MORE than £6m of Welsh Government funding has been awarded to Neath Port Talbot Council and Natural Resources Wales for coal tip safety improvements across the borough.
The announcement came as part of a £34m investment to deliver safety works at more than 130 coal tip sites across Wales described as being the “largest safety programme to date”.
The funding was confirmed by Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies and Cabinet Secretary for Finance Mark Drakeford on a visit to the borough’s Dyffryn Rhondda Colliery site this week.
It will now see cash given to 10 local authorities and Natural Resources Wales in order to carry out work at sites, including Cwmtillery, which suffered a landslide in November last year, and Tylorstown which slipped following unprecedented levels of rain in 2020.
Mr Irranca-Davies said: “This Welsh Government is unwavering in our commitment to protecting our communities.
“After visiting residents living near these sites and hearing their concerns first-hand, I’m proud to announce this unprecedented level of funding, an investment that will deliver credible safety improvements for these communities.
“In December, I introduced the Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Bill to the Senedd, first-of-its-kind legislation in the UK which places Wales at the forefront of developing comprehensive safety systems for disused tips.
“If passed, this ground-breaking legislation will establish a dedicated public body to safeguard against threats from tip instability.
“The new authority would take full responsibility for assessment, registration, monitoring and management of these sites across Wales, helping to provide peace of mind to nearby communities.”
Councillor Steve Hunt, leader of Neath Port Talbot Council added: “I very much welcome this huge investment in funding safety work at coal tips in Wales.
“These tips are a visible symbol of how coal mining shaped the valleys but many years later, the tips are still causing issues around safety and pollution which have to be addressed urgently.”
The major funding will now see sums of of £11.49m given to Rhondda Cynon Taf, £6.3m for Neath Port Talbot, £4.2m for Merthyr Tydfil, £2.78m for Caerphilly, and £1.99m Blaenau Gwent.
