Rhondda Cynon Taf Council New Corporate Plan is adopted – ‘Working with our Communities’
Your local councillors have agreed the Council’s new Corporate Plan (2024-2030) following extensive engagement activity – setting a vision for Rhondda Cynon Taf, as well as our four Well-being Objectives and priorities for the next six years. It also includes our commitments to residents, staff, and partners.
On Wednesday, April 24, Full Council agreed a final version of the Plan – which will inform and direct the Local Authority’s strategies and policies, help allocate resources, and contribute to the Council achieving agreed outcomes that will make a difference to County Borough residents and visitors. The full Plan is available to view as an appendix to Wednesday’s Cabinet report, here.
Entitled ‘Working with our Communities’, the Plan covers the financial years 2024/25 to 2029/30, and sets out a vision for Rhondda Cynon Taf, where:
“All people, communities, and businesses can grow and live in a healthy, green, safe, vibrant, and inclusive County Borough where they can achieve their full potential in all aspects of their lives and work, both now and in the future.”
It also sets a proposed purpose for the Council and the reason why it exists:
“To provide community leadership and deliver high quality public services, working alongside residents, communities and our partners so that people, businesses and the environment can thrive and prosper.”
Finally, the agreed Plan focuses on the following four well-being objectives:
People and Communities – supporting and empowering Rhondda Cynon Taf residents and communities to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Work and Business – helping to strengthen and grow Rhondda Cynon Taf’s economy.
Nature and the Environment – a green and clean Rhondda Cynon Taf that improves and protects Rhondda Cynon Taf’s environment and nature.
Culture, Heritage and Welsh Language – recognising and celebrating Rhondda Cynon Taf’s past, present and future.
The new Corporate Plan has built upon the progress made under the current Plan, ‘Making a Difference’, which covered the period 2020-2024. It has been informed and developed from a wide range of engagement activities over the past 18 months – plus earlier work within the Council’s 2022/23 Annual Self Assessment and regular progress reviews over the life of the current Plan.
Engagement was undertaken via the Let’s Talk platform, at Cabinet and managers’ planning discussions, and with staff on the ‘Greenspace’ Teams channel. Specific engagement on the new Plan’s vision, objectives and priorities took place in two phases – most recently from December 8, 2023, to January 29, 2024, with the feedback considered by Cabinet in March 2024.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said: “Following the agreement from Elected Members on Wednesday, the Council’s new Corporate Plan will now be adopted to cover the period up to 2030. It is one of the most important documents the Council will agree, to set the overall direction of Local Authority activity, a vision for Rhondda Cynon Taf, and objectives to support residents’ well-being. It is the key framework that underpins everything we do, which guides our strategies and policies.
“The new Corporate Plan addresses many current and future challenges that are being faced, under the backdrop of significant financial pressures and increasing demand on services being felt across all councils in Wales. Key focus is placed upon strengthening community capacity and resilience, embedding climate change into Council business, delivering more social value, aligning more closely with sustainable development principles, and tackling inequalities in key sectors such as health, education and work.
“The Council has consulted residents across two consultation phases, while also carrying out additional engagement – all of which has helped inform and shape the new Corporate Plan. Around 540 people participated in the second consultation phase that took place across December 2023 and January 2024. More than 300 survey responses were received, and they demonstrated clear agreement to the Plan’s proposed vision, commitments, and four well-being objectives – with more than 70% support in each of these individual areas.
“Establishing a Corporate Plan that sets a direction for the Council has proven successful in the past to help monitor our activity against clear objectives, and to achieve an agreed vision for Rhondda Cynon Taf. I’m therefore pleased the new Plan is now agreed by Full Council for the six-year period ahead.”
