New schemes announced as revised capital programme is approved

A revised capital programme for 2021/22 to 2030/31 has been approved by Bridgend County Borough Council.

The current programme for the period was approved by Council earlier this year and totalled £211.439m, of which £118.094m was to be met from the local authority’s resources with the remaining £94.345m coming from external resources.

But a revised programme, which was approved by Council today, includes a number of new capital schemes and reflects financial pressures for several capital schemes arising as a result of current market conditions, which have been impacted by the pandemic and Brexit.

New schemes included in the revised programme include funding to purchase electric powered vehicles as part of the drive towards net zero carbon 2030, funding from the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) to develop transport related schemes, and for the proposed redevelopment of the former Ewenny Road Industrial Estate in Maesteg, and funding to provide additional accommodation for Heronsbridge Special School.

The programme also includes an additional receipt of £957,000 as a result of the sale of the site for the new Aldi store in Porthcawl, raising a total of £3.49million. This has been ring-fenced to Porthcawl and will help fund improvements to the Portway and additional improvements in terms of crossing points and creating pedestrian links with the town centre.

The effect of Brexit and Covid-19 has had, and is continuing to have, a significant impact on finances not only for local authorities but also to residents who are facing a very real cost of living increase.

Despite these challenges, it is exciting to see a number of new schemes being added to the capital programme which will benefit a number of communities across Bridgend County Borough.

Among those are projects which use very welcome funding from the Cardiff Capital Region which will be a significant boost.

Deputy Leader Hywel Williams