Councillors at Cwmbran Community Council discussed items including composting and volunteering at a meeting this week.

Volunteering

The council’s environment sustainability and planning committee met on Wednesday evening. Caroline Andrews and Katie Davies, both from Torfaen Voluntary Alliance (TVA), spoke about the services they offer. Ms Andrews said they support groups with a range of things including finding funding, planning and running  projects and gaining volunteers. She said this was done around the ‘four pillars’ of volunteering, good governance, sustainable funding,and influencing and engagement.  An officer from the National Lottery visits TVA on the third Monday of the month where people can meet and chat about grants and applications. 

The TVA also has a health, social care and wellbeing officer who is working with the voluntary sector and statutory partners. They also run the Opening Doors project to support community venues to open and encourage people out of their homes to feel less lonely and isolated. And Connect Torfaen, is a website where residents can find out what’s happening in Torfaen. 

Councillor Mandy Owen

Councillor Mandy Owen, executive member for environment, joined the meeting to share updates and take questions from councillors. She said: “We’re still working hard to raise the rates on recycling. Just started a free compost trial to resuse green waste. Limited it to two bags per person.” She said they were now collecting new items at the kerbside including shredded paper and batteries. The council’s new litter and fly-tipping officer, Oliver James, has been busy meeting various organistaions and running litter picks.

Cllr Owen said a tree project they were involved in with Bron Afon already had 30 sites but they were “always looking for more.” Residents should contact Veronika Brannovic, Torfaen Council’s Local Places for Nature Coordinator, for more information. Cllr Mike Villars, Llantarnam Ward, said he had suggested three sites for planting, Court Farm Road, St David’s Road and Llantarnam Road.

Cllr Bill Walker asked for assurances that the free compost would be free of any disease. Cllr Owen said she would come back to him but said council staff take a lot of care over what’s put in the green bins before it goes to the compost piles. Cllr Michele Day, Ty Canol Ward, said she had been walking around Cwmbran Boating Lake that day and the wooden riverside path at the bottom of the lake was overgrown and not easy to walk past. Cllr Owen said she had noted the issue and would get it reported to be checked out by council officers.