Issues and SWOT

strength

Coastal works have a verified completion record

Aberaeron’s flood-protection works were reported concluded in October 2025.

Proposed response: Keep the restored public space and protection maintained.

Evidence

strength

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £723 a month (August 2026) in Ceredigion council area. This is £123 lower than the Wales average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 10.8% in Llandysul North and Troedyraur to 53.9% in Aberystwyth Morfa a Glais — a gap of 43.2 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

6.1% of people reported bad or very bad health in Ceredigion council area (21 March 2021). Across Wales, the figure was 6.9%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 3.4% in Faenor to 10.1% in Teifi — a gap of 6.7 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

strength

Connect local skills to local opportunities

35.3% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Ceredigion council area. Across Wales, the figure was 31.5%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 5.3% in Faenor to 21.9% in Teifi — a gap of 16.7 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

weakness

A centre study is not a new service

Cardigan’s project is listed as a feasibility study.

Proposed response: Set out the needs and options before choosing a building.

Evidence

opportunity

Connect a rural town to an existing trail

Tregaron’s strategy identifies a route to Cors Caron.

Proposed response: Test an accessible connection that serves residents as well as visitors.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

25.7% of people in Ceredigion council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 11.4% in Aberystwyth Morfa a Glais to 36.1% in New Quay and Llanllwchaearn — a gap of 24.7 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Ceredigion council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

3 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

opportunity

Target support where disadvantages overlap

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 11% in Faenor to 30.7% in Teifi — a gap of 19.6 percentage points.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

threat

New coastal works still require harbour management

The council began further Aberaeron dredging in February 2026 after storms moved material into the entrance.

Proposed response: Track harbour access and recurring maintenance needs.

Evidence 1 · Evidence 2