End of Week Message from Trevor

02 April 2026

Hi Everyone,

As we head into the Easter break, it’s a time of year often associated with small, thoughtful gestures. 

In many ways, that reflects the work happening right across the Council. Much of what you do isn’t about the fanfare, but about consistently delivering for our residents - and we’re seeing the results of those efforts in very tangible ways and I want to take a moment to recognise just how much has been achieved.

One of the clearest examples is the work taking place across our highways – including work at pace to address road defects – more commonly known as potholes.

We currently have 10 pothole-fixing teams out on the ground and activity has really ramped up in recent months. In fact, this February was our highest impact month in years, with every reported pothole repaired and crews proactively identifying and fixing many more than those already reported - which is a fantastic achievement.

It’s also great to see us embracing new technology to improve how we work. The introduction of the Pothole Pro machine is helping us carry out repairs more efficiently.

This work hasn’t gone unnoticed either - there’s been strong public interest in how we tackle potholes, and recently ITV Wales approached us to film an item about how we’re addressing them.

Neighbourhood Manager Nathan Thomas arranged for the production team to film and follow the Pothole Pro Machine in action on St Paul’s Avenue in Barry and he spoke to the reporter about the process and how much more effective it is compared to traditional methods.

Thank you Nathan for representing Team Vale in the ITV Wales News report as well as for highlighting the efforts of colleagues working hard across our organisation to make a difference. 

Taken together, this is what real delivery looks like - visible improvements in our roads and real progress in people’s lives. The same focus on outcomes is also being seen in the work of our Housing teams.

The latest Welsh Housing Monitor Report shows that the Vale of Glamorgan Council and our four housing partners are leading the Affordable Housing Delivery chart for 2024/25. Together with our partners, we’ve delivered the equivalent of 288 additional affordable homes – which equates to 53.8 additional affordable housing units for every 10,000 households.

Of these, the Council itself delivered just over half of those units, including 141 new build homes and six acquisitions. That’s a significant achievement and a real credit to our housing development teams.

Every home we deliver - particularly our high-quality, energy-efficient, net zero builds - has a direct impact. It supports residents facing fuel poverty, improves health and wellbeing, and creates better opportunities for children and families. When you look at it in that context, your work is not just contributing to our Vale 2030 ambitions, but is genuinely changing lives.

I also want to share a lovely example of the difference our teams make on an individual level.

A Vale resident recently wrote to the Leader to praise a member of our Neighbourhood Services team following a missed waste collection. Due to a van blocking access, their collection couldn’t take place, and they were unable to move the waste themselves.

They went to the Alps Depot for help, where Sam Eastman stepped in and came to the rescue. He arranged for the waste to be collected the very next day, ensuring the issue was resolved quickly and with care.

The resident wrote: “I thought I should tell you of just one example of a Vale member of staff who is a credit to his employers and of whom you can be very proud. No doubt there are many others.”

It’s a simple story, but it speaks volumes about the care taken to support our residents in big and small ways. Thank you to Sam, and to all of our Neighbourhood Services teams who go above and beyond every day.

Finally, I’d like to welcome Christina Hill into her new role as Head of Shared Regulatory Services (SRS), following the retirement of Helen Picton.

SRS plays a vital role across the region, covering areas such as environmental health, trading standards, licensing, and public protection. Their work helps to keep our communities safe, supports local businesses, and ensures fair and responsible practices are upheld.

We’re delighted to have Christina stepping into this role and look forward to the experience and leadership she will bring to the service as it continues to deliver for our communities.

As always, thank you all very much for your efforts this week, they are very much appreciated by myself and the rest of the Strategic Leadership Team.

For those not in work, have a restful and relaxing long-weekend and Happy Easter to those who celebrate.

Cheers,

Trev