Coal Tip Safety Funding Receives Cautious Welcome from Activist

A father, Phil Thomas of Rhondda Cynon Taf, who states he is concerned for his home’s safety with every rainfall, has welcomed additional funding from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget aimed at fortifying Wales’ disused coal tips. However, Mr. Thomas, who resides near one of hundreds of tips classified as having “the potential to impact public safety,” indicated that questions persist regarding a long-term solution to the problem. Opposition parties cautioned that the £25 million committed for coal tip safety initiatives in Wales for the upcoming year was “nowhere near enough.” The Welsh government indicated that Ms. Reeves had addressed its appeals for the UK government to contribute to the expenses associated with securing the tips. Concerns regarding the condition of Wales’ coal tips emerged following a significant landslide above Tylorstown in Rhondda Fach, which occurred amidst the severe precipitation caused by Storm Dennis in 2020. Although the Labour-administered Welsh government and the Conservative-led UK government established a joint taskforce at that time, a disagreement arose concerning responsibility for the costs of remediation efforts. Ministers based in Cardiff Bay contended that the problems existed prior to devolution and estimated that resolving the issues throughout Wales could incur costs of up to £600 million over a period of 10 to 15 years. Evaluations identified a total of 2,573 disused coal tips, with 360 of these classified as highest risk and necessitating routine inspections. Phil Thomas, founder of the Clear South Wales Coal Tips campaign group, commented that the £25 million declared in the budget represented “welcome news and a sign that both governments collectively are taking the matter seriously.” However, Mr. Thomas, a father of two from Ynyshir, Rhondda, posed “the big question”: “where is the coal tip bill we’ve been waiting for in Wales for more than four years?” The Welsh government has committed to presenting new legislation to the Senedd, which will encompass the establishment of an entity responsible for overseeing coal tip safety, prior to the conclusion of this year. Mr. Thomas stated, “More than half of the coal tips classed as high risk are in private ownership and as I understand it there’s no mechanism to actively enforce their owners to make improvements unless the matter is an emergency situation.” He further questioned, “This money is welcome, but what’s it going to be spent on? Is it the publicly-owned coal tips which are the minority?” Ann Davies, who resides near the Tylorstown tip, described the significant landslide in 2020 as “scary.” Regarding the funding announcement, she remarked that it was “good to put something in motion but it took far too long to get here.” She also commented, “This should have been done years ago – did they really learn any lessons from Aberfan?” “It’s going to be expensive but it’s too risky to leave it,” she concluded. Delyth Jewell, Plaid Cymru’s climate change spokesperson, stated that the allocated funding was “nowhere near what’s needed.” She asserted, “Westminster has at long last promised money for coal tip safety, but the amount must be increased.” Jewell added, “Coal tips are the legacy of how our communities were exploited – our valleys should never have been saddled with them, let alone have to pay towards making them safe.” Janet Finch-Saunders, the Welsh Conservatives’ climate change spokesperson, likewise commented that the £25 million would “obviously” be insufficient. She explained, “Maintenance and safety measures for coal tips in Wales have been devolved.” Finch-Saunders further stated, “The fact that there is a need to collaborate with the UK government on this matter, even though it is not the responsibility of the UK government, proves again how important it is to be part of the union [of the UK].” Labour Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens remarked that, occurring shortly after the 58th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster, “it is fitting that we have committed £25m to make coal tips safe.” She added, “It is testament to the new relationship between the UK and Welsh government, based on co-operation, respect and delivery.” A spokeswoman for the Welsh government confirmed that Ms. Reeves had “responded to our calls for funding to improve coal tip safety and has provided an additional £25m for 2025-26.” She clarified that this amount was “over and above the funding the Welsh government provides every year to support local authorities to maintain and repair coal tips and invests in cutting-edge monitoring.” Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford stated that the Welsh government had requested “£91m over three years, with £25m in the first year.” He concluded, “So it’s a very good start and £25m more than the previous government was ever willing to offer us.”