12 hours ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Caerphilly borough councillors on council and Bedwas coal tip
In a recent statement, the leader claims the council does *not* know the proposal's precise nature. This is remarkable, as ERI, the company involved, states it met senior councillors and officers multiple times to explain plans. FOI requests confirm CCBC-ERI correspondence since 2017.
More concerning, ERI's proposals were discussed at cabinet meetings on March 28, 2018, and July 12, 2023, yet minutes remain sealed. If nothing to hide, why the secrecy?
A site meeting was organised to ERI's Six Bells 'reclamation' site, for council officers and Bedwas ward members, but as neighbouring Ynysddu ward councillors, we were excluded. For a project of this scale and environmental impact, such selective involvement is deeply troubling.
The council's 'Declaration of Interests' reveals the former Ynysddu councillor—and former CCBC leader—knew of the project in 2018, but said nothing to residents, despite being chair of the local community partnership. Whether a lapse or deliberate omission, the public was left in the dark.
Despite years of meetings, lease discussions, planning consultations, and ongoing communication between ERI and CCBC, we're now told the council can't recall project details. Is this genuine institutional forgetfulness, or convenient selective memory?
The truth is, Caerphilly Council is actively negotiating a lease for ERI to access publicly owned Bedwas Tips for rent. It also participated in the Pre-Application Consultation (PAC), outlining plans to extract coal using heavy machinery from two out of four Category D tips.
Under Section 19, Schedule 1 of The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Wales) Regulations 2017, this proposal clearly fits the legal definition of opencast mining. Our community banner referring to an "opencast mine" in Sirhowy Valley Country Park was accurate, not alarmist.
The public deserves straight answers, not blurred language. The council may prefer softer terms like 'reclamation' (even though only 8 per cent of the tip, the coal content, will be removed) and 'rewilding' - (despite 92 per cent of the contaminated spoil being dumped on top of the Site of Importance for Nature Conservation at Mynydd y Grug). But let's be clear: this is a major industrial development near a cherished community green space.
The stakes are too high for half-truths and secret records. It's time for full transparency, genuine public consultation, and honest communication. The people of Caerphilly are watching—and they deserve better than a council with a conveniently failing memory when it matters most.
Thank you,
Cllrs Reed and Jones
