Demonstrations over council cuts

Malcolm King helped lead the last Venture protest in May

Campaigners have demonstrated at Wrexham's Guildhall over proposed funding cuts to a playground.

Residents from the town's Caia Park estate protested for a second time over plans for "drastic" cuts to a 31-year-old centre known as The venture.

Another demonstration was planned over the potential scrapping of free school bus passes for children in Chirk travelling to Llangollen, Denbighshire.

Councillors were discussing out-of-county transport on Wednesday.

Malcolm King, founder of The Venture, claims it has helped halve juvenile crime rates in the area.

It was set up in 1978 and has 600 children currently registered.

It is not for Wrexham Council to interfere with what has always been a family decision Martyn Jones MP, on proposed school bus cuts

The project was chosen by the assembly government in 2003 as the model for its flagship programme of integrated children's centres, now rolled out across Wales.

However, Mr King, a Wrexham councillor, said it would be forced to close within weeks if plans to cut its core council funding by 78% went ahead.

He said last year the £173,000 council fund represented 29% of its income and the proposal to reduce it to £40,000 from July was a "very drastic reduction".

Last month, following a demonstration, the council said it would "look again" at the plans.

However, campaigners say they have heard nothing since and have no choice but to demonstrate again.

They also claim they have been banned from meeting at the Guildhall because of their complaints and that council officers have been prohibited from talking to anyone involved with The Venture.

Parents are angry over proposed school bus cuts

The council has previously said it proposed to use most of the money on other projects in Caia Park, with the remainder going to The Venture.

It said it had been working with The Venture since October 2008 to help it prepare for a possible reduction in funding.

A separate demonstration was also planned, with protesters hoping to voice their concerns over proposals to cut out-of-county transport for school children.

Martyn Jones, MP for Clwyd South, has previously written to the council to express his "total dissatisfaction" for the plans.

He said such measures would effectively axe transport for children in Chirk who attend Dinas Bran Secondary School in Llangollen, Denbighshire.

Mr Jones said the cuts would not save the council money, as children would still have to travel via bus similar distances to schools in Wrexham.

He wrote: "I believe in all the schools in Clwyd South and don't believe one is better than any other.

"I do believe that local people should have the right to choose which school their child goes to and that the local council should respect that decision once the parents have made it.

"It is not for Wrexham council to interfere with what has always been a family decision."

A council spokesman said the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee would consider a report and would make a recommendation to a future meeting of the Executive Board.