Partnership deal is 'on track to create 26,000 jobs' by 2036

COUNCIL chiefs claim the Cardiff region city deal is "more than on course" to create 26,000 jobs by 2036 despite delivering 4,335 jobs in the decade to date.

- CHRIS HAINES

The Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) is a partnership between the ten local authorities of Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, and the Vale of Glamorgan, local businesses and other organisations.

Mary Ann Brocklesby - chair of the CCR - gave evidence as a Senedd inquiry into city and growth deals got under way on June 4.

The Conservatives' Samuel Kurtz, a member of the Senedd's economy committee, questioned figures for creating and safeguarding jobs as part of the £1.2bn city deal, which was signed in 2016.

Cllr Brocklesby said 1,537 direct jobs have been created - of which 1,152 were relatively temporary jobs in construction - with 1,029 jobs safeguarded, 261 employed through a graduate scheme, and 93 apprenticeships.

Pressed about hitting the initial goal of 25,000 jobs, she told the committee: "We're more than on track... it's shared with Transport for Wales [TfW] but we would expect at the present rate of progress it would be more like 26,000."

Mr Kurtz expressed concerns about accountancy errors, asking how the witnesses ensure that the city deal is not claiming success by double counting jobs.