Newport City Council, Monmouthshire CC, and Caerphilly and Torfaen CBCs, have all withdrawn from the Gwent Frailty Partnership, with members of Blaenau Gwent CBC expected to follow at a meeting this week.

A joint review by the councils and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board found ‘significant variation across local authority areas in funding per person and uneven health board subsidisation'.

It added: ‘While there have been increasing costs, in recent years, there has been a lack of governance over this arrangement, leaving organisations vulnerable by investing financially in arrangements they have little control over or accountability for.'

The councils felt the partnership could be dismantled with ‘minimal disruption', but the health board warned ‘consequences could be significant' if not handled correctly.

Torfaen's strategic director for children and family services, Jason O'Brien, told a meeting last week exiting the partnership ‘would enable us to have greater control locally'.

He added: ‘Locally and regionally this will give us greater potential to create a more preventative service, so we are not firefighting and are acting proactively.'

The partnership was established in 2011 in an effort to help care users remain living at home. However, the partnership's budget reached £19m in 2025-26, with a forecast overspend of £106,000.