A PARTNERSHIP between two Gwent councils has seen their work together shortlisted for two local government awards.
Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen councils have a formal federation model that since 2024 has seen Torfaen’s Stephen Vickers appointed as joint chief executive of both authorities, other senior appointments made as joint posts and closer working between the councils.
Both are Labour-controlled and Councillor Anthony Hunt, the leader of Torfaen Borough Council, has said the approach has shown it is “more prepared” than any other council in Wales to “take control of our own destiny” in the face of reduced funding. The model has also been credited with delivering financial savings.
Two projects created as a result of the councils working together are shortlisted for the Welsh Local Government Awards 2026.
Organised by the Welsh Local Government Association, the umbrella body for councils, it has said this year’s awards, to be held at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall on Thursday, September 17 will be held as part of celebrations marking 30 years since the creation of Wales’s 22 unitary authorities.
They replaced the two-tier system of local government with district councils sitting underneath the former county councils such as Gwent.
Blaeanau Gwent and Torfaen are shortlisted in the “Improving in partnership” for the “From Services to Shared Power” project alongside Caerphilly Borough Council’s employment support team and an anti-poverty project run by Pembrokeshire council and the county’s public services board.
‘Rebel BGT’, which is described as an approach across both Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen to encourage staff to challenge usual practices and also allows them to vote on “bold ideas” is shortlisted for the ‘Workforce optimisation’ category.
The other nominees are Swansea council’s social work recruitment strategy and Ceredigion council’s employee attraction and experience programme.
Cllr Hunt, who is also the leader of the WLGA, said: “These projects are a brilliant reminder of the difference councils make every day. They celebrate the creativity, commitment and hard work of council teams across Wales, and everyone shortlisted should feel enormously proud of what they have achieved. Local Government staff are stars in our communities, and these awards celebrate the difference they make.”