Why are residents frustrated by the sale of a solar farm in Penyrheol?
A councillor in Caerphilly told The Valleys Lead that while he supports green energy, he condemns the Council's lack of transparency and failure to liaise with locals and councillors.
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Plaid Cymru councillor Aneurin Minton told The Valleys Lead why he is calling on Caerphilly County Borough Council to reveal the sale price of the Cwm Ifor Solar Farm, arguing that residents have been kept in the dark about the transaction. He says local people were originally promised benefits such as cheaper electricity and community investment, but claims those commitments were not delivered when the project was sold to Fuse Energy.
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The Valleys Briefing
(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)
There are plans to expand a caravan site in Rhondda Cynon Taf Councils by nine pitches to meet the need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation. The Council is required to undertake a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) every five years, and the most recent assessment from 2022 to 2027 has identified a need for additional Gypsy and Traveller pitches within RCT. The proposed expansion of the Beddau caravan site by nine pitches, alongside supporting facilities such as a site office and play area, represents a “practical and deliverable first phase in meeting this identified need” the cabinet report said.
Independent Councillor Candidate for Dowlais Pant in Merthyr Tydfil, Nick Meaney, has written asking why Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council has the highest average Band D council tax in Wales, and whether services match the high price. “If the Council has more money than ever before, where is the additional funding being spent?” he asked, noting that since Covid, the Council's annual budget has grown from around £133 million to almost £184 million. “I want to be clear: this isn’t about political point scoring. Labour and Independent administrations have both approved council tax rises since Covid.
This is about asking reasonable questions on behalf of residents who are paying more every year and deserve to know where their money is going.”
A good news story: In Blaenau Gwent, young people helped to clean up a local skatepark. Organised by Blaenau Gwent Youth Service, the clean-up brought together the young people and their families, joined by local police and fire representatives, who all worked together to make a real difference. Armed with litter pickers, gloves and jet washing equipment courtesy of local fire officers, the group got stuck in. Afterwards, the area looked cleaner, safer and much more welcoming. Team Manager with Blaenau Gwent Youth Service, Kristian Gay, said:
“The young people who attend the club came up with the idea themselves. They spoke about wanting to improve the local area, especially the skate park, which is an important space for them but had become plagued by litter. Instead of just talking about it, they stepped up and decided to do something about it, and the results were great. We are very proud of them.”
Why are residents frustrated by the sale of a solar farm in Penyrheol?
In May, Plaid Cymru councillor for Penyrheol, Aneurin Minton, was informed by local media reports that a solar farm on the mountainside above his ward had been sold to a private company.
He told The Valleys Lead he found it “troubling” this was how he found out about the sale of such a “large public asset” within his ward.
“The Cwm Ifor Solar Farm was originally proposed as a public project,” Minton, who was elected as a councillor for Penyrheol in a by-election last year, told The Valleys Lead. “It was presented to the community with promises of tangible benefits, specifically cheaper energy bills and local investment opportunities, which brought real hope to Penyrheol.”
Yet in May, the solar farm was sold by the Labour-run Caerphilly County Borough Council to a private firm, Fuse Energy, and the sale price has yet to be disclosed.
“As far as I am aware the Labour council has decided to sell the project as they don’t have enough financial resources to carry out the project,” he said. “This in my opinion is shortsighted. A great asset and opportunity for the local community have been wasted. This was sold to us on the basis of having very positive future impacts on the community, so what has changed?”
The 20-megawatt solar farm was approved in theory by Caerphilly Council Cabinet in October 2022 in light of the Council declaring a climate emergency in June 2019, and a commitment to becoming carbon neutral. The solar farm would be the first time Caerphilly Council invested in the energy sector, and was expected to cost between £12 million and £16 million, projected to power 6,000 homes if built on “low-grade” farmland in Penyrheol, and have an operational lifespan of 35 years.
At the time, no decision had been made on whether the council would develop the solar farm itself or sell the project on.
Public consultations for the Penyrheol Solar Farm started in November 2022.
The Welsh Government signed off on planning permission for the solar fam in May 2024, as the project required ministerial approval because its size made it a development of national significance.
“This could support community decarbonisation projects as well as wider support for the community,” according to the council report on the solar farm. “Not only will the project improve air quality and wellbeing, it will also bring in a revenue to support council services for the most vulnerable.”
Such “community benefits clauses will be included in the sale documents”, the report added.
