Latest news with #BlaenauGwentCountyBoroughCouncil
South Wales Argus
4 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Ebbw Vale: plans for statue of Steve Jones lodged
Alyson Tippings of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council's environment and regeneration department has applied to place the 2.85-metre-high statue at Ebbw Vale Sports Centre on Lime Avenue. Destination manager Ms Tipping explained that talks had been held between her department, the Sports Centre and other groups with an interest in the project. Ms Tipping said: 'The project is being delivered by a group that includes local authority staff, Aneurin Leisure staff, local councillors and a representative of the group who fundraised for the project. 'Steve Jones and his family have been involved in the selection of the design.' They selected a proposal by artist Tim Ward for the sculpture. The sculpture is to be a silhouette running figure mounted on a locally quarried limestone boulder. The total height of the proposal will be 3.4 metres and will be 'created' in 10mm marine grade 316 stainless steel, laser cut to shape with laser etched text in Welsh and English. The figure will be 2.85 metres high with a width of 1.5 metres and shows Steve Jones wearing the number 10 breaking the world record in 1984 when winning the Chicago Marathon. The steelwork will be securely fixed by resin fixed into a base on a boulder. A decision on the application is expected by September 2. Olympian and former marathon world record holder Mr Jones was awarded Blaenau Gwent's highest honour when councillors voted unanimously to award him the freedom of the county borough at a meeting in January. In April, Mr Jones joined councillors and guests online from his home in Boulder, Colorado in United States of America at an extraordinary council meeting where he received the honour.. The mover to award Mr Jones the freedom of Blaenau Gwent started last year when the council were asked by Lee Aherne chairman of Parc Bryn Bach running club, if anything would be done to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his world record run at the Chicago marathon. This feat took place on October 21, 1984. He held the marathon record for a British runner for 33 years until Mo Farah broke it in 2018. At the meeting Mr Aherne said: 'I was very luck in the 1980s to have stood on the starting lines when Steve was the best marathon runner in the world.' 'You are a bona fide legend.' Mr Jones told councillors 'You can't believe how honoured I feel to be accepting this award. 'Ebbw Vale is where I started running, my roots and family are still in Ebbw Vale. 'All the other things I have done in my life, even receiving my MBE from Princess Anne may stand second to this honour.'
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Council to leave 'slum' office building but will spend £420k on it first
LATER this year Blaenau Gwent council staff are set to leave an office building in Abertillery which has been described in the past as a 'slum'. But first the council will need to spend £420,000 to address the 'dilapidations' at Anvil Court which is the base for the council's Social Services department. At a Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council meeting on Thursday, July 17, councillors received the proposed capital programme for the forthcoming year and up to 2030. The capital programme allocates funding towards building and maintenance projects that are council priorities. One of these priorities is to spend on Anvil Court which the council have leased since 2005. The report explained that: 'In line with contractual commitments, the council will need to carry out dilapidation work currently estimated at £420,000.' This needs to take place before the council 'surrenders' the 20-year lease on Anvil Court in December. The report also said that £492,000 will need to be spent on 'building modifications' to the council's headquarters at the General Office in Ebbw Vale and also the VITCC Centre in Tredegar. The VITCC has housed the Adult Social Service hub team. The building had been for sale but was taken off market to ensure the council has enough office capacity for its staff. Councillors unanimously agreed the proposal. Read more 'Snow line' barrier to regeneration north of Gwent town is 'very real' council told Safety inspections being carried out on disused coal tips after storm damage There have been question marks surrounding Anvil Court's future for several years. Last year councillors received a confidential report on the building's future. Back in 2019 the building was identified in a review of council properties along with the now-demolished Civic Centre in Ebbw Vale as 'standing out' in terms of maintenance backlog that needed to be addressed. Further questions were raised by councillors in December 2021 on the buildings ongoing suitability as a council office. This is because it was deemed that Anvil Court would require a lot of investment if it were to come up to the condition required to help the council hit its Net Zero carbon neutral target by 2030. In March 2022, the state of the building was slammed by residents who said that the building reminded them of 'slum,' and there were also issues with anti-social behaviour in the area.
South Wales Argus
25-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Blaenau Gwent council to end lease on Anvil Court
But first the council will need to spend £420,000 to address the 'dilapidations' at Anvil Court which is the base for the council's Social Services department. At a Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council meeting on Thursday, July 17, councillors received the proposed capital programme for the forthcoming year and up to 2030. The capital programme allocates funding towards building and maintenance projects that are council priorities. One of these priorities is to spend on Anvil Court which the council have leased since 2005. The report explained that: 'In line with contractual commitments, the council will need to carry out dilapidation work currently estimated at £420,000.' This needs to take place before the council 'surrenders' the 20-year lease on Anvil Court in December. The report also said that £492,000 will need to be spent on 'building modifications' to the council's headquarters at the General Office in Ebbw Vale and also the VITCC Centre in Tredegar. The VITCC has housed the Adult Social Service hub team. The building had been for sale but was taken off market to ensure the council has enough office capacity for its staff. Councillors unanimously agreed the proposal. There have been question marks surrounding Anvil Court's future for several years. Last year councillors received a confidential report on the building's future. Back in 2019 the building was identified in a review of council properties along with the now-demolished Civic Centre in Ebbw Vale as 'standing out' in terms of maintenance backlog that needed to be addressed. Further questions were raised by councillors in December 2021 on the buildings ongoing suitability as a council office. This is because it was deemed that Anvil Court would require a lot of investment if it were to come up to the condition required to help the council hit its Net Zero carbon neutral target by 2030. In March 2022, the state of the building was slammed by residents who said that the building reminded them of 'slum,' and there were also issues with anti-social behaviour in the area.
South Wales Argus
24-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Blaenau Gwent council 'integrating' Silent Valley staff
At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council on Thursday, July 17, Silent Valley was brought up as councillors discussed a response to the outcome of a Peer Panel Assessment which had been conducted in November last year. The panel reviewed the governance arrangements of a council at corporate level in order to assess the extent to which a council: is exercising its functions effectively; is using its resources economically, efficiently, and effectively; and has effective governance in place for securing this. The panel had concluded that the council effectively exercises its functions within the challenging demographic and financial constraints it faces. But they had mentioned that 'legacy issues' such as the council's former arm's length company Silent Valley should be reported on publicly to provide assurance to interested parties. Silent Valley was officially dissolved at the end of March – but there are still lingering problems to resolve. Leader of the opposition Independent group Cllr Wayne Hodgins said: 'It's something that doesn't seem to have gone away just yet and needs to be looked at as a matter of urgency 'We appear to have a two-tier workforce at present.' Cllr Wayne Hodgins raised concerns over a two-tier workforce When visiting the site, the workforce had discussed their issues with Cllr Hodgins, and he said they were feeling 'a bit demoralised.' Council leader Cllr Stephen Thomas (Labour) said: 'There are meetings taking place on that very aspect and it's time the issue was laid to rest.' Director of neighbourhood and environment Mark Thomas confirmed that a review has been conducted on 'how best' to support the Silent Valley staff and make sure that arrangements to transition them into the council are 'equitable.' Mr Thomas said: 'Potentially some staff could have been taken advantage of and we're doing all we can to address that going forward. 'A report will be forthcoming.' Getting back to the panel's report, deputy council leader Cllr Helen Cunningham (Labour) said: 'It was a really valuable way to take stock and have people with a fresh pair of eyes speak to us. 'It outlines the challenges we have in terms of finances and sustainability and also the really good things going on. 'Becoming a Marmot council really has the potential to make a change to our communities and tackle deprivation.' She also noted the 'widespread support' to share a chief executive and greater collaboration with neighbouring Torfaen council. 'I found this exercise really worthwhile,' said Cllr Cunningham. Councillors went ahead an unanimously backed the draft action plan. In February 2022, the council agreed to take over Silent Valley following a damning report by Audit Wales. The report highlighted that the council failed to establish robust and effective arrangements in its relationship with Silent Valley between 2003 and 2017. The transfer of the environment permit in 2023 from Silent Valley to Blaenau Gwent allows the council to operate the landfill site near Cwm until 2076. At a meeting of the county borough council on Thursday, March 27, councillors received a report which explained the final parts of the process to dissolving Silent Valley which had been wound up earlier that month.
South Wales Argus
22-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
New housing plans in Cwm, Ebbw Vale approved by council
But concerns were raised over a planning condition which could mean that the the applicant would be allowed to sell off most of them in the future. At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council's Planning committee on Thursday, July 17, an application by Tai Calon Housing Association to build homes on the former Cwmrhydderch Court retirement flats at Cwm came before councillors. The retirement complex was built in the 1970s and demolished in 2022. The proposal would see a mix of eight one bedroom 'walk up' flats, five two-bedroom and five three-bedroom houses built at the site which borders on School Terrace. The scheme would be 100 per cent affordable homes and managed by Tai Calon. Planning officer Helen Hinton presented the report and said: 'The flats would be at the top end of the site; the northwestern corner and the dwellings would be in the southeast.' She explained that the flats would be two storeys hugh, but the roofs would be set below the houses on School Terrace. Ms Hinton added 'There are solar panels indicated for each of the properties and air source heat pumps are proposed for the dwellings facing School Terrace. '24 parking spaces would be provided within the confines of the site, and the proposal is considered to be compatible and appropriate for the area.' She added that no objections had been received and recommended that councillors approved the scheme as it would 'help address current shortfall in housing delivery.' Cllr Wayne Hodgins (Independent group) wanted 'clarification' over a condition that Blaenau Gwent planners would place on the planning permission. Condition three stated that Tai Calon would retain 10 per cent of the development as affordable housing. Cllr Hodgins asked: 'Is that an indication that they would sell off the properties? 'With an RSL (Registered Social Landlord) it's affordable rents that we focus on, what are we saying there?' Ms Hinton said that RSL's have opportunities to sell properties to some of their tenants. Ms Hinton said, 'What we are saying is that at least 10 per cent should be retained for social rent purposes – it's unlikely to occur but to make it policy complaint we recommend that condition be imposed. 'In theory they could sell them on, but I don't know what limitations are put on this by Welsh Government.' Cllr Hodgins added that he was 'quite excited' to see the benefit and hope to see it benefit 'local' as well as ease the council's housing waiting list. Cllr George Humphreys (non-aligned Independent) is the ward member for Cwm. Cllr Humphreys said: 'This was once a school which you can see from photographs, the railings are still there. 'It looks off the scale lovely from the pictures, to me its welcome and so nice to see.' The committee then went to a vote, and councillors unanimously backed the scheme. Tai Calon Community Housing was formed back in 2010 following the large-scale voluntary transfer of the council's housing stock and manages 5,821 homes in the county borough.
