COAL tip safety in Wales took a step forward today as Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced plans and funding to tackle it.

Mr Irranca-Davies told the Senedd that there are more than 2,500 disused coal tips across Wales and those communities have carried the burden of the country’s industrial past.

“The Disused Tips Authority for Wales will be the first organisation of its kind providing consistent assessment, categorisation, registration and oversight of disused tips across Wales,” Mr Irranca-Davies said.

He slammed Tory Westminster governments for failing to provide any financial support to Wales.

But the deputy FM thanked the contribution of the current British government, for committing £25 million in this financial year and a further £118m over the next three years.

Along with Welsh government money this made a combined investment of more than £230m to tackle coal tip safety.

Mr Irranca-Davies said the authority will be headquartered in Merthyr Tydfil, in the heart of the coalfield communities, and will create around 60 new jobs.