Digital Transformation Strategy 2021 - 2024

Building the Digital Foundations in Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire is the third largest county in Wales covering some 2,365 square kilometres. Carmarthenshire is a county of contrasts. The agricultural economy and landscape of rural Carmarthenshire is side by side with the urban and industrial south-eastern area. The county is developing into a modern economy that includes light engineering, new technological and service industries with other business enterprises.

Swansea Bay City Deal

The Swansea Bay City Deal’s proposal aims to help put the region at the forefront of the digital age in a post Covid19 world, focusing on developing Next Generation digital infrastructure including improvements to expand the provision of fixed ultrafast Gigabit capable broadband, 4G/5G and Wi-Fi capabilities to benefit both rural and urban areas of the region. An enhanced digital infrastructure will enable the region to innovate, trial and globally commercialise smart internet-based solutions that will transform the economy in areas such as energy, manufacturing and life sciences. This will effectively support large-scale home working, improve access to jobs, raise productivity levels within the local economy, help address local congestion issues as well as support mainstream delivery improvements / innovations. This inward investment will help to improve digital connectivity in the rural areas of the County.

• As part of the Swansea Bay City Deal Carmarthenshire County Council will lead on three major Programmes and Projects.
• A Programme of Digital Infrastructure investment across the region, total project cost of £55M (£25M City Deal, £30M Public and Private Sector Funding).
• At the Creative Digital Cluster at Yr Egin a total project cost worth £24M (£5m City Deal+£16M Public Sector £3M Private) will be delivered creating 200+ jobs over the next 15 years.
• A total project cost of £200M (£40M City Deal, £32M Public Sector Funding and £127M Private Sector) and will create 1800+ jobs over the next 15 years at the Pentre Awel development.

Welsh Language

The Welsh language in Carmarthenshire plays a key role in our everyday lives with 50.3% of the population over the age of 3 being Welsh speakers. Our online services must be provided bilingually and promoted to our residents in accordance with the Welsh Language Measure, 2011.

Net Zero Carbon Authority

On 20th February 2019 Carmarthenshire County Council unanimously resolved to support a Notice of Motion to declare a climate emergency and to become a net zero carbon local authority by 2030.

A Net Zero Carbon Plan was duly approved on 12th February 2020.

We have a significant role to play in both further reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions and providing the leadership to encourage residents, businesses and other organisations to take action to cut their own carbon footprint.

Technology has an ever increasing role to play in addressing these challenges. This transformational strategy aims to compliment the Authority’s action plan and with further technological breakthroughs over the coming years will greatly assist the Authority in meeting this commitment. Throughout the four Key Priority areas there are innovative solutions and approaches that will drive this agenda forward and compliment the significant work already undertaken to improve the flexibility and agility of our workforce and estate.