RCT’s Cabinet could agree an additional, targeted investment of £6.95m for Council priorities over and above this year’s capital programme – for areas including road maintenance, repairs to structures, flood alleviation, parks and green spaces, and the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor.

A report to the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, September 19, details a proposed one-off capital investment for the current financial year (2024/25), and would be subject to approval by full Council. The Council has consistently brought forward this type of investment, on top of its annual capital programme, many times since 2015. The latest proposals could add to the £181m investment that has been made in this way over the past nine years.

In Thursday’s Cabinet report, officers have set out that the proposed £6.95m investment can be fully-met by the Investment/Infrastructure reserve that the Council holds. This is a specific reserve that is earmarked to fund the cost of maintaining and enhancing infrastructure across the County Borough. Cabinet will consider recommendations for the additional investment to be allocated across the following areas:

Highways and Roads – £2.5m.
Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor – £1m.
Structures – £2.25m.
Making Better Use/Traffic Developments – £250,000.
Flood Alleviation works – £250,000.
Streetcare Improvements – £25,000.
Parks and Green Spaces – £400,000.
Bus Shelter Repairs – £50,000.
Community Facilities Energy Grants – £75,000.
Green Teams – £150,000.

Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said: “Officers have identified and proposed a further £6.95m investment in Council priority areas, aligned to the Council’s Corporate Plan. If agreed by Members, the funding will be incorporated within our ongoing 2024/25 capital programme.

“This extra funding would bring our additional resources, invested over and above our normal capital programme allocations since October 2015, to around £188m. The most-recent allocation was worth £19.29m, having been agreed in March 2024 for the current financial year. It targeted key priority areas as well as specific schemes such as the Coed Ely Solar Farm, the Rhigos Mountain Road repairs, and a sports pitch upgrade in Hawthorn.

“The latest proposals would allocate an extra £2.5m for road maintenance, as we continue our accelerated funding approach that has, over many years, reduced the percentage of our highway network that is in need of repair. A huge amount of work also goes into repairing key structures that support the network, and a proposed £2.25m allocation in this area would help our effort to maintain 1,500 walls, bridges and culverts across the County Borough.

“Important funding of £1m is also proposed for the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor. Earlier this year we announced that the scheme, which had been paused under the Roads Review, has been re-designed following close working with Welsh Government and Transport for Wales – to embed public transport and active travel at its core. The new funding would support the scheme to progress through the design and planning stages.

“Further funding is also proposed to support small scale drainage and flood alleviation schemes, provide new bins in public spaces, tackle congestion at pinch points on our highway network, refurbish sports pavilions, upgrade sports pitches, repair parks infrastructure, maintain bus shelters, and continue the work to tackle targeted overgrowth and related issues in our communities.

“We know that these are very challenging financial times for local councils, but our robust financial management has once again enabled us to identify a significant, additional capital investment to support our Council priority areas. Members will consider the recommendations on Thursday, for delivery this year.”