Posted on: Friday 2 August 2024
The majority of targets set out in the Torfaen Council's County Plan have been achieved for the second consecutive year.
The County Plan is a five-year strategy that outlines the council's long-term aims, alongside annual delivery plans which set out the activities that will be taken each financial year to achieve them.
A report to full council showed that nearly three quarters of the delivery plan targets for 2023 to 2024 are either on target or have been completed.
This included beginning work on a new school for Maendy Primary pupils, a 50-place extension at Crownbridge School and 3G pitch at Ysgol Gymraeg Gwynllyw; the roll out of Universal Free School Meals to all primary schools; installing energy saving measures across the county and providing thousands of residents with discretionary housing payments and financial support.
Just over a fifth of the delivery plan actions were categorised as amber, which means there have been delays, including the progression of plans for a new recycling sorting facility and the opening of the redesigned Pontypool and New Inn Railway Station.
Around three per cent of the targets were identified as red and having more significant delays, these included plans for a small children's home and a digital inclusion programme.
Three activities were categorised as cancelled and two were categorised as not yet started.
Councillor Peter Jones, Executive Member for Corporate Governance and Resources, said: "Our ambition remains to be to be an outstanding and aspirational council. For the second consecutive year, our services have met the majority of the targets set.
"We have rigorous project management to ensure any targets that weren't met within the time frame continue to progress, and I’m proud of what this council and its staff have achieved."
The County Plan is built around four themes - wellbeing, sustainability, connectivity and culture and heritage - and nine well-being objectives.
The council has committed to producing delivery plans for each year of the plan, which will be monitored on a quarterly basis to track and monitor progress.
2023-2024 Delivery Plan progress
2024-2025 Delivery Plan