Cardiff Council is looking to secure the future of Cardiff Riding School by seeking a new operator to run the much-loved facility in Pontcanna Fields.
The move, which comes against a backdrop of significant financial pressure on local authority budgets across the UK, aims to deliver much-needed investment in the facility and ensure it continues to serve the community for years to come.
Councillor Jennifer Burke, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Parks, said: “We know how much Cardiff Riding School means to people. Finding a new operator will secure its long-term future, deliver the investment needed to update facilities, and ensure it can continue to provide the public with valuable opportunities for learning, wellbeing, and participation.
Established in 1975, Cardiff Riding School is a non-statutory service and the only local authority-run equestrian centre in Wales. A proposal to consider an alternative operator for the Riding School was backed by nearly 77% of consultation respondents when proposed as part of the Council’s annual budget setting process for 2024/25.
The school occupies approximately 12 hectares of land at Pontcanna Fields. It is currently home to 43 horses, 31 of which are school horses used to deliver lessons and 12 which are privately-owned.
Despite exceeding income targets over the past three years, unbudgeted and unavoidable costs linked to the increasing age of the school horses – 18 of which are now classed as veterans – and the deteriorating condition of the facilities, have outstripped income. The budget for the service is set at £98,000 for this financial year.
Investment was made, thanks to the support of the Friends of Cardiff Riding School, in the outdoor school in 2022. However, a condition assessment has identified that the wider facility requires capital works, including new roofs and a programme of internal and external repair. These works have an estimated cost of £382,000.
A report, due to be considered at a Cardiff Council Cabinet meeting at 2pm on Thursday, December 18th, recommends Cabinet:
- approve the commencement of a procurement process (the outcome of which should be reported to Cabinet for approval of the award of contracts).
- approve, subject to interest in the opportunity, the advertisement of the proposed ‘disposal’ of land occupied by the Riding School.
‘Disposal’ is a legal term which, in this case, refers to the granting of a long-term lease to a new operator, allowing them to invest in and manage the facility while keeping it available for public use. All facilities and land will remain in the ownership of Cardiff Council.
Initial consultation has been carried out with staff, trade unions, local ward members and the Friends of Cardiff Riding School. Further consultation will take place in due course.
