Open Consultations
School admissions policy 2025-26
Closing date: Friday 16 February 2024
We are consulting on school admission arrangements for the 2025/26 academic year.
The arrangements set out:
- the timetable for making applications for school places
- the criteria for how places are allocated.
No policy changes are being proposed in this consultation.
Please email your comments to school.admissions@newport.gov.uk by 5pm on the closing date.
View the consultation document. (pdf)
House in Multiple Occupation Additional Licensing Scheme
Closing date of consultation: 6 February 2024
Newport City Council is reviewing its House in Multiple Occupation Additional Licensing scheme to see if it should be extended for five years from June 2024. To take part in the House in Multiple Occupation Additional Licensing scheme consultation, please complete our online survey.
View the consultation document. (pdf)
Long Term Empty Homes and Second Homes Consultation
Closing date of consultation: Monday 18 December 2023
Newport City Council is undertaking a consultation exercise about charging a council tax premium on long-term empty properties and second homes in the city.
The city currently has extremely high levels of homelessness and a large amount of the Council’s finances are dedicated to providing short term emergency accommodation. The Welsh Government would allow the Council to hold on to the money raised from these premiums.
At the current time there are more than 800 properties in the city that have been empty for more than 12 months.
Complete the online survey.
Replacement Local Development Plan – Preferred Strategy (Pre-Deposit Plan)
25 October 2023 – 20 December 2023
As part of the ongoing work preparing the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP), we are now seeking your feedback on the proposed Preferred Strategy (Pre-Deposit Plan).
The Preferred Strategy represents a partial draft of the RLDP, based on the feedback received from previous consultations undertaken and the available evidence base collated to date.
The consultation includes:
- the scale of homes, jobs and employment proposed
- the Key Sites and existing allocations identified to support growth
- the strategic policies to support the delivery of the Vision and Objectives of the RLDP.
Additionally, the Candidate Sites Register, the Initial Integrated Sustainability Appraisal and the Habitats Regulations Assessment Screening Report are also available for comment.
You can make a submission and find out further information here.
Building a fairer Gwent
The Gwent Marmot report Building a Fairer Gwent: improving health equity and the social determinants by the Institute of Health Equity is now out.
The report discusses the current situation in Gwent where there are significant inequities in health, education, housing, income and employment across local authority areas.
Also included is a suggested list of measurement indicators and recommendations to help monitor progress of system-wide actions to address health inequalities and improve the social determinants of health in Gwent.
Now that the report is out, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board would like to her opinions of citizens across Gwent to help embed this work.
Information sheet
Have your say
Have your say on rail improvements in Newport
Transport for Wales are seeking views on proposals for five new railway stations in south-east Wales and new cross-border rail services.
The proposals include three new railway stations for Newport including Llanwern, Somerton and a Newport West station, located in Duffryn.
Residents can view more information about the plans, and share their thoughts, on the Transport for Wales website. The consultation will close on 15 January 2024.
tfw.wales/sew-new-stations
Parks and play improvements
The Parks Team are aiming to improve play areas in Newport. The project has secured funding from the 2022 budget consultations to upgrade play areas to provide children with safe and fun spaces to play.
The project is being undertaken with the input of the community, ensuring that the needs and preferences of local families are considered in the design process through multiple consultations.
View the current consultations
Closed consultations
One Newport Local Action Plan – Consultation Draft
Closing date of consultation - 31st October 2023
One Newport has been working on a new Local Action Plan which will cover the important work that needs close cooperation and joint working between different organisations including Newport City Council, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Gwent Police, Natural Resources Wales.
This plan is consider different aspects of the city that we need to focus on to make Newport a better place now and also for future generations.
In this consultation, we have identified the key themes and actions for partnership working in Newport and we now want to know what you think of our draft Local Action Plan.
For more information on One Newport and the Local Area Action Plan email one.newport@newport.gov.uk.
Draft taxi licensing policy
Closing date of consultation: Monday 22 October 2023
Newport City Council (in its role as licensing authority) has been required to review its Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy in line with the Department for Transport statuary guidance on taxis.
Welsh Government Guidance.
If you wish to make comment regarding the draft policy please do so in writing to environment.licensing@newport.gov.uk by the 22 October 2023. If you wish to discuss the Draft Policy with the team please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Draft Policy (pdf)
Market Arcade Public Space Protection Order (PSPO)
Closing date of consulation: 14 September 2023
The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Market Arcade that was introduced in November 2020 is due to expire in November 2023 and we are now consulting with residents to renew the Order.
Have your say on the new PSPO for Market Arcade
Community Safety Perception Survey
Closing date of consultation: 10 September 2023
Newport City Council, Gwent Police and their Safer Newport partners are working on a Strategic Needs Assessment which will help us understand community safety issues, decide on priorities and what we need to do about them. To do this we want to hear from local people and this survey will help us understand people’s perceptions about community safety in different settings. We encourage you to complete the survey and to share it, as we want a wide range of views.
This survey will also inform other important strategies including the Council’s strategic equalities plan, and Council spending decisions.
Complete the survey
Website survey
Newport City Council is looking to improve its online presence.
As part of this process, we would like to get your thoughts on our current website.
We would appreciate if you could complete the short survey to allow us to build your feedback into any upcoming developments.
Draft electric vehicle charging points strategy
We want to hear your views on our plans to increase electric vehicle charging points in Newport.
Around 27 per cent of Newport’s carbon emissions come from transport. Reducing these is a key priority for the council as we aim to become a net zero carbon city by 2050.
To help people make the switch to electric vehicles, it is important that we develop a charging network that meets the needs of our residents and visitors both now and in the future.
We are very interested in learning your views on our draft strategy and what you think we can do to further promote electric car ownership.
Underwood Green Connected Community
Newport City Council is to carry out a community nature spaces project in Underwood which will aim to create spaces for nature and for people to enjoy.
We would love to hear your views on this project and would be grateful if you could take five minutes to complete the survey.
Your responses will help shape the future of your neighbourhood.
Frequently asked questions (pdf)
Improving travel in central Newport
24 February 2023 - 6 April 2023
We want your opinion on proposals for improving travel options in the city centre.
The council and Transport for Wales want to improve the experience of travelling to Newport railway station, the riverfront and through Old Green.
The vision is for Newport rail station to become a hub for sustainable travel and our aim is to make the city a nicer place to live, work and visit, while helping people become less dependent on cars.
To help improve safety, the proposals will aim to deliver a more people focused environment by creating simplified active travel routes which are convenient and attractive for all users.
https://haveyoursay.tfw.wales/newport-central-travel-improvements
Parks and play improvement consultation Pillgwenlly
The Parks Team are aiming to improve play areas in Newport. The project has secured funding to upgrade play areas to provide children with safe and fun spaces to play.
Our first consultation will be focused on Pillgwenlly Millenium Centre and Ruperra Street. You can visit our in person consultation Pillgwenlly Asda, Thursday 30 March 9am-4pm.
Budget proposals – 2023/24
Closed: 2 February 2023
Newport City Council is asking members of the public to give their views on the council’s draft budget and medium-term financial plan for 2023/24.
A number of savings proposals have been put forward due to a budget gap of around £27.6 million.
Replacement local development plan - growth and spatial options consultation
Closed - 8 March 2023
The growth and spatial options consider the scale of growth (housing and employment) and broad options for where that growth could be located (spatial options).
Your feedback will help refine the growth and spatial options to best represent the communities that live in, work in, and visit Newport.
Devon Place bridge CCTV cameras
Closing date: 28 Feb 2023
Newport City Council will be installing CCTV cameras around the new Devon Place bridge.
The cameras will be placed in the following locations:
- Two (a pan-tilt-zoom & a static) will be placed on the wall of the old Information Station on Queensway
- Two (a pan-tilt-zoom and a static) will be placed on a column adjacent to Dragon Taxis
- Three (one pan-tilt-zoom and two statics) will be placed on the Devon Place side of the bridge.
The cameras will be used for the safety of persons using the bridge, acting as a deterrent to potential anti-social and criminal behaviour, and we are keen to hear your views on what impact this change may have.
Over-55s housing survey
Closed: 13 February 2023
Newport City Council is asking residents aged over 55 to complete a short, anonymous survey to provide insight into their housing situations.
Research is being undertaken to develop recommendations to improve services and support for the over 55s.
Your feedback will shape the proposals and may assist in the development of projects taking place over the next few years.
School Admissions Policy 2024/25
Closed: 17 February 2023
Newport City Council is consulting on the rules around admissions to schools in Newport effective from September 2024.
It is a statutory requirement of the Welsh Government School Admissions Code that the Council (as the admissions authority for all community and voluntary controlled schools in Newport) carry out an annual consultation on the school admission arrangements for the next but one academic year.
Shared Prosperity Fund – shaping our Local Investment Plan
Closed: November 30 2022
We're seeking your views on Newport’s Local Investment Plan. The Plan is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF), a new funding opportunity supporting high quality skills training, employment support, business growth, building community resilience and a sense of pride in where we live.
We already have some ideas, based on previous consultation with the public, which are set out within the survey, but we also want to know if there are other things we should be doing.
Your feedback will shape the local investment plan and the development of specific projects which will take place over the next three years.
Tell us: what would you like to know?
Closed: 17 December 2022
We want to communicate with you as well as we possibly can.
Whether it’s hearing about bin collections on Facebook, or reading about our future plans in Newport Matters, we want to share with you, news and information that you’re interested in, through channels that suit you.
To help us reach you in the best possible way, we’d be grateful if you could complete our short survey, so we can understand more about what you want to know, and how you want to hear from us.
Welsh Government consultation – visitor levy
Closed: Tuesday 13 December 2022
Welsh Government is consulting on the option of introducing a visitor levy in Wales. This would allow local councils to charge people who visit their area, like tourists. Each council would use the money to improve their area and encourage more people to visit in the future. Although this is not a council consultation, it may be of interest to individuals and businesses in Newport.
Further information on the proposal including community and youth and easy read documents are available on the Welsh Government website.
Nature isn't Neat - Green Spaces
Newport City Council is looking for residents’ feedback on how natural areas within the city are managed, as green spaces across Newport are being left to grow during spring and summer months to benefit ecosystems as part of the Nature isn’t Neat project.
All five Gwent councils are committed to managing more green spaces for nature as part of the Nature isn't Neat project, helping to combat the biodiversity and climate crisis.
The council want to ensure the right balance is found between nature and recreation by hearing residents’ feedback on how the Nature Isn’t Neat approach is being maintained in the local green spaces. By letting us know what you think of the changes, you can show support or highlight areas for us to improve.
Childcare Sufficiency Assessment
Closed: 15 November 2022
The Childcare Act 2006 makes it clear in legislation the importance of the role Local Authorities should play in the provision of local childcare. It reinforces the need for local authorities to continue to work in partnership with the maintained, independent, private, voluntary, and community sectors to shape and secure children’s services.
This report examines statistical information relating to private, public, and voluntary childcare and play providers within Newport City boundaries.
You can read the report by visiting our Newport Family Information Service page.
Corporate Plan
Closed: 23 September 2022
Newport City Council has been developing a new corporate plan that sets out priority areas and a work programme for the next five years. It is based around key themes that we think will make Newport a better place to live and work. Residents are asked for their views and to help shape the future of the city.
Newport Religion, Values and Ethics Syllabus
Closed: 27 June 2022
Newport Consultation Group are meeting to agree the Newport Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) Syllabus for September 2022. The meeting gives religious and non-religious groups and teaching staff the opportunity to discuss the draft document and put forward any changes they would like to see.
Universal Free School Meals
Closed: 20 June 2022
Welsh Government has announced a universal primary free school meals programme to support education attainment and child nutrition alongside local food production and distribution.
It will initially be introduced on a phased roll-out to support the youngest learners from September 2022 and is expected to be fully implemented by Sept 2024.
To ensure that children receive the best possible provision, we are asking parents and carers to complete a questionnaire.
Participation Strategy
Closed: 27 March 2022
Under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, local authorities in Wales must publish a Participation Strategy that sets out the ways in which local people are encouraged to participate in decision-making by the council.
We aim to be open and responsive to the needs of citizens and communities. This includes engaging local people in participative processes, by which residents can influence and shape policy and services.
Participation is about sharing decisions with those affected by them and must be an integral part of our work. Participation can include a wide range of different methods and techniques and may be prompted by the council, or by residents.
We are seeking feedback on the council’s priorities for encouraging participation in decision making.
Download the participation strategy (pdf)
Replacement Local Development Plan – draft vision, issues and objectives
Closed: 25 March 2022
As part of the ongoing work preparing the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP), we are now seeking your feedback to help refine the draft vision, issues and objectives to best represent the communities that live in, work in and visit Newport.
The report sets out what the council believes are the key issues, challenges and opportunities facing Newport and provides a draft vision and objectives for the RLDP.
Sustainable travel consultation – Newport to Cardiff routes
Closed: 11 March 2022
Transport for Wales, Welsh Government, Newport City Council and Cardiff Council would like your views on plans to improve sustainable travel options between Newport and Cardiff.
The plans include proposals to improve walking, cycling and bus routes on the A48 between the two cities.
They also include improvements of National Cycle Network Route 88.
The plans take forward key recommendations of the South-East Wales Transport Commission. The commission was tasked by Welsh Government to find sustainable ways to tackle congestion on the M4 corridor in south-east Wales.
The work to implement the recommendations is being led by the Burns Delivery Unit at Transport for Wales, alongside Welsh Government and councils in south-east Wales.
Find out more