ChairMAN of Monmouthshire Council, Maureen Powell, and deputy leader Bob Greenland toured the new £6m Usk headquarters for Monmouthshire County Council last week.

The Democratic Centre, as it will be known, is an environmentally-friendly complex which will eventually accommodates 400 staff at 200 desks, promoting the new 'agile working' environment, and uses rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing, a wood chip biomass boiler system and solar hot water panels.

Councillors expect to hold their first meeting there at the end of April.