ON WEDNESDAY (Aug 10), the paddling pool in Cwmamman, in the district of Glanamman, which has been a landmark in the community for over 80 years, completed the first phase of the plan at the pool.
When the pool is open, it will be guarded by a lifeguard. The Town Council are looking for members of the community to join in and become lifeguards at the pool, who will be given full training if they apply.
The Town Council are now working closely with the County Council, who own the land and pool to ensure that it can be opened to the public as soon as possible.
The paddling pool required extensive renovation to ensure that it will be safe for the current generation to use. Local business TRJ and Apprentices, who are currently involved with the Next Steps programme, have offered to undertake all work that is needed at the site at no cost to the community.
Mayor Kevin Madge said of their generosity: “To see a local business coming forward to offer this level of support to a community is truly heart-warming and embodies the vision of partnership and working together for the benefit of all that we are looking to take forward as a council. On behalf of the local community, the Town Council and myself, I would like to thank all those involved.”
In Cwmamman, the Town Council are currently working to achieve the objectives laid out in the ‘Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015’, a law unique to Wales that places a responsibility on public bodies to consider the impact of their actions on both current and future generations. It is based around a sustainability principle and focuses on seven goals, which are:
- A prosperous Wales
- A resilient Wales
- A healthier Wales
- A more equal Wales
- A Wales of cohesive communities
- A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh languages
- A globally responsive Wales
The council’s intention is to fully implement this law in its day-to-day operations and within its strategic planning and development activities. It is looking to become one of the most forward thinking and proactive Town Councils in Wales and has been complimented for the action that has already been taken in regards to this legislation.
A aim of the project is to identify the best use for a number of assets within the community which the Town Council will be taking over from the County Council, which include the Community Centre on High Street, the Bowls Pavilion and numerous play areas. The Town Council has been clear about how they wish to see the local community and the surrounding areas to get the absolute best out of the assets and develop them to draw visitors to the community.
Rob Venus, a Community Development Officer at Cwmamman Town Council, said of the project: “This project is not a simple data collecting process. The whole ethos that I have built into the planning since day one is based around sustainability and self-sufficiency. As such, we will take all possible measures to ensure that the residents that engage with us will be given the opportunity to develop new skills and realise their capabilities. The true aim of this project is to empower the community to control its own destiny.”
Over a period of time, the council will be working alongside Community Development Cymru to undertake a community-wide consultation exercise, that will include traditional surveys and questionnaires, focus groups, community-led activities and video documentary. Derith Powell, who is the CEO of Community Development Cymru, will be working on the project. The council are delighted with this appointment, as Derith has lived in the community all of her life and has participated as a community volunteer, therefore has both a professional and personal perspective of first-hand knowledge of local issues and needs. She said: “The focus of this exercise is to unleash the capacity within local residents, capacity that already exists, in order to instigate positive change. This will be highly based upon us facilitating a participative process where local residents will be fully engaged and involved at each stage.”
The next phase of the project is to consult with members of the community and the surrounding areas to identify what direction they would like to see the development of the facilities to go in.
Mayor Kevin Madge said: “As a Town Council, we are taking all possible measure to ensure that the assets that already exist within our community are used to their full potential. Where additional assets can be developed, we will work with our residents to ensure that they meet their needs and the needs of future generations. A key part of this is hearing the views and desires of each and every one of our residents, something we will be aiming to achieve in coming months through a community-wide consultation exercise.”
The council has heard from a number of community members who have expressed their opinion of what they would like to see in the community, which include skate friendly parks, climbing walls, 11+ adventure play and the development of a splash pad addition to the paddling pool area.
The Town Council are inviting people to put forward their ideas either through e-mail to: [email protected] or in writing to: Cwmamman Town Council, Cwmamman Community Centre, High Street, Glanamman, Ammanford, SA18 1DX
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