Archives for March 2026

As most of you will know, our Pre-Election Period (PEP) started on Wednesday evening, ahead of the Senedd elections on May 7. While it does not mean our activities or your day-to-day frontline work stops, PEP does place constraints on some of what we do. The purpose of the PEP period is to ensure that, as a council, we don’t take actions which may influence the political environment during an election campaign, while also supporting our approach to business as usual. Our legal team issued staff advice in January that still applies now and you can find it here. Please seek advice if you are in any doubt. In the meantime, Huw Evans, Alison O’Hara and the elections team are working towards ensuring polling day goes as smoothly as it always does. Find out more here.

On Wednesday Cabinet agreed the next phase of improvements to turn St Helen’s into a community sports and training venue, in collaboration with the Ospreys. An independent analysis shows that professional rugby is worth £15m a year to the Swansea economy and it’s just one of the reasons why we want to see the Ospreys continue as a fully professional local club, competing at the highest level. Upgrades at St Helen’s are due to start next month. But, regardless of what the future may bring for the Ospreys, our communities will have a brilliant facility accessible to all that everyone can be proud of. 

Yesterday I was part of a UK Government officials’ delegation taking a tour of Dyfatty and High Street areas to help develop their understanding of the area ahead of the start of the Pride in Place programme. It was also great to visit Matthew’s House – a great facility for the community and an excellent example of how the community can support some our most vulnerable residents. Pride in Place is a £20m UK government-funded scheme that aims to help revitalise the area and our visitors saw for themselves the challenges but also the great opportunities that the programme will be able to help address and support. The programme is managed by Paul Relf and his team in regeneration, but it’s going to be led by the local community, supported by an independent chair whose post is being advertised in the coming weeks. It will work alongside our PSB-led Clear. Hold Build. project which was launched last week. My thanks to the many teams involved in these two projects which are hoping to be the catalyst for positive and lasting change for these communities. I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going.

The Welsh Government has now approved the full business case for significant improvements at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe. The £32m project exemplifies how the Education team is addressing our shared corporate aim of improving education and skills in Swansea. Re-modelled facilities will mean more Welsh-medium school places, modernised learning spaces and brand-new inclusion provision. This project also brings back happy memories for me as one of the first major projects I worked on as Head of Building Services back in 2003 was the creation of the new Bryn Tawe school on the site of the former Penlan school. It shows the continuing commitment of our teams towards our Welsh Education Strategic Plan and ensuring our city’s young people and our get the best-possible learning environments.

This week CMT had an update on corporate performance on our Net Zero 2030 ambition. We saw how our initiatives to reduce energy consumption in non-domestic buildings, with streetlighting and business mileage are all making progress. However, there’s still lots to do and we need your support. You can help by doing straightforward things more consistently such as switching off lights and computers at work before going home and making sure you recycle materials correctly. We are also reviewing our green fleet strategy to try and minimise vehicle emissions. If you want to go a bit further, join our climate champions; you can find out what they’re up to here. I’ll keep you updated on how things are going.

Today it was great to visit our teams at our baling plant in Llansamlet to thank them for their efforts. The team manage the waste sorted after collection and also run the household recycling centres across the city. We were also to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities facing the teams there including depot improvements and working conditions. I am always happy to come to you to discuss your services so feel free to drop me a note.

Well done to the housing team on the launch of their new tenants’ handbook at the Brangwyn Hall. The handbook called Building Great Communities aims to strengthen wellbeing and encourage social connections was well-received. My thanks to all involved in its production.

Congratulations to Richard Jones (right) and Rob Malt (left) from our parks and cleansing team on their long service recognition certificates. Richard has clocked up 30 years with us, most recently as a key member of the fly-tipping team. Rob has been with us for 40 years and is groundsman at St Helen’s, alongside his role as a gardener in Victoria Park. Cabinet Member for Community Services, Cllr Cyril Anderson, presented them with their awards.

It’s farewell to Jeremy Parkhouse from our Democratic Services team after 33 years at the council. Jeremy is a well-known figure among councillors, statutory co-opted Members and senior officers, as a patient and professional guide to de-mystifying the machinery of democratic services and much else besides. We all wish you well in in retirement, Jeremy.  It’s also goodbye and thank you to Paul Calvert from contact centre tea. Paul has worked in many roles, including Revs and Bens and Customer Services, and was a leading figure in the establishment of the Contact Centre in the Civic Centre, providing service excellence to residents on behalf of many services.

And finally I will be taking a few days leave in the next couple of weeks so the next blog will be in two weeks’ time. I hope you all manage to take some time off to relax over the Easter period and will catch up with all developments on my return.

We continue to see strong progress in delivering our shared priorities – from major regeneration projects and cultural investment to community safety, housing and workforce development.

Yesterday, we welcomed an announcement from the UK Government about their plans for a £20m investment to support the transformation of the Civic Centre site.

This is an important step forward in our ambitions to reimagine one of the city’s most prominent locations, so my thanks to all officers involved in this project and the funding bid.

Working alongside our development partner Urban Splash, we are developing proposals that would bring a vibrant mix of uses to the site.

At the heart of the vision is a next-generation aquarium — an innovative attraction combining digital technology with real aquatic environments to create an immersive and evolving visitor experience.

New homes, cafés, bars, workspaces, leisure facilities, and a saltwater lido also form part of the proposals, with a formal planning application to be submitted later this year.

This focus on regeneration and placemaking is mirrored in the continued success of the Swansea Building Society Arena, which has now welcomed more than one million visits since opening four years ago this month.

Developed by the council, the arena is important not just as an entertainment venue, but also as a key driver of economic activity in the city.

In yesterday’s Green the City: Adapting to Climate event at Urban HQ in the city centre, it was announced that Swansea is now a Biophilic City, thanks to a successful joint application for the status from the council, Natural Resources Wales and Swansea University.

Joining a global network that includes cities such as San Francisco, Singapore and Vancouver, this designation reflects the long-term commitment of the council and partners to embed nature into our urban environment – enhancing biodiversity, supporting wellbeing and strengthening our green and blue infrastructure.

On that note, it’s very encouraging to say that we’ve now agreed a scheme with a company called Batri to transform the former Tir John landfill site into a solar farm of national significance. This is the first phase of a major renewable energy project in Swansea led by DST Innovations that will also include a tidal lagoon, a high-tech battery manufacturing plant, a data centre, floating solar and a renewable energy transport hub. It’s taken a long time to get to this stage but there will be more detail on the overall proposals in the coming months.

On Wednesday, I attended the stakeholder launch of the Building a Better Dyfatty project at the Palace Theatre. This programme, agreed as the Public Services Board’s flagship project for 2026–28, adopts the Clear, Hold, Build approach to deliver sustained improvements in the area.

Working in conjunction with South Wales Police and supported by a wide range of partners, the focus will be on coordinated action – combining enforcement with prevention, safeguarding and long-term community support.

Housing also remains a central priority. Earlier this week, I joined Cllr Andrea Harrington – Joint Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Service Transformation – Director of Place Mark Wade, and Head of Housing and Public Protection Carol Morgan on a visit to a Persimmon Homes development in Garden Village, where new council homes are being delivered through a planning 106 agreement.  This is an important way of increasing our housing stock and ensuring that growth benefits our communities, so we’ll continue to explore all opportunities to grow our housing stock and to create hundreds of new council homes for local people.

Supporting our workforce is equally important. This is why monthly webinars, delivered in partnership with Gower College Swansea, are now underway to help managers better understand and utilise apprenticeship pathways. These sessions are designed to broaden awareness of the diverse opportunities available and to strengthen our approach to developing talent across the organisation.

You can book your place here at the next webinar of this kind, which is being held on Thursday March 26.

Last Friday night saw the inaugural Together WeCare Awards at the Brangwyn Hall. Delivered by WeCare.Wales in partnership with ourselves and Neath Port Talbot Council, the event was a fitting celebration of the dedication and professionalism of those working across social care, childcare and early years. My thanks go to all involved in making the evening such a success, including Teresa Mylan-Rees in our Child and Family Services department.

Today we say thank you and farewell to Richard Rowlands – our Strategic Delivery and Performance Manager – who retires after 30 years’ service. Richard has made a lasting contribution to the council across a range of roles, always bringing professionalism, reliability and a strong sense of purpose.

On behalf of us all, I wish him a long and happy retirement.

Finally, it was with sadness that I learned this morning that Cllr Paxton Hood-Williams died yesterday after a short period of illness. Paxton had served as a Councillor for 22 years, representing the communities of Three Crosses and Upper Killay. He also served as Lord Mayor in 2024/2025 and was the long-standing Chair of the Child and Family Services Scrutiny Performance Panel.

Our thoughts are with Paxton’s wife, Patricia, and his family.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend time at the It’s Your Swansea 2026 conference, and it is always a genuinely energising experience. It brought together people from right across the city who are committed to shaping Swansea’s future, and it was encouraging to see so many conversations happening about new ideas, shared challenges, and the opportunities ahead. The event organised by 4theRegion matters because they give people the space to network, develop and collaborate, something that plays a big part in keeping our city moving forward.

A real highlight this year was the new Start-up expo, showcasing some of the talent, ambition and innovation already emerging in Swansea. It was a reminder of how much potential there is here, and how important it is that we continue creating the conditions for people and businesses to thrive.

For the council, this kind of event directly supports our regeneration agenda. We’ve talked in previous blogs about how regeneration isn’t just about buildings, it’s also about people, skills, events, pride of place and confidence. Seeing that in action yesterday and speaking to businesses and organisations from across the city reinforced why our partnerships are so important. This all links to the current placemaking strategy consultation, which will also help shape the look and feel of our city centre and waterfront in the years ahead. Have your say here.

Earlier this week, alongside colleagues and Cabinet members, I was shown around the new homes built on the site of the former Brondeg House. They’re fantastic and are a very welcome addition to our More Homes programme. These homes were built by our housing and corporate building services teams, providing very valuable career experience for our apprentices in the process. My thanks to everyone who has seen this important project through to the end.

I was really pleased to see such a strong Care Inspectorate Wales inspection outcome for our domiciliary support service. The report highlights the kindness, professionalism, and consistency our teams bring to their work, and it’s clear from people’s feedback how much this matters in helping them stay independent, confident and safe in their own homes. Just as importantly, leadership and management were rated excellent, with safe recruitment, high?quality training and strong oversight all helping staff feel supported and able to do their best work. My thanks to all of you who made this possible.

This week I’ve had the opportunity to catch up with the two new leaders of Mid and West Wales Fire Service and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water. I took the opportunity to introduce Swansea to Chief Fire Officer Craig Flannery and Dwr Cymru chief executive Roch Cheroux and gain an understanding of how each of the organisations will be working with us in the future for the benefit of our residents. Meetings like these and another I’m having shortly with the chief executive of Natural Resources Wales helps fulfil an important part of my appraisal objective to represent the council’s interests to our public sector partners and continue to identify opportunities for collaboration and engagement.

Yesterday afternoon I was pleased to be among the guests celebrating the 60^th anniversary of Swansea University’s Discovery Student Volunteering programme. Our universities’ students contribute so much to the life of the city and those who stay on after graduation continue to play their part in supporting our regeneration agenda. My thanks to all the volunteers, past and present, for their commitment.

This week I paid a visit to Swansea Community Farm along with Cabinet Members to see what they do and see for ourselves how they contribute to our wider wellbeing agenda. With spring on its way, the volunteers who form the backbone of this community asset looked busy. The farm is well worth sticking in your diary for a family visit over the Easter holidays

As most of you will know, the Senedd election is on May 7. Our electoral services team is recruiting staff and is in particular need of polling station presiding officers, who have to have had experience as a poll clerk on at least three previous occasions. If you can help, find out more here.

And finally, let’s all get behind Jenna Bennett, who is our social services’ Practice Lead in the Valley Team. She’s been shortlisted for the Social Care Wales Inspirational Leadership Award 2026, and you can find out more and help Jenna earn the award by voting for her here.

Last night Full Council agreed our budget plans for the coming year. We will be spending a record amount – more than £677m – so that you can deliver the best-possible services that our residents rely on every day. Most service areas will see an increase in their budgets, which is good news for us and local people. As well as that, Full Council also signed off our capital spending programme and our HRA revenue and capital budgets. As always, I want to thank all of those involved in the budget process that started six months ago and to Ben Smith and his team for getting it over the line. Our collective job is now to deliver on those budget commitments made by Council.

Associated with the budget is service planning, and this week Leadership Group continued its work developing plans that will feed into everyone’s work and objectives in the coming year. This work will also link into the annual appraisal process which will be starting for all of us shortly. Leadership Group also discussed our emerging workforce strategy. We looked at actions that will move us towards a more resilient future workforce structure for the council that includes succession planning, career pathways, age profiling and how we attract and retain talent across all areas and roles.

The Covid pandemic may seem a long time ago, but the UK-wide inquiry is still taking evidence, most recently from local authorities in Wales. We were described as the country’s hidden front line. Evidence to the inquiry highlighted not only the risks and emotional strain we faced, but also the professionalism and compassion shown throughout. The Chair of the Inquiry, Baroness Hallet in summing up the day’s evidence session, said she hoped that the Inquiry process helped to shine a spotlight on the local government workforce and paid tribute their impact and to their collective contributions during the pandemic. While the presentation was about Wales as a whole, it is also an accurate reflection of what we did here in Swansea. Ahead of lighting up Guildhall on Sunday for this year’s Covid Day of Reflection, we should be proud of what we achieved together while remembering all those who lost their lives.

It is always great to earn praise from our regulatory bodies, and Estyn’s latest feedback following an enhanced Local Authority Link Inspector (LALI) visit offers very encouraging feedback on our education services. Inspectors identified strong strategic leadership, positive relationships with school leaders, and a clear, shared understanding of our Abertawe 2028 vision. They also praised our sustained commitment to promoting the Welsh language, including the expansion of Welsh?medium provision, improved immersion support and better opportunities for learners with additional needs. School leaders spoke warmly about the quality of professional learning and practical support from our teams. My thanks to our education staff, school leaders, partners and members for their hard work as we continue to improve outcomes for learners across Swansea.

I want to highlight some outstanding safeguarding practice by three of our refuse colleagues last month. While they were working, Kai Gwyther, Tony Roberts and Stephen Phillips witnessed a serious incident near a local primary school. Drawing on recent safeguarding training, their quick thinking meant our education team could step in and put safeguards in place to prevent further escalation. My thanks to each of them for their vigilance, judgement and professionalism. Also want to remind all staff of our obligations as staff to carry out the mandatory safeguarding training and this example shows it is indeed everyone’s business

Yesterday’s the Council hosted our Tourism Stakeholder Day in the George Hall, bringing tourism and hospitality businesses together to hear about our destination marketing campaigns and plans for 2026. Attendees explored how to make the most of the Visit Swansea Bay Partner package and learned more about our growing profile as a filming location. My thanks to our Tourism and Marketing team for organising such a successful event.

Finally,  my thanks to Alison Williams the Headteacher, and all the pupils and staff at Craigfelen Primary School, who invited me along to their community café for a cuppa and a chat. The school is a big supporter of the Swansea Pledge, a collaboration between businesses and schools to support children to understand what the world of work is like, at any age. Supported by staff, and volunteers, the schools has taken over the community centre and on certain days the community café is run by pupils, offering hands-on experience of how work and business operate, from customer service and sales to financial management, profit and loss. My thanks to all for sharing their day and enthusiasm with me.