EditorUpper Afan Valley lined up for £20m boost as council backs decade-long regeneration bid
Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet has backed the Upper Afan Valley as the single community to put forward for the UK Government’s Pride in Place Programme — a decade‑long investment scheme targeting the UK’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
The decision follows months of analysis comparing deprivation, crime, health, education and access to services across the county. Officers say the Upper Afan Valley stood out as the area facing the deepest and most persistent deprivation, with one local zone ranked among the 15 most deprived in Wales.
A valley hit by long-term decline
The Upper Afan Valley area put forward by the council covers Cymer, Croeserw and Gwynfi, along with the smaller communities that make up the wider valley. Together they form a single, connected neighbourhood identified as having the highest concentration of deprivation anywhere in Neath Port Talbot.
The council report paints a bleak picture. Parts of the valley have been classed as suffering “deep‑rooted deprivation” for almost two decades, appearing in the 50 most deprived communities in Wales in every official index since 2005. Jobs are scarce, health outcomes are poor and access to services is limited. Officers say the area has also missed out on other major regeneration schemes, leaving it with fewer chances to attract investment than other parts of the county.
Although the population falls slightly below the UK Government’s preferred size for the programme, the council argues the level of need is so severe that the Upper Afan Valley remains the strongest and most justified choice.
Three contenders — but only one could win
Under the rules, Neath Port Talbot can nominate only one neighbourhood for the £20 million fund. Officers examined the Upper Afan Valley alongside Sandfields and Aberavon, and Briton Ferry West and Neath East. Both of the urban areas have larger populations and stronger links to Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme, giving them more immediate opportunities to draw in other funding.
But the council’s independent review found that the Upper Afan Valley’s deprivation was more severe, more entrenched and more concentrated than anywhere else in the county. It also noted that, because the valley’s population is smaller, the investment per head would be far higher — giving residents a better chance of seeing visible, long‑lasting change.
“An optimistic sign of investment”
Cllr Jeremy Hurley, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, said:
“If approved by UK Government, this money for the Upper Afan Valley is an optimistic sign of investment in what is – on average – the most deprived area in Neath Port Talbot.
“I hope the UK Government approves our recommendation so that the community can benefit.”
What the £20 million could deliver
If the bid is approved, the Upper Afan Valley would receive one of the largest single‑neighbourhood regeneration packages ever directed at a community in Neath Port Talbot. The funding would be spread over ten years and could support improvements to public spaces, upgrades to community facilities, investment in local assets and projects tackling health, employment and education inequalities.
A new Neighbourhood Board, led by an independent chair, would be created to oversee the plan and ensure residents shape the priorities.
A tight deadline — and a big decision ahead
The council must now secure letters of endorsement from local MPs and MSs before submitting its formal proposal to UK Government ministers. The deadline is 9 January 2026, with decisions expected later in the year.
If approved, the Upper Afan Valley would become the focus of a decade‑long regeneration effort aimed at reversing decades of decline and giving one of Wales’s most disadvantaged communities a long‑awaited boost.
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