The Vale of Glamorgan Council has unveiled its spending plans for the coming year, with a budget set to improve education, social care, transport, and community infrastructure.
The plans were agreed at a full council meeting on Monday.
Over the next five years, the council will invest £0.5 billion in capital developments, including a total of £84 million for schools (£55m set aside, and £29m to follow), £11 million for highways, £1 million for improved streetlighting, and £281 million towards housing upgrades and new builds.
Councillor Lis Burnett, leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “Vale residents have told us what’s important to them through the recent budget consultation and we have prioritised those areas in our spending plans.
“As a result of last night’s decision there will be over half a million pounds to increase support for youth services and another half a million to improve rural public transport, ensuring young people have access to activities, advice and opportunities whilst also delivering increased public transport options to improve connectivity for those living in the Western Vale.
“The additional funding will help expand the reach of the Youth Service, providing early support, wellbeing activities and safe spaces where young people can build confidence and resilience.
“This will include greater engagement with schools, more after-school opportunities and additional support for youth clubs across the Vale, particularly in communities where that support is needed most.”
Other planned investments include £4.6 million for specialist older persons’ accommodation and £21.2 million from the Pride in Place fund to support a business development unit, watersports centre, housing and a new park at the Mole on the Barry waterfront.
The council’s £355 million revenue budget for the next financial year is funded through a combination of Welsh Government allocations, council tax, and business rates.
Approximately 70 per cent of this will be spent on education and social care.
Rising demand for social care services and growing numbers of children with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) have significantly increased costs in recent years.
Despite financial pressures, the outlook for 2026/27 has improved thanks to a better-than-expected funding settlement from the Welsh Government.
Last year, the council achieved savings of around £7 million by delivering services more efficiently.
The new budget includes a 6.5 per cent increase in council tax, made up of a 5.5 per cent general rise and an additional one per cent to directly fund rural transport and youth services.
This means a typical Band D property will see an increase of £2.07 per week.
Councillor Burnett said people also wanted to see ‘highway improvements,’ which will include filling potholes, resurfacing roads, and repairing pavements.
