Coalition Agreement

THE Labour and Independent groups on Carmarthenshire County Council have signed a new Coalition Agreement.

The agreement is the basis of the executive board forward work programme, Working Together for a Better Carmarthenshire, which sets out the council’s plans for 2013-17.

The programme includes promoting local democracy and transparency – the executive board will embark on a series of public sessions in every part of the county, meeting with Town and Community Councils, local businesses and other local stakeholders.

Over the coming year the Executive Board will be inviting the Scrutiny Committees to make recommendations through Task and Finish studies on youth clubs and youth services, future options for providing social care for older people, funding for the voluntary sector, planning enforcement, and substance misuse services.

In health and social care the council will work closely with partner organisations such as the Hywel Dda health Board and the voluntary sector to ensure that people have access to the very best services and to help local people make healthy lifestyle choices.

The council will continue to manage its own residential homes and will continue the investment programme to build new care facilities in Carmarthen (to replace Argel and Cartref Tawelan), in Ammanford (to replace Tegfan and Glanmarlais) and in Llanelli, building on investments in new homes in Burry Port, Newcastle Emlyn and Llanybydder.

Under regeneration the council will expand the existing 140 construction apprenticeships and work with the Carmarthenshire Local Service Board and delivery partners to create new apprenticeships, training opportunities and work placements, and continue to secure external funding from the Welsh Government, the European Community and other sources to create new sites for employment, such as the new Cross Hands East Business Park.

In education the council will continue to rationalise the schools system as set out in the Modernising Education Programme, through investment where appropriate, ensuring that all schools are educationally sustainable and resource efficient as an essential means of raising standards of achievement for all learners.

It will maintain the pace of development of new and improved schools as part of the Modernising Education Programme (MEP) with almost £170million already secured and committed for investment over the coming four years.

The agreement reaffirms the council’s commitment to retaining management of the housing portfolio within the council, and to invest a further £75million to complete the upgrading of the 9,000 homes to meet the Carmarthenshire Homes Standard.

Council Leader Cllr Kevin Madge said: “This plan maintains a massive investment in jobs, education, housing, social care and other key services. We have achieved this through sound financial management and by focussing on our priorities, set out in the initial coalition agreement 12 months ago. We have also been able to deliver a council tax increase for the coming year which is below inflation.”

Deputy leader Cllr Pam Palmer said: “The Coalition has made good progress over the last year and I look forward to us continuing to work together to take Carmarthenshire forward.”

The council’s Forward Work programme detailing the past achievements, plus plans for the future, is available at www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk, along with a personal invitation from Cllr Madge for people to give their views on priorities; performance; services and how the council could improve them. A webcast of the Leader’s Annual report given at the AGM is also available to view.