Dances with Boffins:
It always has been the case that if you fail to practise the privilages of a particular rating for 5 years or more, then you lose that rating from your licence and will have to do the approved course again.
I think (and am happy to stand corrected), that if you fail to validate a particular rating within a lesser period of time, and I don't know what that time span is, you will be required to retake the approved course.
DanDare:
Isn't Swansea ATC run by Safeskys? Or have they blown the only contract they had?
I don't think anyone will be exactly rushing there, they'd have to pay an extremely attractive salary package to tempt anyone of any worth there.