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Executive Members (with Portfolios): Councillors: Anthony Hunt – Leader and Executive Member for Strategic Leadership Richard Clark – Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Children, Families and Education Fiona Cross – Executive Member for Communities David Daniels – Executive Member for Adult Services and Housing Joanne Gauden – Executive Member for Economy, Skills and Regeneration Peter Jones – Executive Member for Corporate Governance and Resources Sue Morgan – Executive Member for Waste and Sustainability Mandy Owen – Executive Member for Environment Officers: Rachel Beale – Personal Assistant to Leader and Deputy Leader Claire Cutforth – Head of Waste Transformation Polly Ellis – Head of Legal Services Niall Flack - Apprentice Democratic Services Officer Robert Green – Head of Financial Services Neil Jones - Head of Comms, Elections & Contingencies Carla Kavanagh - Levelling Up Project Officer Dave Leech – Deputy Chief Executive and Strategic Director for Adults and Communities Jason Lewis - Director, Corporate Services Matt Lewis – Chief Operating Officer, SRS Andrew Lovegrove - Strategic Director Resources Jason O’Brien – Strategic Director, Children and Family Services Andrew Powles - Director of Education Mark Thomas - Deputy Chief Officer Highways & Climate Change James Vale - Head of Customer, ICT & Digital Stephen Vickers – Chief Executive Phillip Wilson - Children & Young People's Engagement & Participation Officer
2.1 There were no apologies received.
3.1 The following interests were declared: • Councillor Peter Jones declared a personal interest in agenda item 8 as a Board Member of the EAS. • Councillor Sue Morgan declared a personal interest in agenda item 8 as a Board Member of the EAS. • Councillor Richard Clark declared a personal interest in agenda item 9 as Chair of the SRS Board
4.1 The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 18th February 2025 were agreed as a true and accurate record.
5.1 The update on actions were noted.
6.1 The Executive Member for Waste and Sustainability introduced the report and made the following comments: · The report sought Cabinet approval of the Recycling Strategy which had been through the relevant scrutiny committee for their input. · Recycling was a key part of the Council’s response to the climate nature emergency but before things entered the waste stream it was important to consider how things could be reused and before that again consideration should be given on how to reduce the level of goods consumed. Reduce, reuse and recycling was the hierarchy and recycling was at the bottom of the pyramid for a reason, not that was not important, but it was the least favourable of the options. It was important to consume less and find more uses for things before they were put for recycling. · Welsh Government targets were important but were a secondary consideration and the climate nature emergency was the driving objective. The Council was however working with Welsh Government to achieve those targets. · The Council prides itself on the distinct partnership approach with its residents and businesses with the agreement that they would do their part, and the Council would do what it could to reflect their preferences. Two weekly residual collections were becoming increasingly rare in Wales and the Council’s approach was to work with its communities to secure its targets through a willing and participating community however the strategy stated that enforcement would take place where necessary. · It was great to see that the Council was achieving progress despite the increasing targets. There was a slight error in figure one of the covering report but the text below the graph showed the narrative behind the real improvement and the strategy had a table in it that accurately reflected that improvement. · Still far too much of what was put in the purple lidded bins could have been recycled especially food waste. She urged people that if they were going to put food in a bin to make sure that it was brown caddy which was collected weekly and was fully sealable, therefore it smelt less and was hanging around for less time and it had the potential to generate significant levels of green energy. · The Executive Member concluded by stating that with a continued joint based community approach Torfaen could become cleaner, greener and better off. 6.2 The Deputy Chief Officer Highways & Climate Change and Head of Waste Transformation jointly presented the report to Cabinet and highlighted the key areas: · Torfaen County Borough Council was committed to enhancing its recycling and waste management services to meet the ambitious targets set by Welsh Government, and to help address the climate and nature emergency. · The recycling target rose to 70% in 2024/25, and whilst Torfaen’s recycling performance has continued to improve in 2024/25, Torfaen had not yet reached the new 70% target. · The new Recycling and Waste Strategy set out how Torfaen planned to achieve a 70% recycling rate and move towards a circular economy. · The strategy outlined six priorities that would seek to reduce waste, increase recycling, reuse, and decarbonise activities so that the Council could meet its corporate and strategic objectives. · The priorities were to improve recycling services by delivering a well-designed, reliable and effective service to reduce, re-use, recycle and compost more, increase recycling by removing barriers to ensure all residents had access to the recycling service, provide the resilient infrastructure required to deliver a service fit for the future, deliver a customer focused business recycling service in line with current and future legislation, to engage with residents and businesses, to reduce, re-use, recycle and compost more and commit to being a net zero carbon Council by 2030. · Cabinet was being asked to approve the Recycling and Waste Strategy 2025-30, which was crucial for reducing carbon emissions, avoiding statutory fines, and improving the overall well-being of the community. 6.3 The Leader: · Gave thanks to the Executive Member for her work on developing the strategy with Officers. · Thanked Officers for their hard work, as he appreciated that the way the Council were trying to approach the matter was not necessarily the easy way but a holistic way that built a cleaner, greener and better off Torfaen. · Gave a big thanks to the crews for their work especially in the winter months. · Thanked residents as they were the key players and change was not always easy but was necessary. He gave a special thanks to the residents who recycled their food waste diligently, not only did it keep smelly food out of their purple lidded bins, it was collected every week and also meant that renewable energy was able to be created from it and it also reduced the percentage of residual waste. · The strategy was about creating a better local environment, and keeping the area as sustainable as possible. 6.4 Other Members thanked Officers for the comprehensive, yet clear report. It was pleasing to see that improvements would be made to assisted collections which would help the most vulnerable residents. Members liked the Customer Charter which had been developed which outlined what residents could expect from the Council and what the Council expected from residents. Members felt that it would be a good idea to issues communication out to residents in relation to the Customer Charter. 6.5 Cabinet agreed to approve the Recycling and Waste Strategy to support the Raise the Rate Campaign and achieve the 70% recycling target.
7.1 The Executive Member for Economy, Skills and Regeneration presented the report and made the following points: • In August 2022 the Council submitted a bid for round two of the UK Governments Levelling Up Fund to create a cultural hub in Pontypool town. • Whilst other projects in the heart of the town were previously considered the private owners were not able to progress with the funding bid and the other proposed Council projects would not have delivered the desired impact. The Council considered their submission to have the best chance of approval against the levelling up fund criteria in investing in local capital projects and to address economic inequality. • The successful application was to help transform St James Church which was now a derelict building into a new restaurant to boost the night time economy and attractiveness of the town, create a café at the entrance to Pontypool Park and to improve Glantorfaen car park. • The suite of projects would create a cultural hub and would be a gateway to Pontypool town aiming to create local job opportunities, grow the local economy and act as a catalyst for further investment in the heart of the town. • St James’s Church was privately owned and was not included in the proposed contract of award. • As with all regeneration projects there had been challenges as delivery of project progressed. The Executive Member added thanks to Nick Thomas-Symonds MP for his support to ensure the Council’s project was included in the scheme for urgent consideration by UK Government. Early approval of the programme extension gave an opportunity to consider awarding the contract before the current tender expired, which avoided another lengthy tendering process which could have put the project at risk. • If approved, Officers would work with the contractor to develop the design and achieve cost efficiencies. Additional funding sources were earmarked from the Uk Government Shared Prosperity Fund and the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places fund should they be needed. • The current timelines showed that if approved the construction works would commence in September for both projects, with the café being completed in July 2027 and the car park being completed in July 2026. • Cabinet were being asked to appoint the main contractor to develop and implement the Council led levelling up projects. 7.2 The Deputy Chief Executive and Strategic Director for Adults and Communities highlighted the key areas of the report: • The UK Governments Levelling Up Fund was announced in the 2020 Spending Review. The £4.8 billion fund was being made available across the UK up to and including 2027/28. • Pontypool was one of only 11 projects in Wales to receive grants from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund which aimed to create jobs and grow the local economy. • The £7.6 million grant would help fund the Council’s Pontypool Cultural Hub project, part of which would transform derelict buildings into a thriving cultural centre with a new restaurant to boost the night-time economy and attractiveness of the town. • The project had been tendered through Lot 8 of the South East and Mid Wales Collaborative Construction Framework for (SEWSCAP3). One tender was received in excess of available budget and contained significant provisional sums and clarifications. • The Council intended to work with the contractor to develop the design and achieve cost efficiency. • The tender had been evaluated and was deemed compliant. • The tender to award the main contract would expire on 10th April 2025. • The report sought approval to award the contract for the Council led Levelling Up Fund projects, Pontypool Park Entrance Café and Glantorfaen Road Car Park, in the sum of £7.2M. 7.3 The Leader thanked Officers for their work on this. 7.4 Cabinet agreed to approve the award of contract to the Main Contractor to develop and implement the Council led Levelling Up projects, Park Entrance Café and Glantorfaen Road Car Park, in the sum of £7.2M.
8.1 The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Children, Families and Education introduced the report and made the following comments: • The EAS was established in 2012, when the Council was obliged by the Government to collectively act in a regional consortium for school improvement. • The EAS was unique due to it being a company model. • In 2023, Welsh Government asked for a review to be undertaken around responsibilities of education partners and the delivery of school improvements services, which was called the Middle Tier Review. Welsh Government removed the expectation that partners would meet regionally but on the same basis they indicated that they would not want Torfaen as a small authority to act on their own with its own school improvement service. So it was preferable to have a partnership with at least one other Local Authority. • A consultation was undertaken, and a proposal was submitted last year which has been accepted by Welsh Government • Three options were set out within section 4 of the report, however it was proposed to develop option two and commission a school improvement service with the EAS and to make it a more authority focussed governance structure. 8.2 The Director of Education highlighted key areas including: • Currently, the EAS provided school improvement functions for Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Newport, Caerphilly and Monmouthshire Local Authorities. • Governance arrangements were secured through a Company Board and the Joint Executive Group with membership from local elected members, Executive Members for Education and a nominated lead Chief Executive from across the region. • Welsh Government initiated a review of roles and responsibilities of education partners in Wales and the delivery of school improvement arrangements. This review was called the Middle Tier Review • The Middle Tier Review made recommendations for future school improvement models, and included several expectations, such as a change in culture so school leaders and practitioners felt more empowered and had a greater sense of collective responsibility to lead and develop a local school-led system, continued focus on sharing professional learning and practice through collaboration between schools, more expertise and resource for schools to support each other, more transparency over funding, a stronger focus on the core national priorities, a focus on reducing workload and burdens on schools with clarity about expectations over any reporting locally and nationally, proposals for school and local change to be developed through a process of co-design and co-construction between Local Authorities and schools and impactful and responsive professional learning to support practitioners, and clear development for school leaders and partners. • In response to the review, the education services in each of the five Local Authorities had engaged with school leaders to seek their views • Generally, Headteachers valued the model of school-to-school support. However, Headteachers felt this could be broadened to include more schools that also have good practice to share. Headteachers discussed having appropriate capacity in the system and that school to-school working may be more effective on a wider basis than just within Torfaen. This was a particular concern raised by the special schools. Headteachers discussed that they required support with improving pupil behaviour and increasing attendance. Headteachers discussed that they would value more support for cluster working and local school improvement groups. In addition to engagement activities with Headteachers, there have also been discussions with senior EAS staff. These discussions had helped the Education Directors to shape proposed models for a revised school improvement partnership. • Through consultation, three options had been developed for future school improvement working and it was proposed to proceed with option two which would continue to commission school improvement services from the EAS via the company model route alongside, Blaenau Gwent, Newport and Monmouthshire with an aspect of the provision sold out to other Local Authorities to buy in to. The school improvement partnership with the EAS would however have revised governance models and would provide opportunities to change and improve over time and had less risk of destabilising school improvement and would help to retain high quality staff currently working within the system. 8.3 In response to a number of Member questions, the Director of Education gave the following replies: • The professional learning offer was refined last year locally, and a marketplace event was held within the Civic Centre for Headteachers and the event provided information of what the EAS should be offering. The national professional learning offer was currently being developed. • There were at least two other Local Authorities who wanted to buy into the professional learning offer from the EAS, which showed recognition of the strength of what was already in place. A lot of the professional learning offer was school to school delivered. • Not everyone could be a school improvement partner. A very successful Headteacher was not necessarily going to be a good school improvement partner as they needed to be able to challenge and be open about areas of development within a school. • The strength of working as four Local Authorities was that it allowed that bit of distance and greater scope to recruit improvement partners because if there was only one Local Authority there may not be enough of the right people to complete the roles.There were also different sectors such as the special sector, the Welsh medium sector, and there were only a few of those schools in each Local Authority. Torfaen’s school improvement partner for the Pupil Referral Unit was currently from Bridgend, because there was only one Pupil Referral Unit in each Local Authority. 8.4 The Leader concluded by thanking everyone in the schools and education for the work on school improvement which was much valued. 8.5 Cabinet agreed to: • Proceed development of a revised school improvement model in line with Option 2 • Continue to commission school improvement services from the Southeast Wales Education Achievement Service (EAS) for the foreseeable future • Mandate the Senior Officers to work with partners to explore the potential for changes to the governance of EAS and to implement changes to the delivery of services by EAS which reflect stakeholder feedback and national school improvement guidance.
9.1 The Executive Member for Corporate Governance and Resources introduced the report and commented that it was an exciting proposal which draws on 14 years’ worth of learning associated with the SRS. The collaboration on technology reflected the increasingly important role digital, data and information management had as key enablers in the delivery of modern council services. The proposal also recognised and built upon the successful collaborative efforts over the last 12-18 months which had seen an increased use in automation and AI and the development of a modern data platform and the procurement of a new contact centre platform. 9.2 The Chief Operating Officer, SRS presented the report to Cabinet in detail which sought approval from Cabinet for transitioning to a new shared service model for digital and data services. He highlighted key areas of the report and made the following comments: • The proposal outlined an approach to create a unified digital, data and information governance service aimed at enhancing public service delivery across multiple Local Authorities. This alignment was achieved through a set of missions that collectively address all digital strategies. • An evaluation process with all partners took place between April 2024 and January 2025, and identified the functions performed in each service area and what roles perform those functions. • The report sought agreement to change the service model of the SRS to add digital and data services to the existing technology delivery model. 9.3 The Leader thanked the Chief Operating Officer for the report. The Leader noted the risks outlined in the report but felt that there was far more risk to not changing, the proposal was a way of doing things better and drawing on the positive experience Local Authorities have had with the SRS. The proposal would not only provide savings to each Local Authority but provide better outcomes and faster progress on an important agenda. He commended the report for linking back to the marmot principles and the wellbeing and future generations principles which showed that they were at the forefront of everything the Council did. 9.4 Cabinet asked a number of questions, and the following responses were given by the Chief Operating Officer, SRS: • Consultation was undertaken early on with staff and union representatives in each Local Authority and the unions were supportive of the proposals. • The principle which was embedded at Torfaen of ‘digital first, not digital only’ could be preserved going forward however, there would be differences across Local Authorities but one of the things that this work would do was to create roles that did not currently exist around adoption and inclusion, which would enable time to be spent on focusing on those aspects. As part of the data work staff would also be focusing at a community level too. • The Chief Operating Officer stated that he would be happy to create a one page document with simple messaging about the changes and the benefits for staff and residents. • It was not anticipated that the proposal would cause disruption as they had experience of doing this type of work with minimal disturbance. In 2017 and 2018, the SRS brought in Blaenau Gwent Council and Newport Council to the technology without any disruption. 9.5 Cabinet agreed to a change in the SRS shared model to add digital, data and information governance services to its existing technology shared service.
10.1 The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Children, Families and Education introduced the report and made the following comments: • Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child outlined the right for children to participate in all matters that affected them and it was also a key feature of Welsh Government that the Charter was supported. • The strategy before Cabinet outlined how the Council would meaningfully do this within in Torfaen. • The Council already had strong foundations to build upon and had a great Youth Forum, School Councils, Youth Alliance and Youth Parliament. • The Rebel Youth initiative also encouraged young people to take over Leader’s roles for a day and contribute to decision making and the takeover days held so far had been successful. 10.2 The Head of Comms, Elections & Contingencies went through the report in detail and commented on key areas such as: • The Children and Young People’s Participation Strategy outlined the Council’s commitment to meaningfully involve and support children and young people to have a say in decisions that may affect them. • The strategy supported the County Plan wellbeing objective 2, by encouraging more children and young people to be directly involved in Council decisions and shaping Council services. • The strategy was developed through consultation with the office of the Children Commissioner for Wales who offered support, advice and guidance throughout the writing of the strategy, including sign posting to areas of best practice in Wales. • Key objectives of the strategy were to set out a framework for best practice in participation, offer support and information to young people to enable them to access their right to participate, for all service areas to have a clear understanding of the Council’s commitment to article 12 and offer guidance on how this commitment would be implemented, to help the Council achieve its County Plan well-being objectives and to encourage and champion children and young people to thrive. • The impact of the strategy would be measured through the communications service plan performance monitoring reports. 10.3 Cabinet welcomed the strategy and were keen to get young people involved in the Council as much as possible. 10.4 A number of questions were asked by Cabinet and the Children & Young People's Engagement & Participation Officer gave the following answers: • Young People often got consulted on but then did not get any feedback in regard to the views and opinions that they put forward. He agreed to compile an annual report for Cabinet which outlined what the young people said and what the Council did or did not do, with reasons as to why or why not their ideas progressed. • One of the reasons the Youth Alliance was created was to engage with those young people who struggled with the process. The Youth Alliance was held during the day, as if it was held outside the school day it might make it more difficult for those young people to attend. The Youth Alliance involved young people from the Pupil Referral Until, the Gypsy Traveller Forum, Crownbridge School, young carers and it welcomed others who may be slightly disadvantaged. The young people who attended the Youth Alliance had professionals working alongside them so it gave them better opportunities than if they had to come on their own, their teachers or support workers could attend with them for support. 10.5 Cabinet agreed to adopt the Children and Young People’s Participation Strategy 2025- 2027
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