Ministers pull the plug on Rhyl Communities First

Aug 13 2008 by David Rutland, Rhyl Visitor

A GROUP dedicated to tackling deprivation in Rhyl West has been branded a failure and will be closed down.

West Rhyl Communities First was set up in 2006 with a mandate to engage with the local community and oversee a range of projects and activities.

But the scheme has been condemned as an utter washout by ministers, and the plug will be pulled next March.

Leighton Andrews, Deputy Minister for Regeneration, said: “There was little discernible progress in the early years with evident instability in the Partnership and disengagement among key local partners.

“And despite the best efforts of organisations like North Wales Police, West Rhyl has made little progress since new arrangements were put in place.

“The local community is no more engaged with the Communities First process than it was before and key local service provider organisations remain disengaged.

“I have therefore decided that the existing arrangements in West Rhyl should be ended from March 31, 2009.” The Communities First programme will therefore cease to operate in West Rhyl.

The group’s sister organisation, South West Rhyl Communities First, was praised in the same document.

Mark Webster, who represents Rhyl West on the town council, said: “Communities First probably caused more trouble than good in West Rhyl,” he said. “There are a hell of a lot of people out of work and below the bread line, and they all saw pound signs.

“Every street wanted to set up a group and they were all fighting.

A spokesman for the Assembly Government assured The Visitor that new arrangements to support community regeneration will be available from April 1, 2009, but plans are not expected to be revealed until the autumn.