A PLAN setting out Monmouthshire County Council’s priorities for the next five years has been passed at the third time of asking. 

The ruling Labour group's cabinet originally put forward the plan for approval last October. 

But opposition councillors threatened to vote it down, and the cabinet agreed to compile a revised and more detailed plan.

That second plan came before the council in January, but was defeated by the combined Conservative, Independent and Green opposition, who together outnumber the Labour group. 

Though the council did not have its Community and Corporate Plan 2022-28 in place, the cabinet has been able to bring forward policies and make decisions, and the January setback was seen as a warning shot ahead of the March budget. 

The council must have a budget in place by law and the cabinet had to amend its spending plans, and cuts programme, for its budget to be approved after it was also defeated when first brought to the full council. 

The plan has now been approved following a vote of all councillors.

It sets targets to make Monmouthshire a zero carbon county, tackle inequality by boosting the numbers of people employed from minority ethnic backgrounds, support the LGBTQ community, and increase the number of Welsh speaking council employees to 500. 

The 28-page document also proposes more investment in education and social care, and set out plans to tackle homelessness and support public transport, including support for a ‘walkway’ rail station at Magor.

It also proposes partnerships with businesses and to halve the waiting time for an allotment. An A4-sized copy of the plan is to be produced. 

Council leader Mary Ann Brocklesby said Conservative group leader Richard John, Independent group leader Frances Taylor, Conservative councillor Alistair Neale and Green Party councillor Ian Chandler had provided “positive feedback” which had been incorporated into the plan. 

Cllr John said the document is the fifth version produced, as two further drafts had been shared with the opposition privately.

He said “some of the woolly, left-wing ideological content” had been dropped, but “solid Conservative values” he accused Labour of “cutting and pasting” from his previous administration’s plan, have been retained. 

Deputy leader Paul Griffiths defended the Labour administration. He said: “I stand again, for a third time, accused of lacking ambition. I think, for a new administration, over the past 10, 11 months we’ve shown remarkable ambition.” 

He cited the draft Local Development Plan, which commits to half of all new housing in Monmouthshire being affordable - and that the houses will be zero carbon and within 15 minutes walking distance of established communities - as well as plans to attract investment and work with communities to revitalise town centres. 

He said the council’s split between Labour, with 22 members, and the combined 24 votes of the opposition means his party has the “responsibility” while others hold the “power”.