Sixteen calamitous decisions by Cardiff Council

Failing to tackle inequality

Cardiff Council’s Wellbeing Plan shows that, pre-pandemic there was a 22-24-year difference in healthy life expectancy (the number of years that someone lives in good health) between the least and most deprived areas of Cardiff. And looking at children, the plan notes that nearly half of children in Ely are growing up in poverty, compared to just over 5% in Rhiwbina.

Cardiff Council have not done enough to tackle these inequalities.  Nor, does it seem, do they plan to prioritise these matters in future.  The city’s plan for its long term future - the Replacement Local Development plan, fails to make any mention of tackling racial inequality. This omission extends to no mention of the specific housing needs of ethnically diverse households, even though these are highlighted in relation to other groups such as older people and disabled people. 

It is perhaps no surprise that there is little commitment to tackling inequality in Wales when one looks at the make up of people who matter when it comes to decision making in the Council cabinet. Representation matters and the Cabinet is not representative of the diversity of our city

Furthermore, when it comes to decisions on the future shape of the city, the situation is even more stark.  Every month, a group of older exclusively middle class white men decide the future direction of the city.  As revealed by Cardiff Civic Society, senior cabinet members and senior full time council officials meet once a month to decide on the city’s development.  What they precisely discuss we don’t know because the meetings are held in secret and the council refuse to provide more information about their content.