Council's Annual Report 2023-2024

Introduction by Cllr. Darren Price, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council

Welcome from the Leader of the Council to our Annual Report for 2023-2024

It’s the time of year again where we reflect on our progress over the last year through our Council Annual Report. As I write this introduction, I consider where we were as an organisation this time last year and where we are now. We have continued to deliver services to the approximately 188,000 people that call Carmarthenshire home, improving things where we’ve been able to and delivering some innovative projects, however, significant challenges continue to influence the way that we work.

As is the case for all Welsh councils we find ourselves in an extremely challenging financial position. We now have less money to deliver services at a time where demand for our help and support is increasing. This is concerning and frustrating in equal measure but does present an opportunity for us to think and do things differently. Our Transformation programme to ensure our services are as efficient and effective as possible is working right across the Council to support this, and is underpinned by the guiding principle to provide the best possible services to our residents and service users.

Our consultation activity with residents tells us that the cost-of-living crisis is still a challenge, which is why our activity to support in any way we can continues. Our ‘Hwb Bach y Wlad’ service offers cost of living support and guidance to residents living in the most rural parts of the County. This is complemented by the support offered by Hwb advisors in the three main town centres. It’s been encouraging to hear the individual stories of those we’ve helped.

Developments at Pentre Awel in Llanelli have continued at pace, with wider benefits to the community now being realised. Local businesses have benefitted from contracts, jobs have been created and training programmes for apprentices, graduates and trainees have been supported. This one-of-a-kind project promises to be transformational for the County and I look forward to seeing how it progresses over the coming year.

The economic regeneration of the County continues with re-developments including the YMCA building in Llanelli, Llandeilo Market Hall and Parc Gelli Werdd in Cross Hands being of note. These spaces offer a mix of residential, office and retail space which support the local area through attracting investment, supporting businesses and creating jobs.

An external inspection of our Education Services commended our clear vision and strong leadership which has a robust impact on improving education provision and learner outcomes. An identified culture of self-evaluation shows our commitment to continuously reviewing the service to ensure children and young people have the best start in life. Attendance has improved, free school meals are provided to all relevant age groups and teachers and pupils continue to co-design a learning curriculum that is based on the Curriculum for Wales. We also fully recognise the financial pressures facing our schools and will continue to work with school leaders to address these on-going challenges.

Access to Healthcare Services is a priority for our residents and whilst much of this is outside the Council’s remit we have made strides in developing preventative services. Investment in mental health support services has enabled us to establish a well-being pathway across the County which provides an inclusive and preventative approach with further work on preventative initiatives being developed in collaboration with partners.

We have developed a range of actions to tackle the climate and nature emergencies and are making progress where we can, but also recognise that there are significant challenges to address. We remain fully committed to making progress and look forward to continue working in collaboration with our local and national partners including Welsh Government on this agenda.

As has been the case in past years, despite the challenges, we continue to make good progress in a number of areas and to be as innovative and resilient as possible in the face of significant pressures and demands. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff, elected members, partner organisations and a wide range of stakeholders for their continued support and effort as we attempt to make further progress to improve the lives of the people that we serve.