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There is no summary of this meeting yet. Summaries are written once the council publishes the minutes, which are its official record of what a meeting decided. They usually appear a few weeks after the meeting.
1.1 The Chair welcomed all to the meetings. There were apologies received from Councillor Karl Gauden.
The following interests were declared: · Councillor Clarkson declared a personal interest as a former member of the now disolved groups "Friends of the British" and "British Liason Group." · Councillor Clarkson declared a personal interest as a member of Pontypool Community Council. · Councillor Haynes declared a personal interest as a member of the St Dials Community Group.8 · Councillor Williams declared a personal interest as a member of the Croesyceiliog and Llanyravon Community Council.
3.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2026 were approved as a correct record.
4.1 Members of the Committee noted the action sheet.
5.1 The Chair welcomed Greg Macdonald, Interim Head of Economy and Place, Chris Ashman, Place Planning Consultant, Mark Thomas, Joint Director Neighbourhoods and Environment and Councillor Joanne Gauden, Executive Member for Economy, Skills and Regeneration. 5.2 Christina Harrhy, Interim Joint Director of Economy and Place, joined part-way through this item due to commitments to a previous meeting. 5.3 The Committee received the draft Blueprint for Growth for comment prior to wider consultation. Officers summarised the current economic challenges facing both authorities, the intention behind a federated approach, the strategic themes, the fourteen workstreams, the place‑based planning model, and the intention to produce an annual economic report. 5.4 Following questions from the Committee, officers confirmed the following points: • The Blueprint was intended to bring both existing and new work together and provide one overarching framework, avoiding duplication with regional bodies while strengthening the joint voice of Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent. • The reference to a “Tech Valleys Metro” concerned assessing and improving local transport connectivity rather than establishing a separate system from the South Wales Metro. Local improvements would complement regional schemes and help identify gaps affecting residents, businesses and young people trying to access education. • Improved public transport links between the two boroughs were essential for the federated model to succeed. Delivery was expected to be incremental, but officers aimed to produce an early assessment of current provision, gaps and opportunities for innovative local mobility solutions. • Town centres were recognised as places of social interaction and economic activity, not simply retail destinations. Footfall drivers, small‑unit workspace, local events and clearer place identities would all be used to support independent businesses and encourage investment. • Small businesses often struggled to invest without guaranteed footfall. Officers intended to use the place‑planning framework, events, campaigns and collaboration with building owners to bring vacant buildings back into use and increase activity within town centres. • Place plans would be led by a dedicated team but would involve the whole council. Members’ observations regarding the differing needs of upper and lower Pontypool would be reflected in revised mapping. • The Blueprint would translate strategic themes into bespoke local actions. Officers agreed it would be helpful to make this link more explicit in future drafts. • Engagement to date had included staff, town and community councils and business forums. Upcoming engagement would include digital consultation, in‑person events and the use of community networks such as Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO) and Torfaen Voluntary Alliance (TVA). Officers agreed members needed to be directly involved and that all materials must be accessible, including easy‑read formats. • The UK Competitiveness Index would provide long‑term benchmarking, but more frequent monitoring would come through the annual economic report and workstream‑specific indicators. Officers agreed that comparison with similar post‑industrial areas would provide more meaningful context. • All fourteen workstreams were considered necessary, though they would progress at different speeds. A programme of ownership, timing and sequencing would be produced. • A development partner would enable access to private investment, accelerate delivery and transfer risk appropriately. Individual projects would be subject to detailed governance processes and scrutiny. • Pension fund investment could only be considered where commercially viable and compliant with regulations. The Blueprint did not rely on pension funds as a default source of investment. • While current large development sites were more prevalent in Blaenau Gwent, officers expected sites in Torfaen to emerge through the joint Local Development Plan (LDP). The federated structure and joint director role would help maintain fairness between the two authorities. • The Blueprint aligned with the Council’s Marmot principles and the need to support residents affected by long‑term ill‑health or disability into employment, including through improved pathways at lower qualification levels. • The Blueprint was designed to be flexible in light of national or geopolitical uncertainty. Embedding it within statutory plans would help maintain continuity through political or policy changes. 5.5 The Chair thanked officers and the Executive Member and invited them to leave the meeting. 5.6 Recommendations Upon completion of their scrutiny activity, the Committee offered the following recommendations: - Recommendation 1:- Members noted that the next stage of consultation would include town and community councils, as well as the wider communities. However, members also recommended that the consultation be extended to include all members of Torfaen CBC and Blaenau Gwent CBC. Recommendation 2 – Following the further consultation with town and community councils, members recommended that the Economy & Environment O&S Committee receive feedback on any resulting impacts or changes to the Blueprint. Recommendation 3 – Members felt that the majority of the Placemaking Plans were appropriate; however they recommended that consideration be given to separating Pontypool into two distinct geographic areas, recognising the different needs and challenges faced in north and south Pontypool (e.g. variations in transport links). Members also highlighted that the Blueprint should more clearly articulate the important role of Place Planning as a mechanism for translating strategic themes into local planning activity. Recommendation 4 - Members recommended that the Blueprint provide high‑level clarification of responsibility for each workstream, including whether delivery sits with the federated councils or with a strategic partner. In addition, the Blueprint should clearly set out how it aligns with The Deal, the County Plan and the Marmot Principles. Recommendation 5 - Members recommended that an annual report/update be presented to the Economy & Environment O&S Committee, highlighting progress against the measures developed within the Blueprint. This could be aligned with the performance information considered during the Committee’s visioning session, where items for the next municipal year are determined. Recommendation 6 - The TLS presented the report and invited members to review the information contained in the appendices to the report and agree an item for scrutiny at the next meeting. The Committee agreed to scrutinise Children’s Services Structure Redesign at the next meeting. Additional comments from the Committee: Members praised officers and the Executive Member for the report and thanked them for the way in which they answered the committee’s questions during the meeting. In addition to the above, members offered the following comments: · They were pleased to hear that a short easy-read version of the Blueprint would be created for public consultation, including accessible documents; and · Considering the importance and impact of the Blueprint for Growth to all members of both councils, members suggested that it would be of benefit to hold a Joint Members Seminar to provide an update to all members of Torfaen CBC and Blaenau Gwent CBC. A valuable first step would be to share the recommendations made by the respective scrutiny committees in this round of scrutiny of the Blueprint.
6.1 The Committee agreed to scrutinise Destination Torfaen (incl. Pontypool Indoor Market, World Heritage Centre and the Canal at the next meeting.
7.1 The date of the next meeting was confirmed to be 23/04/26.
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