CHINESE whispers that a Swansea rugby club is looking to buy an under-threat school field have been scotched.
Members of Pontarddulais Town Council have moved to dispel the myth and are battling on to keep the parcel of land in James Street for children to play sport on.
Swansea Council is looking to raise £73 million to invest into a new generation of buildings and upgrades for some schools over the coming years, with land in Blaenymaes, Tre Uchaf and YGG Gellionnen, Penyrheol, also under threat of being sold off.
But Pontarddulais mayor Kevin Griffiths made clear during a meeting of the town council at The Institute in St Teilo Street that there were no plans for Pontarddulais Rugby Club to snap up the field.
Mr Griffiths said: “It’s all Chinese whispers about the rugby club.”
Pontarddulais county councillor Philip Downing, also during the meeting, said a series of letters had been written to raise concerns about the situation.
Mr Downing said: “If the governors agree to something like that, the field would be surplus to requirements. We have written three letters over where we feel that the land is not surplus to requirements.”
During the meeting, a resident said the whole community was behind the campaign to safeguard the school land.
They added: “Everyone in the village is singing from the same hymn sheet.”
A protest has already been staged by mums, dads and children who have united in opposition against the scheme, which saw some brandishing placards bearing the words “Hands off our Field” and “Children Need Sports.”
Mr Downing said if anyone had any concerns they would flag them up on their behalf.
“If you have any objections to the plan we will say,” he added. “There’s more people to support the matter if it’s in the hands of the school rather than the rugby club.”
Welsh Secretary David Jones is among those supporting the campaign to safeguard the land for the youngsters. He visited the town to meet parents and governors of the town’s primary school.
Swansea Council has repeatedly stressed no decision has been made about surplus land at Pontarddulais Primary and that no school that currently has a playing field will be left without one.
Rugby club bid for school field talk kicked to touch
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