Home » Trevethin/Penygarn residents concerned about rubbish, parking and youth services ahead of by-election

Trevethin/Penygarn residents concerned about rubbish, parking and youth services ahead of by-election

RUBBISH, pavement parking and finding something for teenagers to do have been identified as pressing issues in by-election in a new political battleground. 

Torfaen has provided solid support for the Labour Party for generations and should the Trevethin and Penygarn seat change hands at the upcoming borough council by-election it will have only a minor impact in the council chamber where Labour will still have a healthy majority. 

But the vacancy created after the resignation of one of two Labour councillors elected in the Pontypool ward, at the last council elections in 2022, has opened the door for the Reform Party to try and win its first council seat in Wales. 

The successor to Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party already has three members on the council, but all were elected as independents before forming a Reform group last summer – shortly after Torfaen was one of 13 Welsh seats where it achieved a second place general election finish. 

“I’ve had the lot of them knocking the door,” said one 65-year-old man who didn’t want to give his name: “Reform, Labour all trying to preach to you, ‘vote this, vote that’, but I don’t like it, being told, surely it is up to you how you vote.” 

Church Avenue is the main shopping precinct in Trevethin (Pic: LDRS)

Trevethin is ranked the 40th most deprived community in Wales, putting it in the top 10 per cent of 1,909 areas in Wales, grouped by population of around 1,600, and the most deprived in all of Torfaen. 

Neighbouring Penygarn and St Cadoc’s, which also form part of the ward, is the 16th most deprived in Torfaen and within the top 20 per cent across Wales. 

A poster at the local Baptist chapel advertises a community ‘warm hub’ supported by the local council. 

Housing and income are important to the man, returning from the local shopping precinct with a pint of milk. He and his wife are both disabled and sleep in separate bedrooms but have to pay the ‘bedroom tax’ – a deduction from benefits made against people in social housing judged as having a spare room. 

Rubbish in gardens and “youngsters, boys and girls” hanging about the shops were also raised. 

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Mums push their prams on the way home from school past a poster for a candidate in the Trevethin and Penygarn by-election to Torfaen Borough Council (Pic: LDRS)

Brookly Scannell, who is just 16, said “keeping the community safe” should be the top priority for anyone standing for the council as “you’ve got all these young kids messing around outside the shops.” 

The school leaver said there isn’t much for teenagers to do but spends his time at a local gym which is “only £20 a month.” 

He was also surprised to learn he is entitled to vote in the council election: “I didn’t know you could vote at 16, I thought it was 18.” 

Brooklyn Scannell who said community safety should be a top priority in the council by-election (Pic: LDRS)

A woman, who asked not to be named, said teenagers “being a general nuisance” and running in and out of the local shop, banging on windows and being verbally abusive has been a problem. 

“Sometimes I wonder if the police are more interested in being friends with the kids and I don’t always think that’s going to work,” said the woman who acknowledged: “There is not enough for kids to do and they are bored.” 

Sam Treese, who is 24, and “probably won’t vote as I’m not really interested in politics” said candidates should “get a youth centre up here again, something for teenagers. When I was growing up we used to have the Cold Barn and we could go up there and play football.” 

The Cold Barn Farm Community Centre is still operating but a number of people said it and and the Log Cabin are geared towards younger children. 

The concrete football pitch behind the Church Avenue shops in Trevethin (Pic: LDRS)

Charlotte Brown, a 30-year-old mum pushing her two-year-old in a pram, said facilities for younger children are important to her, having moved to Trevethin last summer due to anti-social behaviour but had no such trouble in the area. 

“I had the offer of a house and needed to move from Cwmbran and I didn’t know much about the area.” 

Ms Brown has had a number of people knocking her door but said: “I haven’t made up my mind yet but I’m going to vote.” 

Charlotte Brown is concerned about facilities for young children in Trevethin (Pic: LDRS)

While most residents will have until 10pm when polls close on election day on Thursday, February 13 to make up their mind others, such as Velma Flippance, have already cast their votes by post. 

But the 89-year-old, walking back from the shops, was tight lipped about where she placed her X, replying “no, you can’t” when asked if it is okay to ask how she voted. 

Full list of candidates in the Trevethin and Penygarn by-election: Tony Clark (Green); Catherine Howells (independent), Stuart Keyte (Reform), Toniann Phillips (Labour); Louise Shepphard (independent). 

A by-election for the New Inn Upper Ward on Pontypool Community Council is also taking place and the candidates are Labour’s Sarah Evans and Conservative Stephen John Senior. 

Both elections take place on Thursday, February 13 from 7am to 10pm with those aged 16 or over entitled to vote.

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