City deal 'well on its way' despite low jobs number

THE Swansea Bay city deal is “well on its way” despite having created fewer than 900 jobs against an initial target of more than 9,000, a committee heard.

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Rob Stewart said six projects had been completed - to a value of £210m - by the end of 2024-25 as part of the £1.3bn Swansea Bay city deal, which covers all of West Wales and was signed in 2017.

Cllr Stewart, who chairs the Swansea Bay city region joint committee, told the Senedd’s economy committee a further 19 projects, valued at £761m, are in the pipeline.

The leader of Swansea Council pointed to “significant progress” in moving projects from the feasibility stage to completion, with the 71/72 Kingsway project in Swansea set to open.

He stressed the Swansea deal had very different terms and conditions to the Cardiff Capital Region city deal, which was agreed with a different UK Government.