Ely riots: Action plan drawn up for Cardiff community

Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died in a bike crash in Ely, Cardiff last year, shaking the community

Residents of an area of Cardiff rocked by riots last year have said it needs more investment to help young people and challenge misconceptions.

Disorder in Ely in May 2023 followed speculation that Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, were chased by police before they died in a crash.

The aftermath of the riots, which saw 15 officers hurt and 35 arrests, was described as an "absolute warzone".

An action plan was presented on Tuesday after consulting 1,200 people in Ely.

It said £2m was being invested to improve youth services and tackle anti-social behaviour, as well as more investment in mental health support for teenagers and plans to improve green spaces.

Despite the grant only lasting a year, Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas insisted it would make a difference, adding that he hoped "we will find ways of making the activities sustainable, in building on the wealth and the strength of the community itself".

School pupils who were involved in the conversations said the area was the same as any other, but young people need more spaces to socialise.

Former First Minister Mark Drakeford, whose Cardiff West constituency includes Ely, said it was a "community plan" developed by those who view residents as "an asset".

"Ely is not a problem to be solved," said Mr Drakeford, who spent several decades working in Ely before his career in politics.

"These are people who have huge strengths, enormous sense of community identity, and the plan is about drawing on those strengths and allowing them to flourish in conditions where people can take some responsibility for their own future," he told Radio Wales Breakfast.

He said it would not be able to tackle the "underlying challenges" on its own.

"The need is for this to be a long-term plan, not a plan that believes that it can put right everything that needs to be addressed in a short period of time," he said.

What does the community want?

Louise says people have incorrect assumptions about Ely and its community

Louise, 17, a student at Cardiff West Community High School who has lived in Ely since she was nine, said she did not really understand negative perceptions of the area until she got older.

"I don't think it is that bad to be honest," she said.

She said there were "a lot of preconceptions of Ely being an awful place, but I don't think it is as bad as people say it to be.

"In reality every place will have bad things or bad things happen in that area.

"A couple years prior there were a lot of people drinking on the streets, but I don't see that as much these days."

• Did a lack of opportunities lead to Ely riot?

• Police officers' conduct before fatal crash probed

She said she knows there are facilities such as youth clubs available, but they "are not advertised enough" or do not look "physically appealing" which can put people off.

"I think the community is welcoming. They are nice people," she added.

Louise described the riots as "quite scary" as her and her friends were not sure what was happening.

"It was the night before my maths exam so it was really overwhelming," she said.

Amelia says she likes hanging out with her friends in the park but struggles to find places to socialise in the winter

Fellow pupil Amelia, 16, said any negative opinions she has of the area often came from other people.

When she tells people she is from Ely they often think it is "quite a rough area".

But she does not recognise that description having lived in the area all her life, and pointed to the "community spirit" on Facebook groups and how people "come together and defend each other".

"Because we are such a small community everyone is so close knit with one another," she said.

Her input into the work that will help make up the action plan for Ely was that more investment is needed for youth clubs and spaces for young people.

Georgia Afferion and her son Theo attend the play session at the Diana garden regeneration project

Georgia Afferion, 26, said Ely needed more community spaces that are more closed off so they "can't easily be ruined".

"There's not many places in Ely that people can access that are so green and so natural," she said.

"There is a lot of green space that is not used and not well kept, so I definitely think there are things that can be developed."

She said the resources and centres that are available need to be better advertised and be held at a low cost or be free so more people can enjoy them.

How did the Ely riots unfold?

A mural has gone up to remember Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15 who died last May

When Kyrees and Harvey died in a crash on 22 May 2023, word quickly circulated that their deaths were a result of the boys being chased by police.

This sparked a riot in the suburb but the circumstances behind the accident remained unclear.

Police insisted the teenagers were not chased, but CCTV footage analysed by BBC Verify appeared to show police following them minutes before the crash.

The force later confirmed they had been following the two boys before their deaths.

There have been 35 arrests in connection with the disorder but no charges, and inquiries are still ongoing, said the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Gross misconduct notices were served on the driver and passenger in the police van.

Cars were set on fire during the disorder in Ely in May 2023

Almost one year on the events of May 2023 are still raw for the community of Ely.

The plan has been developed in the community over the last nine months, aimed at addressing the concerns and improving the lives of residents in the area.

It was created by the local community, working with the Public Sector Board (PSB), which includes Cardiff council, South Wales Police, and Cardiff and Vale health board.

Becky Matyus from Action in Caerau & Ely (ACE), who helped coordinate and record community concerns, said it will be "the result of a lot of community conversations and working together to hear what's great about our community and what people are struggling with, and develop ideas and actions to make a positive difference".