End of Week Message from Rob

01 May 2026

Hi Everyone, 

As we build up to the Senedd elections on Thursday, when Wales will begin a new chapter, I thought I’d also update you on some important changes happening within the Council. 

Work is now underway on the latest phase of the Eich Lle office accommodation project as we look to use our buildings more effectively to support colleagues, services and the communities we serve. 

Resource Management and Safeguarding Teams from Social Services have started the process of moving from the Dock Office to the Civic Offices, while colleagues from Adult Services and our NHS partners are also relocating there from Ty Jenner. 

As much care as possible is being taken to minimise disruption and ensure a smooth transition, with the moves expected to be completed by the end of the month. 

To accommodate these moves, staff from Housing and Licensing are switching to new permanent office locations in the Civic and some Resources colleagues will take up temporary bases within the building. 

Once Adult Services and NHS colleagues have relocated, work will begin to prepare Ty Jenner for the Children and Young People Services staff who will be moving there from the Dock Office. 

It is hoped the Dock Office will be completely vacated by early June ready to be used as a space for new businesses to grow and develop as part of the Barry Levelling Up scheme. 

Operating the site in this way not only helps emerging and growing local businesses, the rent they pay will also provide valuable income to support Council work. 

This is an important part of our Reshaping Programme as we look to maximise our resources to better benefit our residents and businesses. 

The purchase of a building on Thompson Street is also progressing well, with contracts exchanged and the sale expected to be completed in the next couple of weeks. 

Once this has happened, the plan is to transform the building into a health and wellbeing facility, offering a flexible space for meetings and community use alongside services for the people we support.  

It will also become a permanent office for Adult Services and Health teams, who will relocate from their temporary base at the Civic Offices once refurbishment work is complete. 

Upgrades to the Alps Depot in Wenvoe are also being explored, with more news to follow when details have been confirmed. 

I’d like to thank everyone for their patience, flexibility and cooperation while these important developments in the Eich Lle project take shape. 

They reflect the long-term direction of the Council as we look to operate as efficiently as possible to best deliver for our residents, with as minimum disruption as possible.  

The fact that we are able to arrange these moves and ensure that they happen as seamlessly as possible with minimum service disruption is down to all our colleagues. 

I appreciate your understanding and support as we strive to create a modern working environment that is fit for purpose and meets current needs.   

These moves and the moves that have taken place since the Covid pandemic have not happened by accident.  They require a significant amount of planning. 

I would like to thank all colleagues who have been involved in planning moves and bringing the changes to life as part of the Eich Lle – Your Space – programme. Diolch pawb, Gwaith da.  

With more people moving to and working from the Civic Offices, we also need to make some changes to parking arrangements at the site. 

From May 11, controlled access to the car park will be reintroduced with barriers in operation. 

Over recent weeks and months, many of you have told me that it is often difficult to park at the Civic Offices and also that EV charging is proving difficult due to uncontrolled parking.  

The reintroduction of controlled access will help ensure the car park is available for colleagues and those visitors who have pre-arranged parking. Put simply, it will ensure that we maximise the spaces available for people that are at based at our offices. 

To access the car park, staff ID will need to be shown, with new and updated badges available to request through Staffnet. 

It is also important that Electric Vehicle (EV) charging bays, pool car spaces and those for two or more people car sharing are used for their intended purpose. 

EV bays should only be occupied by people actively charging their vehicle, while both EV and non-EV pool car spaces must be kept free to ensure these vehicles are charged and available for use. 

This will help us use our parking area more effectively as Civic staff numbers grow. 

In line with this, and our Project Zero commitment to become a carbon neutral Local Authority by 2030, I would also ask staff to consider alternative methods of travelling to work, such as by bike, public transport, on foot or with other colleagues.  

There are incentives available to help achieve this, including our Cycle to Work scheme, with more information available on the My Rewards page of Staffnet. 

All of this work aligns with Vale 2030, our Corporate Plan, and the ambition to keep improving as an organisation. 

Within that document is a commitment to create great places to live, work and visit, as well as an aspiration to be the best Council we can be. 

Establishing a functional, modern workplace where staff are more closely connected is a crucial part of that as it offers the perfect platform for success. 

I will of course keep your further updated as this work progresses.  

Thank you very much for your efforts this week – they are very much appreciated. 

For those not in work, have a restful and relaxing couple of days off and if you are able to, enjoy the Bank Holiday. 

Diolch yn fawr iawn, 

Rob