Neath Port Talbot is entering one of the most important periods in its modern economic history.
The transformation of steelmaking at Port Talbot, the development of the Celtic Freeport and the emergence of new opportunities in renewable energy and advanced manufacturing could reshape our local economy. But positive change is not inevitable and will depend on decisions made now by government, industry and regional partners.
Port Talbot’s steelworks is not simply another large employer. Steel sits at the heart of the community’s identity, the regional economy and the UK’s industrial capability. The steel transition needs to be managed carefully, in terms of supporting workers, but also for attracting new investment.
Industrial investment does not succeed in isolation.
A company may be interested in establishing or expanding an operation in Neath Port Talbot, but that investment will only happen if the area can offer the necessary electricity connection, suitable land and premises, transport infrastructure, workforce and route through planning and regulation.
If one of those components is missing, the entire proposition can become unviable.
We therefore need to stop viewing steel, energy, transport, skills and inward investment as separate policy areas. They form one economic system, and government must take responsibility for ensuring that the system works.
This is particularly important during industrial transition because communities such as Port Talbot have heard ambitious promises before. People understandably want to know what the transition will mean for their families, employment prospects and town.
Success cannot be measured only through the value of investment announced. It must be visible in good jobs created, local businesses winning contracts, young people entering skilled careers and communities seeing sustained economic improvement.
The transition at Tata Steel can become an anchor for that wider renewal. Lower-carbon steelmaking could strengthen the case for downstream manufacturers to locate near Port Talbot, particularly where businesses are seeking more resilient domestic supply chains and materials with a reduced carbon footprint.
Alongside this, the Celtic Freeport, renewable-energy developments, port infrastructure and the Global Centre of Rail Excellence can add further weight to the proposition. Neath Port Talbot should be presented as a place where industrial capability, cleaner energy, innovation and skills come together.
But assembling a list of assets is not the same as delivering an economic strategy.
We all have a role to play in connecting these opportunities and removing the barriers between them. Investors need a clear journey through the system. Local businesses need to understand how they can participate. Colleges require credible information about future jobs. Infrastructure providers need to know where demand will arise.
Responsibility currently sits across several organisations, including the UK and Welsh Governments, Neath Port Talbot Council, the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee, the Celtic Freeport and national investment bodies. Each has a legitimate role, but the division of responsibility must be clearer.
This is also why greater regional empowerment matters. Decisions that are fundamentally regional should be informed and coordinated by institutions close enough to understand the communities, businesses and sites involved. Devolution should not stop at Cardiff Bay when greater regional responsibility could produce faster and more accountable delivery.
Neath Port Talbot has already contributed enormously to the economic and industrial strength of Wales and the UK, but the next chapter must not be about managing decline. It must be about using the area’s industrial experience, workforce and strategic assets to build a more competitive and sustainable economy.
Port Talbot’s transition will demonstrate whether Britain is capable of renewing an industrial community while retaining the skills and productive capability on which the country depends.
That is why this cannot be treated as a local issue alone. It must become a national mission, and with steel transition underway, Neath Port Talbot will inevitably be at the forefront.
