What is the Twyn Hywel Energy Park grants panel?

We are looking for people from all walks of life who are keen to making a difference for their communities, guide community investment priorities and contribute to decision making in the Caerphilly area. 

You need to be 18 or over to be on the local panel, however two spaces will be reserved for younger members 16 and over if there is an interest from this age group. 

A member of the Community Investment team would be more than happy to talk with you and you can contact them by emailing cicteam@bute.energy  

Yes, applicants should be aware that some digital access and basic IT skills will be needed if they are appointed to the panel.  

Yes. However, you must declare this connection before joining the panel. For any  applications involving organisations you or a family member are linked to, you  would be asked to leave discussions when the panel will be decision‑making for  that particular application. You would be asked to sign a conflict-of-interest  declaration confirming this. 

The purpose of this panel is to ensure local people shape local decisions.  Applicants should currently live within the community or immediate surrounding  areas. Someone who has moved just outside the boundary may still be  considered, but those who have relocated further away (for example to another  region or country) would not be eligible. 

A conflict of interest is when someone involved in the local panel has personal interests or loyalties that could or could appear to influence their judgement. Conflicts could be that the person is a member of a certain organisation or is from a certain geographical area.  Common examples in grant making could include panel members being named in proposals, coming from the same organisation as applicants, having close connections to applicants, or competing with them. We will develop a clear conflict of interest policy which will guide us through this as it is inevitable that people invested in their communities will have links to some projects and areas. 

We are keen to encourage a wide cross section of people from all walks of life so wouldn’t want to see a panel soley made up of local councillors.  However. we also acknowledge the valuable role local councillors play in their communities inside out, the concerns and the initiatives which are developing to address those concerns.  The final make up of the local panel will take into account expertise and knowledge and geographical representation to ensure a good mix. 

We are yet to determine the exact terms of the local panelists but envisage that they would be elected for a term of two years in the first instance.   

Yes of course, we would be happy to talk with you about applying and any concerns you may have.  We will also be hosting pop up events within the community where members of the Community Investment team will be on hand to answer questions and record your applications.   

 While we can offer guidance and answer questions, we cannot write or complete  applications on behalf of applicants, as this would present a conflict of interest. 

Get in touch by emailing cicteam@bute.energy 

No, we cannot accept nominations for this role, people must apply for themselves.  You may support someone who needs help completing the application such as assisting with typing or uploading documents but you must have their permission and act only in a supportive capacity. 

We’ve tried to ensure the application process is as accessible as possible by offering the opportunity to write and post an application, apply online or in person.    

Fore more information on how to apply – scroll further up on this page.

Yes, you may support someone who needs help completing the application such as assisting with typing or uploading documents but you must have their permission and act only in a supportive capacity.   Applicants should be aware that some digital access and basic IT skills will be needed if they are appointed to the panel. 

People will be appointed on their own merit based on their experience, past contributions to community work and passion for our themes of interest.  There is no hard and fast rule about more than one family member being on the panel, the individuals would need to register their connection in their application and have different skills and experience to offer the panel.   

Yes, all shortlisted applicants will be interviewed. Where possible, these will take place in person, ideally within your local area. However, we will offer flexibility where needed, including the option of virtual interviews. 

We anticipate introducing a set tenure of two years, similar to the arrangements used for our Board of Trustees. There may be an option to re‑apply once your term ends, subject to performance and panel needs. Final confirmation on this process will be shared as soon as possible. 

It’s not unusual for an energy developer to offer grants to communities nearest its infrastructure, but we pride ourselves on our unique approach to this investment.

Guided by our themes of focus, our team has adopted a data-driven approach to mapping the challenges and aspirations of local communities. Using a combination of qualitative (research, conversations, case studies) and quantitative (census, statistics, polling) data analysis – we use a digital platform to visualise and understand the interdependencies between the pieces of insight. This approach will help us identify where we might invest as early as possible, and guide both local panels and the Board of Trustees.

We said we’d be here for the long-term, wanting be part of a wider legacy for Welsh communities. Therefore, a member of the Bute Energy team will have a seat at the Trustee table, providing insights and live social mapping data to assist in the long-term opportunities that are applied for. We’ve announced who the Board of Trustees are – including the Bute Energy representative.  Take a look.

A legally binding agreement between the energy park and the CIO will be established to ensure that the funds are being paid in line with the agreed £7,500 per megawatt of installed capacity for the duration of the energy generating life of each energy park. The payments will continue for the duration of the operations of the park.

The fund will be linked to the Consumer Price Index to allow for economic inflation so that our funds are future proofed for the lifetime of our turbines.

In a nutshell, local community groups, organisations, and charities across Wales will be able to apply for grants so that brand new initiatives can be created, and existing projects elevated to be able to reach their potential and support even further.

You’ll be fully supported to succeed in the role, including:

• A full induction and training programme
• Guidance on assessment criteria and decision‑making
• Ongoing support from the Community Investment team
• Administrative support, including meeting organisation and minute‑taking
• Access to local data and insights
• Support and advocacy from the Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance and direction of the Community Benefit Fund.

Yes, our extensive social mapping approach, which involves the collation and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, has so far been instrumental in identifying the crucial local challenges and opportunities around our energy parks.

The insight we’ve already gathered can be accessed by the local grants panel, to support discussions or give them a head start on how to prioritise applications.

Their informed recommendations will then be presented to the CIO Board, providing critical support in the final approval of grants, thus embedding community voice at the heart of the decision-making process.