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Neath Port Talbot Public Services Board has just published its local Well-being Plan for 2023-28.

Neath Port Talbot Council is a statutory partner of the Public Services Board alongside Swansea Bay University Health Board, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Natural Resources Wales.  The Board also has representation from other key public service organisations and the voluntary and community sectors.

The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council and Chair of the Neath Port Talbot Public Services Board, Cllr Steve Hunt, said: “Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this Well-being Plan and taken the time to respond to our consultation. In the coming year we’ll begin implementing our ideas, seeking out new ways to involve people in our work of building together the Neath Port Talbot we all want to live and work in.”

The Public Services Board Well-being Plan 2023-28 can be viewed here.

In approving the plan, the Board has agreed on four well-being objectives on which to prioritise its work as partners for the next five years. These are:

Ensuring all children get the best start in life – This will involve increasing access to education, training and employment for school leavers, ensuring better alignment of early intervention services, ensuring when our younger children start school they are confident and ready to learn and taking a co-ordinated approach to supporting the health and well-being of our children and young people.

Ensuring there are more skilled, green and well paid jobs and that local skills are improved – We will encourage local people and businesses to spend more money in NPT, increase the number of apprenticeship, traineeship and work placements, support more people to achieve the necessary level of qualifications linked to the skills local employers need now and in the future and ensure local businesses, local people and communities get maximum benefits from major investments in the area both existing and planned.

All our communities are thriving and sustainable – We will ensure those needing support with the cost of living know what help is available and how to access it, identify gaps in help and how the gaps could be addressed, revisit work done with the Bevan Foundation prior to Covid-19 and address the current root causes of poverty and collaborate with our communities to cut crime, the fear of crime and make our communities safer and more cohesive.

Our Local Environment, Culture and Heritage Can Be Enjoyed By Future Generations – We will work together to tackle the climate emergency and nature crisis and improve the health of our ecosystems as well as taking action to enhance resilient communities and a resilient natural environment. We will also encourage engagement and participation in cultural activities and the celebration and preservation of our cultural assets.