S you would expect from a Welsh city, Newport is passionate about sport – but what you might not expect is how this love of sport is helping us raise the profile of the city and position ourselves as a major player in the world of events.

We have invested in some top class facilities such as the National Velodrome and we have proved our worth by successfully hosting Velothons, the Ryder Cup, the city’s half marathon and more.

We can also boast some amazing spin-off events such as Olympic and Paralympic training camps. In the last week alone we have welcomed the Queen’s Baton Relay ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and hosted a stage of the Tour of Britain pro-cycle race which involves 120 of the world’s best cyclists.

We are using this enthusiasm and growing experience to explore opportunities for the city and attract more events that will enhance our profile. The aim is to boost inward investment which will in turn support our redevelopment and create opportunities for residents, visitors, businesses, volunteers and local communities.

We also want local people to have great home-grown events on their doorstep.

On October 7 we will see the return of the Tiny Rebel Newport Food and Drink Festival.

Now in its seventh year, it has become a real crowd-pleaser and we hope even more people will join us for the culinary delights, entertainment and expert demonstrations.

Events such as The Big Splash, Christmas activities and the urban beach we saw at Friars Walk this summer are also helping us offer a year-round calendar.

Back to thinking big, the Nato Summit proved our ability to host global events and with the development of the International Convention Centre Wales at the Celtic Manor well under way, we are excited about the opportunities that such city-based facilities will bring.

As a council, our focus is on making sure Newport’s infrastructure will support more events and that we reap the potential benefits as best we can.

I appreciate that sometimes such events can be seen to cause disruption, for example if we need to close roads. I want to reassure our residents that their needs are always at the forefront of our considerations and will always factor when evaluating the overall benefits for the city.

So, without giving the game away, we hope to make some exciting announcements in the not too distance future… keep an eye out in the Argus and on our website and social media!