Council Votes To Support City Deal

The Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) City Deal Shadow Regional Cabinet welcomes the decision by Bridgend County Borough Council to give its commitment to the CCR City Deal programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Shadow Regional Cabinet awaits the decision of all ten local authorities who will be meeting between now and 9 February 2017. Their commitment would see the Regional Cabinet come out of Shadow from 1 March 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Each authority within the CCR must also approve a commitment by the 10 authorities to borrow a total of £120m as part of the CCR City Deal Wider Investment Fund. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, Cardiff, Monmouthshire, Caerphilly, Newport and Torfaen Councils have already unanimously agreed to commit to the City Deal. The Vale of Glamorgan Council will be the last of the ten authorities to vote on February 9. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Andrew Morgan, chair of the CCR Shadow Regional Cabinet, and leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, said: “This is an important part of the City Deal process. The ten authorities have worked extremely closely over the past 16 months to get the City Deal to this position, but support for the City Deal from those authorities’ members is critical if we are to collectively take this hugely exciting deal forward. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Together, the local authority partners can bring about an economic and social step-change in the Cardiff Capital Region through improved transport, supporting innovation, an improved digital network, developing skills, supporting enterprise and business growth, and through housing development and regeneration.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Subject to the votes by each authority, the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal would enter into a transition phase. The Cardiff Capital Region Transition Plan will detail key activity to be undertaken, including establishing a Regional Office to drive the delivery of the Regional Cabinet’s work programme in anticipation of receiving proposals at the end of this year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Huw David, Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, said: “I’m really pleased that local members have voted in favour of supporting the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is something that is generating huge opportunities elsewhere in the UK, and could improve the economic performance of the entire region while strengthening Bridgend County Borough’s appeal as a place to live, work and invest in new business opportunities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m looking forward to working closely with fellow local authority leaders on making the deal a major success.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​