Llantrisant – suburb of Cardiff
Labour's plans for Council reorganisation will, as we said a few days ago, wipe RCT off the map, merging us with Merthyr and Bridgend to form a new Local Authority.
Yet you could be forgiven for thinking that we have already become insignificant as a suburb of "greater Cardiff."
The Royal Mint in Llantrisant is to open a visitor centre next month – the "Royal Mint Experience" – it will hopefully prove a successful attraction bringing people to the area. Annoyingly, however, it is being marketed via TV and radio adverts as "near Cardiff." No mention of Llantrisant or Rhondda Cynon Taff.
A new "City region" has been established which encompasses a sizeable chunk of South East Wales, including RCT. It is supposed to encourage investment throughout the area. After much deliberation the name for the region was announced – the "Cardiff City Region."
It is not something which goes down well in many areas, especially given the traditional rivalry between the valleys and the capital. Rugby fans in particular may see comparisons – which may or may not be warranted – between that and what has happened in rugby terms with a Cardiff Blues alleged 'regional' team doing little outside Cardiff.
If at the end of the day the plans see more investment and jobs coming to our patch then maybe the loss of identity could just about be worth it, but will that be the case, or will everything yet again be centred on the capital? RCT Labour Council have done little to encourage economic growth here or to "sell" the area to the outside world, will they serve us any better as part of such a massive region which includes Bridgend and Merthyr where many of our services have already been moved to?
