Latest news with #TorfaenCouncil
South Wales Argus
28-05-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
Monmouth MS praises thousands of trees planted in Torfaen
Peter Fox, member of the Senedd for Monmouth, praised the planting of 8,500 trees in the Torfaen area in a plan known as 'The Branching Out Project.' This was done in a joint effort by Bron Afon and Torfaen Council. The plan involved planting thousands of trees, saplings, whips, and shrubs across the county. These have all been planted on council-owned land, on the grounds of local schools, and in parts of Bron Afon's land. Regarding the plan, Mr Fox said: "I commend the efforts of those involved in this scheme, that has seen so many trees planted. "It will go a long way in enhancing our communities, and brightening up the environment for us all to enjoy. "I hope that other local authorities in Wales, especially Monmouthshire, will look on this and enact a similar scheme."
South Wales Argus
01-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Torfaen school meals team nominated for national award
Torfaen Council's catering service has been recognised for its efforts to cut the carbon footprint of school meals. They've been using an interactive Sustainability Road Map for the past two years to track and reduce their environmental impact. This includes regular updates so schools and pupils can monitor their progress. One of their initiatives is the Waste Warriors competition, which encourages primary school pupils to minimise food waste. The Public Sector Catering professional body has shortlisted them for an award for integrating social, economic, and environmental concerns into their service. The finals will be held on April 24 at the Hilton London Metropole.
New European
10-02-2025
- Business
- New European
A Lidl bit of politics
But the trio – Alan Slade, David Thomas and Jason O'Connell – got themselves into trouble this week when they posted a picture of themselves on Facebook officially opening Cwmbran's new branch of Lidl. Last year Torfaen Council in Wales got its first Reform representation when three councillors defected to Nigel Farage's party from the Torfaen Independent Individuals (which was formed when it split from the Independent Group in 2022 for reasons far too convoluted to get into here). 'Absolutely thrilled to have the honor [sic] of officially opening the stunning, futuristic new Lidl GB store in Cwmbran today,' wrote Thomas. The move had locals wondering why, of Torfaen Council's 40 members, the only three to be invited to open the store were the Reform contingent – especially as it doesn't sit in any of their wards. 'The new Lidl store is now my nearest supermarket, but I have informed them that I refuse to enter if they have indeed climbed into bed with Reform UK,' grumbled one local to Rats in a Sack. Except – they weren't asked to open it and, er, didn't! 'We did not issue any invites and there was not an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at our Cwmbran store opening,' says a spokeswoman for the German discount chain. 'Photographs involving councillors were taken spontaneously after the store had already opened to customers. While our store openings are often attended by local officials in their capacity as elected community representatives, we are a non-partisan business and do not affiliate with any political party. Additionally, our colleagues did not consent to their images being used externally, and we have addressed this matter with the councillors directly.' That's the straight-talking, honest Reform for you!
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Factory to move to Poland with 180 jobs at risk
Workers at a labelling factory say they have been told their site is to close and work moved to Poland. About 180 people work at the MCC factory on the Llantarnam Industrial Estate in Cwmbran, Torfaen, making labels for food and drink products. The site has been operating for more than 20 years, but workers have been told the company plans to close with work transferred to Poland and Romania. In a statement MMC said there was "no immediate" change for staff and customers, and that the "proposal is subject to review". One worker, who didn't want to be named, said the announcement came out of the blue. "The factory goes 24/7 – it was very, very busy during lockdown, we had lots of orders, but things have declined since," they said. "The company are saying the closure plan is a proposal but it seems set, the mood isn't hopeful. "Workers are trying to get meetings with the Welsh government, unions and the company to see if anything can be done to save it. "The mood is very down, people angry because they're not getting answers. "There are not many printing jobs out there." Almost 100 jobs to go in gelatin factory closure Wet wipe factory closure sees 200 jobs lost In an email to staff, MCC president Fred Noel, said: "This was a difficult but necessary decision that reflects changes in regional demands. "We are working very closely with the local team and customers to review options and, if needed, redistribute volumes to other sites." Nick Thomas-Symonds and Lynne Neagle, politicians who represent Torfaen, issued a joint statement saying they were "deeply concerned" by the news. "We are in regular dialogue with officials at Torfaen Council and the Welsh government to see what can be done to prevent this closure," they said. "With so many jobs at risk, a full and proper consultation with staff should be carried out." The factory is part of a global company with sites around the world including the US, Europe and Australia. With a global annual revenue of about £2.4bn the company is an industry leader in labelling, but that comes with a boardroom objective to cut costs and increase profits. The closure of the Cwmbran site is a huge blow to the workforce and the wider community, with the letter to staff implying that its Welsh operation was no longer viable. MCC's broader "growth strategy" involves expanding operations in Poland and Romania, and it has sites in more than 25 other countries with a workforce in excess of 12,000 people. Attempts to boost growth in the UK will require more companies to expand their operations here, rather than shut them down. As the Welsh government prepares to host an investment summit later this year, the impact of MCC's closure will prompt questions about the trading conditions in Wales and the support available to any new business wanting to invest. Announcing the summit, First Minister Eluned Morgan said: "Economic growth is a top priority for me and the Welsh government will do what it can to support Welsh business and help attract even more investors into Wales." A spokesperson for MMC said the proposal is subject to review and discussion through a collective consultation process, as required by law. "This process is to take several months and no decisions will be made until the end of that process." It added that the proposal is "intended to rebalance UK production based on current demands and capacity across our UK plant network". "We are working closely with all Cwmbran customers and teammates to discuss all options, which potentially may eventually include production transfers and some job redundancies," it added.
