Delighted to take on responsibility for AI, data, skills & productivity, alongside regional growth and serving as deputy for #CardiffCapitalRegion. Now we must ensure our region leads the fourth industrial revolution — using AI, innovation & skills to drive jobs and growth

A little teaser to our Andy Burnham interview at Rodney Parade talking about Newport.

Amazing! Can’t wait to go 🙂

Thank you for the invite. Another business investing and growing in Newport. Let’s see what more we can do. www.linkedin.com/posts/james-...

Newport at the top table of European cities - exactly where we belong. Wales’ only city in the programme, learning from and contributing to the very best. As a leader, I’ll never stop learning and improving on how we tackle inequality in Newport and making sure no one is left behind.

Congratulations to Newport’s new Mayor, Cllr Deb Harvey, who will be a fantastic advocate and representative for our city. I’m honoured to have been re-elected as Leader of Newport and proud to represent such an amazing city, community, and talented Labour group.

Our latest batch of roads to be resurfaced in Newport.

Coming soon….discussion with Andy Burnham about city centre regeneration, encouraging local growth, Newport & Manchester, inequality, sport and much more. Very kind of him to spare some time to have a chat. Will be available on my substack and YouTube.

Next week, the cabinet will review plans to explore future opportunities for Newport Stadium. If approved, we will launch an Expression of Interest process, inviting partners to share ideas and interest in the stadium. It’s a major asset for the city, and we cannot stand still.

Great to visit Newport Corinthians (Corries) this week & speak with David Stokes & chairman Rhys Hussain about the club’s ambitions. In it’s 65th year & continues to grow with 32 junior teams, 6 senior sides, a veterans team and 3 girls’ teams. What an iconic Newport backdrop too.

We are looking for an independent chair and board members to help drive and shape the UK Gov’s £20m Pride in Place programme for central Newport. Submit your expressions of interest by 1 June for the position of chair or 8 June to become a board member. www.newport.gov.uk/our-council/...

Big weekend of sport for Newport. @dragonsrfc European semi final tomorrow, but first @NewportCounty and avoid relegation!

No North / South Wales divide here. Flintshire and Newport campaigning together. Thank you to the leader of Flintshire for coming down to help.

Me after watching Newport County vs Oldham today, especially after the penalty save. What a win. Couldn’t believe it.

Absolutely huge points, more than anyone thinks! Ridiculous amount of extra time added.

This transformative £100m investment will bring a new state-of-the-art campus for 2,000 students into the heart of Newport—reshaping further education in our city. Delivered with Coleg Gwent, the Welsh Government, Newport Council & thanks to local MSs for their support.

Fantastic night 👏 Congrats to all winners & shortlisted businesses. Newport’s entrepreneurial spirit is thriving To our wealth creators & employers—you’re at the heart of our success. Let’s keep building and make Newport Wales’ fastest-growing economy. Newport Business Awards

Newport grows when our businesses grow - spanning big, medium and small sized businesses. Proud to champion our inaugural business awards—demand was insatiable. Looking forward to the night and doing the welcoming speech.

Super pleased, finally, to say our programmed road resurfacing works to commence on Somerton Road between 26th and 27th March. The road will be fully closed to vehicles between 20:00 and 05:00 on both dates, apart from emergency vehicles.

Outstanding local Newport business, Oliver’s Florist. Cracking flowers, bread, and great tasting coffee. Check it out.

Love St David’s Day. Delighted to speak at our celebration, ‘More than Dragons and Daffs’ event at the Riverfront, Newport. Lots of stalls and workshops showcasing our Welsh culture.

In Ep264, @dimitribatrouni.bsky.social argued that Newport's sports fans have stuck with their clubs through some very lean times in recent years - and that this needs to be rewarded with investment into local sports infrastructure. LISTEN NOW! 🎧 1912exiles.com #ncafc 🧡🖤

It’s fantastic that Newport has such dedicated, knowledgeable and loyal supporters of County and the Dragons. By working together and supporting one another wherever possible, we can help drive both clubs forward in a positive direction.

I’m looking forward to it

Our budget is investing more in our communities 👇 ✅ Officer to tackle rogue HMO landlords ✅ New Environmental Officer to crack down on fly-tipping ✅ Second clean-up team to keep streets tidy ✅ More Community Wardens on our streets ✅ Extra funding for local community groups

Last month we discussed how to better support Newport’s sports teams — from grassroots to elite. I’m pleased our budget includes: 🏅 £500,000 for grassroots clubs 🏆 £250,000 (match funding) for elite teams Including support for feasibility studies like new training facilities.

Today I’m announcing the largest investment in Newport’s public services & infrastructure in over 15 years. £40 million alone will be invested in vital infrastructure, including road resurfacing, new schools, and regeneration across our city. We are building Newport’s future.

Delighted to meet Carbon3ai and Rod Evans, from Nvidia (the most valuable company in the world), looking to heavily invest in Newport for sovereign AI. Watch this space for further developments. There is no ceiling to Newport’s economic growth.

Today we released the areas that will receive the UK Labour government’s £20m investment in Newport. The wards of Pill, Stow Hill and Victoria. This substantial investment, in lock step with members of those communities, will help to continue to regenerate those places.

While Welsh retail footfall figures struggle elsewhere in Wales, in Newport we are bucking the trend.

Visited Newport Men’s Shed today. What a thriving community group, where people can learn new skills and socialise with like-minded people. They welcome all. Thank you to Hedyn for hosting the group. If interested in getting involved, follow the link in the first comment below 👇

I was honoured to be invited to the Newport Carers’ Forum — an incredible group supporting, organising and fighting for carers across our city. I listened to their concerns and thanked them for what they do for their loved ones and for our society. If you’re a carer, you’re not alone.

Here is Newport’s draft budget proposals. Given our exponential growth as a city, we will heavily invest in our frontline services - those services that matter most to our residents. If passed, this draft budget will go out for consultation to residents.

Happy New Year to you and your family. Here’s to 2026 🍻and I hope it brings you happiness and success.

👉🏽 “The only way Newport will get the love and affection it deserves is if people start thinking about it differently.” For too long people have listened to lazy journalists or those loud local voices who only offer negativity. Watch out for our plans 2026! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Pleased we have released our AI and automation policy for Newport City Council. It will form the framework to maximise the benefits of AI, while guarding against its pitfalls and fallibilities. We must press ahead in adopting new technologies to deliver better public services more efficiently.

A really energising meeting with Mike Flynn. Our shared commitment to Newport’s future was front and centre as we talked honestly about what’s working, what needs to change, and the steps to take to help the city realise its full potential.

Keep the date in your diary, Newport’s music trail is back next year. It’s free and across multiple venues across the city. Headliner is the one and only GLC. These are the first acts to be announced more to follow in the New Year.

The Wales Technology Awards was an incredible event. It showcased the best technology firms based here in Wales. Heartening to see so many cutting-edge Welsh technology firms. They will be the foundation of Wales’ new economy.

Major improvement for Newport. In 2019, Newport had 24% of the most deprived areas in Wales. In 2025, it has dropped to 18% - a 6% drop. Across all Pillgwenlly areas, we saw significant progress. We are getting Newport on the right track. www.gov.wales/welsh-index-...

Early morning for us local councillors. Huge thanks to the local community volunteers & Nathan Thomas from Keep Wales Tidy for joining. Bigger thank you to the queen of Newport litter picks @Julie27Rose who organised it. We collected 67 bags of litter. Let’s keep our city clean💪🏽

Absolutely fantastic announcement from UK gov for South Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. £10bn investment and will create at least 5000 jobs. Newport already leading the way on this. We will maximise the opportunities this provides for our residents and businesses. businessnewswales.com/south-wales-...

Fantastic Newport xmas lights switch on with Peter Andre. A big thank you to Newport Now and council staff for organising and delivering and to Newport City Radio for hosting the event. The city centre was absolutely packed. Joy to see.

This is our city’s highly impressive youth council and youth service team. I joined them at their anti-bullying workshop. It is anti-bullying week and they pressed upon us the scale of the situation and what more we can all do to help tackle this situation. Amazing video guys!

Here is Red Watch based at station 45, Malpas. I want to thank them for giving me a tour of the station, highlighting some of the amazing work they do & for their service to our communities. They save lives in Newport, and the rest of South Wales, all year round.

Guess who will be doing Newport’s Christmas lights switch on this year? 🎅🌲

Always a privilege to attend and speak at the Chartist Memorial at Newport Cathedral. The fight for democracy should always be remembered as those rights, which were hard earned, need to be defended by every generation.

Newport in the Guardian. We are going for boom 💪🏽💰https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/nov/02/global-datacentre-boom-investment-debt

Delighted we can announce free car parking at council owned car parks across the city centre every Saturday between November 15 & December 27. Newport Bus to support with launch of a £13 app-exclusive ticket that allows up to four people all-day travel across city www.newport.gov.uk/newsroom/202...

Delighted there will be an East team & positive news for the city of Newport. I took an early stance against the original proposal & with the support of the entire council we made our feelings clear to the WRU. However, solidarity to one of the West teams & fans www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/...