20 December 2022

Attending a hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court, a Llandrindod Wells resident has been found guilty of a Section 4 Public Order offence and given a substantial fine, after assaulting a Powys County Council Civil Enforcement Officer.

On being issued with a penalty charge notice for a parking violation on Temple Street, Llandrindod Wells on the 30 June, the offender violently pushed the notice into the Civil Enforcement officer’s chest.

The incident was captured on the officer’s body worn camera, the video from which was handed over to police who took the case to court last week (14 December).

Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys said: “Violence or offensive behaviour towards council staff will never be tolerated. We appreciate that getting a parking ticket can be frustrating, but it is absolutely no excuse for the physical and verbal abuse of others.

“Our Civic Enforcement Officers have a thankless job, but it is essential to ensure that parking, especially in our busy town centres, is monitored to ensure a good footfall of people can visit our high streets.

“We are grateful to the police for taking this case to court and hope that it serves as a reminder to others that violence, of any kind, is not acceptable and will be dealt with appropriately.”

19 December 2022

Members of the public who visit a north Powys canal have an opportunity to give their views on the canal before a major restoration project begins.

As part of the Montgomery Canal Restoration Project, three surveys have been launched to find out the current views of people who visit Montgomery Canal.

The surveys are being carried out by Glandŵr Cymru (the Canal & River Trust in Wales) and Powys County Council, who are delivering the ambitious project to restore and revitalise parts of the Montgomery Canal. The two organisations were successful in securing almost £14m from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund for the project.

The three baseline surveys are being held before restoration works begin. The surveys are:

The survey results will help the Trust and Council understand what people currently think of Montgomery Canal and Y Lanfa, how often they visit and the purpose of their visits. The Trust and Council will carry out other surveys as the project progresses and at the end of the project.

Cllr David Selby, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, said: “The Montgomery Canal Restoration Project will make a substantial contribution towards the wider, phased restoration of the Montgomery Canal, that when fully completed, will provide long-term economic, cultural, wellbeing and recreational benefits for local communities.

“However, it is important that we seek the views of the local community and visitors to Montgomery Canal and Y Lanfa to understand their current thoughts, how often they visit and the purpose of their visit.  I would urge visitors to the Montgomery Canal and local residents to use this opportunity to make their opinions known by completing this survey.”

Jason Leach, Head of External Programme Delivery at Glandŵr Cymru (the Canal & River Trust in Wales), said: “The next phase of the restoration of the Montgomery Canal will bring many benefits to the community but it’s important we understand how local people use the canal and why they come to visit.

“We know that being by water is good for our mental and physical health so it’s wonderful that this next step of this restoration project is going ahead. Our canals have been reinvented as a place for people to spend their leisure time, get fit, enjoy the outdoors, and feel healthier so come for a visit.”

The surveys will close on 31 January 2023.

For more information on the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund in Powys, including the Montgomery Canal Restoration Project, visit UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

For general enquiries regarding the Levelling Up Fund in Powys, please email [email protected]

19 December 2022

The Mid Wales Education Partnership has appointed a strategic lead officer, it has been announced.

Anwen Orrells has been appointed to the role and will lead and manage the Mid Wales Education Partnership.

The Mid Wales Education Partnership consists of Ceredigion and Powys councils, who have formed a collective approach towards some aspects school improvement services to supports schools across the region.

Chief Education Officers of Ceredigion and Powys, Meinir Ebbsworth and Lynette Lovell, said: “The Mid Wales Education Partnership’s vision is to deliver the best possible outcomes for our learners, whatever their background, by supporting practitioners and schools to deliver the four enabling objectives of ‘Education in Wales: Our National Mission’.

“We are delighted to have appointed Anwen to this vital role. We believe that she has all the attributes to implement the strategic direction of the partnership and coordinate a bilingual integrated approach across the region and make a real difference for our learners.”

Anwen, who was educated at Trefeglwys CP School and Llanidloes High School, started her teaching career as a Geography teacher at Builth High School after gaining a degree in Geography then a Post Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education from Aberystwyth University.

Anwen later moved to Caereinion High School where she worked for 20 years and held the positions of Head of Geography and Assistant Headteacher before joining Powys County Council as a School Improvement Adviser in 2016.

Anwen, who is also an Estyn Inspector, will leave her current role as Powys County Council’s Service Manager for Education Support Services to join the partnership.

“This is an exciting opportunity and I’m delighted to have been appointed into this role,” Anwen said.

“I look forward to working with senior education professionals across the two counties as we look to support schools to continually improve the quality of teaching and learning so that it gives learners the best possible start they deserve.”

19 December 2022

A new Welsh-medium primary school being built in north Powys will now open after the Easter holidays, the county council has said.

Powys County Council is building a new 150-place school for Welshpool’s Ysgol Gymraeg Y Trallwng. The new building will include early years and community facilities.

The innovative scheme for the new school combines the old and the new which will provide the pupils of Ysgol Gymraeg y Trallwng and the community of Welshpool with fantastic facilities whilst maintaining the presence of the iconic Ysgol Maesydre.

The old Grade II listed building will be refurbished to accommodate early years and community facilities and a new extension will be built to include a new school hall and classroom bases. The building will also be the first Passivhaus hybrid project in the UK.

Construction work began last November and was originally due to last 12 months.

However, the construction has slowed down due to supply chain issues which has delayed the project.

Following discussions with the senior leaders at Ysgol Gymraeg Y Trallwng, it has been agreed that learners and staff will move into the new building after the Easter holidays.

Cllr Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “We’re naturally disappointed that the construction of the new school for Ysgol Gymraeg Y Trallwng has been delayed due to supply chain issues, which are beyond the council’s control.

“However, this has meant that the construction programme has had to be revised and a couple more months of building works are required.

“Once the building has been completed and handed over to the council there will be a transitioning period to ensure that school staff are familiar with their new school and that they have the necessary time to prepare it for their learners ready for the school’s opening day.”

Angharad Davies, Headteacher of Ysgol Gymraeg Y Trallwng, said: “As a school, we are putting our children and staff first and decided to delay our move into the new building slightly to ensure that we have a smooth transition. Therefore, we will be moving into our new building after the Easter holidays.

“Although we are excited about our new school building, a new building does not mean an excellent education. Excellent education is the product of the people with it and around it. We have proven this at Ysgol Gymraeg Y Trallwng not only in the last week but since we opened in 2017.

“Welsh-medium education in Welshpool is thriving and the new building will help us build on the excellent education we are already providing.”

19 December 2022

The findings of an Audit Wales review will be used to strengthen corporate safeguarding arrangements to ensure that residents are kept safe from harm and abuse, Powys County Council has pledged.

The report, published today (19 December), follows a review of the council between June and September this year and contains recommendations for improvement in key areas.

The latest review found that the council had met or partially met some of the recommendations Audit Wales identified in reports they published in 2014 and 2015.

However, Audit Wales found that the council still does not have proper control of its corporate safeguarding arrangements, which exposes both the council and its residents to risk.

Audit Wales have identified further recommendations to help the council urgently focus and strengthen its corporate safeguarding arrangements.

Cllr Richard Church, Cabinet Member for a Safer Powys and Lead Member for Safeguarding, said: “We accept the findings of this review and I would like to thank the auditors for their work.

“Before we received the review findings, the council had already identified a number of actions to improve our corporate safeguarding arrangements. In the summer, we put an action plan in place to drive improvement and we have started to implement this plan, including approving a Corporate Safeguarding Policy.

“We have reviewed and updated our action plan to ensure it fully addresses the recommendations outlined by Audit Wales to guarantee that we are on the right path to strengthening our corporate safeguarding arrangements.

“I want to reassure residents that Audit Wales had no concerns over the safeguarding arrangements that are in place in our education or social care settings.

“The recommendations focus on the whole council.  Every member of staff and every councillor has a responsibility to ensure that people they deal with through their work is safe from harm and abuse, and that they know how to identify people who may be at risk and to alert the right people as quickly as possible.

“We are committed to meeting all of the recommendations and securing the improvements to ensure that the arrangements we have in place keep our residents safe from harm and abuse.”

The Audit Wales report can be found by visiting https://www.audit.wales/

16 December 2022

We have heard and listened to the views expressed by Members and the people of Powys since the Cabinet decided earlier this week to close some of our leisure facilities between January and March. The decision was made to try and address the additional financial challenges faced by Freedom Leisure in light of the significant increase in energy cost which are compounded by the decision to remove public sector organisations from the UK-wide Energy Support Scheme from March 2023.   

On Wednesday we received information about the funding that will be provided to the County by Welsh Government next year. The settlement is better than anticipated. In light of this, we have decided not to implement the decision made by Cabinet on the 13th of December to temporarily close three Leisure Centres and three swimming pools between January and March 2023.

This will lead to additional pressure on our budget this year, and we will use some of the money from next year’s settlement to cover the additional costs incurred this year. This will be done by drawing on Reserves this year but replenishing them next year from the increased funding provided by Welsh Government. 

Many of the leisure facilities across the County are in need of investment due to their age and condition. Before we spend any significant capital funds, we will undertake a comprehensive review of the facilities and we will fully engage with local communities, those who use our services and County Councillors, as well as by working closely with Freedom Leisure.

To make sure that we allocate sufficient time for this comprehensive review, it will begin early in the New Year and we will share the Terms of Reference with our Scrutiny Committees. Cabinet and Scrutiny will consider the recommendations of the review in due course.

There is some urgency to undertake this review to make sure that our leisure services are sustainable in the future, particularly since we expect significant cuts in public expenditure from 2025 onwards.

Cllr James Gibson-Watt, Leader of Powys County Council

Cllr Matthew Dorrance, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys

Cllr David Selby, Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys

Cllr David Thomas, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation

16 December 2022

A Powys County Council service is to invoke its business continuity plan as a preventative measure, it has been announced.

The council’s Adult Services is to invoke its plan as high demand across the health and care sector, combined with recruitment and retention issues and increasing levels of sickness in key areas, is impacting on service delivery.

The service will now stand down non-critical work so that it can redeploy current staff to meet business critical activities in a smooth and planned transition.

The service has set up daily meetings where it can monitor the situation and take appropriate actions to ensure business critical services are maintained.

The council will continue to prioritise those adults who need vital social care services as a matter of urgency but is asking residents for their patience and support while the business continuity plan is in place.

However, if anyone is concerned about an adult and think they are at risk, or if a person’s situation is unsustainable, they should contact the council immediately on 0345 602 7050.

Nina Davies, the council’s Interim Director of Social Services and Housing, said: “The decision to invoke the business continuity plan for Adult Services has not been taken lightly but is necessary to meet the current challenges that is impacting on service delivery.

“We will stand down non-critical work within the service so that we can redeploy current staff to meet business critical activities. We may need to rely on the support of other council departments to help us through this challenging period.

“We will be reviewing the position after one month, but our aim is to keep this period of business continuity as short as possible.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to ask for patience at this critical time and to assure all our residents that we will prioritise those adults who need vital social care services as a matter of urgency.”

If you or someone you know needs practical help with daily living, there are organisations that can provide help and support. Visit Get help at home with daily living to search for organisations that can help support you.

AskSARA (https://powys.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/language) is an online self-help guide providing expert advice and information on products and equipment for older and disabled adults. Answer some questions about yourself and your environment and you’ll receive a free personalised report, providing clear, tailored advice written by experts on ways to help with your daily activities.

If you want information or advice about your well-being – or you want to know how you can help somebody else, visit Dewis Cymru’s website https://www.dewis.wales/

14 December 2022

Leisure centres in Powys will have an extended break over the Christmas and New Year with some temporarily closed until the end of March to counter escalating energy costs.

Powys County Council’s Cabinet and not-for-profit leisure operator Freedom Leisure agreed the action yesterday (Tuesday) in response to the cost-of-living crisis and a catastrophic increase in energy costs.

Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, Cllr David Selby said, “The current energy crisis is having a devastating impact on our leisure services and the short-term action is needed to reduce overall costs and give us time to conduct a thorough review of leisure service provision in the county.

“The decision was not taken lightly but is essential to ensure the long-term viability of the service. We very much hope that it is short-term pain for long-term gain. To delay or take no action would risk the future of all leisure provision and put an unacceptable burden on the Council’s budget.

“The temporary closures will give us an opportunity to review provision and talk to communities, service users and residents right across Powys and develop a long-term sustainable service for the county,” he added.

Freedom Leisure’s CEO Ivan Horsfall said; “We are frankly devastated that it has come to this. Public sector leisure is one of the most exposed sectors because energy costs are such a large proportion of our overall costs particularly with swimming pools and as a not-for-profit leisure trust we operate at very low surpluses and these increases simply cannot be absorbed.”

“These increases present us and the council with a significant challenge where very difficult and painful decisions need to be made about expenditure and what effectively we can operate in the current climate.

“At Freedom Leisure we fundamentally believe in providing local communities with quality health and wellbeing services. Our programmes are designed to support rehabilitation, active ageing, the prevention of physical, mental and social ill health, and addressing health inequalities, obesity, and support long term health conditions.

“The services we provide influence both the medical and social determinants of health. As a not-for-profit trust we are fully dedicated to providing an affordable, accessible and inclusive health and wellbeing offer to local communities, including providing vital life skills to children and adults learning to swim.

“These vital services are now under threat.  The wider leisure sector needs meaningful and long-term support from the UK Government now in order to secure its future,” he added.

Decision in detail

Christmas closure of all leisure centres from Saturday December 24 – January 2, 2023 inclusive.

Temporary closure of Llanfair Caereinion, Llanfyllin and Presteigne (to the public) from Saturday 24 December 2022 – March 31, 2023 (swimming pools closed to public and schools)

Temporary closure of swimming pools at Llanidloes, Rhayader and Builth (to the public and schools) from Saturday December 24 December 2022 – March 31, 2023

14 December 2022

A team of senior education officers will work with a Powys secondary school following a disappointing Estyn inspection, the county council has confirmed.

Officers from Powys County Council, including school improvement officers, will support Brecon High School after it was placed in ‘special measures’ by Estyn following a recent inspection.

Cllr Pete Roberts, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “Today I share the disappointment that everyone associated with the school is experiencing.

“The school’s senior leadership team know the steps that need to be taken to secure the necessary improvements and they have already started work to make that happen.

“The Estyn recommendations are clear on what the school needs to focus on and the council is already working closely with the school to identify the additional support package required in order to address the issues highlighted in this visit.”

The report and recommendations, which have been accepted by the school’s governing body and senior leadership team, will form the basis of a detailed action plan to address key areas requiring improvement.

Officers will work with the school and its governing body to identify reasons for the inspection outcome and work together to deliver significant and rapid improvement. Staff, pupils and parents will be fully supported during the improvement journey.

Rhiannon Evans, Chair of Governors at Brecon High School, said: “As Governors we are obviously very disappointed that Brecon High School has been moved into special measures.

“We appreciate there is still work to do to improve standards within the school, but there were many positives within the report which show we are moving in the right direction.

“We have full confidence in our staff and their ability to continue the positive progress the school has been making since the end of Covid restrictions.

“We would like to reassure parents we are wholly committed to improving standards and ensuring pupils have the best education possible whilst at Brecon High School.”

To view the inspection report visit www.estyn.gov.wales

13 December 2022

Powys residents who have signed up to three community broadband schemes – Llanfan Fawr and Llanwrthwl, Aberedw and Glascwm, and Dwyriw and Manafon – are to get their ultrafast fibre connections in the new year.

The new network in Llanafan Fawr and Llanwrthwl will reach 353 properties, with 170 of these already registered to receive the improved service, following an investment of more than £250,000.

In Aberedw and Glascwm the plan is to reach 240 properties, with 134 of these already registered, following an investment of more than £200,000.

And in Dwyriw and Manafon the new network will reach 461 properties, with 173 already registered, following an investment of more than £200,000.

All three schemes have been funded by the UK Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and the Welsh Government’s top-up (now closed) and are being delivered by supplier Broadway Partners.

Broadway Partners will also be delivering a further 18 community projects in Powys, which could see a further 8,000 properties in rural areas given access to ultrafast fibre broadband. This includes schemes at Rhayader and Nantmel, and Painscastle, which are next in line.

Powys County Council (PCC) is supporting the schemes as part of its Digital Powys project, which aims to help businesses and communities to stay connected.

“Once completed, these community broadband schemes, which are drawing in an investment of more than £650,000, will deliver much better connectivity for residents and businesses in some of the most rural parts of our county,” said Cllr Jake Berriman, the council’s Cabinet Member for a Connected Powys. “They are also helping us to achieve our aim of creating a stronger, fairer, and greener Powys.

“Improving digital access in some of our most sparsely populated communities will put them on a more even footing with those living in urban areas and give them access to a greater range of services that can help with wellbeing, learning and remote working.”

All the community broadband schemes being supported by PCC are listed here: Community Broadband Schemes 

If you want help to set up your own community broadband scheme in Powys, or to join an existing one, contact PCC’s community broadband officer, within the council’s Regeneration Team, at: [email protected]

Further information on improving your broadband connection, including grants and support, can also be found here: Broadband – enabling a Digital Powys

There are also Facebook pages for the three community broadband schemes:

PICTURE: Members of the Llanafan Fawr and Llanwrthwl Community Broadband Scheme project group (from left), Steve Ellis, Andrew Powell and David Price, with Reece Simmons (thumbs up), Broadway Partners’ Community Liaison Manager, at the installation of the new mini exchange (green cabinet) in Newbridge-on-Wye, which will act as a hub for the new fibre network.