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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED to approve the virements set out in the report.
RESOLVED that the amendments to Sections 9, 18 and 20 of the Constitution as set out in paragraph 2 of the report be approved.
RESOLVED that County Councillor Richard Church be appointed to SACRE. Tenants Scrutiny Panel County Councillor Danny Bebb was nominated. RESOLVED that County Councillor Danny Bebb be appointed to the Tenants Scrutiny Panel.
RESOLVED · To write to the new UK Government seeking assurance that it will secure the foundations of the UK economy to safeguard our public services; · To seek assurance from the UK Government that it will deliver its commitment to protect the Triple Lock; · To ask the Welsh Government how it will use the Barnett consequential created from the Housing Support Fund. · Urgently begin a comprehensive awareness campaign to maximise the uptake of Pension Credit, using Council noticeboards, social media, and local press releases, to ensure that all eligible pensioners are informed about the support they can access.
RESOLVED to call on Powys County Council to actively engage with our local MP’s and MS’s to encourage both Welsh and UK Government to work cross party to deliver a different way forward for unpaid carers: 1. Provide emergency funding for respite care so that carers can take breaks; this should replace the care provided by the carer on a 1:1 basis without any requirement for the disabled person to go into a respite care centre (unless they want to) or accept a reduction in care hours; 2. Require more employers to make reasonable adjustments to enable employees with caring responsibilities to provide that care; 3. Raise Carer's Allowance by at least £20 a week and increase the carer element of Universal Credit by at least £20 a week, so carers' other benefits are not reduced as a result; 4. Increase the Carer Premium and Carer Addition by £20 a week, and provide an equivalent payment to carers who are entitled to Carer's Allowance but not receiving it, so older carers on low incomes also benefit; 5. Raise the amount carers can earn before losing Carer's Allowance from £151 to at least £200 a week, introduce tapering off after this point so that unpaid carers are not subject to a cliff edge removal of benefits when they try to move into employment, and reducing the number of hours' care per week required to qualify for it; 6. Make it easier to apply for Carer’s Allowance and do not make carers reapply if they go above £151 earnings and week and then subsequently drop down; 7. Provide additional funding to local authorities and relevant leisure providers to enable them to provide a package of carer benefits including access to training and support as required e.g. manual handling, first aid, dementia care and understanding their rights as a carer.
The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 11th July 2024 as a correct record.
The Head of Legal and Monitoring Officer advised that in respect of item 10 on the agenda, Councillors who received winter fuel payments or who had relatives or close personal acquaintances who received payments had a personal interest but not a prejudicial interest because they were not taking decisions in the best interests of themselves as opposed to the interests of the public in general. The Head of Legal and Monitoring Officer gave the same advice in respect of item 11, the notice of motion on unpaid carers to Councillors who were in receipt of carers allowance. Members were therefore allowed to speak and vote on both motions.
Members and officers stood as a mark of respect for Michael Williams, who had served as County Councillor for Machynlleth from 1980 and Viola Evans who had been County Councillor for Llanfair Caereinion from 1999 to 2017, who had both passed away in July. The Chair thanked the staff of the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the health care assistants who had cared for him and he thanked his Vice Chair who had stood in for him while he had been unwell. The Chair outlined details of his engagements.
The Leader welcomed the announcement of the expansion of broadband which would benefit some 42,000 premises in some of the most rural areas of the county. He congratulated officers of Growing Mid Wales team for the work that they had done in collaboration with the Council’s Economic Development team and Ceredigion County Council’s team. He also announced that the Local Area Energy Plan had been endorsed alongside Ceredigion County Council. The Leader welcomed the opening of Ysgol Golwg Pen y Fan in Brecon following the merger of Mount Street Infants School, Mount Street Junior School and Cradoc C.P. School. He also welcomed the opening of the new building for Ysgol Robert Owen in Newtown. The Leader expressed his concern about rumours and misinformation about the Council’s intentions for the County Farms Estate which was causing worry to tenants. He said no decision had been to sell the County Farms Estate. A cross party working group had been formed to advise the Cabinet and as portfolio holder he would take the Working Group’s advice and to seek to reach a decision based on consensus.
Electric Vehicle charging for council tenants at their homes when will progress happen with regulations, and increase in the size of the poxy small solar panel array already fitted to some homes??? Just maybe, just maybe tenants would want to fit their own solar energy or increase it, food for thought. Response Powys County Council do not have a programme to fit electric vehicle charging points for individual tenants. Tenants are individually responsible for arranging and paying for the installation of any vehicle charging equipment required for their particular choice of car or van. They should first ask permission from the Council to make sure that any installation does not damage their home or cause the Council any expense. The effective installation of solar panels depends on roof sizes, orientation and condition of roof coverings. Tenants can discuss with the Council installing their own solar panels at their own cost for installation, maintenance, replacement and removal, and making sure any installation does not cause additional costs to the Council (for example repairs to roof coverings). Interested in wondering why 10kw showers aren't being removed when air source heat pumps have been fitted. Why not use mixer taps from buffer boiler fed by the heat pump? Response Mixer taps and necessary revisions to shower types are usually included as part of the specification when installing a new air source heat pump. However, due to the intrusive nature of the works required in some bathrooms it may not always be practicable to include mixer taps and new showers. In response to Mr Evans’ supplementary question about the affordability of fitting car chargers for electric vehicles at tenants’ homes, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys advised that the Housing service could not cover the costs of this.
My question is Powys county council and Powys teaching health board find it hard to get professionals, do you this is anything do with the shutting of sixth forms and local colleges. My children go to John Beddoes and after 16 education is all out of county. Why can’t there be a sixth form on John Beddoes with distance learning? Or a better transport to Powys colleges from Knighton and Presteigne Or help with children going on Ludlow or Hereford college? We need to invest in our children so they come and be our doctors, Environmental Health officers, teachers and nurses. Response The Council agrees that there is a need to improve the post-16 offer across the county; in order to provide young people with the opportunities to progress on to higher education or the world of work and we are currently reviewing sixth form provision across the county in order to develop a more sustainable learning offer. Powys has 11 sixth forms across its 12 secondary schools and offers a range of AS and A level subjects, working closely with NPTC College which has 2 sites in Newtown and Brecon, offering a range of vocational subjects. Most young people then progress on from sixth forms/college to higher education, but we know that many choose not to return to the county once they have graduated, for a number of reasons. However, the Council does have a Graduate Development Scheme and offers Career Grade Apprenticeships as part of its Workforce Development Strategy. Whilst it is recognised that there hasn’t been a sixth form at the John Beddoes Campus of Newtown High School since 2013, young people are able to access provision at alternative sixth forms/college sites within the county, or choose to travel out-of-county to other providers, and the Council funds free transport to their nearest post-16 provider. If learners are accessing an out of County College to study a subject NOT available in Powys, then we offer a grant towards the cost of transport (currently £900 per annum), which can be applied for by application, however we do not arrange this transport. There was no supplementary question.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to approve the virements set out in the report.
Two virements requiring Council approval were moved by County Councillor David Thomas and seconded by County Councillor Richard Church and RESOLVED to approve the virements set out in the report.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the amendments to Sections 9, 18 and 20 of the Constitution as set out in paragraph 2 of the report be approved.
Council considered amendments to Sections 9, 18 and 20 of the Constitution recommended by the Democratic Services Committee. It was moved by County Councillor William Powell and seconded by County Councillor Graham Breeze and RESOLVED that the amendments to Sections 9, 18 and 20 of the Constitution as set out in paragraph 2 of the report be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that County Councillor Richard Church be appointed to SACRE. Tenants Scrutiny Panel County Councillor Danny Bebb was nominated. RESOLVED that County Councillor Danny Bebb be appointed to the Tenants Scrutiny Panel.
Standing Advisory Committee on Religious Education (SACRE) County Councillors Ian Harrison and Richard Church were nominated. Following a ballot it was RESOLVED that County Councillor Richard Church be appointed to SACRE. Tenants Scrutiny Panel County Councillor Danny Bebb was nominated. RESOLVED that County Councillor Danny Bebb be appointed to the Tenants Scrutiny Panel.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED · To write to the new UK Government seeking assurance that it will secure the foundations of the UK economy to safeguard our public services; · To seek assurance from the UK Government that it will deliver its commitment to protect the Triple Lock; · To ask the Welsh Government how it will use the Barnett consequential created from the Housing Support Fund. · Urgently begin a comprehensive awareness campaign to maximise the uptake of Pension Credit, using Council noticeboards, social media, and local press releases, to ensure that all eligible pensioners are informed about the support they can access.
The Head of Legal and Monitoring Officer repeated his advice that councillors who had a had a personal interest should declare it but that this would not be prejudicial and that they would be able to speak and vote on the motion. Council debated a motion proposed by County Councillor Glyn Preston and seconded by County Councillor Iain McIntosh proposing to · Instruct the Chair of Council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP, urging her to pause the policy linking winter fuel payments to Pension Credit receipt and to reconsider the introduction of a fairer threshold to determine eligibility. · Request that all group leaders on Powys County Council sign a joint letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling for the new winter fuel payment policy to be suspended and reviewed to ensure pensioners in Powys and across the UK receive the support they need. · Urgently begin a comprehensive awareness campaign to maximise the uptake of Pension Credit, using Council noticeboards, social media, and local press releases, to ensure that all eligible pensioners are informed about the support they can access. County Councillor Matthew Dorrance proposed an amendment seconded by County Councillor David Thomas proposing to replace the text in the motion with This Council resolves: · To ask the new UK Government to reinstate the Winter Fuel Payments in full to support Powys pensioners once the UK’s financial situation allows. · To write to the new UK Government seeking assurance that it will secure the foundations of the UK economy to safeguard our public services; · To seek assurance from the UK Government that it will deliver its commitment to protect the Triple Lock; · To ask the Welsh Government how it will use the Barnett consequential created from the Housing Support Fund. Retain · Urgently begin a comprehensive awareness campaign to maximise the uptake of Pension Credit, using Council noticeboards, social media, and local press releases, to ensure that all eligible pensioners are informed about the support they can access. Following debate, the proposer and seconder of the amendment agreed to withdraw the first bullet point and Council voted on the following: This Council resolves: · To write to the new UK Government seeking assurance that it will secure the foundations of the UK economy to safeguard our public services; · To seek assurance from the UK Government that it will deliver its commitment to protect the Triple Lock; · To ask the Welsh Government how it will use the Barnett consequential created from the Housing Support Fund. · Urgently begin a comprehensive awareness campaign to maximise the uptake of Pension Credit, using Council noticeboards, social media, and local press releases, to ensure that all eligible pensioners are informed about the support they can access. Council passed the amendment by 49 votes to 11 with 1 abstention. This became the substantive motion and by 57 votes to 1 with 1 abstention it was RESOLVED · To write to the new UK Government seeking assurance that it will secure the foundations of the UK economy to safeguard our public services; · To seek assurance from the UK Government that it will deliver its commitment to protect the Triple Lock; · To ask the Welsh Government how it will use the Barnett consequential created from the Housing Support Fund. · Urgently begin a comprehensive awareness campaign to maximise the uptake of Pension Credit, using Council noticeboards, social media, and local press releases, to ensure that all eligible pensioners are informed about the support they can access.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to call on Powys County Council to actively engage with our local MP’s and MS’s to encourage both Welsh and UK Government to work cross party to deliver a different way forward for unpaid carers: 1. Provide emergency funding for respite care so that carers can take breaks; this should replace the care provided by the carer on a 1:1 basis without any requirement for the disabled person to go into a respite care centre (unless they want to) or accept a reduction in care hours; 2. Require more employers to make reasonable adjustments to enable employees with caring responsibilities to provide that care; 3. Raise Carer's Allowance by at least £20 a week and increase the carer element of Universal Credit by at least £20 a week, so carers' other benefits are not reduced as a result; 4. Increase the Carer Premium and Carer Addition by £20 a week, and provide an equivalent payment to carers who are entitled to Carer's Allowance but not receiving it, so older carers on low incomes also benefit; 5. Raise the amount carers can earn before losing Carer's Allowance from £151 to at least £200 a week, introduce tapering off after this point so that unpaid carers are not subject to a cliff edge removal of benefits when they try to move into employment, and reducing the number of hours' care per week required to qualify for it; 6. Make it easier to apply for Carer’s Allowance and do not make carers reapply if they go above £151 earnings and week and then subsequently drop down; 7. Provide additional funding to local authorities and relevant leisure providers to enable them to provide a package of carer benefits including access to training and support as required e.g. manual handling, first aid, dementia care and understanding their rights as a carer.
The Head of Legal and Monitoring Officer advised that councillors who were in receipt of a carers allowance or who had relatives or close acquaintances who were in receipt of an allowance, had a personal interest which they should declare but that this would not be prejudicial because they were not taking decisions in the best interests of themselves as opposed to the interests of the public in general. They would therefore be able to speak and vote on the motion. County Councillor Arwel Jones declared an interest and left the meeting. Council debated a motion proposed by County Councillor Jackie Charlton and seconded by County Councillor Carol Robinson acknowledging the work of unpaid carers and calling on more support. In moving the motion, Councillor Charlton acknowledged that caring was a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010 and therefore deleted point 1 from the motion. By 59 votes to 0 it was RESOLVED to call on Powys County Council to actively engage with our local MP’s and MS’s to encourage both Welsh and UK Government to work cross party to deliver a different way forward for unpaid carers: 1. Provide emergency funding for respite care so that carers can take breaks; this should replace the care provided by the carer on a 1:1 basis without any requirement for the disabled person to go into a respite care centre (unless they want to) or accept a reduction in care hours; 2. Require more employers to make reasonable adjustments to enable employees with caring responsibilities to provide that care; 3. Raise Carer's Allowance by at least £20 a week and increase the carer element of Universal Credit by at least £20 a week, so carers' other benefits are not reduced as a result; 4. Increase the Carer Premium and Carer Addition by £20 a week, and provide an equivalent payment to carers who are entitled to Carer's Allowance but not receiving it, so older carers on low incomes also benefit; 5. Raise the amount carers can earn before losing Carer's Allowance from £151 to at least £200 a week, introduce tapering off after this point so that unpaid carers are not subject to a cliff edge removal of benefits when they try to move into employment, and reducing the number of hours' care per week required to qualify for it; 6. Make it easier to apply for Carer’s Allowance and do not make carers reapply if they go above £151 earnings and week and then subsequently drop down; 7. Provide additional funding to local authorities and relevant leisure providers to enable them to provide a package of carer benefits including access to training and support as required e.g. manual handling, first aid, dementia care and understanding their rights as a carer.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.