Council budget 2023-24: What it means for Communities and Regeneration

Budget proposals for 2023-24 have been endorsed by the Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council to ensure the local authority can continue to provide essential services and meet some of the most difficult challenges that it has ever faced.

If agreed when it goes before Council for a final decision on 1 March, the budget would mean that the authority will spend £30.55m on essential services provided by the Communities directorate next year.

In terms of capital investment, a total of £30.3m will be invested in 2023-24. This includes more than £1.7m to upgrade children’s playgrounds, £1m for the refurbishment of highways, and £2.9 million for the Porthcawl regeneration project. The Cosy Corner project will also receive more than £520,000.

The council has previously spent £500,000 on playgrounds in 2022-23 and this has enabled improvements such as inclusive equipment being installed to cater for a range of disabilities. This further investment will now allow even more playgrounds to be upgraded right across the county borough.  

Other investments include, £1.5 million for the Maesteg Town Hall Cultural Hub development and £400,000 for the 2030 Decarbonisation Programme which will play a key part in helping the council meet its target of achieving net zero carbon status by 2030.

Savings of £375,000 would be made by switching to LED street lights, renting out two wings at Ravens Court to partner agencies, closing recycling centres for one weekday per week, charging blue badge holders for parking and increasing charges for bulky waste collection and garden waste recycling.

This has been a very difficult process, but thankfully, we have been able to avoid the worst-case scenario and have been able to protect some hugely popular services such as supporting the RNLI in Porthcawl and continuing with our waste enforcement, with the intention of also increasing our fly tipping activity.

It is also good to see that we are committing to significant investment into important services like highways and children’s playgrounds. This will also allow us to build on our existing work and keep the momentum going with regards to making play areas more inclusive than ever before.

Inevitably, we have had to make some savings, but these decisions have been taken with our residents at the forefront of our thinking and we are determined to make sure our communities continue to thrive for everyone in Bridgend County Borough.

Councillor John Spanswick, Cabinet Member for Communities

Cllr Neelo Farr, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “Although the budget has presented the council with many difficult decisions, it is really pleasing to see further investment allocated to many key regeneration projects which all have a long-term vision to make sure residents benefit for many years to come.

 

“The budget also demonstrates the council’s commitment to all areas of the county borough by continuing to invest into the Porthcawl regeneration project and Maesteg Town Hall redevelopment. Funding will also be allocated to the Town and Community Council fund.

 

“One of the main aims of this budget is to prioritise the wellbeing of our residents and all of the council’s regeneration plans will play a part in doing just that.”

 

The council’s budget for 2023-24 will be discussed by all members at full Council on Wednesday 1 March before a final decision is taken.