5. Will the Welsh Government outline how support is made available to grassroots sports clubs? OAQ52626

Thank you very much for that question, Vikki, and, since my colleague the Cabinet Secretary has said how pleased he is to answer his question, I'm very pleased to answer this one. Government recognises the importance of sports clubs at the community level and the role they play in developing sport across Wales, and the bridge they provide from participation in sport through to the development of elite athletes. Support and guidance for sports clubs, for the 60 or so governing bodies we have, and other partners, is delivered through Sport Wales, and they have a wide range of services to support all aspects of club development.

Thank you, Minister, and I'm sure you'll agree with me that grassroots sports clubs have a crucial role to play in enhancing the physical and mental well-being of people of all ages across the length and breadth of Wales. In order to continue to provide these benefits, local clubs rely on publicity, and local newspapers have an important role to play in this, helping clubs to build strong community links, attract new support, highlight success and recruit the new players who are their lifeblood. I recently spoke with a club secretary of one football club in my constituency, AFC Llwydcoed, who echoed the concerns shared with me by other clubs regarding the problems they have in getting content into the local newspaper, the Cynon Valley Leader. To be blunt, the newspaper is simply not publishing anything that they send in. With the slow and painful death of true local journalism, I'd welcome your comments on this and any suggestions as to how the Welsh Government could enable such clubs to survive and thrive.     

Thank you very much for that comprehensive supplementary question. I'm not going to take on any regional newspaper, but I would suggest to the club that the way to resolve this situation is to ask for a meeting with the sports journalists of that particular newspaper and, indeed, with the editor, if necessary. But perhaps this is something that could be dealt with very effectively as well through the activities that I've outlined earlier, and, if you were to go into the Sport Wales website, you will find there the links into another website, which is www.clubsolutions.wales, and that provides a full range of information about how clubs can be promoted, how they can use the media effectively, how they can create links between schools and the community. I'm certain that Sport Wales will be very keen, through that website and other facilities, to assist your local club. And then, of course, there is also the Football Association of Wales Trust, which is a very effective organisation, and, if you go on their website, which is www.fawtrust.cymru, you will find a section that is, in fact, described as 'Grassroots', where they have information about how the trust can assist and provide support through the network of officers and promotional channels that they have.

Earlier this year, Minister, I had some constituents come to me waving the Welsh Cycling facilities strategy at me, and they were quite pleased with the strategy because it identified on page 11 of that report there being big gaps in provision—particularly around the mid Wales and Newtown area specifically, it mentioned, and there being a big population there and very proactive clubs there, with no facilities within an hour's drive. Page 13 of the document also recommended that closed road circuits are located in certain areas of Wales, and Newtown specifically was mentioned. So, constituents were very happy with that. When I approached Welsh Cycling excitedly myself to ask them whether they were going to implement their strategy, they said that there isn't—. It's just an aspiration; there's not actually currently any funding available to them to implement their strategy. So, can I ask, Minister, what support can you offer to provide Welsh Cycling—to enable them to enact their strategy, which will, of course, lead on to a hub in Newtown, as identified in their strategy as well?

Thank you very much for that, and I'm pleased to say—you must know my diary in detail—that I met with Beicio Cymru, with Welsh Cycling, yesterday. And we have been looking specifically at mid Wales because I'm particularly keen that there is a development to enable cycling both at the eastern end and at the western end in the Aberystwyth area, and I can assure you that discussions are continuing with Welsh Cycling as to how we can make this happen. Capital funding within my department is not huge, mainly because my department didn't exist—I must be careful what I say, now, with the Cabinet Secretary sitting in front of me—earlier in the form that it does now. But it is clear to me that we need to persuade colleagues, like my colleague, of course, the distinguished Cabinet Secretary for Finance. He is also my local Assembly Member in Cardiff West, and of course I try to indicate my full support for him at all times when he's indulging in activity there. But to answer your question, the financial support that we need across Government is something that we need to tackle within this budget, and I would welcome support. And, by the way, I welcome you in particular to this portfolio, having had a fine time with your colleague previously.