Formal Council Questions and Responses

Councillors asked the Leader whether Newport's transport interests were well represented by the Burns Commission, and whether the Leader and the council's chief executive agree on proposed changes, including the Old Green Roundabout. The Leader said the Commission had a wide mix of expertise and that congestion on the M4 corridor will be reviewed over the next eighteen months. The minute records no decisions.

Some sentences of this summary are missing in English, because an older automatic check removed them from the English only. The Welsh version has them.

1. Question on Burns Commission and leadership alignment

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   Councillor Mogford asked whether Newport's transport interests were well represented by the Burns Commission (the South East Wales Transport Commission, set up in 2019 after the M4 relief road was cancelled) and the Burns Delivery Unit. He also asked whether the Leader and the council's chief executive agree on the proposed changes. Councillor Batrouni replied that the Commission and delivery unit had a wide and relevant mix of experience. He added that officers' views are not a matter for the QAAT process, as the Cabinet determines council policy.

   Based on the minutes

Written by AI from the council's minutes and reports. Sentences with a number or name that can't be found in those papers are removed automatically, but mistakes are still possible. Councils publish no word-for-word record of meetings, so this says what was decided and why. Read the official papers to be sure.

1. 1

   Question to the Leader of the Council : 2026/44 - Leadership Cohesion

   Minute

   Councillor Mogford asked: Leader, It is public knowledge that the Burns Commission (officially the South East Wales Transport Commission or SEWTC), chaired by Lord Terry Burns, was established in 2019 following the cancellation of the M4 relief road. The SEWTC proposed an integrated network of rail, bus, and active travel alternatives to relieve M4 congestion. What may be less common knowledge is that the now CEO of NCC, Beverly Owen was one of 8 commissioners on this SEWT commission and she sat on the independent board specifically as the Newport representative due to her “extensive local leadership”. During that time she contributed to the commission's landmark final report, which recommended a comprehensive report on a "Network of Alternatives …” Question: Do you feel that the given the varied and indeed specific expertise base on that Commission that Newport’s best interests regarding Transport have been represented via the ‘Burns Report’ and thereafter the subsequent Burns Delivery Unit? And following on. are you and the Newport Council CEO currently in full alignment on the proposals taken forward or do you have fundamental disagreements on any proposed changes, including the Old Green Roundabout in particular? Councillor Batrouni responded: Thank you for the question. The Commission and the delivery unit did have a wide and relevant mix of experience and expertise to consider the matter. Following WG’s announcement regarding Welsh roads this week, it appears that congestion on the M4 corridor around Newport will be subject to further review over the next eighteen months. Given that Council policies are determined by the Cabinet and its members, the views of officers are not a matter for the QAAT process.

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