30 Years Without a Community Centre: Aberaman Residents Deliver Evidence and Demand Action

Aberaman residents have renewed their long-running call for a community hub, three decades after the village’s original hall burned down.

At the PACT meeting on Thursday, October 30, campaigners presented a detailed petition and supporting documentation to the three Aberaman ward councillors, urging them to back the reinstatement of a community centre on the former Aberaman Hall site.

More than 200 residents have signed the petition, which was accompanied by an extensive portfolio of evidence spanning nearly thirty years. The file includes historic correspondence, feasibility reports, architect plans, letters of support — including from the late MP Ann Clwyd — and written commitments previously issued by Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council officers regarding the replacement of the facility.

The campaign group expressed gratitude to the Aberaman traders and community organisations who supported the petition. Thanks go to:
The Jubilee Coffee & Bread Shop (Jubilee Road), Penylan Inn, the congregation of St Margaret’s Church, Knights Pharmacy (Cardiff Road), The Oriental House (Cardiff Road), Chandelier Beauty (Lewis Street), Big Hart Craft Shop (Lewis Street), Lewis Street Motor Spares, The Temple Bar (Cardiff Road), Blaengwawr Stores, and The Ynys Allotment Association.

Additional signatures continue to be collected. Petitions remain available to sign at The Blaengwawr Inn and Kons Kaff, Lewis Street

A Broken Promise to the Community

Aberaman Hall, originally opened in 1909 by Labour MP Keir Hardie, was destroyed by fire in November 1994. Despite early plans for reconstruction and a feasibility study completed in 1998, no replacement was ever built.
Documents from that time show that the only condition required for the project to proceed was local councillor support, a step that never came.

“The people of Aberaman lost not just a building but their community heart,” said one campaign representative. “Thirty years later, nothing has been done to put that right.”

While Aberaman has waited, neighbouring communities have benefited from major investments in new and refurbished community facilities. Campaigners argue that Aberaman has been left behind.

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Funding Elsewhere, Neglect at Home

Campaign documents highlight several significant council expenditures in recent years, including:

• Multi-million-pound property acquisitions and demolitions in Pontypridd,
• £1.02 million spent on a Trecynon site previously sold by the Welsh Government for £300,000,

Campaigners point to the council’s own Property Services Directorate guidance, which states that projects can be formally considered “if local members support such schemes.”

They say this makes the inaction of Aberaman’s three councillors particularly concerning.
“This is not just about budget priorities, it’s about representation,” the campaign spokesperson added. “Our councillors have had 30 years to act, and nothing has changed.”

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Unequal Access to Community Facilities

According to 2021 Census data, Aberaman North has a population of 5,154—nearly twice the size of Penywaun (2,973) and over three times larger than Llwydcoed (1,675). Yet both these smaller communities have their own community centres, while Aberaman does not.

Even villages with populations as small as Penderyn (317) have modern community hubs.
Campaigners argue that this represents a “30-year injustice” that has deprived Aberaman residents of essential social, cultural, and support infrastructure.

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Council’s Response: No Plans for Aberaman

In correspondence seen by campaigners, RCT Council’s Chief Executive, Paul Mee, and Head of Arts, Culture and Libraries, Caroline O’Neill, confirmed earlier this year that there are “no plans to develop a community hub or centre in Aberaman at this time.”

When pressed for further engagement, Mr. Mee responded on 8 June 2025, stating:

“The Council has no plans to develop a community hub or centre in Aberaman at this time. To avoid repetition, I will not be responding to any further communications regarding this subject.”

Campaigners have expressed frustration at what they describe as a dismissive response, particularly given the council’s stated commitment to “community resilience hubs” elsewhere in the county.

The Monitoring Officer for RCT Council, Andrew Wilkins, also stated that he would need to be “sighted on any evidence to support the arguments.”
Campaigners say they have now provided that evidence,  a full portfolio of historical documents, official letters, feasibility studies, petitions, and council correspondence — clearly demonstrating the case for Aberaman’s new community centre.

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Councillors Yet to Act

Despite all three Aberaman ward councillors being notified of the campaign and agreeing that a public meeting should be held, no such meeting has been arranged. One councillor reportedly suggested that “facilities already exist in Aberdare,” a response residents say overlooks Aberaman’s distinct identity and need for its own centre.

Campaigners argue that after three decades of silence and delay, the evidence they’ve now presented leaves no excuse for further inaction.

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A Call to Restore Aberaman’s Legacy

The campaign now calls on the three Aberaman councillors to:

1. Publicly commit to supporting the creation of an Aberaman Community Hub.
2. Formally request council action to designate the Aberaman Hall site for redevelopment.
3. Work with partners to identify funding through the Welsh Government, the National Lottery, and local development contributions.
4. Report progress transparently to residents within 30 days.

“Thirty years of neglect is enough,” said the campaign’s statement.
“Aberaman once led the Cynon Valley in civic pride and community spirit. It’s time our representatives stood up for the people who elected them and restored what we lost.”

Documents presented to the councillors included with the Petition for a Community Hub in Aberaman

(A) Four-page letter to the three Aberaman councillors outlining why Aberaman deserves a Community Centre or Hub, and detailing councillors’ responsibilities

(B) Petition signed by over 200 residents of Aberaman

(C) There was a feasibility study conducted by a student for a new community centre on the site of the Aberaman Hall and Institute (destroyed by fire in November 1994)

(D) Letter from the late MP Ann Clwyd

(E) Letter dated 23 March 1998 from the Director of Property Services at Rhondda Cynon Taf Council regarding a new community centre

(F) Architectural plans drawn by the student for the Aberaman Community Centre (prepared at the council planning office, Glan Road)

(G) Interview transcript: Questions and answers from a meeting at John Avon & Co, Chartered Building Surveyors’ Office, Aberdare, concerning the Aberaman Community Centre building design

(H) Cost estimate for a new community centre prepared by a Qualified Quantity Surveyor based on specifications and drawings

(I) Extract from the five-page South Wales Fire Service report for the proposed new centre

(J) Council meeting extracts from 1995: land transfer to the council and agreement to provide temporary accommodation for Aberaman Library (from minute books held at Aberdare Library). Note: References to multiple reports on Aberaman Hall following the fire exist, but the reports themselves are not held within council minute books. The Librarian suggested requesting these via FOI or contacting the Glamorgan Archive.

(K) One page from a four-page email from The Charity Commission and a copy of Marchant Harris Solicitors’ correspondence dated 2009 regarding land reversion to the council, plus charity confirmation that the council received funding for the Aberaman Public Hall commemoration plinth and its upkeep

(L) List of village community centres in Cynon Valley

(M) The additional case for a Community Centre in Aberaman North

(N) The Case for Restoring a Community Hub in Aberaman is Aberaman South, Aberaman North

(O) Report on the funding of community centres in Cynon Valley

(P) Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Property Services plan from 1998 showing the Aberaman Hall site

(Q) Photographs: destruction of Aberaman Hall, Fire Service damping down operations, and the vacant site

(R) Articles from The Aberdare Leader

The additional case for a Community Centre in Aberaman North

Aberaman North has a significantly larger population than the surrounding villages, yet it lacks the community centre facilities that these smaller communities enjoy. This represents a longstanding inequality that has left thousands of residents without essential community infrastructure for three decades.

Population Comparison (2021 Census Data):

• Aberaman North: 5,154 residents, ✗ No community centre

Villages with community centres:

• Penywaun (including Trewaun and Trenant): 2,973 residents ✓ Has a community centre
• Llwydcoed: 1,675 residents ✓ Has a community centre
• Trecynon: 1,000-1,200 residents ✓ Has a community centre
• Fernhill, Glenboi and Sierra Pines, Mountain Ash: 1,200 residents (combined) ✓ Has a community centre
• Penderyn: 317 residents (village core) ✓ Has a community centre

The Stark Reality:

Aberaman North’s population of 5,154 is:

• Nearly double that of Penywaun (2,973)
• Three times larger than Llwydcoed (1,675)
• Over four times larger than Fernhill, Glenboi, and Sierra Pines combined (1,200)
• More than sixteen times larger than Penderyn village (317)

Yet every single one of these smaller communities has a community centre, while Aberaman North does not.

A 30-Year Injustice:

Aberaman once had a large community hall that served as a vital hub for residents. When it burned down 30 years ago, the council never replaced it. For three decades, the people of Aberaman North – over 5,000 residents – have been left without a central gathering space for community events, activities, support services, and social connection.

Why This Matters:

A community centre is not a luxury – it’s essential infrastructure that:

• Provides a space for elderly residents to combat isolation
• Offers activities and support for families and young people
• Enables community groups and organisations to meet and thrive
• Hosts vital services such as health screenings, advice sessions, and social welfare support
• Strengthens community cohesion and local identity

The Inequality:

If villages with populations as small as 317 (Penderyn) warrant a community centre, how can a community of 5,154 residents continue to be overlooked? The failure to replace Aberaman’s hall after the fire represents a significant inequity in service provision across Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Conclusion:

After 30 years without the community facility that was lost, the residents of Aberaman North deserve better. With a population larger than all comparable communities in the area – all of which have community centres – the case for investment in Aberaman North is clear, compelling, and long overdue.