As we approach the school holidays, I would like to wish all those collecting exam results this summer the very best of luck.

Some will get the results they hoped for and will be celebrating while looking forward to the next stage of their life’s journey.

And those who might not have got the grades or qualifications they wanted, can be reassured that there is plenty of help and other opportunities available for them to achieve their potential.

Education and training are vitally important to ensure our young people and older residents have the right skills for the future.

I’m delighted that we have recently taken another step closer to our vision of establishing a Newport Knowledge Quarter in the heart of the city centre.

A pre-planning consultation has begun ahead of the submission of an application for a further education campus on the site of Newport Centre.

Coleg Gwent is proposing to relocate its Newport campus bringing hundreds of students and staff into the city centre close to the University of Wales campus.

And we are also submitting a bid to the UK Levelling-Up Fund to support the establishment of a National Technology Institute in a location in the city centre.

This will be a collaboration involving further and higher education partners and employers, delivering high quality, higher level technical education and training.

A Newport NTI will ensure that local people are provided with the technical skills needed by employers in this area.

It will be a great addition to the Newport Knowledge Quarter offer and will further enhance the mix of uses in the city centre.

We have a number of stages to go through before getting final approval but - with the UK government’s support – it will be a great asset to the city centre, Newport and the region and a superb way to ‘level up’ the skills and training provision.

Work is also progressing well on our plan to create a new leisure centre on the riverfront providing both fun and well-being facilities for residents of all ages.

We want to make it as energy efficient as possible and information on potential and innovative schemes are being gathered. My cabinet will consider the options in the coming months.

These are part of our ongoing and evolving city centre regeneration “masterplan” and it’s exciting to see them progressing and taking shape. They will bring benefits to Newport for many years to come.