R e c y c l e f o r N e w p o r t – p o p m e i n y o u r b l u e r e c y c l i n g b o x

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 3

Inside...

Newport FoodFestival – special pull

out programme

City centreregeneration –

changes to bus stops

New cityplay areas

T h e o f f i c i a l n e w s p a p e r o f N e w p o r t C i t y C o u n c i l

Newport Matters

Recycle yourmetal – resident

competition

Changing councilservices in Newport

?repairing

roads

food hygienechecks

schools

carehomes

bincollections

leisurecentres

?

Just some of theservices we

deliver now...

... but how will theylook in the future?

£254 million budgetin 2013/14

£220 million budgetby 2017

However, the council is facing anunprecedented challenge – asignificantly reduced budget combinedwith an increasing demand for, andexpectations of, council services.In simple terms, the council can’t

afford to carry on doing all of thethings it does currently and we wantyour views on this challenge.That’s why the council launched its

Prospectus for Change this summer.This is an ambitious scheme of workto ensure that the council cancontinue to improve people’s lives byproviding the best affordable services.It’s also the start of an open and honestconversation with the people ofNewport on which services the councilprovides in future years.We want to start by explaining how

we get our money to deliver yourservices. For every £100 we spend, £80comes from Welsh Government grant,£12 comes from your council tax andthe remaining £8 comes from chargeswe make for services or other grants.This shows how dependent we are onthe Welsh Government grant. So anycut in this grant means we have tototally rethink the type of servicescurrently provided.Everyone knows that money for

public services is being cut. So far localgovernment in Wales hasn’t beenaffected as badly as councils inEngland who have already faced thebrunt of the UK/Westminister publicservices austerity programme.However, this is about to change and

we need to plan properly for thefuture. In this financial year (April2013 - March 2014) we have £254mto spend on public services across thecity. By 2017 this will reduce to £220m – a 13 per cent cut from this year.Newport City Council has a legal

requirement to deliver a balancedbudget every year; we just cannot set abudget that we cannot pay for.Therefore with less money from WelshGovernment the council is beingforced to make even more cuts.Imagine if your income was

reduced in a similar manner. Youwouldn’t be able to spend as much

money as you do today and this wouldhave an impact on what you would beable to do. This is exactly the positionNewport City Council faces.To meet this reality we must think

carefully about what we have to do,what we have to stop doing, how we dothings and who we do them for, and wewant to share this serious challengewith you.A budget reduced by £34m means

that the council has to have a clearview of what services it can provide tocontinue improving people's lives. Andfor those services we continue toprovide, they must be the best but

affordable.The council knows a reduced

budget of this scale will inevitablyresult in fewer services being provided,fewer staff being employed and fewerbuildings being occupied.There are some things that the

council is required to provide by law.These are called statutory services andwe will have to find a way to deliverthese. Everything else is a choice, achoice that we want to be informed bylistening to the people of Newport.So, imagine facing a cut of 13 per

cent to your household income. Wherewould you decide to save money?

Continued on page 2

Every day, Newport City Council aims to deliver the best possible service to its residents. We have a clear mission,“Improving People’s Lives – providing the best affordable services”, which guides our activity to deliver the ambition setout in the corporate plan – to make Newport a better place to live, work and visit.

2 For t he l a t e s t news v i s i t www.newpor t . gov. uk NEWPORT MATTERS

Local governmentleaders warn ofharsh times aheadCouncils across Wales, andthe rest of the UK, are allhaving to deal with a newfinancial reality.In June, the Welsh Local

Government Association (WLGA),which represents all 22 councils inWales, said local government wasbraced for “a harsh financial future”in the wake of the UK government’scomprehensive spending review.It was announced that a further

£11.5 billion of cuts will be made toUK public spending confirming thatausterity measures will continue intothe next parliament.With the Welsh Government

having to make around £110million of savings in 2013 and 2014,and further cuts for 2015, thefinancial forecasts for how muchmoney will be available for publicservices in Wales will be revised

significantly downwards.Unprotected service areas like

transport, leisure, highways andculture, are all likely to experiencesignificant and increased financialpressure in the future.Councillor Aaron Shotton

(Flintshire), WLGA deputy leader andspokesperson for finance, said: “Thislatest round of cuts to publicspending will have a huge impact onthe delivery of public services inWales.“Local councils have already

experienced an 8.4 per cent realterms reduction in spending powersince the onset of the recession butwith UK austerity measures set tocontinue for many years into thefuture, even our pessimistic financialforecasts are beginning to become avery real, and painful financialreality.”

Leader’s message

Councillor Bob Bright, leader ofNewport City Council

In the first year of thisadministration we werefaced with makingextremely difficult decisionsin the face of toughfinancial challenges.The situation this year has not

improved – in fact, it is worse andthat is going to continue for theforeseeable future.I’m not going to sugar coat this

with words such as “efficiencies” or“savings”. Over the next four years, itis predicted that Newport CityCouncil will have to make cuts ofaround £34 million. In 2013/14alone we will probably have to spend£12m less than this year.Figures such as these are difficult

to imagine so in this edition ofNewport Matters we will try toexplain what that means in realterms.We will do all we can to protect

frontline services but we should notbe in any doubt that all councils inthe UK, and Newport is no exception,will have to undergo seismic change

Council has already madeconsiderable savingsCut back on leisure activities, put off

decorating your house, stop buyingbooks or sell the car? That is the realityfacing Newport City Council over thenext five years as it faces significantreductions to its budget, and has tomake some very hard decisions aboutwhere to spend its money.The economic conditions facing all

local authorities across the UK hasbeen well publicised, and Newport CityCouncil has already made £50 millionof cuts. It is estimated that a further£12 million of cuts needs to be madein the next financial year alone, quiteliterally every penny counts and everyoption must be considered.These are the most severe cuts that

the council has ever had to make, anddeciding where we will have to reducespending is an extremely difficultdecision. This is why we are sharingthis information with you, so that thevoices, ideas and suggestions of ourresidents and recipients of our servicescan inform this process.

The council is working hard tomeet the financial challenges it faces,using the Prospectus for Change todeliver a new way of working, but wewant to listen to your opinions as well.To share our thinking with you, the

council is approaching this challengewith these four key themes at theheart of the Prospectus for Change:• Achieve savings by being moreefficient in the way we work

• Redesign the ways in which weprovide services, collaborate withother organisations and look at newways of working to make servicesmore cost effective

• Prioritise our statutory services suchas education and social services

• Where possible, protect vulnerablegroups in our communities fromthe wider impact of budget cuts andthe welfare reform programmesintroduced by central government.We can’t guarantee that we will be

able to act on all of the suggestions wereceive but we can promise that they

will be heard, read and considered aspart of the process.On 12 December Newport City

Council’s cabinet will considerproposals on how to achieve therequired savings, which will includeresidents’ feedback. This meeting willinform a report to a full councilmeeting in February 2014 whendecisions will be voted on, and futurebudgets set.Your responses are appreciated by

the council as they will help to give aninsight into the views and wishes oflocal residents. Send your suggestionsto changing.services@newport.gov.ukThere will be further detailed

information on the proposed changesto the budget and which services willbe affected later in the year. There willalso be other opportunities for you tohave your say on these proposals.Information will be in future editionsof Newport Matters and also on thecouncil’s websitewww.newport.gov.uk/changingservices

over the coming years.We will not be able to deliver all

the services we have traditionallydelivered and we will also have tolook at innovative ways of providingothers.For Newport, this will not just be

about saving money – although thathas to be an important part of ourdeliberations – but about ensuringthat residents receive the best possibleservices that we can provide.We would like to invite you to help

us with this process by letting usknow which services are important toyou and if you have any ideas aboutpotential savings.

Continued from front page

CulturalstrategyNewport City Council islooking for your views on acultural strategy.Newport is a city with a proud

sporting and cultural tradition andheritage. Such activities improve andenrich the lives of people enablingthem to have fun, learn and gainqualifications, enjoy physical healthand mental wellbeing, or beemployed in the cultural sector.The excellence of the city’s

sporting and cultural facilities alsoattracts visitors to the city whichsupports the local economy, createsjobs and promotes a positive image.The council is also proposing to

establish a cultural partnershipwhich brings together organisationsand individuals, who throughworking together can maximise theopportunities on offer in this sector.For more information and to

have your say visitwww.newport.gov.uk

3For council enquiries cal l 01633 656 656NEWPORT MATTERS

What does the councilspend its money on?Understanding how a council’s multi-million pound budget is broken down can be hard topicture. Here we show you just how much it costs to run some of our key services each year.

More than £1m to runNewport International

Sports Village

£2.3m to runNewport’s four

council carehomes

£700k to runNewport’s parks

£260k tomonitor food

hygienestandards

£1.2m to deliver freeschool meals

£85k to runthe Register

service

£

£300k to keepour roads

clear in winter

More than £2m tocollect refuse

Your council tax – asmall contribution Council tax is collectedto help pay for services.However, it contributes just

12 per cent towards thecouncil’s total income.Council tax rises are

effectively “capped” by fiveper cent each year. UnlikeEngland, the WelshGovernment has notrecommended a council taxfreeze.This year, council tax in

Newport rose by 3.5 per cent

– this still left Newportresidents paying substantiallyless than most people inWales and the UK.Most homes are subject to

council tax based onvaluations from 1 April 2005set by the Valuation OfficeAgency.Final council tax bills

include the Gwent Policeprecept and, where relevant,a community councilprecept.

Pressures oncouncil budgetNewport City Council has todeal with a number ofpressures on its budgeteach year. These include:• A potential reduction in realterms in the WelshGovernment revenue supportgrant – this makes up nearlyhalf the council’s total income

• An ageing population puttingincreased demand on careservices for older people

• Rising numbers of primaryschool pupils – it is expectedthat there will be an average

increase of around 300 overthe next few years

• A reduction in the amountgiven in specific grants by theWelsh Government which isalso facing a squeeze infunding from centralgovernment

• New legislation requiringadditional council resourcessuch as the changes to thefood hygiene regulationswhich mean businesses arenow compelled to displaytheir ratings

Statutory and non-statutory servicesCouncils provide a rangeof vital front line servicesand the LocalGovernment Associationestimates that theyprovide more than 700separate services to thepublic, including somethat are often unseen ortaken for granted.

Councils have statutoryresponsibilities for many thingsthat affect people’s lives,including, planning andtransport, social services andpromoting equality andsustainable development.Local government also provides

a range of non-statutory services,such as leisure and culture andthe regeneration of local areas.

Busting the myths aboutwhat the council does• The council does not set business rates –we only collect them on behalf of WelshGovernment

• The majority of city centre shops includingempty ones are owned by private landlordsand not the council

• Council tax does not pay for all councilservices – it makes up only 12 per cent of thecouncil’s budget

• National chains and private businesses makethe decision whether to have a shop inNewport – not the council.

4 www.newport.gov.uk info@newport.gov.uk NEWPORT MATTERS

Improved city play areaswith great new facilities

Spor

t & Le

isure

...Three fantastic new play areasin Newport were officiallyopened recently by the city’sMayor, Councillor Cliff Suller.Local children assisted Newport

City Council with the designs forthe upgraded playgrounds inTredegar Park, Jubilee Gardens andBettws Lane.Basket swings, spinning bowls

and climbing frames are amongthe new fun equipment that hasbeen installed.Councillor Suller was joined by

the cabinet member for leisure andculture, Councillor Debbie Wilcox,ward members and local children.Three other play areas were also

part of the improvementprogramme – Marshfield Dairy,Thompson Avenue and another sitein Bettws – thanks to aninvestment of £220,000.Councillor Wilcox said: “Most of

the new play areas will be used bythe local community but Tredegar

Park, as one of our major parks,attracts visitors from across thecity. The playground adds to thepark’s wonderful facilitiesincluding the skatepark and thesports fields.

“It is pleasing that we have beenable to undertake the revamping ofsix play areas in this financial year,despite the difficult economicclimate, using a combination offunding sources including

contributions towards communityfacilities from major developers.“I hope in future we will be able

to carry out more work but this willdepend on finance becomingavailable.”

New gymscomingsoonVisitors to the gyms in NewportCentre and NewportInternational Sports Villagevelodrome will soon be able touse the very latest equipment.The gym at Newport Centre, as

well as having Technogym fitnessand audio visual equipment, will beincreased in size by 40 per cent.At the velodrome, significant

improvements have been made tothe gym and free weights provision. A new strength and conditioning

gym is being developed on theground floor and the main gym onthe first floor will increase in sizeand have new equipment. The two new gyms will open in

October. More informationincluding directions, travel, pricesand facilities can be found atwww.newport.gov.uk/activenewporton the Active Newport Facebookpage, or call 01633 656757.

Youngsters enjoythe outdoors

Bouncing for medals – andfunUsk Valley Trampoline Club,which runs sessions atNewport Centre on Mondaysand the Velodrome onWednesdays, won manytrophies and medals overthe last competitive seasonwith individual and teamsuccesses.You can join the club to

compete or follow the BritishGymnastics (BG) trampolineawards scheme and the clubwelcomes beginners as well asbouncing for fun and fitness. Parties and one-off events can

also be arranged.With a disability trained BG

qualified advanced coach, GCSEand Duke of Edinburgh’s AwardScheme are invigilated.For more information call

07952584240.

Mayor of Newport, Councillor Cliff Suller opens new play areas

More than 200 youngsters fromacross Newport enjoyed amemorable summer that sawthem camping, canoeing andclimbing over the holiday. Organised by the council’s youth

service the summer camps were opento young people aged 11-25 whoattend youth clubs across the city aswell as members of the youth counciland those taking part in projects withyouth workers in schools.

As well as youngsters having anoutdoor experience for a night, thosecompleting their bronze and silverDuke of Edinburgh’s awardexpeditions also camped and tookpart in various activities. Those doingtheir gold Duke of Edinburgh’saward acted as volunteers andassisted with the running of thecamps including helping with thecooking and looking after groups onactivities.

5Do it online www.newport.gov.ukNEWPORT MATTERS

A number of new city centre bus stops and a new terminal willbe in operation while the city centre redevelopment takes place

Bus stops on the moveA number of changes willtake place in the city centreas demolition work beginsthis autumn in preparationfor the exciting Friars Walkscheme.The main bus station will have to

close at the end of October whichmeans Newport Bus, Stagecoach,National Express and otheroperators will be allocatedalternative stops.These will include the new

terminus in Upper Dock Street,near Newport Market; High Streetand Queensway (see map).Full details of the stops being

used by particular services will besignposted in the city centre andcan be viewed onwww.newport.gov.uk/redevelopment. They will also be available fromindividual operators.A new bus station will be created

as part of the Friars Walkdevelopment.The city council does not have to

find alternative stands for the taxisusing the bus station but it isallocating some provision for thebenefit of taxi users.Queensberry Real Estate, the

development company behindFriars Walk, expects constructionwork to begin in spring 2014.Debenhams, Next, Top Shop andCineworld are among those alreadysigned up for the new scheme.It was necessary to close off part

of John Frost Square and UpperDock Street in the summer for

safety reasons after the council wasalerted that the disused Capitol carpark was in urgent need of repair.This area will remain closed off

for the first phase of thedemolition, which is funded by theWelsh Government and willinvolve the taking down of the carpark and some shops in the area,as well as during the constructionperiod.It is believed that the long-term

benefits of the Friars Walk scheme,which is set to revitalise the citycentre, will outweigh any shortterm inconvenience anddisruption.

Chan

ging

city.

..New look marketVisitors to the market willhave noticed that the HighStreet façade has undergonea transformation.With a new entrance and shop

fronts, the major refurbishmentproject is finally nearingcompletion after some unavoidabledelays.

Market traders are beginning tomove into the new units and anofficial opening is being planned tomark the end of the project and thestart of the Christmas shoppingseason. Look out for details on thecouncil website but in themeantime pop along to see whatthe market has to offer and supportyour local, independent traders.

6 www.newport.gov.uk info@newport.gov.uk NEWPORT MATTERS

Newport CountyAFC awardedfreedom of the cityNewport County AFC waspresented with the freedomof the City of Newport lastmonth in recognition of theclub’s return to the footballleague.Mayor Councillor Cliff Suller

presented the club with a scrollmarking the honour just beforethe game against Bristol Roversat Rodney Parade on August 17.“I was delighted to formally

present the scroll awarding thefreedom of the City to NewportCounty AFC.“They join a special club of

16 individuals andorganisations who have

received the freedom of Newportsince 1909.”Councillor Bob Bright, leader

of Newport City Council,proposed the freedom of the citywas awarded to the club, as wellas the surviving members of the1963 Newport RFC team whobeat the powerful New ZealandAll Blacks, and this wasunanimously supported by thefull council.The former Black and Ambers

will be presented with thefreedom at a special dinnerbeing organised by the club intheir honour on October 30 –the anniversary of their famousvictory.Ne

wpor

t new

s...

Rats? Call in the city’s pestcontrollersPut a full stop to problem pestssuch as rodents, insects orbirds by calling in the citycouncil’s pest controllers.As a non-profit making

organisation, it provides a quality,comprehensive and cost effectiveservice that handles or offers adviceon pest infestations that have thepotential to spread disease or seriouslyaffect your health and wellbeing.Our flexible pest control teams

have expert knowledge of particularproblems in the locality.All the officers are fully qualified

and have many years of experience indealing with all pests in domestic,public and business premises.For more information or to

report a pest problem contact01633 851668 or emailpest.control@newport.gov.uk

Tribute toCouncillorRon Jones

Councillor Ron Jones, Newport’slongest serving councillor sadlypassed away last month.Councillor Jones had represented

the Pill ward for nearly 50 years andwas the current chair of planning. Leader of Newport City Council,

Councillor Bob Bright said: “I amdeeply saddened to hear of the deathof one of our most committedcouncillors. Ron always put thecommunity of Pill first, supportingand fighting for them at every step.“It is a great loss which will be felt

within the community, across the cityand within the council. Ron was well-respected and an excellent example ofa hard-working local councillor.“I am pleased that he was taking

part in community events until thevery end – it is exactly what he wouldhave wanted.”The former chair of Gwent County

Council was also governor ofPillgwenlly Primary School and StMichael's RC Primary School and wasa carer's champion, older person'schampion and member of NewportHousing Trust.

Grants for newbusinessesGrants of up to £500 are

available from Newport CityCouncil and UK Steel Enterprise topre start ups and businesses up to12 months old. Companies/partnerships/sole traders/socialenterprises are all eligible.The grants are available towards

first year’s rent on first commercialpremises, plant and equipment,ICT equipment, software, websitesand related training. Up to 40 percent of costs can be awarded with aminimum grant of £250 andmaximum of £500.

Newport City Councilbusiness loans (pre start-up and businesses

under 12 months old)Loans of between £500 and

£1,000 are available and can beused towards plant and equipment,ICT equipment, software, websitesand related training, newmarketing projects, external andinternal building works andalterations, capital expenditurerelated to obtaining ISOaccreditations.

Support for businessesLoans for establishedbusinessesLoans of up to £10,000 are

available to existing SMEs (under250 employees) that have beenestablished in the city for morethan 12 months. The loan is available towards

plant and equipment, ICTequipment, software, websites andrelated training, new marketingprojects, external and internalbuilding works and alterations,capital expenditure related toobtaining ISO accreditations.For more information visit

www.newport.gov.uk/business To discuss your project’s

eligibility or request an applicationform, contact the council’seconomic development team on01633 656656 or emailbusiness.services@newport.gov.uk

Superfast broadbandNewport City Council is to receive

up to £6 million to help deliver alocal superfast broadband scheme.It will help transform the city

into a ‘super-connected city’ byoffering access to a superfastnetwork infrastructure.

The development of superfastbroadband in Newport will alsosupport the work of the Newportcity centre regeneration taskforcewhich was established by the WelshGovernment earlier this year.In Newport, the super connected

cities project is aiming to makesure that businesses have thechance to connect to a superfastnetwork, making their broadbandspeeds superfast, or ultrafast wherepossible, by 2015.Under the scheme, businesses

will be able to apply for a voucherthat will contribute to the cost ofthe initial connection.The next step will be to work with

local companies to make themaware of the benefits of superfastbroadband and help them exploreways in which they can use it. Under the scheme there are also

plans to improve public wi-fi in thecity which will benefit residents andvisitors.For further information on the

super connected project visitwww.newportsmartandconnectedcity.co.uk/superfast or emailsuper.connected@newport.gov.uk

Veterans footballDust off your boots and head toBettws to join the NewportVeterans league.Players aged 50 and over meet

every Friday at the Active LivingCentre 6-9pm.There are also opportunities to play

non-league veterans and mixed-agefootball on Mondays at NewportInternational Sports Village (NISV)and Wednesdays at Llanwern HighSchool. At the end of the leagueseason veterans play unstructuredgames at NISV 5-6pm.For more information email

martin.lippiatt@newport.gov.uk

Work at the formerLlanwern steelworks sitedevelopment is progressingwell.The £1bn Glan Llyn project is

helping to transform the 600 acresite into an exciting newsustainable community forNewport.Ben Cook, South Wales' new

residential land director forregeneration specialist, St. Modwensaid: “Since acquiring the site,we’ve been focussed on an extensiveprogramme of remediation toenable the delivery of the first phaseof homes and a new gateway intothe community. The first phase ofhousing, launched to market last

New communitytakes shape

Royal legacybenefits city’sgreen spacesBelle Vue Park and RinglandTop are now both QueenElizabeth II Fields which willprotect them for generationsto come.Fields in Trust operate the

scheme which was designed toprotect 2012 outdoor recreationalspaces across the country tocelebrate HM The Queen’s diamondjubilee.The official signing of the deeds

of dedication means that both thewest and the east of the city havetheir own Queen Elizabeth II Field.

Councillor Bob Bright, leader ofNewport City Council, said: “I’mdelighted that the city boasts notone but two green spaces which willbe protected for the enjoyment ofresidents in the future.“I am especially pleased about

Ringland Top, which is in my ownward, as the idea to put it forwardfor this honour came from thepeople who live there.“It is fantastic that Newport will

now have two Queen Elizabeth IIFields as a permanent reminder of avery special year.”

7For council enquiries call 01633 656656NEWPORT MATTERS

year, is already proving successful,with 91 properties sold and majorityoccupied. The properties deliveredby joint venture partner Persimmoninclude a range of two, three andfour bedroom homes and townhouses. St. Modwen has also madea multi-million poundcommitment to develop andimprove local infrastructure, withnew access roads planned to andfrom the site. “Over the next 20 years, St.

Modwen will deliver around 4,000new homes and a range of facilitiesincluding a new local centreoffering leisure and retail spacesupported by new educationfacilities all surrounded by 80 acresof extensive open parkland. This

new sustainable community willalso feature its own 100 acrebusiness area, Celtic Business Park,making it a major provider of newoffice, industrial and warehousespace. “St. Modwen is committed to

working with Newport City Counciland partners to realise significantnew opportunities to regenerateNewport. Predicted to bring £1bn ofinvestment to the local economythrough creation of jobopportunities and facilities, webelieve Glan Llyn will become theplace for people to live and work insouth Wales for generations tocome.”For more information visit

www.glanlyn-newport.co.uk

Ward meetingsAllt-yr-Yn: 28 October, 10am, Civic CentreBeechwood: 9 October, 6pm, St Julian’s library Caerleon: 3 October, 2pm, Christchurch Village HallStow Hill: 10 October, 7pm, Baneswell Community CentreShaftesbury: 13 November, 6pm, All Saints Church, Brynglas Road

Safeguardingour childrenThe new south east WalesSafeguarding Children Board(SEWSCB) has launched a newwebsite – www.sewsc.org.uk The website has advice and

information for children and youngpeople, parents, carers andprofessionals.SEWSCB has replaced the five

former local safeguarding children

boards in Newport, Torfaen,Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwentand Caerphilly. Its role is to ensure children and

young people in the south east Walesregion are protected from abuse,neglect and exploitation and live inan environment that promotes theirwell-being and life chances.

Rogue landlord hotlineNewport City Council now hasa confidential telephonenumber for the public toreport landlords they thinkmay be breaking the law.Already this year, the council has

prosecuted 10 landlords for failing tomaintain their properties to legalstandards or letting out unlicensedshared houses. Fines and costs

totalling £205,328 have beenimposed by the courts.The confidential 24-hour

telephone number is 01633 235233and callers are asked to leave theaddress of the property, the landlord’sname (if known) and the problem.Calls can be made anonymously butpeople are asked to leave their detailsif they would like to be updated.

LDP alternative sites consultationAs part of the recentconsultation on the reviseddeposit Local DevelopmentPlan (LDP), there was anopportunity for people tosubmit proposals foralternative sites fordevelopment or protection.Newport City Council is required

to produce an alternative sitesregister which details thoseconsultation responses. The register includes suggestions

for new sites and amendments ordeletions of allocations. It isimportant to note that thesesuggestions are not council proposals.

A six-week consultation on thisregister began on 6 September. It isavailable on the council websitewww.newport.gov.uk/planningpolicytogether with representation formswhich can be filled in online orprinted.The documents are also available

at the Information Station,Queensway, in all Newport librariesor on request.Comments need to be made on the

forms and must be submitted to thecouncil no later than 5pm on Friday18 October by post, online or emailedto ldp.consultation@newport.gov.ukThe revised plan took on board

additional evidence on housing

need, population growth andemployment land plus the outcomeof work by a scrutiny committee toidentify Gypsy and Traveller sites tomeet legal requirements.It went out to consultation for six

weeks in June and July.Following the completion of the

statutory consultations andconsideration of the publicconsultation responses, the finalversion of the LDP will go before thefull council later this year. It will thenbe submitted to the WelshGovernment for its examination.The LDP will then help to shape

future development in Newport until2026.

Alice in Chains(16 Nov)With special guest Ghost.

UDO WelshStreetdanceChampionships(24 Nov)

Events are subject to change – visit www. newport.gov.uk/whatson for updated listings

8 Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/newportcitycouncil NEWPORT MATTERS

Wha

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Workshops (ongoing)The Riverfront plays host to a vast range of workshops with something tosuit all ages, interests and abilities.

Cinema (ongoing)The Riverfront plays a broad range of films from around the world. We alsohave a selection of matinee showings and bring baby showings.

Exhibition: Matthew Harris (until 4 Oct)Matthew Harris's work explores the dynamic and complex relationship wehave with the urban landscape.

First Wednesday (2 Oct, 6 Nov)Regular series of lunchtime recitals. with a mixture of music presented.

Earthfall: Chelsea Hotel (3 Oct)Earthfall reveal the poetry and tragicomic events from this iconic hotelthrough dance.

Comedy Port 2013 (7-12 Oct)Another bumper crop of comedy comes to Newport in the form of ComedyPort 2013! Follow us on Twitter for the very latest Comedy Port news@PortComedyFest

Henning Knows Bestest (7 Oct) German born Henning Wehn is the self-appointed German ComedyAmbassador to the UK.

Old Trout Puppet Company – Ignorance(10 Oct)The Old Trout Puppet Company has gone searching for our lost blissamong our ignorant prehistoric ancestors.

Sessions Open Mic Night & BoutiqueMarket Stalls (11 Oct, 8 Nov)Boutique stalls adorn the foyer from 5pm until 11pm and performance fillsthe air in the café from 7pm. All types of performers are welcome to comealong, from comedians to poets and musicians, and all you need to do isturn up on the night. This event is not aimed at under 16s, acts after 9pmmay be unsuitable for children.

Gwerthu Allan (11 Oct) 'Gwerthu Allan' present an evening of Welsh language stand-up.

Comedy Port family fun day (12 Oct)A day of hands-on funny stuff for families, including free workshops,performances and Comedy Club 4 Kids.

Sinfonia Cymru (13 Oct)As part of Sinfonia Cymru's Classic Conversation strand, the orchestrainvites its Guest Director and Leader Bartosz Woroch to take centre stage.

Space, Time Machine and MonsterExhibition (14-25 Oct) Featuring a selection of vintage horror and sci-fi film posters, which havebeen kindly loaned by The Art Depot, Newport.

Shakespeare schools festival (14-15 Oct) Each night four schools will perform four different Shakespeare plays.

Oliver Reed: Wild Thing (17 Oct) Oliver Reed knocks back a few drinks and shares his incredible life story.

Space, Time Machine and Monster Festival(18-19 Oct) Leaked Government documents have revealed an extra-terrestrial plot toinvade the City of Newport this autumn!

Buddy Holly and The Cricketers (23 Oct)This breathtaking show is guaranteed to have everyone singing along.

Call Me Dusty (24 Oct)Celebrates the music of Dusty Springfield, the private person and alter ego.

Comedy Shed (25 Oct)The relaxed cabaret style comedy club offers three professional comediansand the chance to enjoy a drink.

South Wales Argus Young Artist of the Year(26 Oct-23 Nov) The South Wales Argus is teaming up with the University of South Walesand The Riverfront to search for the Gwent Young Artist of the Year 2013.

Met Opera (26 Oct, 9 Nov) The Metropolitan Opera's Emmy Award winning series of live performancetransmissions are beamed to The Riverfront direct from New York.

Chris Dean's Syd Lawrence Orchestra inConcert (26 Oct)A spectacular show full of pulsating energy from the Big Band era.

Curious Creatures (30 Oct)Welcome to the 'Curious Creatures' wildlife park. Suitable for children aged5+ and their families.

The Riverfront – 01633 656 757 www.newport.gov.uk/riverfront

Newport FoodFestival (4-5 Oct)The market will be playing a bigrole in this year’s food festival. Seeour special pull out for full details.

Comic Fair (12 Oct)Get your hands on some classiceditions. 9.30am-4.30pm

Newport Market –01633 656656

Piano recital (12Oct)Piano recital. 12pm.

Newport Cathedral01633 212077

Welsh OpenGrappling (27 Oct)

Cage fighting (2 Nov)

Newport Centre – 01633 656757 Stuck in the Mud(12-13 Nov) See Riverfront listings.

9NEWPORT MATTERS Follow us on twitter @newportcouncil

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Big Read (1-5 Oct)A celebration of reading and writing forall the family

Meet the authorsTuesday to Friday, Newport Centre, 2.30pmMeet authors including Lindsey Davis, Lilian Harry, John Harvey andElizabeth Chadwick.

Tuesday to Friday, Newport Centre Heroes Bar, from 7pmMeet author Ben Kane, share your own work at an open mic night,enjoy a date with the devil or find out how science can inspire fictionwith Jordan Stryker – Bionic Hero.

Saturday, Rivermead Centre1-2pm: Illustrator of picture books and novels for children, SarahWarburton, will be reading from some of her books, and helpingchildren and families to draw their own book characters and worlds.

2.30-3.30pm: Animal mad author Anna Wilson will be reading from herlatest book and encouraging the children to help her create a wild andwacky story about “animals in crazy places”.For more information visit www.newport.gov.uk/libraries

Flower power

Paralympic gold medallist LizJohnson made a splash atNewport International SportsVillage recently as she showedher support for Macmillan’sWorld’s Biggest CoffeeMorning. Liz, from Newport, took to the

pool to encourage people to host acoffee morning for MacmillanCancer Support on Friday 27September.Liz, who won a gold medal for

the 100m breaststroke at the 2008Beijing Paralympic also secured asilver medal at the AthensParalympics in 2004 and a bronzemedal at the London 2012Paralympics, is encouraging peopleto host a coffee morning to raisecrucial funds for the charity.“I’m supporting World’s Biggest

Coffee Morning as Macmillan wasable to help my family at a timewhen we needed them most,” shesaid.“You can learn so much from

sharing your experiences and

Gold medalist dives in

knowing that you’re not alone andthat’s one of the things thatMacmillan does.”Now in its 23rd year, World’s

Biggest Coffee Morning raised anamazing £15m for Macmillan lastyear alone.The charity is appealing for

more people than ever to host theirown coffee morning to raisecrucial funds to support peopleaffected by cancer.To sign up to host a coffee

morning, call 0300 1000 200 or

visit www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee.For information or support

relating to cancer, call Macmillan’sSupport Line on 0808 808 00 00(8am to 8pm Monday to Friday) orvisit www.macmillan.org.uk.

Despite the hot weather and ashortage of rain, the gardensentered in this year’s Newport inBloom competition still lookedwonderful.

Many thanks go to all whotook part this year and for thehard work and enthusiasmshown in creating such eye-catching displays.

Liz Johnson supporting Macmillan at the sports village

10 For t he l a t e s t news v i s i t www.newpor t . gov. uk NEWPORT MATTERS

Education Achievement Service a year onLast September saw thelaunch of the South EastWales Education AchievementService which is designed toraise school educationstandards. The EAS was created by the five

local authorities (Blaenau Gwent,Caerphilly, Newport,Monmouthshire and Torfaen). Byworking together as part of anintegrated service, schools can besupported and challenged moreeffectively, front line servicesenhanced and the most made ofthe available resources.A review carried out by Welsh

Government of the four RegionalSchool Improvement Consortiaacross Wales was published in

Scho

ols &

Lear

ning

...

Exam success for Newport pupils Newport pupils enjoyed A Leveland GCSE success in thesummer exams.The proportion of students

achieving the highest WJEC A* and Agrades at A Levels was 24.7 per cent,remaining above the Welsh averageof 22.9 per cent. The percentage ofthose gaining an A* was equal to theWales average at 6 per cent. The proportion of students

Two programmes inNewport are making a realdifference to the lives ofchildren and families indisadvantaged areas of thecity.Flying Start helps families with

children aged up to four whileFamilies First provides supportthrough preventative and earlyintervention services.Councillor Bob Poole, Newport

City Council’s cabinet memberfor education and young people,said: “We want all families in thecity to feel confident, nurturedand safe and make sure childrenachieve their potential.“We work closely with a range

of other organisations to deliverservices to improve the lives offamilies and both these

Help for children and vulnerable familiesprogrammes are making a realdifference in our communities.”Councillor Debbie Wilcox,

cabinet member for leisure andculture, said: “I’m sure thechildren who took part in FlyingStart’s summer celebration dayshad great fun but the sessionsalso have a serious objective – tohelp them achieve developmentalmilestones and help their parentsto acquire the skills they need toassist their child’s learning.“I’m delighted that the

funding from the WelshGovernment has enabled us toextend the programme andprovide purpose-built facilities. Itmeans even more children inNewport will be to get that vitallyimportant ‘Flying Start’ to theirlives.”Councillor Deborah Davies,

April and stated that, “It is our viewthat just one consortium (SouthEast) is ahead of the others.”Highlights of the report included:• There has been high ambition,good communication andstrong engagement withschool leaders and youngpeople in the development ofthe EAS

• The new managing director ofEAS has done a great job,collective leadership has beenstrong and support for localauthorities in need is positive

• Overall planning has beeneffective against fast-paceddeadlines which was seen asnecessary as part of signallingthe change

Steve Davies, managing directorof EAS, said: “We had a very goodfirst year with lots of support fromschools and education colleagueswithin local authorities. I havevisited a number of good andoutstanding schools across theregion and there is lots of good andexcellent practice happening.“Bringing together strong

education professionals to raiseeducation standards in our schoolshas been key to our progress. “The unity and commitment of

the five councils, its leaders, chiefexecutives and directors ofeducation have been critical to theinitial success of the service. “The Hill report is looking at the

impact of decreasing the number of

council education services by athird. The example set by Newportand Blaenau Gwent on howcollaborative working can addvalue to the delivery of services isan example for others across thecountry. However, with threecouncils in the region in specialmeasures the task facing the EAS isstill considerable. “While early indications point to

all five LAs improving standards innational test and examinations, theEAS recognises that, to meet theneeds of the children and youngpeople of south east Wales furtherstrong, collaborative work isrequired through the strongpartnership that exists in theregion.”

achieving a pass grade at WJEC ALevel (Grades A* - E) was equal tothe UK average at 98.1 per cent andremained above the Welsh averageof 97.6 per cent. Passes at WJECgrades A* - C were at 78 per cent inNewport, an increase from 77.9 percent last year. An increasing number of young

people have stayed in Newportschools to enter WJEC exams. A Level

exam entries were up 9.1 per centfrom last year compared with aWales decrease of 3.9 per cent.Newport’s overall 2013 GCSE

results also showed an improvementon last year and remain above theWelsh average.Figures for the WJEC

examinations show that 67.3 percent of entries achieved grades A* toC compared to 66 per cent last year

and 1.6 per cent higher than theWelsh average for 2013.The number of pupils achieving

A* - A grades was 23 per cent, 3.8 percent higher than the Welsh average.In 2012, 21.5 per cent of Newportpupils achieved the top grades.Overall, around 98 per cent of

entries in the city were gradedbetween A* and G.

cabinet member for skills andwork, added: “An essential strandof our work with families isensuring adult family membershave the right skills and are ableto access further learning andemployment opportunities.“Tackling one of the root

causes of disadvantage will notonly benefit families andcommunities but will have animpact on child poverty, one ofthe most pernicious issues facingus today and one we aredetermined to stamp out with thehelp of our partners.”

Families in Newport are getting the help they need through twopartnership projects

11Do i t on l i ne www.newpor t . gov. ukNEWPORT MATTERS

Improvement Plan 2013/14The council has a new ten point plan for 2013/14 to deliver improved services to the people of Newport.

Newport is a Caring CityOur priorities for 2013/14 are:• To reduce the time taken to deliver a Disabled Facilities Grant• To increase the numbers of people using Telecare to help them to live as

independently as possible

Newport is a Fairer CityOur priorities for 2013/14 are:• To increase our insight and understanding of what the community needs

to help us to delivered more targeted services• To improve the way that the local authority acts as a corporate parent to

looked after children to help them achieve stability and permanency

Newport is a Learning and Working CityOur priorities for 2013/14 are:• To improve the educational attainment of children at Key Stage 4• To regenerate the city and increase the attractiveness of the city centre

Newport is a Greener and Healthier CityOur priorities for 2013/14 are:• To increase the amount of waste recycled, and reduced the amount ofwaste sent to landfill

• To enhance cultural opportunities and increase participation inleisure activities

Newport is a Safer CityOur priorities for 2013/14 are:• To make the streets cleaner and safer by monitoring and maintainingthe highway network and removing fly tipping

• To further develop early intervention and preventative servicesthrough the Integrated Family Support Service.

a caring city

a fairer city

a learning& working city

a greener & healthier city

a safer city

If you would like to contact us about the plan please call01633 656656 or emailperformance.management@newport.gov.uk

Cynllun Gwella 2013/14Mae’r Cyngor wedi llunio cynllun deg cam ar gyfer 2013/14 â’r nod o ddarparu gwasanaethau gwell i bobl Casnewydd.

Mae Casnewydd yn Ddinas OfalgarEin Hamcanion ar gyfer 2013/14:• Lleihau’r amser a gymerir i weinyddu Grantiau Cyfleusterau i’r Anabl • Cynyddu nifer y bobl sy’n defnyddio gwasanaeth Teleofal i’w helpu i fyw

mor annibynnol â phosibl

Mae Casnewydd yn Ddinas DecachEin Hamcanion ar gyfer 2013/14:• Cynyddu ein Dirnadaeth a dealltwriaeth o anghenion y Gymuned i’n

helpu i ddarparu gwasanaethau mwy targedig• Gwella’r ffordd y mae’r awdurdodau lleol yn gweithredu fel Rhiant

Corfforaethol i blant sy'n derbyn gofal i’w helpu i gael sefydlogrwydd apharhad.

Mae Casnewydd yn Ddinas sy’n Dysgu a GweithioEin Hamcanion ar gyfer 2013/14:• Gwella cyflawniad addysgol plant yng Nghyfnod Allweddol 4• Adfywio’r ddinas a gwneud Canol y Ddinas yn fwy deniadol

Mae Casnewydd yn Ddinas Wyrddach ac IachachEin Hamcanion ar gyfer 2013/14:• Ailgylchu mwy o wastraff ac anfon llai o wastraff i safleoedd tirlenwi• Cynyddu Cyfleoedd Diwylliannol a chyfranogiad mewngweithgareddau hamdden

Mae Casnewydd yn Ddinas DdiogelachEin Hamcanion ar gyfer 2013/14:• Gwneud y strydoedd yn lanach ac yn ddiogelach drwy fonitro achynnal y rhwydwaith priffyrdd ac atal tipio anghyfreithlon

• Datblygu ymhellach y gwasanaethau ymyriadau cynnar ac atalioldrwy’r Gwasanaeth Integredig Cymorth i Deuluoedd.

ddinas ofaglar

ddinas decach

ddinas sy’n dysgua gweithio

Os hoffech gysylltu â ni ynghylch y cynllun ffoniwch 01633656656 neu anfonwch e-bost atom ynperformance.management@newport.gov.uk.

ddinas wyrddachac iachach

ddinasddiogelach

12 Recycle for Newport www.newport.gov.uk/recycle NEWPORT MATTERS

52%

Recycling Target

Targed Ailg

ylchu

Recyc

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r New

po

rt

Over the next year, a number ofchanges to waste and recyclingcollections in Newport will beintroduced. Our aim is toimprove the service on offer,increase recycling levels andreduce the amount of wastegoing to landfill. Many residents are not making full

use of the recycling services and weknow that almost 50 per cent of thematerial going into the rubbish binis easily recyclable.There is very little that can’t be

recycled at the kerbside or at thehousehold waste recycling centre andwe are encouraging everyone tomake that extra effort.Recycling is a positive action that

not only benefits the environmentbut can also save you money. Sending waste to landfill is

expensive for the council and, inaddition, if we do not meet thetargets set by Welsh Government weare likely to be hit with costly fines.

Cardboard collectionsResidents will be receiving a new

Changes to your waste and recycling collectionssack for cardboard as new legislationon composting means the councilcan no longer collect garden wasteand cardboard in the same container.Your new sack will be delivered

with an advice leaflet and details ofwhen the scheme will begin in yourarea.If you only use your orange lidded

bin for cardboard, we can remove thebin when the new scheme starts.

Food wasteWorking with Waste Awareness

Wales, we are looking at foodrecycling and talking to residentswho currently do not recycle this typeof waste.On October 5, we will be hosting

the Love Food Hate Waste road showat the Newport Food Festival. Therewill be advice on how to reduce theamount of food waste we producethat could save the average familyover £500 a year.

Smaller binsAs part of the increased recycling

services we will also be rolling out180ltr bins in replacement of the

standard 240ltr bins. The new bins are slightly narrower

and do not take up as much roomand if using all the recyclingschemes, offer ample capacity for afamily’s worth of residual waste. Roll-out of the bins will be phased

over the coming year, but if youwould like to have a new bin soonerplease contact the council.

Food and plastic bags – onrequestRolls of food waste liners and

recycling bags for plastics will nolonger be automatically delivered tohouseholds but are still available freeof charge.Wastesavers will issue bags on

request to encourage less waste. Call01633 281 281 or emailmail@wastesavers.co.ukBags will also be available to

collect from the following locations:• Wastesavers Resource Centre,Esperanto Way, Lliswerry, Newport,NP19 0RD, open Mon-Fri,8.30am – 4pm

• Community Furniture Shop,

52/53 Commercial Road,Pillgwenlly, NP20 2PE, openMon-Sat, 9am – 4.30pm

• Information Station, Old StationBuilding, Queensway, NewportNP20 4AX, open Mon-Fri,8.30am – 5pm

Household waste recyclingcentreAt the household waste recycling

centre (HWRC) on Docksway, a widerange of new materials can now berecycled – from mattresses andtextiles to CDs and batteries. By keeping the materials separate

when loading the car, it will make itfar easier to recycle on site. There arevery few materials that can’t berecycled providing they are keptseparate. The site is open 7.30am-

4.30pm Monday to Friday and9am -4.30pm Saturday andSunday. It is closed Christmas Day,Boxing Day, New Years Day andBank Holiday Mondays. You needto be on site at least 15 minutesprior to closing time.

There is a limit on site for unsortedwaste of five black bags and staff willbe actively encouraging you to sortwaste before arrival. We will bechecking the contents of bags andoffering advice on which materialsshould be kept separate or can berecycled at the kerbside.The site is only open to residents of

Newport and does not accept wastefrom traders, landlords or businesswaste. No vans or other commercialvehicles are allowed to use the HWRCand these will be diverted to theweighbridge where you can pay tolandfill the waste.