The South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) Strategic Planning Sub-Committee met to discuss the progress of the Strategic Development Plan (SDP) and its delivery agreement (DA). The committee noted the recruitment update for a Regional Principal Policy Officer and that work can commence on the SDP DA, pursuant to the Town and Country Planning (Strategic Development Plan) (Wales) Regulations 2021. The committee also reviewed the forward work programme for 2025-2026.

Strategic Development Plan Update

The main focus of the meeting was to provide an update on the development of the SDP. The SDP is a crucial document that will inform the planning system across Wales, addressing issues such as regional housing markets, travel to work patterns, and economic opportunity areas¹. Recruitment of Regional Principal Policy Officer: The committee was informed that Neath Port Talbot Council (NPTC) is the designated land-use planning lead authority for the region. To progress the SDP, a Regional Principal Policy Officer will be appointed via a secondment opportunity hosted by the council's Planning Policy Team. According to the Public Reports Pack, one expression of interest has been received, and steps are being taken to secure the secondment. A Service Level Agreement between Neath Port Talbot Council and the SWWCJC will be established to facilitate the funding and arrangements for this post.

Delivery Agreement (DA): The DA is a crucial document in the preparation of the SDP. As stated in the Public Reports Pack, it will include:

• A Community Involvement Scheme to ensure stakeholder engagement.
• A timetable for the preparation of the plan at each stage of the statutory process.
• The resource commitments, both in terms of staff and financial resources, required to deliver the SDP.
• The risks associated with developing the plan, along with the monitoring and review processes required to assess whether the plan is successfully achieving its objectives.

It was noted that preparing the DA does not commit the region to full SDP development until additional funding is secured from the Welsh Government.

Financial Implications: The committee was informed that there are sufficient resources available in reserves, following the receipt of £200,000 from the Welsh Government, to cover the cost of preparing and securing adoption of the DA only. There are insufficient resources available to progress beyond the DA stage.

Forward Work Programme 2025-2026

The committee reviewed the Forward Work Programme 2025-2026, which includes a summary of progress on the preparation of the DA associated with the South West Wales SDP. This item is scheduled for discussion at the meetings on 6 January 2026, and 4 May 2026.