Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has slammed a decision to deny Llandudno Football Club funding for a new pitch.
Last week, Llandudno manager Sean Eardley resigned after a bid for a grant from the Welsh Government's communities facility programme to install a new pitch and LED floodlights, was unsuccessful.
Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government said:
I would like to request a statement from the Minister for Economy outlining the decision-making process for grants from the Welsh Government community facilities programme. I am asking this in light of the Welsh Government's decision to deny Llandudno football club's grant application for a new 3G pitch, which I know the Member for Aberconwy, Janet Finch-Saunders, also has concerns about.
This decision has been a bitter blow for Llandudno Football Club. The club played most of their home games in Bangor last season and were looking forward to a proper return to Llandudno.
The Welsh Government's decision has led to the manager leaving the club, and many fear for the future of the club, despite the many hundreds of people it serves in the town and surrounding communities.
This decision seems also off the back of some positive feedback from the funding panel, so the club are at a loss as to how this decision has come about.
Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales said each bid was assessed with very strict eligibility criteria and suggested Mr Rowlands wrote direct to the Minister for Social Justice and or the club contacted officials for feedback.
Mr Rowlands added:
I am extremely disappointed with the decision and fear for the future of the Cymru North league club. I do not think it is a right that a club with its history has to play matches in Bangor. The people of Llandudno deserve better.
Sam Rowlands AS yn poeni am ddyfodol Clwb Pêl-droed Llandudno
Mae Sam Rowlands, Aelod o’r Senedd dros Ogledd Cymru, yn anhapus iawn gyda phenderfyniad i wadu cyllid i Glwb Pêl-droed Llandudno ar gyfer cae newydd.
Yr wythnos diwethaf, ymddiswyddodd rheolwr Llandudno, Sean Eardley, ar ôl i gais am grant gan raglen cyfleuster cymunedau Llywodraeth Cymru i osod cae newydd a llifoleuadau LED, fethu.
Wrth siarad yn y Senedd, dywedodd Mr Rowlands, Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol yr Wrthblaid:
Hoffwn ofyn am ddatganiad gan Weinidog yr Economi yn amlinellu'r broses o wneud penderfyniadau ar gyfer grantiau o raglen cyfleusterau cymunedol Llywodraeth Cymru. Dwi’n gofyn hyn yng ngoleuni penderfyniad Llywodraeth Cymru i wrthod cais grant clwb pêl-droed Llandudno am gae 3G newydd, a dwi’n gwybod bod gan yr Aelod dros Aberconwy, Janet Finch-Saunders, bryderon hefyd am y mater
Mae'r penderfyniad hwn wedi bod yn ergyd drom i Glwb Pêl-droed Llandudno. Chwaraeodd y clwb y rhan fwyaf o'u gemau cartref ym Mangor y tymor diwethaf ac roedden nhw’n edrych ymlaen at ddychwelyd i Landudno.
Mae penderfyniad Llywodraeth Cymru wedi arwain at y rheolwr yn gadael y clwb, ac mae llawer yn poeni am ddyfodol y clwb, er gwaethaf y cannoedd lawer o bobl y mae'n eu gwasanaethu yn y dref a'r cymunedau cyfagos.
Mae'r penderfyniad hwn hefyd wedi digwydd er gwaethaf adborth cadarnhaol gan y panel cyllido, felly mae'r clwb yn methu deall sut mae'r penderfyniad hwn wedi’i wneud.
Dywedodd Lesley Griffiths, y Gweinidog Materion Gwledig a Gogledd Cymru fod pob cais yn cael ei asesu gyda meini prawf cymhwystra llym iawn ac awgrymodd fod Mr Rowlands yn ysgrifennu'n uniongyrchol at y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol a bod y clwb yn cysylltu â swyddogion i gael adborth.
Ychwanegodd Mr Rowlands:
Dwi’n hynod siomedig gyda'r penderfyniad a'r pryder am ddyfodol y clwb sydd yng nghynghrair Gogledd Cymru. Dydw i ddim yn meddwl ei bod hi'n iawn fod clwb gyda chymaint o hanes yn gorfod chwarae gemau ym Mangor. Mae pobl Llandudno yn haeddu gwell.
