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Members of the Neighbourhood Board and its support team have been meeting with residents, attending events and talking to other groups working in the upper valley over the summer.  

In early September, the Board will be launching a household survey to enable every household to express their views about:

•    What they would like the upper valley to look like in ten years’ time
•    How life will be different
•    What success would look like 

The Board also plans to hold events in every village during September and October and will ensure appropriate arrangements are in place to gather the views of children and young people, vulnerable residents and wider stakeholders.

All of the information gathered from the engagement activities will be used to develop a vision for the Pride in Place Programme and to guide decisions on where the £20 million investment could be targeted.

The Board also wants to understand how the changes people want to see could be delivered.  That is where the call for project ideas comes in.  Anyone who already has a project that they think could support the delivery of Pride in Place is asked to tell the Board about their proposals.  The Board is also interested in hearing about potential projects – ie ideas that people think would benefit the area but they may not be in a position to deliver those ideas themselves.

Please note this is not an application for funding process but an exercise to inform the Board of the range of activities that could potentially support the programme.

The closing date for submitting project ideas is 31st October 2026.  You can view the project form here: https://survey.sqw.co.uk/s/PrideinPlaceAfanValley/ 
 

Chair of the Neighbourhood Board Karen Jones said:

“The Pride in Place Programme is all about people living in the Upper Afan Valley shaping the future of their place. The funding being made available from the UK Government is intended to bring about long- lasting change. We want to ensure that there are many opportunities for people to tell us what they want this programme to achieve and to discuss how they can be part of delivering that change.

“The call for project ideas we are launching today is an important part of the start of those conversations.  I have already visited many voluntary groups who have told me about the changes they would like to make.  I am sure there are many more excellent ideas out there and this is an important opportunity to tell us about them.”

Councillor Steve Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, said:

"The Pride in Place Programme wants to ensure local communities have a voice in shaping the future of the Upper Afan Valley. I would encourage anyone with a project idea, whether it's already developed or just an early concept, to share it with the Neighbourhood Board.

“By listening to local people and working together, we can make the most of this significant investment and deliver lasting benefits for the valley."

MP for Aberavon Maesteg, Stephen Kinnock said:

“The UK Government’s £20 million Pride in Place investment in the Upper Afan Valley represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a lasting difference to communities across the valley. The success of the programme will ultimately be judged by whether it delivers the changes that local people want to see, which is why listening to residents and local organisations must be at the heart of everything we do.

“We want people to be ambitious about the future of the Upper Afan Valley and to share their ideas, whether they are already developing a project or simply have a ‘twinkle in the eye’ idea for an intervention they believe could make a real difference.

“I would encourage everyone across the valley to get involved, to have their say and to put forward their ideas. Together, we can build a clear vision for the future and ensure this investment delivers meaningful, long-lasting change for generations to come.”