MONMOUTHSHIRE Council is proposing to set up its own centre for innovation.

Under the proposal the centre would be established for three years from April, at a total cost of £630,000.

The centre would provide innovation hubs and so-called ‘labs’ to help create conditions for people to work as part of teams to solve problems.

In his report Paul Matthews, the council’s chief executive, and his deputy, Moyna Wilkinson, said it would allow hundreds of colleagues to bring forward their ideas for service improvement with people around to guide them.

Mr Matthews said the deputy chief executive would run the centre and recruit a small team from within the organisation, supplemented by a new programme known as ‘Entern’, providing opportunities for two graduate interns.

The team would orchestrate activity, introduce radical efficiency programmes and continue to research and develop the new ways of working.

The centre would be funded by Invest to Redesign cash, which was specifically created to promote innovation and creativity, at a cost of £210,000 a year.

The money would cover the cost of a faculty member from the University of Wales being seconded for six months.

In his report Mr Matthews said: “This proposal is about giving the organisation necessary capacity to explore its entire service offer and evaluate ongoing contribution to the priorities of the council.

The report will be presented to the cabinet at the Shire Hall, Monmouth, tomorrow.