Rob's Weekly Round Up

07 November 2025

Helo Bawb,

I’m back on weekly round-up duty today after being away last week – thank you Marcus for stepping in on my behalf.

This week marked Wales Climate Week and was the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of the effects of climate change as well as the work all of us are doing to bring us closer to our shared Project Zero goals to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 and protect the natural world around us.

On Monday, we launched the new Textile Recycling Service in the Vale to help residents give unwanted clothes and household fabrics a second life whilst reducing unnecessary waste.

From 17 November 2025, reusable textiles will be collected from households and sent to a specialist off-taker that redistributes quality items both in the UK and abroad.

Residents in Barry will be the first to benefit from the new service, and then the scheme will gradually be introduced to all homes across the county.

Along with the soft plastics recycling trial in the Eastern Vale, this new scheme also supports the Welsh Government’s national approach to recycling and waste management by ensuring that we are recycling at least 70% of our waste – solidifying our position as one of the leading councils in Wales for recycling.

Keeping with the sustainability theme, our housing teams have also been keen to embrace green technology through a pioneering of range of environmentally friendly schemes.

The new Tai ar y Cyd project – led by our very own Operational Manager for Housing Development Andrew Freegard - brings together 24 social landlords alongside Welsh Government and leading industry experts in a bold partnership to deliver affordable, sustainable, and high-quality homes.

Tai ar y Cyd homes are designed using a standardised pattern book that incorporates advanced building techniques and prioritises the use of Welsh and UK-grown timber to further reduce emissions while supporting local supply chains and communities.

The project was recognised at the 2025 Constructing Excellence in Wales (CEW) Awards in June this year - winning an award in the Integration and Collaborative Working category – and was also recently shortlisted for a Welsh Housing Award in the Innovation category.

Similarly, a new technology called SolShare was introduced to some apartment buildings owned by the Council which helps housing tenants save money on energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.

SolShare is a system that splits the energy collected from solar panels on a single roof, like a block of flats, between multiple properties. If tenants are also signed up for the UK Government Smart Export Guarantee, that sees people paid for surplus green energy they produce, their energy bills can reduce by an average of 73 per cent.

Our cutting-edge approaches to how we produce sustainable housing in the Vale is bringing real benefits for people, with tenants often saving considerable sums of money by using the clean energy their developments generate.

Diolch yn fawr Andrew Freegard and housing colleagues for your innovative work and pob lwc at the Welsh Housing Awards later this month!
There’s still plenty we can all do every day to protect the environment – including how we get to and from our places of work.

Whether it’s walking, cycling or wheeling, making active travel choices not only helps us to reduce our carbon footprints, but also encourages us to head outdoors for some fresh air and exercise.

If you’re a keen cyclist or want to get back in the saddle, we have a number of free codes available to hire a Brompton Bike for 24 hours in and around the Vale.

They can be found in lockers at Barry, Barry Docks, Llantwit and Penarth train stations. If anyone would like to hire a bike for free, please email activetravel@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk and a code will be sent to you.

This week, we sadly heard the news of the passing of Sarah Townsend, who was the Practitioner Manager of the Long Term Care Service within Adult Services.

Sarah was a cherished colleague who dedicated the past eight years of her life to serving the Vale with unwavering commitment and compassion.

Among the tributes following Sarah’s passing, one colleague shared: "Sarah was more than a colleague - she was a friend, a mentor, and someone who brought warmth and wisdom to those who had the privilege of working alongside her.

“Her integrity and tireless dedication to her role made a lasting impact on the people she touched every day."

Whether it was through her thoughtful approach to challenges, her quiet strength in times of change, or her ability to bring people together, Sarah exemplified the very best of public service. She believed in making a difference, and she did - every single day.

Lance, Sarah’s Partner, also shared: “Sarah was a beautiful soul, and the world will definitely be a worse place without her in it. Please don’t cry because she died, rather smile because she lived.”

Sarah’s legacy will live on in the work she championed, the lives she improved, and the memories we hold dear. As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate her life - a life marked by kindness, purpose, and an enduring commitment to the Vale and its people.

Sarah will be deeply missed, and I’m sure you’ll join me in wishing her family our sincere condolences at this difficult time.

Over the next week, a series of remembrance events will take place across the country in honour of Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday to recognise those who have served in the Armed Forces, as well as those who have lost their lives in conflicts across the world.

On the 11th of November, colleagues are welcome to join the Council’s annual Remembrance Service, which includes a two-minute silence at 11am at the Merchant Sea Memorial at the Civic Office Forecourt.

In other news, next week colleagues will be working hard to move to a new housing management software.

From 10 November the current OHMS system will become read only as data is then migrated to the new NEC Housing system. This new platform will enables us to:

• deliver more online services
• use mobile technology to work smarter on estates
• view data in one place
• work more efficiently
• provide better customer service

This is part of a wider programme of Digital Transformation happening across the organisation and we have written to all those who will be affected by changes to services over the next couple of weeks whilst our teams are busy setting up the new system.

It is anticipated that the new system will be up and running by 24 November, with all teams trained and ready to use it. I appreciate all of the efforts by housing colleagues to make this important change - it’s just one part of our wider ambitions to be the best council we can be and improve services for our residents.

Last week, you may recall that we rightly recognised the work of colleagues to help a resident in Llysworney with cleaning up the village.

However, there was a mix-up with the names of those mentioned in last week’s update, and I can confirm that it was Kyle Snooks and his team who were responsible for assisting the community in Llysworney.

Many apologies for the confusion Kyle, and thank you for your efforts – they are greatly-appreciated!

In the spirit of recognising our colleagues, Timothy Sansum, Brendan Doherty and Stephen Hodges were praised by the Headteacher of Oak Field Primary School recently following a series of works they carried out to address issues with the school’s infrastructure.

In his praise, Headteacher Luke Tweedy wrote: “I just wanted to extend my sincere thanks to you, Brendan, Stephen, Tim, and the team from Woodlands for the excellent work recently completed at Oak Field Primary.

“Two long-standing issues have now been fully resolved - the incorrectly fitted waste drains from the Nursery/Reception toilets, which had caused unpleasant odours for years, and the collapsed surface water drains. The difference these works have made to the school environment has been immediate and very much appreciated by staff and pupils alike.

“Throughout both projects, the communication and professionalism from the Vale of Glamorgan team and Woodlands were excellent. We were kept fully informed of progress at every stage, and the work was carried out efficiently and with great care.

“A further thank you also for the team’s proactive approach in repairing the increasingly dangerous potholes on-site using some of the tarmac from the surface water works — a small action that has made a big difference to safety and appearance.”

It is always a joy to hear about the excellent work, care and attention by colleagues across our organisation – well done Timothy, Brendan and Stephen – gwaith arbennig!

From potholes to Portugal next as Chelsie-Louisa Webber from Electoral Registration recently walked the world-renowned Camino de Santiago.

Chelsie walked along the coastal route beginning in Porto on the 26th of September, and finished her trek in Santiago on 10th October – covering a total 280km in distance.

Speaking of her experiences, Chelsie said: “The Camino de Santiago is a pilgrim walk with religious origins, but open to anyone. I met people from all over the world - from North America, South America, Asia and Europe. The best part was collecting pilgrim stamps along the way, each unique and proof of your journey.

“The locals were friendly and everyone wishes you a Bom Camino. Baiona – which is a large seaside town - was my favourite stop, with a castle and fortress built in the 12th century that overlooks the town on one side, and the sea on the other. I enjoyed the Galician food and learning more about Galician culture and its strong connection to Celtic culture.”

Walking the Camino de Santiago is a fantastic feat Chelsie, and it sounds like you had a brilliant time – da iawn!

Finally, as we near the festive season again, I’d like to share with you the plans for our office facilities over Christmas and the New Year.

Our offices (excluding essential frontline services) will close from 6pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and reopen on Monday 5 January 2026, including the Bank Holidays on 25 and 26 of December and the 1 January.

Essential council services - including social care, waste management, emergency planning, neighborhood services, housing support, C1V, Registrars, and others - will continue as usual. Managers will ensure appropriate staffing levels over this period, as in previous years.

Proposed Working Arrangements

• Staff working hybridly who wish to work during the closure may do so remotely
• Staff wishing to take an extended break can request annual leave, subject to service needs
• Staff who normally work on-site but cannot work remotely and do not wish to take leave will be supported to work from an accessible location

Should you have any questions about the arrangements above, please do not hesitate to speak with your line manager or Team Leaders.

That’s all from me for this week - and as always thank you very much for your efforts - they are very much appreciated.For those not in work over the weekend, enjoy a restful and relaxing few days off. 

Diolch yn fawr iawn, 

Rob