Council publishes its annual self-assessment report
The annual self-assessment report details how the Vale of Glamorgan Council performed in meeting its objectives over the past year.
The Annual Self-Assessment report outlines the Council's own assessment of its performance as an organisation over the past year. It is a requirement of the Local Government & Elections (Wales) Act 2021 that the Council produce the report.
The report highlights the Council’s key achievements over the past twelve months, such as improving waste and recycling services with the launch of a new commercial recycling service, the opening of a reuse shop in Barry, and initiatives to boost recycling rates in underperforming areas.
Housing was a major focus for the Council in a year that saw 250 new Council rental homes delivered across six sites, as part of the Council house building programme. The Council also significantly reduced the waiting times for homelessness prevention support.
The Council committed significant funding and investment to support community development and improve infrastructure. This included securing £42 million in Levelling Up and Shared Prosperity funding for regeneration projects, with £20 million set aside to transform Barry over the next decade. Transport improvements also saw a boost, with investment rising to £6.373 million—an increase of £3.685 million compared to 2023. To directly support residents, the Council Tax Reduction Scheme helped 8,977 people, providing around £11.532 million to ease financial pressures.
Children, young people, and schools remained a key focus for the council, highlighted by two highly positive Estyn inspection reports for both the Local Authority Education Services and Youth Service. Two new children’s residential homes were also opened, providing essential care and support for young people in the Vale.
The Council continued to support the local community through innovative initiatives and targeted funding, including piloting a successful banking hub at Penarth and Barry libraries to assist residents and small businesses impacted by local bank closures. Moving forward, the Council are continuing to work with new banking partners to explore opportunities to expand this to more libraries in the future.
Over £256K in Be Active grant funding was awarded by the Council to 31 local clubs, aiming to encourage more young people in the Vale to get physically active. This effort to increase youth participation in sports and physical activities was further supported by the engagement of over 67,500 participants in the Council’s Active Young People and Active Schools programmes.
Environment and sustainability also remained a key priority as the Council worked towards its goal of becoming net zero by 2030. This commitment to reducing carbon emissions included implementing a decarbonisation framework in all schools and developing an electric vehicle charging network to provide convenient and affordable charging in urban areas.
The Council achieved Age Friendly Status, becoming the fourth local authority in Wales to be recognised for creating an environment where residents can age well. In addition, the successful operation of the Vale Integrated Falls Service for over a year has contributed to reduced attendances at Accident & Emergency, saving the Health Board an estimated £750K.
Cllr Lis Burnett, Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “Our annual self-assessment report aims to show residents that we are making decisions in an open way and using our funding and other resources effectively to deliver on the commitments we made at the start of the year.
“This year we have tackled challenges head-on and worked collaboratively to make meaningful changes.
“From securing major investment to improving essential services, the focus has been on practical solutions that benefit our communities.
“There’s always more to do, but the achievements highlighted reflect our genuine commitment to improving life in the Vale.
“As we look ahead, the Council remains committed to building on this progress and continuing to deliver innovative, inclusive, and sustainable improvements in 2025 and beyond.”
The full report is now available on the Council’s website.