We are looking for a Local Democracy Reporter to cover Monmouthshire and Torfaen in South Wales. This role will see you hold local authorities and politicians to account and stand up for local people.

Yes, you will be covering council meetings and scouring agenda papers, but you will also go beyond that and produce original journalism about how council services impact people’s lives.

This is not for someone who just wants to write dry council reports but for a reporter who wants to make a difference, hold power to account and champion people’s concerns and issues.

It's a lively patch, covering the valley's communities of Torfaen and the market towns of Monmouthshire. There's plenty to cover. The balance of power at Monmouthshire Council was recently settled by a coin toss, while the council also become the first gender-balanced local authority in Wales.

The role will be based in our Newport newsroom, with the option to work from home some days once you’ve settled in. You’ll be expected to attend council meetings for the two authorities, both virtually and in-person, as well as go out to talk to people, so the ability to get around the patch is essential.

The Local Democracy Reporter Scheme is funded via the BBC but you’ll be employed by Newsquest and be a valued part of the South Wales Argus team. Your copy will go out on a wire and be available to other Service users, including the BBC, Wales Online and smaller local titles, as well as our sister titles The National Wales and Free Press Series, so you’ll need to be flexible about supporting their needs too.

This role is suitable for a qualified senior reporter or a trainee who has achieved (or is about to) their gold standard diploma including 100wpm shorthand from the NCTJ.

Please apply with your CV, three examples of your work and an idea for an issue you would like to cover and how you would go about it.