Communities Turn Out In Force To Support Garw Valley Voice

A week of action aimed at getting residents of two Garw Valley communities involved in, and proud of their local area, has been hailed a great success. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

More than 100 residents of Bettws and Pontycymmer took part in the first Garw Valley Voice days, which were held across the October half-term. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Organised by the Public Services Board – a partnership by a range of agencies delivering public services, including South Wales Police – the four-day event aimed to provide local people with a one-stop-shop at which to voice concerns, access information, and enjoy quality time with their children during the school holidays. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

While free face-painting, crafts, story times and nature trails proved popular with the youngsters, adults welcomed the opportunity to seek advice from various organisations on issues including antisocial behaviour, jobs, debt and housing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Many also made use of the free skips which were placed in the areas in an attempt to both highlight and tackle the issue of fly-tipping in the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sergeant Patrick Catto, of the Maesteg sector, said: “This was the first of many planned Garw Valley Voice events and we were really pleased with the levels of engagement from both the Bettws and Pontycymmer communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The days aimed to tackle some of the short-term issues that were highlighted to us and our partner organisations during a recent survey, and also identify the longer-term issues that are affecting people so that we can keep working with them to improve the areas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“For example, one of the thing people told us they were worried about was fly-tipping, so as part of the event we placed skips in key areas to allow people to get rid of their rubbish and large items for free, and also held a gas canister amnesty. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“By the end of the event we had collected 35 gas cylinders and three skips full of rubbish. Ultimately people have to take responsibility for their own rubbish, but this was about helping people in the first instance, giving anyone who needed it a clean slate, and raising awareness. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“A lot of work went in to the week from all the partners involved, so it was great to see the children enjoying and the adults coming along to the event to talk with us. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We also had teams out on patrol throughout the week, and more than 100 people responded to a further survey telling us what they perceive the problems to be and what they like most about living in the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“What was clear from the majority of responses was that the Garw Valley is, in the main, somewhere people are proud to live. Through the Garw Valley Voice initiative we’re committed to ensuring that remains the case by identifying and tackling problem areas as they arise.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​