Plans to spend £231 million on a host of projects have been approved by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet.
The wide ranging plans, which include new schools, new housing, a solar farm and more, were approved at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday (February 24).
What is Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet?
A council’s cabinet is made up of councillors in charge of different policy areas – such as education, environment, local economy, etc – and a leader.
It is separate to the council’s corporate management structure, which is headed up by its chief executive and various directors. Cabinet is made up of councillors, who are elected and have the ultimate say.
Typically, cabinet members are councillors from the party with the most elected council members.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet is made up of:
- Cllr Sean Morgan (Nelson) – Leader
- Cllr Jamie Pritchard (Morgan Jones) – Deputy Leader; Prosperity, Regeneration and Climate Change
- Cllr Nigel George (Risca East) – Corporate Services and Property
- Cllr Eluned Stenner (New Tredegar) – Finance and Performance
- Cllr Carol Andrews (Gilfach) – Education and Communities
- Cllr Shayne Cook (Morgan Jones) – Housing
- Cllr Elaine Forehead (Van) – Social Care
- Cllr Philippa Leonard (Risca East) – Planning and Public Protection
- Cllr Chris Morgan (Machen and Rudry) – Waste, Leisure and Green Spaces
Corporate management is made up of unelected employees of the council and has responsibility for day-to-day management of services, such as making sure the bins are collected. Corporate directors work with cabinet members to come up with policy which is then agreed upon by the cabinet.
Last updated October 13, 2023
Councillor Philippa Marsden, leader of the council, welcomed the “ambitious” plans and said it will “deliver significant benefits”.
Cllr Marsden added: “Consultation and engagement is a fundamental part of this process, so we will ensure that residents and elected members are encouraged to have their say and help shape the plans.
“Our communities are instrumental in helping us to complete the jigsaw to ensure that we are targeting our investment where it is needed most.”
Cllr Shayne Cook, cabinet member for social care, described the plans as a “welcome investment in the future of the borough”.
Cllr Colin Mann, the council’s Plaid Cymru group leader, welcomed the plans but warned their delivery would be the “acid test”.
He said: “How quickly will these be implemented? Unfortunately the council has a track record of capital programmes being overspent and delayed.
“The principle of what’s being done is no problem – the test is implementation and it hanging all together.”
What are the plans?
Some of the projects listed have been announced previously, while others have already been started.
Education is the biggest winner with almost £74 million allocated for school expansions and new builds. The expansion of Trinity Fields School will get £12.7m while £20m will go to general improvements of secondary schools.
Plas y Felin Primary School in Caerphilly town is set to be replaced with a new school on the same site, while Gilfach Fargoed Primary and Park Primary in Bargoed will be merged and housed in a new building – as will Llancaeach Junior School and Llanfabon Infants School in Nelson.
Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen will get a new Welsh medium primary school and St James’ Primary in Caerphilly could be expanded. A new primary school is also planned for the Upper Rhymney Valley.
Around £71m has been set aside for mixed use developments with £35m to be spent in the Upper Rhymney Valley and £36m in the Caerphilly basin area – most likely to include the development of the former Ness Tar site (which was earmarked for development in the council’s 2018 Caerphilly Basin Masterplan).
Efforts to reduce the council’s carbon footprint will be boosted by £1.6m being spent on electric vehicles, while £17m has been set aside to develop a new solar farm to generate green electricity.
Transport improvements are also listed – including £2.5m being spent on roads and £4m on a park and ride scheme for Ystrad Mynach Rail station. Llanbradach is also listed for park and ride, but funding for that is being sought from Welsh Government.
A new health centre is being planned for Risca’s Ty Darran with £4.6m of council money being spent while £4.1m will be spent on a new respite centre for Pontllanfraith.
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