TORFAEN council has agreed on seven key priorities which it will focus on for the next five years.

The council has launched its new Corporate Plan which outlines the priority areas which will receive the greatest protection from budget cuts between now and 2016.

The key focus of the plan is to support Torfaen's most vulnerable people by supporting families and children living in poverty to get through the recession, preventing Torfaen residents becoming homeless, safeguarding children especially those with special educational needs, protecting the most vulnerable adults and supporting those with disabilities and other long term conditions.

Other priorities include supporting initiatives which generate employment and training for work opportunities, using resources wisely to include maintaining the highway infrastructure and reducing energy consumption and waste and targeting support to deprived communities and families suffering from crime and antisocial behaviour The council will update residents regularly on its performance in these key areas.

Leader of the council, councillor Bob Wellington, said: “The impact of the budget cuts is now starting to be felt across the UK and we will continue to be forced to make some extremely difficult decisions over the next few years.

“This makes it all the more important for us to have a plan that has been shaped by the councillors on behalf of the people of Torfaen and focuses our resources on supporting our most vulnerable people during these challenging times.”