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<body topmargin="0" leftmargin="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> ABOUT BRIDGEND COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL Introduction<br> Bridgend County Borough Council is one of 22 unitary local authorities created in April 1996 following local government re-organisation in Wales. Unitary councils provide all the main local government services for the people of the area.<p> The unitary councils - all county boroughs - replaced the two-tier local government system in place since 1974, under which eight counties and 37 districts shared responsibility for delivering Welsh local government services.<p> Bridgend County Borough Council, praised by the District Auditor for its efficiency, was the first new local authority in Wales to adopt a Town and Community Council Charter, establishing a working partnership with the 14 town and community councils within its borders.<p> Demography<br> With its Bristol Channel coastline and mix of urban and rural communities, the county borough lies at the geographical heart of south Wales and has a population of just over 131,000. Its land area of 28,500 hectares stretches 20km from east to west and occupies the Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore valleys. The largest town is Bridgend (pop: 35,000), followed by Maesteg (pop: 21,700) and seaside resort of Porthcawl (pop: 16,100).<p> Communications<br> The county borough has first-class road and rail communications and is just 12 miles from Cardiff International Airport. There are three junctions with the M4, providing access to the national motorway network and Bridgend is one of the main stations on the First Great Western high speed rail service between Swansea and Paddington.<p> Political control<br> The people of the county borough are represented by 54 councillors, elected on 6 May 1999. The political make-up of the council is: Labour 41, Liberal Democrats 5, Independents 4, Plaid Cymru 2, Independent Labour 1, Conservatives 1. Leader of the council is Councillor Jeff Jones (Labour).<p> By the year 2000, the council is expected to have established a cabinet system as part of its modernisation programme. Springing from a government White Paper which examined political structure and local democracy, the council leader will head a cabinet of executive councillors responsible for particular portfolios, while non-executive councillors will monitor and scrutinise cabinet decisions.<p> Council tax and services<br> The council budget for 1999\2000 is Ł131m and the Band D council tax is Ł645.41, including police and community council precepts. Council tax accounts for about 20 per cent of expenditure, the remainder coming from central government in the form of the local government settlement.<p> The council has 7,500 employees and five directorates: Chief Executive’s; Environmental and Planning Services; Education, Leisure and Community Services; Personal Services (Housing and Social Services) and the Commercial Services Group; Corporate Services and Commercial Services Group, the trading arm of the council.<p> Council information points have been established at county borough libraries as part of a de-centralisation programme making council information and services more accessible to local residents. Each CIP has a freephone link to council departments, query reporting via the council’s electronic mail system and a separate area for confidential consultations.<p> A major public consultation entitled Putting People First began this year with a series of nine open forums at locations across the county borough, where local people were invited to give their views about council services and to state their priorities and aspirations for the future.<p> This programme was backed by a freepost leaflet drop throughout the county borough and an in-depth survey carried out by a professional research organisation. All responses are being taken into account as the council examines a wide range of community partnership options and assesses its policy priorities.<p> The Wider World<br> The county borough is home to international companies such as Sony and Ford and the importance of the growing high-tech sector is exemplified by a recent decision to double the size of the Bridgend Science Park. With its dedicated and adaptable workforce, excellent communications, infrastructure and pleasant environment, the county borough is an attractive area in which to live, work and enjoy leisure.<p> The council has embarked on important partnerships with town and community councils, the voluntary sector and business people - helping to realise its commitment to the people and to promote prosperity for everyone.<p> Though the county borough celebrates a heritage reaching back to pre-Roman times, the council looks forward with confidence to the 21st century - and beyond Wales to a wider world.<p> <a href="contents.htm">To find out more click here</a>, <a href="doc.asp">here</a> and <a href="nav.htm">here</a> </body>