Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board has set out almost 100 priority projects, schemes or services they plan to deliver over the next five years.

The plan - Moving Forward in Carmarthenshire – was launched on January 8 by council leader Cllr Emlyn Dole.

It identifies key areas of investment and improvement that the executive board will drive during their remaining term in office, in addition to running the council’s day to day services.

They include – in terms of the environment - plans to establish Carmarthenshire as the Cycling Capital of Wales, improving road infrastructure and public transport, reducing the council’s carbon footprint, supporting sustainable farming initiatives and improving the county’s recycling rates.

In education, there are plans to deliver a further £129million Modernising Education Programme investment, make best use of school facilities to support community activities, engage with more young people and move schools along the Welsh language continuum.

In social care and housing, the executive board plans to develop a homelessness strategy, meet its commitment to developing 1,000 affordable homes with emphasis on bringing empty properties back into use and building new, strengthening Welsh language provision within social care settings, providing more support for carers and reducing loneliness in vulnerable and older people.

Planned investment in the county’s leisure provision includes development of new and existing facilities, including leisure centres, Burry Port Harbour and Pembrey Country Park.

The regeneration of Carmarthenshire is a key feature. Transformation strategies focus on improving Llanelli, Ammanford and Carmarthen town centres, the county’s coastal belt, key growth zones such as Cross Hands and rural areas.

In particular, the executive board wants to ensure that Carmarthenshire fully benefits from opportunities that will be created through the £1.3billion Swansea Bay City Deal.

Cllr Emlyn Dole said: “Although local government is facing an uncertain time due to savage cut-backs in public spending, the council continues to provide hundreds of services on a day to day basis to residents and visitors to Carmarthenshire.

“As an executive board, we have identified a number of key projects and programmes that we will strive to deliver over the next five years. We believe that by delivering these projects and programmes we can contribute towards making Carmarthenshire the best place to live, work and visit.

“Our ambitious plan seeks to continuously improve economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being in the county and by doing this we will ensure that our residents, communities, organisations and businesses are supported and enabled to develop and thrive for the benefit of our county.”

Detailed reports and recommendations on specific projects and programmes will be presented through the council’s democratic processes over the course of the next five years.

Read the full five year plan on the Carmarthenshire Council website at carmarthenshire.gov.wales