New Strategy Outlines Vision for a Fairer, Greener Neath Port Talbot
The strategy is based around on four well-being objectives:
• Ensuring all children get the best start in life. • Making sure all our communities are thriving and sustainable. • Preservation and enrichment of our local environment, culture, and heritage,
• Providing our residents with access to high-quality green jobs.
The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve Hunt, said:
'Our four well-being objectives remain at the very heart of what we do, and what we have set out to achieve in the longer-term.
'These objectives are supported by three year aims, which focus on where we want to be by 2028 along with a selection of performance measures to demonstrate how we will monitor the progress of our objectives.'
The council faces a number of challenges, including continuing to experience high demand on its vital services with more people seeking help from social services; more presenting as homeless; and more children needing extra help in school and in travelling to school.
However, the funding made available by the UK and Welsh Governments for these functions in recent years has fallen significantly short of what is needed to respond to communities, the council said.
The council has secured a large amount of investment funding under the UK Government's Levelling Up agenda to help regenerate local communities, it said. In addition, major projects have the potential to grow a large number of sustainable jobs into future years, including the freeport status won by the port of Port Talbot.
The council added that Neath Port Talbot has a number of strategic employment sites which present many opportunities to achieve economic growth, including new green jobs as industry and society decarbonises and new industries such as Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW), hydrogen production and other renewable energy projects emerge.
The area is well served by rail and road, while the deep-water harbour in Port Talbot is a strategic asset in the delivery of key investments such as the ongoing Celtic Sea Wind Farms Project, the local authority added.
Cllr Hunt added:
'We recognise the importance of collaboration and inclusivity in achieving our well-being objectives. By working together with residents, businesses, and our partners over the coming years we aim to create a resilient and vibrant Neath Port Talbot.'
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