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The Economy & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee, a group of councillors who check the council's work, questioned officers on a situational report for the Destination Management Plan (a plan to attract and look after visitors). The draft plan was not ready because of staffing changes, and the minute records no decision.
1.1 The Chair welcomed Members and Officers to the meeting. 1.2 Apologies had been received by Councillors Elizabeth Haynes & Nathan Yeowell.
2.1 There were no declarations made.
3.1 The minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 March 2026 were confirmed as an accurate record.
4.1 The action sheet was noted.
5.1 The Chair introduced the item, Members were advised that, due to staffing changes, a draft Destination Management Plan was not yet available and the report before the Committee was intended as a situational report to inform the development of the future plan. The EM gave a brief introduction, followed by the DCE&SD-A&C before Members went into questioning. 5.2 In response to Members’ questions the EM and officers provided the following answers: • The GL-ER&SP outlined that the Destination Management Plan was intended to strengthen the visitor economy, celebrate Torfaen’s assets and support the development of day-visitor, evening-economy and longer-stay opportunities. The DCE&SD-A&C added that the situational report had already identified a number of potential visitor markets, including heritage, culture, activities, food and drink, events, business events and retail, and said the next stage would be to align those markets with Torfaen’s individual assets. The EM added that the work also supported the wider objective of raising Torfaen’s profile and helping attract future investment. • In response to questions on capacity and expertise, the DCE&SD-A&C explained that it was too early to confirm the precise level of resource required until the functions of the Destination Management Plan were clearer. He advised that the Council first needed to identify the destinations, the visitor packages to be promoted and any gaps in delivery before concluding what resource was needed. The GL-ER&SP added that partnership working with bodies such as the Torfaen Tourism Association and the South East Wales Tourism network would also be important in supporting delivery. • The GL-ER&SP advised that the Destination Management Plan would need a delivery plan setting out resources, partnership arrangements and links to the Deal and community working. The SD-A&C added that accountability would sit with the proposed Joint Director for Economy and Place, with oversight through the Joint Executive Team and a performance framework covering both delivery activity and impact. Following a supplementary question, the DCE&SD-A&C confirmed that the Joint Director for Economy and Place would hold overall accountability and would coordinate the relevant roles across the service, supported by heads of service beneath that post. • In response to questions about whether all attractions would be reflected in the final plan, the GL-ER&SP said the Destination Management Plan needed to encompass the whole county and not only the most obvious sites. The SD-A&C added that the report had focused on certain assets because of the scope agreed at visioning, but this should not be read as limiting the wider ambition of the plan. Following supplementary discussion, the GL-ER&SP agreed there was merit in more detailed area or sector plans sitting beneath the overall Destination Management Plan. The DCE&SD-A&C further advised that the Council should be clear about the purpose of attracting visitors, whether that be increased local spend, stronger town centres or wider promotion of Torfaen, and that the final approach should deliver tangible benefits for residents. Following further supplementary points, the DCE&SD-A&C also emphasised that the plan should encourage both external visitors and local residents to make greater use of attractions on their doorstep. • The GL-ER&SP advised that the Committee’s examples of existing success, such as Cwmbran Boating Lake, Pontypool Park and Cwmbran Town Centre, reinforced the need for a more coordinated and less fragmented approach. The DCE&SD-A&C added that there was scope for stronger cross-promotion and signposting between attractions, including through closer working with the Torfaen Tourism Association and local businesses. In response to further comments, the DCE&SD-A&C agreed that connectivity and trails between attractions had been underplayed in the situational report and should be reflected more clearly in the final plan. • The DCE&SD-A&C advised that it was premature to identify a specific marketing budget before the Destination Management Plan had defined which attractions, products and visitor markets were to be promoted. He said the scale and type of promotion would depend on whether the focus was local, regional, national or international. Following supplementary points, the DCE&SD-A&C agreed that leaflets, QR codes and other digital tools should be considered as part of a coherent wider marketing approach rather than as stand-alone interventions. • The DCE&SD-A&C explained that there was already scope to explore stronger joint tourism marketing with Blaenau Gwent and potentially more widely across the region. He said the emerging plan should ultimately align the destination offer across both authorities and that regional discussions with Cardiff Capital Region would also be relevant. Following supplementary questions and comments, the DCE&SD-A&C agreed that town and community councils, One Voice Wales and local events all offered useful opportunities for innovation, partnership and wider promotion. In response to a further follow-up, the GL-ER&SP confirmed that the Committee’s point about improving information on Visit Wales and making fuller use of external tourism platforms had been noted. The DCE&SD-A&C added that there was a role both for the Council and for individual tourism products to pursue external accreditation and stronger engagement with Visit Wales and similar bodies. • The DCE&SD-A&C advised that accessibility, facilities and transport links would need to be reflected within the Destination Management Plan, but that the plan should identify what improvements were needed rather than be expected to deliver every change directly. Following supplementary points on disabled access, public transport, cycling and wider connectivity, the DCE&SD-A&C said the Council would need to relate such improvements to the likely visitor market and supporting business case. In response to further comments, he agreed that early engagement with relevant access groups and service providers would be valuable. • The GL-ER&SP confirmed that any substantial review of Pontypool Indoor Market should involve consultation with users, traders, local people and businesses so that future changes were informed by those who used the market. The DCE&SD-A&C added that some public engagement had already taken place through the business plan work and that ongoing consultation would remain important. Following discussion, the GL-ER&SP also noted the potential to explore QR-code or linked-package approaches through market traders and nearby attractions. • The DCE&SD-A&C explained that different attractions and supporting businesses served different markets and that the Council would need to balance the expectations of visitors and local residents. He said some assets, such as shops, cafes and restaurants, served both day-to-day local needs and visitor demand, while destinations such as the World Heritage Centre also functioned as both visitor attractions and local information points. Following supplementary discussion, the FEPO confirmed that the World Heritage Centre was used by international visitors and local residents alike, and that the current business plan review would include engagement on how the centre should operate in future. The DCE&SD-A&C added that any recommendation around matters such as seven-day opening would be considered through that review. • The DCE&SD-A&C explained that decisions about whether services or facilities were provided in-house, franchised, commissioned or procured depended on the purpose of the product and the strength of the business model behind it. He noted, for example, that cafes often lent themselves more readily to franchising than wider information or heritage services. Following supplementary questions, the DCE&SD-A&C distinguished between franchising and commissioned/procured event delivery, but agreed there may be opportunities to explore both new franchise models and business-promotion activity where the market justified it. In response to a further follow-up, he said there may be scope to encourage private-sector opportunities such as cycle hire where supported by evidence of demand. He also agreed with a further point that feedback from existing franchisees should be used to inform future decisions. • The CC advised that the canal already linked a number of key locations and that work was underway to make better use of that corridor, including consideration of how routes and hubs could connect with Pontypool Park, Pontymoile Basin and other areas. In response to a supplementary question, the CC said visitor footfall at Five Locks had increased year on year and remained strong, despite some short-term disruption from bridge works. • The CC advised that he was building links with partnership organisations such as the Inland Waterways Association and learning from other canal-based initiatives across the UK, including areas in Scotland and South Gloucestershire, so that best practice and lessons learned could be applied locally. • The CC confirmed that partnership working already existed across local authority boundaries in relation to the canal and advised that there was scope to reinvigorate the wider renovation partnership involving the relevant authorities and the Canal and River Trust. • The DCE&SD-A&C agreed that it would be helpful to look at how opening hours across attractions might be better aligned where appropriate, whilst recognising that not all attractions were directly managed by the Council and that some opening hours needed to reflect community use as well as visitor needs. The GL-ER&SP added that opening hours had already been explored through the Pontypool Indoor Market business plan and would also be considered through the World Heritage Centre business plan review. Following supplementary points, the DCE&SD-A&C agreed that volunteer-led attractions such as the Folly and Grotto highlighted the importance of linking tourism aims with the Deal and with volunteering support, and the GL-ER&SP added that the Council was also aware of opportunities to better connect large existing footfall generators, such as parkrun, with the town centre and wider offer. • The GL-ER&SP advised that outdoor, biodiversity and environmental tourism opportunities should form part of the Destination Management Plan and should not be overlooked in favour of only the most obvious destinations. In response to a number of follow-up points, the GL-ER&SP agreed that Torfaen’s natural environment, food offer and community-led environmental work provided additional opportunities which should be captured as part of the wider destination narrative. • The DCE&SD-A&C advised that there were opportunities, through the wider Blueprint for Growth work, to secure support from an investment partner to help attract inward investment into the borough and develop gaps in the tourism offer. He also said that Visit Wales, Welsh Government business-support routes and Cardiff Capital Region could all have a role in supporting inward investment conversations. • The DCE&SD-A&C explained that the reference in the report to Xanadoo related to a large-scale, commercially sensitive tourism proposal at an early stage of development, centred around environment and heritage themes and seeking a suitable site within the borough. The GL-ER&SP added only that the proposal remained at an early stage and that limited detail could be shared at present. • The GL-ER&SP advised that the Council was already working with community and volunteer groups and had strengthened support arrangements in recent months, including the use of joint event management plans and other clearer processes. Following several follow-up points, the GL-ER&SP acknowledged the importance of clarity around available support and confirmed that the role of the Torfaen Tourism Association and Torfaen Voluntary Alliance (TVA) would continue to be relevant. The DCE&SD-A&C added that TVA was already supporting a range of groups and that the Council remained in regular discussion with TVA regarding wider voluntary-sector support. • The GL-ER&SP said the Destination Management Plan would need to make fuller use of community engagement, local ideas and innovation, and agreed that the Council should recognise the value of biodiversity, food, arts and local distinctiveness as part of the county’s overall tourism offer. In response to a series of follow-up points and suggestions, the GL-ER&SP confirmed that the Committee’s views on innovation, local distinctiveness and stronger communication of community assets had been noted. • The DCE&SD-A&C advised that the Blueprint for Growth and the Deal could help communicate the benefits of a tourism strategy to residents, businesses and investors and support a more strategic conversation about how private investment might be attracted into identified gaps in the visitor offer. • The DCE&SD-A&C acknowledged Members’ concerns regarding the sustainability of volunteer-led activity. He said town and community councils had played a strong role in recent years in supporting events and that the Council should continue to celebrate that contribution while working with partners such as TVA on volunteer recruitment, retention and support. Following supplementary questions, the DCE&SD-A&C agreed there was value both in supporting volunteer groups when needed and in considering how existing events or new event ideas might fit with the visitor markets being developed through the Destination Management Plan. In response to further supplementary points, he also agreed that the Council could play a role in recognising volunteers, promoting volunteering and strengthening connections between volunteers, community councils and wider local initiatives. • The DCE&SD-A&C said the Deal linked directly to volunteering through three broad strands: encouraging new ideas and innovation from communities, supporting the growth and maintenance of the volunteer base through partners such as TVA, and better promoting and celebrating the civic contribution already being made across the borough. Following supplementary comments, he agreed that more could be done to communicate the benefits of volunteering and to share the stories of volunteers supporting local attractions and events. 5.3 Officers and the EM left the meeting and Members and the SO and TD&MSO remained.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
The minutes record no declarations of interest.
6.1 The date of the next meeting was scheduled for 9 July 2026. 6.2 The meeting ended at 12.15pm
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