Council recently decided to begin publishing newsletters to inform the community about its projects. The February 2024 newsletter is the first of these, and it aims to highlight the projects that will be funded by the agreed budget for the 2024-2025 financial year.
The Council met on 10 January 2024 to agree their 2024-2025 budget. This newsletter aims to tell you more about what this budget will fund.
Community Empowerment
The Council funds youth work which has resulted in a steep decline in anti-social behaviour in the area. Next year’s £120,000 budget will fund 3 part-time detached youth workers from Blaenau Gwent Youth Service, who engaged with over 1,000 young people from April to October 2023. It will also help Off The Streets continue their work and expand their current schedule of youth sessions from 4 to 12 per week.
Council
Council has already awarded 13 Council grants this year, supporting a diverse range of local community groups and charities. A £17,000 budget has been allocated for Council grants next year to continue supporting the local community. The budget also funds staff salaries, admin costs and training for staff and Councillors.
Planning, Commerce and Environment
Council provides grant funding to Ffrindiau Tyleri for their free town centre events, with next year’s budget of £4,500 going towards 7 different events, like Winterfest and Springfest.
Our Town in Bloom project provides over 200 planted displays throughout the area. It aims to beautify the area and increase community involvement. A £17,000 budget will go towards maintaining these planters, encouraging more participation and installing new planters.
Council also maintains 6 allotment sites for the benefit of the community.
Council are committed to providing access to life-saving defibrillators. We have already provided over a dozen in the area, 10 of which we still maintain. We will continue providing 2 defibrillators each year, with a budget of £3,500 for these and £3,500 for maintenance costs.
We also recently started supporting Blaenau Gwent Car Scheme to help them recruit more volunteer drivers.
People and Communities
The Council will continue to fund lots of events in the community, like Party in the Park, the Swffryd Viaduct Run, carol concerts for Christmas and St. David’s Day and free cinema events for kids during the Summer Holiday.
Council will also provide £7,500 in grant funding to groups working to combat loneliness in the area, as part of its Loneliness Project.
We also maintain the War Memorial in Abertillery, and have budgeted an extra £10,000 towards this in 2024-2025 as we investigate fixing and re-painting the worn out railings and gate, and replacing the unsafe paving.
Council also funds Christmas lights throughout the community, paying £12,000 worth of grants and a £30,000 central contract to cover the whole Council area.
Contact us
Email: clerk@abertilleryandllanhilleth-wcc.gov.uk