Morgan’s Musings

I FEEL privileged for the third year to be elected leader of the council at our AGM last Wednesday.

While the task ahead remains just as daunting as it did when I took on the role in 2014, I still relish the challenge of doing our utmost to protect and improve our valued public services, despite the financial challenges we face.

The public will of course decide in less than a year’s time who should continue leading this council and I hope over the past two years I hope I have demonstrated a different way of doing things.

Yes, there have been times when we have needed to make difficult and unpopular decisions as a result of the cuts to public spending imposed on Wales public services by the UK Government.

We have, however, first and foremost focused on cutting the council’s cloth accordingly to ensure, where possible, valued public services continue to be available such as reducing our levels of senior management which will save £2m.

In the coming weeks my Cabinet and I will once again hold a number of public events to feedback to residents on the past 12 months and the challenges we face in setting next year’s budget.

Alongside my colleagues I have also sought to provide an ambitious vision for our county borough delivering one of the largest ever capital investment programmes, even in these austere times. To protect frontline services, we have sought to transform the way we deliver services.

The investment which recently took place in Bronwydd Pool, for example, is already paying dividends with membership up by almost 50%. It is also reducing the subsidy needed from the council to maintain this valued service.

The same investment is currently taking place in Ystrad and Abercynon which I am sure will have the same effect.