Weekly Round Up with Trevor

13 February 2026

Hey folks,

I hope you’ve all had a fantastic week.

For those that don’t know me, I’m Trevor and I’ve just started as Director of Environment and Housing.

This is a very different role for me as I used to be a Head of Service in Learning and Skills, but I’ve made a habit of moving between contrasting fields since relocating to Wales nearly 20 years ago – time flies, eh.

I wanted to use this Friday’s message to introduce myself and tell you a little more about my ambitions, both for my Directorate and the wider Council.

I first came here from Canada in 2007 for what was only supposed to be a year-long visit. My wife and I wanted an adventure while she completed her Masters degree. We got one!

We’d already been to the other UK home nations, so it definitely had to be Wales. We landed in Cardiff and had a two-week booking above a small pub in Carmarthenshire. The rest we figured out as we went.

Since then, we’ve moved across the country and eventually landed in the Vale. Over the years, both here and abroad, I’ve worked in a range of different areas, including IT, HR, Higher Education, launched a few companies, and even helped manage Team Wales at two Commonwealth Games!

This is the latest chapter of that story, and I have spent the last couple of weeks getting to know my new surroundings at the Alps.

People working within Environment and Housing provide many of the vital frontline services that are most important to our residents. We have touchpoints with everybody in the Vale daily. We keep them safe and healthy, maintain their communities and essential services, provide homes, and support them through some of the most challenging periods in their lives.

While it’s still early days, I’d like to share a few of my priorities so far. The first is recognising that our staff don’t always feel connected to the rest of the Council. That means we must strengthen our links with other areas and highlight what we have in common. This is especially important as I know how valued our work is by others, and vice versa. We are Team Vale, and as I’ve heard countless times over the last couple of weeks: “we look after each other”. Don’t forget, the rest of the Council is here to look after you all as well.

To kick this off, we’ve already arranged for the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) to have regular meetings at the Alps, creating opportunities to see our services in action first-hand. 

This will also create capacity to learn more from each other to better inform how we deliver on our commitments as a Council.

This Council performs best when we are all pulling in the same direction and working constructively together, which is a central theme of Vale 2030, our new Corporate Plan.

My second priority is gearing up for the launch of our refreshed Street Scene service from April, which will bring dedicated place based teams, new specialist vehicles, and more frequent cleaning across our towns and villages.

Everyone who visits, travels through, works or lives in the Vale uses these services every day, whether that be our highway network, open spaces or waste operation. People’s experience of this provision can make a real difference to their lives and might be the difference between them having a good day or a bad day.

At a time when so many people are struggling, that’s a powerful gift to give, and a privilege.

You only have to look at the reaction to the soft plastics recycling system being extended to see the impact our work can have.

All Vale residents will be able to recycle soft plastics from April after a successful trial of this service in Penarth and surrounding areas.

People have taken to social media to share their delight at this news and the fact the Vale continues to lead the way when it comes to protecting the planet (and we’ve only got one).

That is exactly the way it should be, and when folks are proud of their towns and villages, it helps our communities thrive and grow stronger.

The third priority is continuing to get to know and learn from our teams and services.

Since starting earlier this month, I’ve been able to spend time with several teams across all our services. That has allowed me to hear first-hand what’s working well, what we need to think about, and what ideas will help shape our vision for the future. This has included spending some time at C1V, listening to residents and our partner organisations share their experiences, challenges and needs. That was insightful and I’d encourage others to do the same.

It’s been both inspiring and humbling to see the care, thoughtfulness and dedication running through this work. It’s also clear from my time spent within Environment and Housing colleagues and wider Council staff, that this conscientious approach is shared by everyone who works here.

Over the coming weeks, these visits will continue and help shape a shared vision for the future as we look to build on the strong foundations already in place.

Those that have met me lately (and before) may have noticed that I love a corny quote or a meme!

So, here’s my thought for the week: growth and comfort rarely coexist. This means that real progress, whether personal, professional, organisational, or cultural, requires stepping outside what feels familiar or easy. When we grow, we inevitably face challenge, uncertainty, and a bit of discomfort.

Comfort keeps things the same; growth leads to change.

I am a big believer in having a growth mindset, which is the belief that people, teams, and organisations can continually develop through effort, learning, and smart experimentation. Our challenges present opportunity. We must invest in ourselves and in others, and we don’t always let perfection stand in the way of progress. That’s how I roll.

Before I sign off, I wanted to say a big thank you for the warm welcome I’ve received so far – it is very much appreciated.
Thank you also to everyone working across the organisation for your efforts this week.

And a particular shout-out to Finance Manager Laura Davis, who is hanging up her calculator after 35 years with the Council.
Enjoy a restful and rewarding retirement.

To everyone else, whether you’re in work or not, have an awesome weekend.

Cheers,

Trev