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A seat at the “top table” of European cities will give Newport a chance to share expertise and secure future prosperity, the city council’s leader has insisted.

Newport has been chosen as one of 30 cities to take part in the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative – a professional leadership and management programme designed for political leaders and public officials.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, on Wednesday October 15, Cllr Dimitri Batrouni said the opportunity was “something we should grab, and will grab, with both hands”.

He said it was important to note the council had been “selected” for the programme following a “competitive” process, and participation would come at “no cost to the taxpayer”.

When he announced the city’s inclusion in the course, earlier this month, Cllr Batrouni said the council’s priorities were to tackle wealth inequality and boost economic growth.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting, he said the “prestigious” programme would give Newport a chance to “learn from other cities what works and doesn’t work”.

He said Newport would “stand shoulder to shoulder with cities like Helsinki, Oslo and Madrid”, and claimed “any city in the UK would snap our arms off to take our place” in the programme.

Newport City Council said it was the only local authority from Wales to be accepted onto the programme “that will help drive positive change for the city and its residents”.

Chief executive Beverly Owen welcomed the “really, really exciting opportunity for the city” and said the council would “absolutely maximise the value” of taking part.

According to LSE (the London School of Economics and Political Science), the programme will “equip local governments with the capabilities to drive progress and deliver results”.

The programme will provide leaders with “pioneering expertise to tackle problems, modernise services, strengthen operations, and improve people’s lives – advancing progress on the issues, from housing to transport to youth outcomes, residents care most about”.

Participation is fully funded by the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative, covering tuition, accommodation and travel. The programme comprises nine months of “intensive classroom, field-based, and capacity-building training” for its participants.