South Wales towns need 'reasons to exist again'

Goodway wants towns like Barry to have a "vibrant" economy

Towns around Cardiff need "reasons to exist again" and "a new purpose" as politicians decide how to spend a £1.2bn south Wales economy boost.

Former Cardiff leader Russell Goodway has said his current home-town of Barry was "without a purpose" and has been in decline for almost 100 years.

He wants cash from a Cardiff city deal, a 20-year plan between 10 councils to create 25,000 jobs, to be spread out.

Mr Goodway wants towns like Caerphilly and Barry to be "vibrant economies".

The Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, signed off in March 2016, is to fund key infrastructure projects across south-east Wales including the £730m south Wales Metro.

• Barry Island cameras will show visitors 'what's occurring'

• The show that made Barry famous

But £495m is available to boost towns such as Bridgend, Maesteg and Pontypridd to become not just commuter or satellite towns for Cardiff.

"Unless we invent a new purpose for these towns they will just become dormitories of Cardiff," said Labour councillor Mr Goodway.

"That's just not good enough. In Barry the vast majority of people travel to Cardiff for work and leisure - in that context it's a dormitory town of Cardiff.

"It's got potential to be more than that."

What the city deal involves

• The South Wales Metro - to include the £500m Valleys electrification programme - longer trains, faster buses and some light rail

• £495m for other projects including an "innovation district" and investing in a software academy, data innovation, a cyber security academy and new approaches to public service delivery.

• Better wi-fi on public transport

• Increasing house building

• Not included in the £1.2bn pot is confirmation of an extra £50m from the UK Government to help develop the compound semiconductor centre - the technology behind smartphones - being set up by Cardiff University and IQE

How the deal stacks up

• Welsh Government £580m within the first seven years

• 10 councils £120m

• The Treasury £580m

Q&A: What does the Cardiff Capital Region city deal mean?

Mr Goodway said many towns historically dependent upon coal were in need of a new purpose.

"We can start putting the building blocks in place, city regionalism does that," he added.

Mr Goodway had previously told Cardiff council's economy and culture scrutiny committee the importance of exporting well-paid jobs outside of Cardiff to keep Valley communities alive.

Cardiff councillor Russell Goodway does not want towns like Barry to become dormitories of Cardiff

Current Cardiff leader Huw Thomas added the regional deal needs towns to be a "foundational economy in their own right".

He said many areas in south-east Wales, including Cardiff, "are having to reinvent themselves for the modern age".

"The Metro will play an integral role in connecting the region, but the city deal will also be an opportunity for investment in these towns," added Mr Thomas.

"We don't want towns around Cardiff only to be commuter towns into the city, we want them to grow, re-invent themselves bringing prosperity across the whole region."