Steffan Newton BA (Hons), QMICCM, MCMI

I currently manage several diverse services in the neighbourhood section at Neath Port Talbot Council. These services include;

• Country Parks
• Cemeteries
• Arboriculture Services
• Playgrounds
• Bridges and Structures
• Playgrounds
• Allotments

This role involves managing a diverse workforce of around 60 employees, with a wide range of skill sets. My role demands that I manage these services effectively and within the budgets set by the Council members and the Chief Executive. Effective time management and a diverse skill set, is essential for my role to ensure that the demands of the services are met and all sections are run efficiently.

Producing reports for grant funding and bench marking for Welsh, and UK Government are essential parts of my role.

This role involved managing a large country park of around 260 acres in size. The park included large open grasslands, woodland, an arboretum and 3 large ponds with a reservoir.

The site also had a cafe and a visitor centre with a number of cafe, grounds maintenance and cleaning staff. The main requirements of the role was to ensure that the Country Park was safe for all service users and stakeholders.

There was also a requirement for the park to become self sufficient due to recent austerity. The Country Park went from a £80,000 net subsidy in financial year 2018/19 to breaking even in 2019/20. In addition to these challenging times, i managed the Country Park during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From starting as an apprentice with the Local Authority, I started the position of Cemeteries Support Officer. This involved speaking to all stakeholders including; stonemasons, funeral directors, solicitors, bereaved families and external contractors.

The role was largely administrative based requiring a high degree of accuracy and concentration. This was due to the complex nature of burials and the legal requirements. There was also a requirement to liaise with different faith groups to ensure their needs were met within the bereavement sector.