A COUNCIL has backed a regional sports partnership at a “good time” ahead of the Tour of Britain visiting South Wales.
The area is hosting the final stages of Britain’s premier male professional cycling race in which Welsh Olympian and former Tour De France champion Geraint Thomas is due to compete, including in Newport, Torfaen and Monmouthshire.
Torfaen council leader Anthony Hunt, who competes as an amateur for Pontypool Road Cycling Club, said he was pleased the item was on the cabinet’s agenda with stage five of the race to start in Pontypool on Saturday, September 6 before finishing in Thomas’ hometown of Cardiff on the following day in what will be his last ever race.
Cllr Hunt said: “It’s good to discuss sport this week when the Tour of Britain is coming to Torfaen and residents can see a great event that showcases our communities and environment as well.”
Neighbouring Monmouthshire County Council discussed the Gwent regional sports partnership, that has been mandated by Sport Wales which is responsible for providing government and National Lottery funding for sports, in May when plans to reduce the number of professional rugby clubs in Wales were first revealed.
At that time, Monmouthshire council’s deputy leader, Paul Griffiths, quipped: “I reflect how much we can learn from working successfully from the regionalisation of Welsh rugby.”
The five councils in Gwent have proposed the Active Gwent sports partnership which will be hosted by Newport City Council.
Though the partnership will be hosted by Newport, one senior officer from each of the five councils will be represented, and it will have an independent chair, as required by Sport Wales.
The partnership will allocate funds for sports activities to groups, including the five councils, and Torfaen’s cabinet was told by Bethan McPherson, its head of community and wellbeing who will be its representative, the council intends advocating for its approach of supporting community groups.
Torfaen has received £277,330 in funding for the current 2025/26 financial year, which includes £6,904 carried over from the previous year, and is used to employ 3.5 full-time equivalent health, sport and fitness development officers as well as free swimming lessons and an over-60s project among other activities.
As Blaenau Gwent, which now shares its chief executive with Torfaen, will also be a member of the partnership, Ms McPherson said it will also push what the council calls the communities approach.
Labour’s Cllr Hunt said: “That’s another benefit of federation, getting two voices around the table pulling in the same direction.”