The Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council has agreed that the council will continue to host the Valleys Regional Park (VRP) project until 2024.
With European Social funding coming to an end in June 2023, the Cabinet has also agreed to accept Welsh Government funding of £265,000 to support the project until the end of the 2023/ 2024 financial year.
VRP is an environmental vision for the valleys – developed and delivered through a growing partnership of local authorities, government agencies, local health boards, charitable trusts and voluntary organisations that are working closely with private enterprise and local communities.
The collective vision for VRP is of a high quality, sustainable network of greenspace – offering outstanding skills, learning, recreational and economic opportunities which will help change the image and perception of the valleys forever.
This vision encompasses an improvement of the quality of life, health, and wellbeing for local people, generating pride in their area whilst creating an environment that stimulates inward investment and becomes an attractive destination for visitors.
Covering the footprint of the former south Wales coalfield, extending from Carmarthenshire in the West to Pontypool in the East, and bordering the Brecon Beacons National Park to the North, the VRP is home to nearly a third of the Welsh population.
This is a responsibility that the council takes very seriously. We are proud to have been given the role of host for the VRP project.
The Welsh Government funding will provide the basis for planning the longer-term approach for the VRP project.
This will include the agreed approach and delivery of transitioning the VRP into the South-East Wales Corporate Joint Committee, as well as developing a viable business plan to secure sustainable funding for VRP by the 31 March 2029.
We are completely committed to this project and to the vision that it promises.
Councillor John Spanswick, Cabinet Member for Communities
