the DCMS select committee'. What does it mean for Nandy? It's not ideal. A few months ago, she was rumoured to be up for the sack by Starmer for her performance, or else dropped if her sprawling department is dismantled in some future reshuffle. She's already been demoted by Starmer while in opposition; she was once shadow foreign secretary after finishing third in the 2020 leadership contest (also behind Rebecca Long-Bailey). Never on the hard left – she was Owen Smith's campaign manager for his futile bid to usurp then-leader Jeremy Corbyn in 2016 – the MP for Wigan has consistently acted as a bit of an advocate for the soft left/northern interests within the party. It's probably fair to conclude that she and her leader have gradually drifted away from one another. On the backbenches, she could easily become an informal leader of dissent and a bigger problem for the leadership than some in Downing Street seem to consider her now. Will Kogan get the job?
New Statesman
2 days ago
- New Statesman
Is Labour's football regulator already falling apart?
Photo byOne of the most common yet most difficult political footballs for politicians to control is cronyism, as Labour is currently finding out. The Government is scrambling to deal with the connections its preferred candidate to chair the new football regulator, David Kogan, has to the party. Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, has removed herself from the process of rubber-stamping Kogan's approval to the post, after he revealed to a select committee of parliamentarians last month that he had donated to both Nandy and Keir Starmer's respective Labour leadership bids in 2020. (Kogan said the contributions were 'very small'; under current political donation rules, they did not need to be publicly declared.) Writing to explain her decision to watch Kogan from the stands, Nandy said she wanted to 'avoid the perception of any bias or lack of independence from government'. On the surface, this appears to be an own-goal by the government, especially one that promised a 'total crackdown on cronyism' in the run-up to being elected. And now Nandy is devolving the final sign off of Kogan's appointment as chair of the new football regulator to… Stephanie Peacock, a junior culture minister, her subordinate. The Government has swapped one kind of perceived bias for another: marking its own homework. But there is undoubtedly some cynicism behind the attacks on Kogan's proposed appointment. That Kogan is a media executive with extensive experience working with some of English football's biggest organisations – all affected by the regulator – is almost irrelevant in the eyes of opponents. That he wrote three books about Labour Party history, was on the board of the LabourList political website, and declared all these interests unprompted at the first available opportunity, is what they think really condemns him. Despite Kogan's composed demeanour during his pre-appointment meeting with MPs, where he said he had 'total personal independence' from Starmer and Nandy, hysterics ensued. Nandy's opposite number, Stuart Andrew, called it a clear 'conflict of interest'. The Liberal Democrats – briefly pausing their lobbying of Starmer to play leader Ed Davey at a game of FIFA – called for the Culture Secretary to 'set the record straight, so Parliament can get on with bringing in the much-needed new independent football regulator'. But beyond this furore, the regulator could still prove a massive policy win for Labour. Given the government's majority, the Bill establishing it – currently making its way through parliament – will pass with ease. English football, despite a superficially buoyant 2024/25 season, finds itself in a precarious position. Clubs from the multi-billion-pound highs of the Premier League (Everton), and throughout the lower divisions (Reading, Derby County; the now-defunct Bury FC and Macclesfield Town) have all recently fallen victim to poor ownership models and the exorbitant financial pressures. The new football regulator, likely led by Kogan, will be mandated to address this. Get the balance right, and invert the anger fans felt when English football's sacred pyramid was at existential risk from plans for a breakaway European Super League, and this could be a rare positive for Labour after a tricky first season in government. There is also an easy counter-attack Labour can hit the Conservatives with. The idea for a football regulator was originally a Conservative policy, its implementation only delayed by last year's election. Though the 'backstop' financial distribution powers the regulator will have in Labour's revived version of the Bill differs from the previous Conservative offering, the latter's complete opposition to its own idea even baffles those within its ranks. Stuart Andrew, once the champion of a regulator whilst in government, is now 'embarrassed' by the sudden Tory U-turn in opposition, one Labour MP told me. The fact that Kogan was longlisted when he applied for the role under the previous government is another tactical flaw in the Tory offensive against the chair-in-waiting. While Kogan's connections to Labour are rightly examined – an independent inquiry is underway – there are otherwise no qualms from those within the game about his skills and expertise. A belief that, in spite of the optics, he is the man for the job. 'The antidote to perception is action,' Kogan retorted to Caroline Dinenage, Tory chair of the culture and sport select committee, and her remark about him being seen as the government's 'puppet'. 'Why on earth would I want to do [this job] if I thought I was going to be dogged by accusations of political bias and [that] my actions would reinforce that?' Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe It's a fair point. But politics, like football, is not based on fairness. It's a results-based business. As seen with the disastrous appointment of Sue Gray as Starmer's chief of staff, Labour – and indeed, the Tories – know that when the impression of a dodgy appointment sticks, it can become a burden, often ending in a resignation, and almost always distracting from the ultimate goal. That would be a win for the Tories. But for the millions of football supporters concerned about the future of their clubs, the defeat of Kogan and potentially the regulator would be a devastating loss. If it does fail, then the return of the political football of cronyism would be the least important result from Kogan's appointment. [See also: The humbling of Pep Guardiola] Related
