Plaid Cymru Caerphilly Together, We Can Build a Brighter Future

Caerphilly Council has yet to receive any offers to take over historic Llancaiach Fawr, it has been revealed.

Fifteen viewings of the former Tudor Manor House had been arranged since marketing began in January, according to a Freedom of Information Act response to Plaid Cymru from the authority.

Councillor Lindsay Whittle, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly Council, said: “The closure was yet another flawed decision by the Labour Cabinet, made against the opposition of the public and many councillors. It was a retrograde step.

“We want to see Llancaiach Fawr reopened to the public as soon as possible but given the lack of submissions of interest so far then we might be waiting quite a long time. It really is scandalous that this tourist and historical icon of Caerphilly remains shut.”

Caerphilly Council also revealed that 37 full and part-time members of staff had been made redundant with payments of £140,979 made. One member of staff had their contract extended to the end of this month to maintain the open space while two other staff had secured permanent redeployment.

The council spent £43,654 on maintenance and security costs in the last financial year and the provisional budget for this financial year was set at £39,558.

Delyth Jewell, Plaid Cymru MS for South Wales East said: "Llancaiach Fawr is irreplaceable for our communities.  It isn't just a building: it represents centuries of lived experience, which for decades was passed on to children in our area who could visit and step back into the past. 

“I was one of thousands of children who benefited from these school trips, and in more recent years I've loved spending time in the cafe and in fairs and carol concerts.  It really was the centre of the community.  Many of us warned that if the council closed its doors, they might never reopen again.  What a crying shame it will be if that turns out to be the case."

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - RESPONSE

1) How many staff - both full and part-time - working at Llancaiach Fawr were  made redundant when it cloased?

37 members of staff had their employment terminated.

2) How many staff accepted alternative roles within the county council?

1 member of staff has had their contract at LFM extended until 30^th June 2025 to maintain the open space.

2 members of staff have secured permanent redeployment opportunities.

3) What was the total paid out in redundancy payments to those that left the employment of the council?

£140,979.82.

4) Has the council received any offers from any organisations interested in taking over the building and, if so, how many inquiries? And, if so, is there a timeline yet for any third party operator to take over?

The council has arranged for 15 viewings and is now awaiting submissions from those that expressed an interest – timeline cannot be confirmed at this stage.

5) Has the council spent any finance on advertising the site to prospective organisations so far, if so how much?

£5,000 has been spent so far to market the site/venue.

6) What was the final total spent on maintenance and security in the year to 2024-25?

£43,654.44 spent on maintenance and security costs in 2024/25.

7) Please confirm the final budget for maintaining and securing the site during the 2025-06 financial year?

Budget for 2025/26 provisionally set at £39,558.