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Hello Subscriber,
The annual meeting of Bridgend County Borough Council held on Wednesday 17 May has confirmed who will undertake the authority’s Leader, Mayor and Cabinet roles for 2023-2024.
At the meeting, Councillor Huw David was returned unopposed as Leader of the authority, and the Cabinet portfolio positions were agreed as follows:
- Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Social Services and Health - Councillor Jane Gebbie
- Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Legal – Councillor Hywel Williams
- Cabinet Member for Education - Councillor Jon-Paul Blundell
- Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment – Councillor John Spanswick
- Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Wellbeing – Councillor Neelo Farr
- Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Regeneration – Councillor Rhys Goode
Councillor William Kendall will succeed Councillor Martyn Jones as Mayor of Bridgend County Borough, while Councillor Heather Griffiths will act as Deputy Mayor. The new Youth Mayor of Bridgend County Borough will be Ellie O’Connell, and Daisy Davies will act as Deputy Youth Mayor.
For further information about the structure of the council for the year ahead please visit our website.
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 Have your say: Annual Director of Social Services Report
To help us evaluate our social care services, we have created four short questionnaires and are asking residents to complete the one which is most relevant to them.
Every year the Corporate Director of Social Services and Wellbeing must complete and publish their Annual Report which evaluates the performance of the local authority in relation to the delivery of its social services functions over the past year.
It is important we receive regular feedback to help us improve the services and support we are able to provide.
The questionnaires include the following:
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Adult Social Care - for those aged 18+ that have experience of adult social care in Bridgend.
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Children and Young People - for those children and young people aged 8 to 17 that have experience of children’s social care in Bridgend.
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Carers - for the unpaid carers of adults, children or young people that have experience of adult or children’s social care services in Bridgend.
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Parents - for the parents of children and young people who have experience of children’s social care in Bridgend.
The consultation is due to close on 9 June 2023.
Please visit our website for more information and to share your thoughts.
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 Council shows support for Dementia Action Week
We are proud to support the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Action Week - a nationwide event dedicated to raising awareness of dementia and promoting an understanding of its symptoms.
On Monday (15 May), the main council office building in Angel Street was lit up light blue to mark the start of the week.
Also, Coychurch Crematorium Joint Committee recently nominated Alzheimer's Society Cymru as its chosen charity. A donation of £12,000 has now been confirmed.
Additionally, a range of community sessions have been held throughout the week and this includes a coffee morning at Cwm Calon Day Centre on Friday 19 May (tomorrow).
Locally, Awen Libraries have a range of books ‘Reading Well’ that have resources on dementia. Please visit Awen’s website for more information.
Halo Leisure are also running the ‘Feel Good for Life’ programme, designed to give people living with dementia and their carers an opportunity to socialise and be active. Further information is available on Halo’s website.
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 Ogmore Valley Life Centre celebrates 30 years
Over the last 30 years Ogmore Valley Life Centre has become woven within the lives of those living in the community.
One of the main aims of the centre is to accommodate everyone. One mum explains how each of her three children benefit from the Life Centre, she says: “My eldest uses the gym, my youngest enjoys the Bounce and Play, and my middle child makes the most of the neurodiverse sessions to explore physical activities in a safe environment, without judgement.”
Kathleen O’Callaghan, a volunteer for the National Autistic Society for the Ogmore Valley, adds: “Having the support group here at the centre, not only provides reassurance for the children, but also for parents too - it’s a place where accessible advice and support is available.”
Scott Hancock says: “Since becoming the General Manager in September 2020, we have continued to develop the links that we have created with local charities, including the National Autistic Society Ogmore, Ogmore Pride, as well as the Ogmore Valley Suicide Awareness group (OVSA). We are all working towards and succeeding in making the Ogmore Valley a better place to live – with the endless support from the Ogmore Valley Community Council and Bridgend County Borough Council."
Please visit Halo’s website for more information on Ogmore Valley Life Centre.
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 Coety Primary School expansion plans move closer
The proposed expansion to Coety Primary School has progressed to the next stage after the council’s Cabinet agreed to move ahead as planned after being presented with the results of a recent public consultation.
This would result in Coety Primary School’s capacity increasing from 420 to 525 places for pupils aged four to eleven years.
In order to address the demand for places, an options appraisal was launched, which identified the need to increase provision at the school. This resulted in a preferred option being identified in the form of a two-storey, four-classroom extension.
The proposed work includes:
- Increased provision for pupils by constructing a four-classroom extension
- More facilities including toilets, cloakrooms and storage space
- An extended playground to provide additional space for the increased number of pupils
- The additional playground space that can be created will be able to accommodate a new basketball/ netball court which will be closer to regulation size than the current court.
There will also be an opportunity to increase nursery provision by an additional 12 full-time-equivalent places. This means there will be 75 full-time places for pupils aged 3-4 years and a further 9 part-time places to bring the total number to 84.
A public statutory notice will now be published, if no objections are received Cabinet are currently scheduled to decide whether to implement the changes or not in in July 2023.
Alongside this proposed expansion, the council are also proposing a major expansion and relocation of Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bro Ogwr to a brand new site to ensure learners benefit from the choice of high-quality Welsh- and English-medium education.
Cllr Jon-Paul Blundell, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “These plans are the next steps towards helping to make sure that more children can attend their local school.
“It’s crucial that we are reactive to the fact that there is growing demand for children who want to attend Coety Primary School following the growth of the area.
“I am also really pleased to see that the amount of nursery places has been increased. This will help to strengthen transition links which will inevitably benefit pupils, parents/carers and the school as a whole.”
Please visit our website for more information on the Coety Primary expansion plans.
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Reminder: Applications open for energy bill support schemes
Households who have not received their £400 energy bills support may now be eligible to apply via the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding.
This includes certain park home residents and partially or wholly self-funded care home residents.
HM Government are also providing a £200 grant payment to UK households that use alternative fuels for heating instead of mains gas.
If people haven't automatically received the Alternative Fuel Payment, they can now apply for this through the Alternative Fund.
Please visit our website for more information on energy bill support schemes.
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 Developments at Frog Pond Wood!!
Much is happening at Frog Pond Wood Nature Reserve, with it becoming a hedgehog rehabilitation release site, extending its boundaries as a nature reserve, as well as providing an outdoor learning environment for Little Acorns, a local nursery.
Earlier this month, children in the Little Acorns nursery learned more about the council’s partnership with Glamorgan Hedgehog Rescue, which has allowed the reserve to become a release site for rescued hedgehogs.
The rescue treats over 200 poorly and injured hedgehogs every year, with many of them unable to be returned to the original site where they were found, for a variety of reasons. This means that suitable, carefully assessed release sites must be secured.
Nature reserves are assessed according to the quality, variety, size and safety of the habitats that they offer. Before any hedgehogs are released, they will be deemed as free of disease, fit and healthy.
The partnership between the council and the Glamorgan Hedgehog Rescue, forms part of the Cwm Taf Nature Network (CTNN) Project. This is an initiative funded by Welsh Government as part of the ENRaW scheme – ‘Enabling Natural Resources & Wellbeing’.
Cllr John Spanswick, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: “We are fortunate that our Frog Pond Wood Nature Reserve can facilitate such worthy work.
“It seems that the nature reserve not only accommodates the needs of the Glamorgan Hedgehog Rescue, but is also developing its role within the community through the learning projects happening here - supported by funding from the CTNN.
“The CTNN is working closely with Little Acorns Nursery to develop an exemplar for Early Years learning, which delivers an enriched curriculum that includes an interactive early years trail that will be installed in Frog Pond Wood itself.
“Access to the great outdoors will fuel imaginations and creativity, but also encourages a respect for the natural environment with all of its inhabitants – a significant value indeed.”
Visit the council’s website for further information on the Cwm Taf Nature Network.
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Join our Citizen’s Panel!
People of all ages, races and genders are invited to join the council’s Citizen’s Panel and the local authority are particularly interested in hearing from younger people aged 16 to 30 years old.
The Citizens’ Panel is made up of a group of people who live in Bridgend County Borough and are regularly consulted on services run by the council.
Some recent consultations include Public Spaces Protection Orders, annual council budget consultation, Net Zero Carbon consultation, town centre masterplan and more.
Members of the panel can receive up to three surveys per year on a range of topics, services, and issues, as well as receiving regular newsletters to keep them updated.
By becoming a member of the panel, you will have the opportunity to share your thoughts on matters surrounding Bridgend County Borough and help to make a difference in our community.
Find out more and join our Citizen’s Panel on our website.
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 Give blood and save lives!
The need for blood has never been more important. Can you help? Welsh Blood Service need more people from the Bridgend area to sign up as donors to help patients across Wales.
Appointments are available at:
The Heronston Hotel (CF35 5AW) on:
Asda Pyle on:
Bridgend Designer Outlet (The Pines) on:
Please be advised that if you have recently had a Covid-19 vaccination, then you must wait two days before making a blood donation.
Book your appointment to help save lives today.
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 We are recruiting!
We have several exciting job opportunities available and are currently recruiting for the following positions:
- Premises Manager - Coety Primary School
- Business Support Officer (Exploitation- Social Services and Wellbeing)
- ICT Servicedesk Apprentice
- School Crossing Patrol Officer
- Sports Pavilion Officer
- Mobile Response Care Worker
- Housing Solution Advisor
Sign up to our new weekly jobs bulletin to be the first to know about our latest job opportunities.
The bulletin will be sent straight to your inbox, all you need to do is sign up online.
Find out more and sign up online today!
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Emergency support is available
We would also like to remind residents that a range of emergency support continues to be available:
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