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Issue 1 £2.00 November 2014 HAn insight into WalesERITAGE and our local communities A MEALWIN FOR FOUR AT THE NAVIGATION PUB No Christmas for Port Talbot and Pontardawe Christmas lights to be turned off this year Tesco vs Aldi: Have Aldi already won the supermarket price war? Local police officers honoured at South Wales Police awards FROM MINING TOWN TO SELF SUFFICIENT VILLAGE A look at how a mining village grew into a tight-knit community INSIDE: Lifestyle and culture from Rhonnda Cynon Taf and the surrounding area CONTENTS 5) No Christmas for Port 7) Flooding hotspots to 11) Tesco vs Aldi: Have Talbot and Pontardawe get a £2.5m investment Aldi already won the More council cuts mean Christmas tackling four hotspots in lights will be axed supermarket price Cynon Valley and Pon- war? 6) Local police officers typridd honoured at South 13) Introducing.. Wales Police awards Memorial Unveiled To A new photography studio comes to Abercynon Miners’ Hero Cuts to hit nursery ed- 14 - 15) Lifestyle and ucation, street cleaning 8) Abercynon: From min- culture from Rhonnda and town centre events ing town to independent Cynon Taf and the sur- business village rounding area s a country Wales has always managed by itself. The Valley’s have triumphed Aafter the closing of the mines in the Thatcher years and they have maintained an independance with their businesses and com- munities. That could all come to a stand still with more and more cuts being announced every time there is a budget review. What will become of Wales if they have no Government funded buildings such as leisure centres and libraries? Wales as a whole would have been struggling by now if it wasn’t for the resilience of the Welsh business that has thrived in these difficult times. This magazine is exploring and highlighting how many budget cuts have been made in the past year with a special look at the “small village of Abercynon. Editor: Danielle Lewis Twitter: iamdanilewis 8 Website: rhonddaheritage.wordpress.com 11” 13 5 Advert Here Christmas is cancelled! Thanks to more Welsh Government budget cuts NEWS Image taken from http://cbsnordic.lv here will be no Christmas Welsh Government grant to pro- up in arms because it could make lights or parades in Porth mote the town centre and some of people go elsewhere.” TTalbot and nearby Pon- it could be used for festive lights. tardawe this year after £146m cut “But in Port Talbot and Pontardawe, An online campaign has now in funding to Welsh councils an- the two other towns that make up begun based on the 1957 Christ- nounced by the Welsh Govern- mas story ‘How the Grinch Stole ment earlier this month begins “I feel sorry for the Christmas!’ urging people to de- to take place. mand Neath Port Talbot Council children and their changes its mind. The lack of festive cheer on But Mr Redmore said: “Unfortu- the streets of towns like Port families who are nately I think it’s too late now.” Talbot and Pontardawe will be evidence of how the cuts are going to miss out Public Services Minister Leighton affecting everyday lives. Andrews said local authorities on having the tradi- will get £4.12bn in their block Steve Redmore, manager of Port grants – an overall cut of 3.4% on Talbot’s town centre Aberafan tional Christmas.” this year. Shopping Centre and vice presi- dent of the steel town’s Chamber Neath Port Talbot Council it’s going The reduction in cash for councils of Trade, said: “We’re going to to be dreadful. in 2015-16 will also mean redun- have our Santa’s grotto at the “I feel sorry for the children and dancies, cuts in bin collections, centre but the main shopping their families who are going to some libraries being shut and streets in Port Talbot will have miss out on having the traditional leisure centres being forced to no Christmas lights as they have Christmas lights and Father Christ- reduce their opening hours. done for years and years. mas coming to town on a sleigh. “To make matters worse, Neath “I do have some sympathy with Neath Port Talbot will see its just down the road could well the council as they are being forced funding cut by 2.4% dropping be having some Christmas lights to make cuts but if they helped from £210m to £205m. as the town’s council-employed Neath apply for a grant why didn’t town centre manager has suc- they do the same for Port Talbot Neath Port Talbot council has cessfully applied for a £40,000 and Pontardawe. The traders are been asked to comment. Advert here 5 Local police officers honoured at South Wales Police awards olice officers from In 1989, across the valleys while on Pwere honoured at uniform the South Wales Police patrol, at 2014 Awards ceremony Abercynon in Swansea. Station, Seven officers and staff PC Rees from Rhondda Cynon Taf received his and Merthyr Tydfil were first Chief nominated among 17 Constables awards that were given Commenda- out on the night. tion, when The sponsored event he disre- has recognised the hard garded his work of police officers, own safety staff and volunteers who and rescued go above and beyond the people from call of duty for the last Shrievalty Cup: PCSO Alan Blackburn was presented the cup by Assistant Chief Constable Richard a house fire. eight years. Lewis and The High Sheriffs of Mid, South and West Glamorgan. Image taken from Wales Online. In 1991, PC This year’s Bravery Rees was Police 21 years ago, spending 10 years as a Award went to Sergeant Hywel Morgan awarded his second Chief Constables Commen- special constable based in Pontypridd. He and PC Faith Egan from Merthyr Tydfil. dation, when his prompt actions and first aid then became one of the very first Police Sgt Morgan took off his utility belt and skills enabled him to revive a child who had Community Support Officers in South entered the freezing water when he saw stopped breathing. Wales in 2003. the man in the reservoir. For the last 24 years, PC Rees has served the As a former professional boxer, Pcso Black- He swam over to the man and started to residents of the Rhondda Fach Valley, making a burn decided to start up a boxing club in his MORE NEWS drag him to safety but in tough conditions, visible, positive and substantial contribution to native Tonyrefail to help tackle problems of he was unable to get him to shore. the communities of South Wales. youth annoyance in the area. His colleague Pc Egan entered the water He has never lost sight of the value of visible The club proved to be a massive success herself allowing Sgt Hywel Morgan to and accessible uniformed policing. and resulted in a decrease in anti-social make his way back to the bank. Chief Superintendent Sally Burke said: “Policing behaviour. Such has been the popularity She managed to drag the man the rest of is an extremely demanding, but rewarding of the club that its influence has spread to the way and together they got him out of occupation for all who work within the organ- other wards. the water to perform CPR. isation. The Lifetime Achievement award went Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, he “It filled me with pride on the night to see that to PC Daniel Rees, from the Cynon Valley. could not be saved. so many police officers from across Rhondda Pc Rees joined South Wales Police in 1985 Their actions were rated by watching Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil were shortlisted where he has served for 28 and a half helicopter officers as among the bravest for awards. years. they had ever seen. “It is a pleasure and a privilege to lead such He began as a uniform patrol officer in Pcso Allan Blackburn, from the Rhondda, as great team of police officers and staff at Aberdare and was posted to Mountain Ash was handed the Shrievelty Cup at the cer- Northern BCU, who make a real difference to Station on uniform patrol in 1987 where he emony for his work in the community. the communities they serve. It gives me great won a Divisional Commanders Commen- He started his career with South Wales confidence for the future.” dation. Cuts to hit nursery education, street clean- ing and town centre events nother round of for young children will be according to the council my salary, cutting the local government in Wales drastic cuts to considered. currently received a ‘mas- budget of the mayor, stop- will face a budget reduction Aservices across Parents Against Cuts to sive subsidy’. ping the publication of the of around -4% next year. Rhondda Cynon Taff has Nursery Education RCT Town centre events council magazine Outlook “For Rhondda Cynon Taf been announced with group led the campaign programme may have and bringing forward a that means an estimated music lessons for pupils, which culminated in the their funds cut along with review of senior manage- budget gap of more than street cleaning, town landmark court victory as customer care. ment which will save in £30m next year. centre events and nursery a result; free full-time ed- Councillor Andrew Mor- excess of £1m. provision for three-year- ucation, free school meals gan, leader of RCT Council, “Even with all of these sav- olds being under threat of and free school transport said: “I have been leader ings they will only make a being axed.

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