Robs Weekly Round-Up

24 March 2023

Dear colleagues,

I hope this message find you well at the end of another busy week.

Over the last few months, I have talked a lot about the budget, the testing financial position the Council is in and ways in which we can overcome this challenge.

Such a situation is not ideal, but it does offer an opportunity to explore new and innovative ways of generating income.

The Big Fresh Catering Company is a great example of that as a self-sustaining enterprise that reinvests surplus into Vale schools and the business itself.

There are also other ways in which the Council is being creative in its attempts to raise money.

One of these involves promoting Vale buildings, some of which are Council owned, as wedding venues.

Rachel Protheroe and the Registration Services team launched the Your Vale Ceremony website in 2021, which allows couples to view the spectacular locations available in the County, book their venue, and add personal touches to their big day all in one place.

The Vale has a variety of ceremony packages on offer, from jaw-dropping historic, rural and coastal venues to low-key intimate settings.

Our registrars conduct marriage and civil partnership ceremonies at venues across the Vale and offer a range of packages for the Civic Offices, Cosmeston Lakes, Penarth Pier Pavilion, Barry Island Beach Huts and Porthkerry Country Park.

Colleagues from Tourism and Communications have been involved in the associated publicity work, which this week saw the launch of a social media campaign.

Well done to all involved – excellent work.  Diolch!

Speaking of collaboration, staff in Regeneration and Planning have been working with the Richard Taylor Memorial Fund and Sport Wales to build a new skatepark at the Knap in Barry.

That will be a specially-designed structure to replace the existing facility named after Richard, who was a highly-respected Barry-based skier and skater.

A total of over £400,000 has been raised for the project through contributions from Sport Wales, capital funding from the Council, National Lottering money and a donation from the Richard Taylor Memorial Fund.

That will help deliver a cutting-edge design produced after extensive consultation with Bendcrete Leisure Ltd and the local skating community.

A commitment to partnership working has been required to deliver this project and I’m sure all involved will be thrilled with the result.

At the end of January, we shared the news that a new Digital Strategy and Roadmap for the organisation is being developed. 

Since then, we have held a series of workshop sessions with over 100 colleagues from varying levels of the organisation across all five Directorates.

I’d like to thank those of you who have engaged with this process so far. Your input is invaluable.

We are now at the stage where the Society for Innovation, Technology and Modernisation (SOCITM), who have supported the workshops, have analysed the information and begun reporting findings to colleagues.

They’ll also begin work on a future vision for the organisation as we enter the final phase of the project.

I will continue to keep you updated as this important work progresses.

The next raft of waste changes are due to be introduced in the middle of next month as the Council looks to become even greener.

Switching to source-separated collections in the Rural Vale and Barry in recent years has seen our recycling performance ranked among the best in Wales, which itself is a world leader in this area.

Now, we are bringing that system to Penarth, Dinas Powys, Llandough, Sully and the surrounding areas on April 17.

From that date, residents in these locations will need to sort their recycling into separate containers based on its material.

These containers will be delivered to relevant homes between Monday 6 and Friday 14 of April, accompanied by a leaflet explaining the items that should be placed in each.

The changes do not apply to people who live in an apartment or flat with communal recycling and waste bins.

Information sessions are being held in a variety of locations ahead of the changes, while further details are available on the website.

I know Colin Smith, the Waste Team and other colleagues across the Council are working hard to ensure the switch is a seamless as possible.

This move will help the Council become even more environmentally friendly and is an important part of our Project Zero commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030. Thanks to all involved in managing this process and I’m sure it will all go smoothly.

On the subject of climate change, we have been working with the Cardiff Capital Region and Connected Kerb, a company that aims to make transport sustainable, to install electric vehicle charging points across the Vale.

There are currently live charging points at:

• Cliff Parade Car Park
• Knap Terrace Car Park
• Kendrick Road Car Park
• Bron Y Mor Car Park                                                                                                                                     
• Cowbridge Town Hall Car Park
• Llantwit Town Hall Car Park
• Rhoose Interchange Park and Ride Car Park
• BSC2, Hood Road

And further points are planned for:

• Wyndham Street Car Park
• Nell’s Point Car Park
• Harbour Road Car Park
• Thompson Street Car Park
• Cosmeston Lakes Country Park Car Park
• Porthkerry Park Car Park
• Llanwit Major Railway Station Park and Ride Car Park
• Court Road Multi Storey Car Park
• Albert Road (outside Barnums)
• Wine Street Car Park

The introduction of these charging points is important and underlines the Council’s commitment to sustainability and protecting the planet.

To emphasise that stance further, tomorrow (Saturday, March 25), we will be turning off non-essential lighting inside and outside the Civic Offices to mark Earth Hour, a movement to take action on environmental issues.

I hope you enjoy whatever you have planned this weekend and, again, thank you very much for your efforts this week – they are always very much appreciated.

 

Diolch yn fawr iawn,

Rob