All local children having the best start in life, communities thriving, people having access to quality, green jobs and for our environment, culture and heritage to be enjoyed by future generations.
These bold wellbeing objectives form part of Neath Port Talbot Council’s Corporate Plan 2024-2027 entitled Working towards a more prosperous, fairer and greener NPT.
Council Cabinet Members at their meeting on Wednesday, December 11th, 2024, in a half-yearly Corporate Plan progress report (April-September 2024), have been told the four wellbeing objectives are on-track.
Highlights of the objectives include:
All children have the best start in life
- 1,252 children are able to access the Childcare Offer for Wales in NPT.
- An additional 208 two-year-olds have accessed Flying Start funded childcare, with 69 of these places being offered through the expansion element of the programme.
- The number of permanent exclusions across NPT schools has fallen over the past two years.
- Care Leavers Project – a home for care leavers has been identified to support them and help care leavers move onto independent living.
All communities are thriving and sustainable
- From a £4.247m capital programme, £1.5m was designated for a ‘Clean up and Green up’ initiative – now largely delivered. Sweeping vehicles have been purchased, playground improvements made and work done on fences and paths in parks plus additional tree maintenance, improved bus shelters, improvements to public toilets and the establishment of an Aberavon Seafront adventure playground.
- Work is under way to deliver a holistic NPT-wide Regeneration and Economic Development Strategy, to reflect the current economic circumstances and opportunities, such as the TATA Transition Fund, the Celtic Freeport and its involvement in supplying Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) which could create thousands of new, green jobs.
Our local environment, culture and heritage can be enjoyed by future generations
- Work on the multi-million-pound Gnoll Country Park project continues and work to improve Port Talbot’s Civic Square and the Princess Royal Theatre will start in early 2025 (UK Govt funded) and a major National Lottery Heritage Fund grant will be used to maintain historic Margam Castle.
- Since April 2024 the Countryside and Wildlife team has managed more than 35 nature sites and 67 NPT Bee Friendly sites in conjunction with Streetcare Team.
Local people are skilled and can access high quality, green jobs
- Celtic Freeport – The Full Business Case (FBC) is now Government approved and after the announcement of ‘tax sites’ which gives investors financial incentives to set up in the freeport zone, the project is now ‘open for business’.
- Swansea Bay City Deal – The Supporting Innovation and Low Carbon Growth and Homes as Power Stations projects being led by NPT are on track to deliver. Homes as Power Stations is currently exceeding the benefits modelled to achieve at this stage.
The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve Hunt, said:
“Neath Port Talbot and its citizens face significant challenges, particularly given the Tata Steel UK job losses, but there are also significant opportunities and the council must be bold, ambitious, and confident.
“Our aspirations and vision for the future of Neath Port Talbot as a healthier, wealthier place to live are set out in the Corporate Plan and we are delighted to see that good progress is being made on our objectives.”
