Vale of Glamorgan Becomes Tenth and Last Council to Back Cardiff Capital Region City Deal
All ten local authorities within the CCR have now agreed a commitment to borrow a combined total of £120million as part of the CCR City Deal Wider Investment Fund.
Their decision also means that the Regional Cabinet comprising the ten local authority leaders will come out of Shadow existence following the March 1 signing.
Councillor Andrew Morgan, chair of the CCR Shadow Regional Cabinet, and Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, said: “These votes were 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 absolutely 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.”
Following the signing, which will take place at Cardiff Airport, the CCR City Deal will enter into a transition phase. The Cardiff Capital Region Transition Plan (to be published) will detail key activity to be undertaken, including establishing a Regional Office to drive the delivery of the Regional Cabinet’s work programme (to be published) in anticipation of receiving proposals at the end of this year.
The transition phase will also see the creation and development of four advisory bodies to the Regional Cabinet - the CCR Economic Growth Partnership, a region-wide business representation organisation, a Regional Transport Authority, and an Employment and Skills Board.
Speaking after the last vote, Vale of Glamorgan Council Leader Cllr Neil Moore said: “The City Deal will bring both economic and social benefits to the Vale of Glamorgan, as it will to all of South East Wales. I now look forward to working with colleagues across the region to deliver the objectives of the compact between the ten councils, Welsh Government and the UK Government.”
The ten local authorities are: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, and Vale of Glamorgan.