(Title Image: Daily Post)
Last November, BCBC was awarded £2.6million to develop Welsh-medium childcare facilities in four areas: Porthcawl, Bridgend town, Bettws and the Ogmore Valley.
While we’re still awaiting news on the Porthcawl and Bridgend schemes, a steering group identified some possible sites in Bettws and the Ogmore Valley (pdf) – seven in Bettws, ten in the Ogmore Valley.
Those sites which weren’t immediately discounted were given a score (though the methodology isn’t explained).
In Bettws, new-build options near BCBC’s office at Trem-y-Mor and the surgery came out joint top. However, because third sector organisation, NSA Afan, relinquished their lease at Bettws Boys & Girls Club, the group decided that demolition and rebuilding of the Boys & Girls Club – despite it being a lower-scoring option – was a convenient “kill two birds with one stone” opportunity.
In the Ogmore Valley, it was a close-run thing between a new-build at Nantymoel Boys & Girls Club and a new-build at Isfryn Industrial Estate in Blackmill. The Nantymoel Club edged it because the existing building added value.
Each project has a rough budget of £650,000. However, because it’s a Welsh Government grant and comes with several strings attached, further detailed work will need to be undertaken to determine the precise costs. There’s also no additional money for on-going running costs, meaning the steering group will have to ensure each project is financially viable.
