Chequers closure crisis has been talked about at Welsh Assembly

THE plight of a closure-threatened valley youth centre has been raised at the Welsh Assembly.
Chequers Youth Facility at Canon Street, Aberdare is is facing "imminent closure" because of unstable funds, the Assembly heard this week.
Cynon Valley AM Christine Chapman said the problems facing the award-winning centre illustrated how voluntary and charity-run facilities need government support.
Addressing Business and Budget Minister Jane Hutt, she said: "Chequers youth facility, in Aberdare, is facing imminent closure.

"Over the last 10 years it has faced numerous challenges, mostly relating to the continuity of its funding.
"Obviously, this is a very stressful time for staff and young people alike who, obviously, are worried about what the future holds."
Ms Hutt said facilities like Chequers "play a very important role in our communities".
Ms Chapman, who has represented the Cynon Valley seat in the Assembly since it was founded in 1999, told the Senedd she had written to Education and Children Minister Leighton Andrews about youth facility funding.
"If we can secure the provision of services like this, then we can be confident that many of our young people have safe places to socialise with their peers," she said.
The future of Chequers youth facility hangs on a knife edge but all the stops are being pulled out in a bid to save the centre.
A new management team has been appointed to take control, seek out new funding sources and steer the centre through the troubled times ahead.
Committee chairman Adrian Price said: "We are currently awaiting on the outcome of several decisions on funding applications, .
"We have enough money for the next few months but we are now heavily dependent on success with our funding applications to the different charities.
"In the long term we are looking to set up a trading arm so that we can be less reliant on funding bids," he stressed.
Mr Price thanked the community for its support and said recent fundraising events had raised several thousands of pounds for the centre.