New report finds many service improvements at Swansea Council

SWANSEA’S roads are among the best maintained in Wales, according to a new report.

Figures released by the Welsh Government and Local Government Data Unit show the city’s roads are in the second best condition of all council areas across the country.

The report is produced every year to compare the performance of all 22 Welsh local authorities across a range of services.

Figures for 2014/2015 show Swansea Council, compared with the year before, improved in about half of the 43 performance indicators that were measured.

Some of the success stories include coming joint first for the percentage of young people formerly looked-after with whom the council’s social services team is in contact, who are known to be in suitable, non-emergency accommodation at the age of 19. Swansea Council also came joint first in education for the percentage of final statements of special educational need issued within 26 weeks, excluding exceptions.

Cllr Clive Lloyd, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Transformation and Performance, said: “These results are especially pleasing, given the scale of the economic challenges we’re facing. Our staff deserve enormous credit for their hard work because it’s led to improvements in about half the services we run. In future, we’re looking to become even more streamlined and efficient while providing more high-quality services, so this report augurs well.

“We are, of course, determined not to be complacent, which is why work has already started to maintain the high standards in services where we’ve excelled and improve standards in services that need a little extra attention. Although we finished in the bottom quartile for primary school attendance and the percentage of municipal waste sent to landfill, our performance in these areas has improved on last year. This is also the case in a number of child and family services indicators where we’ve also finished in the bottom 25%, despite an improvement in our performance.

“Overall, this report builds on our excellent recent health check report from the Wales Audit Office that praised the council for the progress we’re making to meet the challenges of the future and the measures we have in place to tackle issues that have already been identified.”

Other areas where the council is among the best in Wales include the percentage of empty private sector dwellings that have been returned to occupation. Over 450 were brought back into use in 2014/2015 thanks to a combination of reactive and pro-active work.

Swansea Council is also the third best in Wales for the percentage of adults aged 60 and over who hold a concessionary travel pass.