Cymmer, Neath Port Talbot

Cymmer
Welsh: Cymer
Cymmer
 Cymmer shown within Neath Port Talbot
Population 2,825 (2011 census)[1]
OS grid referenceSS860961
Principal areaNeath Port Talbot
Ceremonial countyWest Glamorgan
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town PORT TALBOT
Postcode district SA13
Dialling code 01639
Police South Wales
Fire Mid and West Wales
Ambulance Welsh
EU Parliament Wales
UK ParliamentAberavon
Welsh AssemblyAberavon
List of places
UK
Wales
Neath Port Talbot

Coordinates: 51°39′N 3°39′W / 51.65°N 3.65°W

Cymmer (Welsh: Cymer) is a small village in Neath Port Talbot in Wales, set on a hillside in the Afan Valley near the confluence of the River Afan and the River Corrwg. In 2001, Cymmer had a population of 2,883.[2]

Cymmer can also be spelled "Cymer" with the omission of one "m". Both spellings are considered correct, however. The spelling variance is explained by "Cymmer" being the English-language version, and "Cymer" the Welsh language one. The word "Cymmer" translates from Welsh into English as "joining place of two rivers", and it is here that the Afon Corrwg and the Afon Afan meet, to flow onward as the River Afan until entering the sea at Aberavon/Port Talbot.

Social conditions

The Cymmer electoral ward was one of the top 10% most deprived wards in Wales according to the 2005 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation.[3]

Amenities

Local public houses include The Refreshment Rooms (the preserved Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway station) and a working men's club called The Coronation Club. Local amenities include a library, a community swimming pool, a sports hall, primary school and secondary schools, a police station and fire station. There is also an exhibition on the history of the area held near the petrol filling station. The exhibition is owned and maintained by a local newsagent.[4] Cymmer has six churches, although the usage of three is virtually nil apart from, Gilgal Community Church and English Methodist Church. One of the chapels, Hebron, has now been boarded up and padlocked to stop vandalism of the site. Bethana is owned by a local resident and is never used. The Catholic church (St. Joseph's) is used every Sunday Morning at 8.45 for Mass. St Johns chapel is currently being converted into a house. The last is located behind the Refreshment Rooms on the White Bridge. Gilgal Community Church, is used every Sunday for church services, times of services are 10.30am and 3.30pm. Cymmer English Methodist church still opens for services at 10.45 on Sundays, and operates a charity shop in the vestry every Wednesday between 10 and 12 midday.

Government and politics

Cymmer
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Councillor
Scott Jones (Labour)

The Cymmer electoral ward is coterminus with the village in Neath Port Talbot county borough. Cymmer includes some or all of the villages of Cymmer, Duffryn and Croeserw in the parliamentary constituency of Aberavon. Cymmer is bounded by the wards of Resolven to the north; Glyncorrwg to the northeast; Gwynfi to the east; Blaengarw, Caerau and Maesteg West of Bridgend county borough to the south east; Bryn and Cwmavon to the southwest; and Pelenna to the west.

The ward is set in a densely forested upland area with steep sided river valleys cut through by the Rivers Afan and Corrwg. Patches of open moorland exist to the north and south of the ward.

In the 2008 local council elections, the electorate turnout was 48.23%. The results were:

Candidate Party Votes Status
Scott Jones Labour594Labour gain
David Williams Ratepayers463

2012 Local Council Elections

It has been announced that for the 2012 Local Council Elections in the ward of Cymmer only one nomination was received. This was from the current Councillor Scott Jones. This means that no election can be held and Scott Jones will continue to be the Councillor of Cymmer until the Local Council Elections of 2017.

References

External links