Councillors in Neath Port Talbot have granted approval for £4.2 million of funding for a programme of improvements to clean up the towns and villages of the county.
The funding was announced one of the first priorities for Neath Port Talbot's new coalition council when they formed earlier this year, with the aim of improving the public realm right across the county borough.
The proposed programme, which comes from additional Welsh Government funding and the council’s approved spending programme, will now be rolled out over the next 18 months and will see a number of spends in the area worth a total of £4.2 million.
Read more: Controversial Swansea Valley School plans go back out to consultation after legal challenge
The cash will be used for a large number of public realm improvements from things such as public toilets and waste services, to road maintenance and grass cutting services. In all, £200,000 will be spent on improvements at public toilets, as well as £445,000 on cleanliness, with items such as new electric street vacuums and sweepers to be purchased.
There will also be £142,000 set aside for improved grass mowing services, £800,000 for better playgrounds and green spaces, and £300,000 to improve the standard of local bus shelters. A further £344,000 could go towards footbridge maintenance, with £201,000 also spent on improved waste services including things such as extra waste vehicles.
Just over £1m will go on improved highways for tasks such as jet patching of rural lanes, as well as the purchasing of new pothole machinery, and £150,000 on additional tree management work. Around £290,000 will be available for ad-hoc improvements at the Aberavon Seafront, including the sunken gardens, Neath town centre planters and storage, and the repair and replacement of town and valley street signs.
While a sum of £200,000 will also go towards improvements at Gnoll Country Park to rebuild toilets, and adventure park. Members of the environment and regeneration streetscene cabinet board voted to approve the £4.2 million additional works programme at their meeting in Port Talbot on December 2.
After the meeting council leader Steve Hunt said: "This extensive clean up and green up programme reflects one of the earliest priorities of Neath Port Talbot Council’s rainbow coalition - to improve the “public realm” throughout the county borough."
Cllr Alun Llewelyn, the council’s deputy leader, added: "This is a significant step forward in achieving our aim of improving all our communities and neighbourhoods across Neath Port Talbot." You can read more of our stories from Neath Port Talbot here, or subscribe to our newsletter here.
Read next:
The Welsh council that wants to meet residents to talk about its multi-million pound budget gap
The tiny Welsh village that will soon see a huge £250m adventure resort built next door
Man behind £300m adventure resort in the Valleys plans to open in four years
I used to be the manager of B&Q with a wife, kids and a house but now I'm living on the streets
