Page 38 - Carmarthenshire Skills Report 2024

Current Skill Requirements
Many of the skill shortages identified within this
report also span the Public Sector, Competencies
such as Digital, Engineering, Construction,
Managers / leaders, Nursing & Care etc. therefore
it is prudent to understand the other sectors skills
requirements when looking at public sector as
similar skills are needed.
Since 2018, the county has seen a 22% increase in
police officers (RLSP is aware of recruitment plans
in place by the police to achieve this growth) and
an 18% increase in National Government activity
roles, however Local Government activities has
remained the same. Fire service officers have
reduced by 21%, this is most likely due to
efficiency saving and a more part time (on
standby) firefighting workforce.
Carmarthenshire County Council has developed
various plans for economic recovery and
transformation, at the heart of these plans are
people with a workforce strategy to help deliver
on the plans. All the main priorities listed within
the plan will require new competencies, from
existing staff and new roles being created.
Priorities – associated skills
• Efficiencies and Value for Money
• Data analysis
• Automation systems
• Income & Commercialisation
• Diversification of asset income
generation
• Workplace
• Managing a team remotely
• Workforce
• Skills and competence considerations
• Service Design & Improvement
• Smarter ways of working
• Joined up thinking
• Social benefits
• Customers & Digital Transformation
• App development and monitoring
• Decarbonisation and Biodiversity
• Net Zero skills embedded in all staff
• Environmental assessment
• Schools
• Financial planning and budgetary help
Public Sector
Town Centres
A 2023 report carried out by Lichfield’s 2 focussing
on town centres is expected to form part of the
emerging Carmarthenshire Revised LDP’s
evidence base. Policy 6 of Future Wales reinforces
the town centre first approach. The policy covers
more than just retail and states that ‘significant
new commercial, retail, education, health, leisure
and public service facilities must be located within
town and city centres’ and that a sequential
approach must be followed. This all calls for focus
in skills around planning for this type of town
centre diversification away from one of
predominantly retail.
It is highlighted that Staying Local, Active Travel,
Revitalising Town Centres, Digital Places, Tourism,
must be considered together alongside any plans
to ensure the maximum benefit. Therefore, adding
potential competencies that procurement teams
and town planners need to consider rather than
traditional retail models.
With more retail taking place online, town centres
need a diverse offering to attract people to it. The
county employs over 10,000 people in Retail,
many are town centre locations.
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1: Our Transformation Priorities (gov.wales)
2: Carmarthenshire Retail Study - 26179989_1.docx (gov.wales)
“Achieving diversity of uses and activities may
require a flexible approach to planning.
Where the right balance of use and activity is
not being achieved, planning authorities
should consider making changes to the
acceptable uses in primary or secondary areas,
or the retail and commercial centre boundaries
themselves.”
“Shopping behaviour will continue to change,
and the high street must respond. All centres
will need to focus on their advantages over
other forms of multi-channel shopping, for
example using the internet as an extended shop
window, click and collect facilities and
providing a combined retail and leisure
experience for those looking for a "day out" or
"evening out". Planning Policy Wales (PPW)