Councils reported on climate and nature plans this month, including net zero reports in Carmarthenshire and Powys and nature plans in Neath Port Talbot, Caerphilly and Bridgend. Planning committees also dealt with carbon capture, flood-related and biodiversity matters.[4][14][2][12][5][1]
Written in November 2026 from council records since 20 September 2026, open consultations and official sources. Written automatically, then checked: every point names its sources and every figure appears in them. Follow the links to check anything before relying on it.
Every Welsh council has declared or responded to the climate emergency and has plans to cut its own emissions, from buildings, vehicles and the things it buys. Councils also manage flood risk on local rivers and streams.
The Cabinet agrees climate plans; scrutiny committees check progress.
Ask your councillors how the council is doing against its own targets, and respond to its consultations on plans.
| Council | Items | With a decision |
|---|---|---|
| Vale of Glamorgan | 138 | 16 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | 55 | 52 |
| Gwynedd | 55 | 52 |
| Pembrokeshire | 43 | 36 |
| Carmarthenshire | 41 | 39 |
| Swansea | 40 | 31 |
| Powys | 40 | 29 |
| Monmouthshire | 38 | 9 |
| Wrexham | 27 | 27 |
| Cardiff | 27 | 24 |
| Conwy | 27 | 24 |
| Denbighshire | 22 | 17 |
| Flintshire | 21 | 11 |
| Newport | 21 | 10 |
| Blaenau Gwent | 17 | 17 |
| Neath Port Talbot | 16 | 9 |
| Caerphilly | 16 | 0 |
| Ceredigion | 9 | 8 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 8 | 7 |
| Torfaen | 7 | 6 |
| Bridgend | 5 | 0 |
Decided: The rent for each pitch was set at £70.66 a week, collected over 48 weeks. The service charge policy will apply so residents pay for extra services. The water charge was set at £36.07 a week, collected over 48 weeks. Officers were authorised to consult residents and set the overall charges in Table 1.
Decided: The committee noted the officers' response and acknowledged that governance arrangements are in place. It will continue to scrutinise the Plan each year. It recommended to the Cabinet Member for Environment that the Council consider ways to increase responses to public consultations. It asked that spending be highlighted and detailed in the annual report.
Decided: The committee accepted the report and welcomed the intention to revisit the Council's aim to be net zero carbon by 2030. It recommended to the Cabinet Member for Environment that the Plan's successes be shared with the public. It also recommended more open questions in public consultations, and a change to the wording on page 6 to set a more ambitious target.
Decided: Rowberry. It filled the resulting vacancies and noted a change to the Economic Development & Environmental Management Scrutiny Committee, a committee that checks council decisions. It also noted that Councillor Jules Gardner was removed as a substitute on the Advisory Panel for the Appointment of Local Authority School Governors. Councillors endorsed two school governor appointments recommended by the Advisory Panel on 6 January 2026: Andrew Rogers for All Saints R.C.
Decided: The Council, acting as Trustee of the Cwm Betterment Recreation Fund, agreed to grant a 35-year lease of the property shown edged red on the plan in Appendix 1 to Betterment Park Sports CIC. Councillors voted unanimously.
Decided: Council agreed the motion after a recorded vote, with 16 for, 9 against and 7 abstentions. The agreed motion asks Council to champion community-led renewable energy and calls on the Welsh Government to take seven steps, including a grid plan for Mid and West Wales.
Decided: The Committee deferred the Tree Strategy update to its next meeting so that it had enough time to scrutinise it. The deferral followed the addition of an urgent item to this meeting's agenda.
Decided: The Committee agreed in principle that a Local Nature Reserve (LNR), a local site managed for wildlife and public enjoyment, should be declared at the Old Harbour site in Barry. It also asked for work to identify the resources needed, including other possible sites in the Vale. It asked the Council to work with Barry Action for Nature to address any immediate risks to wildlife at the site. It referred these recommendations to Cabinet.
Decided: The Committee noted the progress and funding in the report and its appendix on the Climate Change Challenge Plan and the work of the Public Services Board (PSB), a partnership of public bodies. It noted the Council's carbon emissions for 2024/25. It referred the report to Cabinet, shared it with elected members, PSB members and town and community councils, and asked for the Local Area Energy Plan to be added to its forward work programme.
Resolved: That the following appointments be agreed. Governing Body Appointments Governing Body Appointments /Resignations / Disqualifications Name Maes Ebbw Primary School Resignation Vicky Barry Maes Ebbw Primary School Appointment Lucy Robinson Malpas Church in Wales Primary School Reappointment Councillor Jane Mudd Tredegar Park Primary School Reappointment Councillor Allan Screen High Cross Primary School Reappointment Stewart Jones Newport High School Reappointment Councillor James Clarke Monnow Primary School Resignation Neil Griffiths Monnow Primary School Appointment Catrin Leyshon St Andrews Primary School Resignation Meryl Echeverry St Andrews Primary School Appointment Janice Dent
Decided: Cabinet noted the contents of the report and the progress made in the past year to improve data collection for the Council's carbon footprint.
Decided: The Panel resolved to recommend that Council approve the appointment of named people to current vacancies at a range of schools, and to future vacancies at other schools. Some future places were re-appointments of existing governors. Two late applications for current vacancies were also considered. The minute marks the Millbank Primary School entry as deferred.
Decided: The Committee accepted and noted the report and work programme, and asked for an update in six months. It also agreed to recommend to the Cabinet points under seven work streams and some general points. These include: measurable arrangements to show that the voice of the child and victims' experience influence decisions; long-term support for victims that does not cause further trauma; avoiding unconscious bias; support so that governors can challenge effectively; staff understanding when restrictive practices are appropriate and feeling supported; crisis planning treated as a live process and tested regularly; schools asked to show safeguarding information prominently on their websites and to consider their relationships education; and the 2023 Estyn inspection report of the Education Department not to be quoted or referenced in the Response Plan.
RESOLVED that CymruTech Park's designation is changed from Red to Amber and GO (Conditional), subject to the conditions set out in the report.
Decided: Approved application 24/1466/FUL, subject to the conditions in the report and an amendment to condition 18 to refer to the water supply within and adjoining the site. The wording of the condition is delegated to officers.
Decided: Approved application 25/1140/FUL, subject to the conditions set out in the report.
Decided: The Committee granted application 25/02048/FUL for a proposed 3G pitch, floodlighting, changing rooms and associated works at St Teilos High School, Circle Way East, Llanedeyrn. The minute records the decision as made under the Committee's delegated powers (powers to decide certain matters without a full council vote), in line with the officers' recommendation.
Decided: The committee was minded to refuse planning permission. The Development and Building Control Manager was authorised to decide the application under delegation, subject to further consultation on an amended drainage proposal and revised drainage and landscape plans.