It is the final week for people to have their say on a council's budget proposals, which includes a freeze on council tax.
Neath Port Talbot Council's (NPTC) budget proposals for 2022-23 also includes funding to "tackle the climate and nature emergencies locally" and investment in the "recovery" of communities and local economy.
People have until Tuesday, February 1 - when the consultation closes - to share their voice on the budget proposals and draft corporate plan for 2022-27.
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Leader of the Plaid Cymru Group at NPTC, Alun Llewelyn, said: "I hope residents take part in the consultation on the budget.
"The issues we face in Neath Port Talbot are not only the result of Covid but years of austerity and under-investment by Tory and Labour governments.
"The county has some of the most deprived areas in Wales despite having one of the highest council taxes."
Other budget proposals include an increase in youth and outdoor leisure services to boost the wellbeing of young people and new funding for schools to support children with additional learning needs.
On the proposed tax freeze, Cllr Llewelyn added: "While the proposed freeze for 2022 is welcome, it would still leave us with one of the highest taxes in Wales.
"It matters to people what happens in their own area and it is distressing to see the decline in standards of street cleaning, open spaces, road conditions and all sorts of front line services.
"It’s not fair on either the residents or the hard-working council workers who do not get enough support or resources.
"This budget is a chance to reverse that trend and to instil some ambition and optimism into the work of the council and we hope all residents make their views known.”
On the budget proposals, Council leader Ted Latham said: “The pandemic has hit many parts of our communities very hard and in the summer of last year we heard from many residents, businesses and partners through our Let’s Talk campaign.
“The campaign was aimed at giving people a greater say in where our priorities should lie.
"People spoke clearly about the things we should concentrate on and what should be done in the near future as we start to recover, reset and renew from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Our draft corporate plan now reflects that feedback.”
The council also aims to strengthen support for vulnerable people and this includes many who have become lonely and isolated due to the Covid-19 emergency.
There are also proposals to step up the number of neighbourhood teams as part of a drive to “catch up, clean up and green up” towns and villages across Neath Port Talbot.
Cllr. Latham added: “We believe it is very important that people have a say on how our services are planned and run and how their Council Tax is spent so please give us your views.”
NPTC has received an increase in funding in its settlement from the Welsh Government of £20.78 million - an 8.8% increase compared to the previous year.
This is the 18th lowest increase across the 22 councils in Wales, according to a report by the Chief Finance Officer at NPTC.
Final decisions, taking in views from the public consultation exercise, are due to be taken on the budget strategy and corporate plan on February 28, 2022.
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