Senior Councillors to Discuss £1 Transfer of Sports Pitch to Abertillery Bluebirds

SENIOR councillors will be discussing a proposal to transfer a sports pitch in Blaenau Gwent to a football team for £1.
At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, October 5, a proposal to transfer of a sports pitch at Windsor Road, Six Bells for use by the junior section of Abertillery Bluebirds will be decided.
Corporate director for regeneration and community services, Ellie Fry said: “In July 2019, following completion of the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process, Abertillery Bluebirds signed a 50-year lease for the football facilities at Cwm Nant-y-Groes.
“The club have successfully run the facilities since then and recently gained promotion to the Cymru South Division.”
Ms Fry explained that the club had seen increased numbers attending their junior section but were “finding it difficult” to accommodate all the footballers on their current pitch.
Abertillery Bluebirds had enquired about the availability of the pitch on Windsor Road.
Ms Fry said “As the club had already applied for and shown they can run a facility they have not been asked to complete a full (CAT) application as it was expected that the Windsor Road pitch would be added to their existing lease.
“However, as the land at Cwm Nant-y Groes was dedicated under Fields in Trust should the transfer proceed then the council’s solicitor feels that the issue of a new lease to run to the same term as the existing (one) would be the simplest way forward.”
The report explains that the club has no proposals to develop the site but have “indicated” that they want to try and invest in the facility by improving the pitch, providing storage, and changing facilities.
Ms Fry added: “They have confirmed that at this stage they do not intend to restrict public access but would not wish to be restricted on proposals moving forward.”
Cabinet members will be asked to either back transferring the pitch over to the club or refuse it.
According to the club website, Abertillery Bluebirds was founded in 1989 playing in Cwmnantygroes.
The club initially started off in the North Gwent League, they were Division One Champions in 1994-95 and have won the Tom Perkins Cup. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​