Blaenau Gwent councillors have this week unanimously approved the appointment of Stephen Vickers as the permanent Joint Chief Executive for both Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen County Borough Councils.
This follows approval by councillors in Torfaen earlier in the week.
The reports received by both councils follow a 7 month ‘discovery phase’ during which both councils agreed to share the Chief Executive role, while exploratory work took place to understand the opportunities and risks of closer working.
The review supported by Local Partnerships concluded following engagement with councillors, senior officers, and staff, as well as representatives of Welsh Government, the Welsh Local Government Association and Trade Unions.
The reports recommended the permanent appointment of a joint Chief Executive, the establishment of a joint leadership team and further work to explore the opportunities and benefits for services. The reports also highlighted the strong and enthusiastic appetite among councillors for closer working and collaboration.
The Leader of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, Cllr Steve Thomas, said:
“This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to finding innovative ways to manage financial pressures while ensuring the long-term sustainability of essential services. By sharing expertise and resources, we are better equipped to serve our communities.
“Having a permanent Joint Chief Executive will strengthen the leadership of both councils, providing a unified vision and ensuring we continue to meet the needs of our residents efficiently and effectively.
“This initiative is about two councils working together as equal partners, sharing resources and expertise to address common challenges. It is not a merger, rather, it ensures that local decision-making remains firmly in the hands of each authority, safeguarding the independence and unique identities of Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen while achieving shared goals for the benefit of our residents.”
The Leader of Torfaen County Borough Council, Cllr Anthony Hunt, said:
“The status quo isn’t a sensible or attractive option if we want to improve outcomes for residents and sustain vital local services.
“Our decision supports a federation of two councils of equal status. We want to align our organisations where it makes sense to do so, and deliver efficiencies starting at the very top, including the shared salary costs of a federated leadership team. This will allow us to focus resources at the coal face of local service delivery in our communities whilst maintaining our financial and political sovereignty and governance arrangements.
“It also opens the door to sharing best practice and specialist skills and will improve the resilience of small teams, help recruitment, and reduce management and administration costs.”
Following the decisions, Local Partnerships, who are a joint venture between the Local Government Association, HM Treasury and Welsh Government, will now be engaged to develop a strategic outline case including a financial model and criteria for service alignment and prioritisation.
