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Newport is the gateway that links England and Wales and is the third largest urban area in Wales. The county borough covers 84 square miles and has a population of 139,000. Its excellent road and rail links with the rest of the UK and Europe make it an area much sought-after by business and industry. In the past 12 years, more than �3 billion has been invested in the town, creating 10,000 new jobs and making it one of the fastest-growing towns in the UK. Newport's history stretches back 2,000 years to a Celtic settlement. The Romans built one of their biggest fortresses in Caerleon, and its well-preserved remains, including an amphitheatre, are a major tourist attraction. The Normans built a castle beside the river Usk in the 1100s, and the Cathedral of St Woolos stands on the site of a church built in the 6th century by St Gwynllw. The 17th century mansion Tredegar House, one of the architectural wonders of Wales, is now owned by the council. Newport was transformed by the Industrial Revolution and became a major centre for the coal and iron industries and modern Newport is built upon the wealth that was generated in the region by coal and steel. Today, the town is a vibrant multi-cultural society with a lively and diverse arts and leisure scene. Steel is still important, but Newport has also recently attracted many new high-tech industries. Newport County Borough Council is a unitary authority formed in 1996, and is the 8th largest in Wales, providing all major services such as education, leisure, housing , social services, planning and highways. There are 47 councillors (39 Labour, 5 Conservative and 3 others) and Newport was one of the first councils in the UK to adopt a new way of working, based on a Cabinet system. The council employs 7,000 people and has an annual budget of around �220 million. It is based in the civic centre, opened in 1940 and famous for its murals, designed by artist Hans Feibusch and showing the history of Newport from Celtic times onward. The Newport coat of arms shows a cherub with a shield and a winged sea lion and the motto Terra Marique - by land and sea. The council's corporate logo is a winged sea lion derived from the coat of arms.
Council Services
Newport Council provides a wide range of public services to the communities of Newport. The following sample of key service facts for 1998/99 will give you an idea of the scope of our work:-
household bins collected and emptied 57,646
tonnes of rubbish recycled 4,378
visits to local leisure centres 730,727
books borrowed from libraries 1,144,709
food premises visited by environmental health officers 695
schools 69
pupils 24,000
GCSE's passed 11,857
students on community education courses 5,000+
permanent youth clubs run by the Youth Service 14
hours of home care provided 333,000
adults who ask social services for help 9,000
day centre sessions provided 105,000
adult residential homes inspected 30
foster carers 160
street lights maintained and cleaned 16,935
planning applications submitted 1,200
inward investment attracted �226M
miles of roads resurfaced/maintained 388
miles of pavements resurfaced/maintained 175
Council houses and flats 11,744
repairs carried out to Council houses and flats 50,587
homeless families rehoused 118
people living in sheltered accommodation 826
Estate Ranger call-outs 8,598
Housing Benefit claims administered 45,000
number of people on register of electors 100,699
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