Taking the highway

Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Councils have signed a £75m joint venture deal with

that will deliver highways, transportation, engineering, construction, environmental and related projects across

.

The 15-year partnership has created a new company, Capita Glamorgan Consultancy, which is jointly owned by Capita Symonds and the three authorities. This supersedes the Glamorgan Engineering Consultancy (GEC), a joint venture between the three authorities which designed and managed local civil engineering projects.

The deal also safeguards the jobs of the 70 GEC staff who will transfer directly to Capita Glamorgan Consultancy.

Capita Glamorgan Consultancy is expected to deliver savings and create more than 130 new jobs over the next five years. It will also provide a boost to the local community, creating a platform for long-term sustainable growth across the area through job creation, major investment in a wide range of training schemes, and the development and implementation of regeneration and investment funding.

Councillor Paul Cannon, cabinet member for Economic Development and Housing, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said: ‘We are looking forward to working with the new joint venture, continuing and progressing further still the excellent collaborative arrangements of the GEC.

‘The introduction of a private-sector partner will significantly enhance existing arrangements by providing additional flexibility and a much larger resource base.

‘Capita Symonds’ proposals will enable us to obtain competitive rates for this important service area while benefiting from genuine expertise of local and national developments in highways and related engineering works.’