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Cabinet agreed to delay the opening of Ysgol Bro Epynt, a new Welsh-medium all-age school in Builth Wells, by one year to September 2028. It approved the Local Development Plan annual monitoring report for sending to the Welsh Government. It also agreed next steps on financial planning, where the projected 2027/28 budget gap has risen to £10.0 million, and noted reports on treasury management, information governance and strategic risks.
Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor SC Davies.
The Leader was authorised to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 22nd September 2026 as a correct record.
The Leader advised that he was a governor at Ysgol Calon Cymru but that there was a dispensation from the Standards Committee for Councillors to speak and vote on issues relating to schools where they are governors.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED To approve the amendment to the implementation date for Phase 1 of the transformation proposals for Ysgol Calon Cymru and Builth Wells C.P. School (the establishment of Ysgol Bro Epynt) from September 2027 to September 2028. The revised implementation dates for Phase 1 of the proposals will therefore be as follows: From September 2028: i) To establish a new Welsh-medium all-age school (4 – 18) on the current Builth campus of Ysgol Calon Cymru, Builth Wells, Powys LD2 3BW · From September 2028, pupils in R – year 9 would attend the school. · Year 10 would be introduced in September 2029 as pupils move through the school, followed by Year 11 in September 2030, Year 12 in September 2031 and Year 13 in September 2032. · Initially, the school would share the Builth campus with Ysgol Calon Cymru, using part of its building and sharing some facilities. This would be a temporary arrangement until there has been capital investment on the Llandrindod site. ii) To make a regulated alteration to change the language category of Ysgol Calon Cymru from dual stream to English-medium · Dual stream provision would continue to be provided on Ysgol Calon Cymru’s Builth Wells campus for pupils in years 10 onwards until these pupils had left the school. iii) To make a regulated alteration to change the language category of Builth Wells C.P. School to English-medium · Pupils in the Welsh-medium stream at Builth Wells C.P. School would move to the new Welsh-medium all-age school.
Cabinet was asked to delay Phase 1 of the Ysgol Calon Cymru transformation programme by one year, moving the opening of the new Welsh-medium all-age school, Ysgol Bro Epynt, from September 2027 to September 2028. Cabinet was advised that several significant risks had emerged relating to the construction and procurement work required on the Builth Wells campus meaning that there was a significant risk that the site would not be ready, safe, or fully operational for a September 2027 opening. The Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys acknowledged the disappointment of the Governing Body and the local members, but said that delaying by one year would provide the best opportunity to establish a high-quality Welsh-medium all-age school from day one. He noted that the Llandrindod Wells campus would be unaffected by the delay. RESOLVED To approve the amendment to the implementation date for Phase 1 of the transformation proposals for Ysgol Calon Cymru and Builth Wells C.P. School (the establishment of Ysgol Bro Epynt) from September 2027 to September 2028. The revised implementation dates for Phase 1 of the proposals will therefore be as follows: From September 2028: i) To establish a new Welsh-medium all-age school (4 – 18) on the current Builth campus of Ysgol Calon Cymru, Builth Wells, Powys LD2 3BW · From September 2028, pupils in R – year 9 would attend the school. · Year 10 would be introduced in September 2029 as pupils move through the school, followed by Year 11 in September 2030, Year 12 in September 2031 and Year 13 in September 2032. · Initially, the school would share the Builth campus with Ysgol Calon Cymru, using part of its building and sharing some facilities. This would be a temporary arrangement until there has been capital investment on the Llandrindod site. ii) To make a regulated alteration to change the language category of Ysgol Calon Cymru from dual stream to English-medium · Dual stream provision would continue to be provided on Ysgol Calon Cymru’s Builth Wells campus for pupils in years 10 onwards until these pupils had left the school. iii) To make a regulated alteration to change the language category of Builth Wells C.P. School to English-medium · Pupils in the Welsh-medium stream at Builth Wells C.P. School would move to the new Welsh-medium all-age school.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that 1. Cabinet acknowledge the changing environment in which our plans are being developed and agree with the revised assumptions that are being used to support the development of the MTFS; and that work will continue to update and refresh the MTFS as appropriate. 2. Agree that the Senior Leadership Team continue to work with the relevant Portfolio Cabinet Member(s) to identify potential savings to assist in addressing the indicative budget gap across the period of the Medium-Term Financial Plan. 3. Delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation, the authority to implement any saving proposal in advance of 2027/28 where no policy recommendation is required. 4. This report is presented to Finance Panel for their scrutiny and feedback into the wider budget process. 5. Work continues with the Budget Advisory Group to draw in cross party views and engagement. In respect of recommendation 4, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation reported that the report had been considered by the Finance Panel and that there had been no recommendations.
Cabinet was provided with an update on the latest economic projections and how these influence and impact on the development of the Council’s budget for 2027/28 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). Cabinet noted that the projected 2027/28 budget gap had increased to £10.0 million and that the Council faced a cumulative funding shortfall of £51.8 million over the next five years if current assumptions remain unchanged. Inflation, pay awards, service demand and borrowing costs continue to put pressure on budgets and significant transformation and savings through Sustainable Powys would be required to deliver balanced budgets. RESOLVED that 1. Cabinet acknowledge the changing environment in which our plans are being developed and agree with the revised assumptions that are being used to support the development of the MTFS; and that work will continue to update and refresh the MTFS as appropriate. 2. Agree that the Senior Leadership Team continue to work with the relevant Portfolio Cabinet Member(s) to identify potential savings to assist in addressing the indicative budget gap across the period of the Medium-Term Financial Plan. 3. Delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation, the authority to implement any saving proposal in advance of 2027/28 where no policy recommendation is required. 4. This report is presented to Finance Panel for their scrutiny and feedback into the wider budget process. 5. Work continues with the Budget Advisory Group to draw in cross party views and engagement. In respect of recommendation 4, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation reported that the report had been considered by the Finance Panel and that there had been no recommendations.
Cabinet considered the Quarter 1 update (to 30 June 2026) on the Council's treasury management, investments, borrowing, capital programme and debt performance. The Council's treasury position remained stable, investment returns were performing well, all prudential indicators were being met, and borrowing costs were under control. However, the Council faced a growing long-term borrowing requirement, increasing debt levels, and economic uncertainty that could affect future capital projects and financing costs. Cabinet raised the issue of aged debt with Powys Teaching Health Board which had increased in the last quarter and received an assurance that the Health Board had given a commitment to work with the Council on addressing the debt.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that Cabinet notes the assurance set out in paragraph 12.1 of the report and the planned activity for 2026-2027 as set out in paragraph 13.
The Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital and Community Services presented the Annual Information Governance Report for 2025/26. In doing so he thanked the Information Compliance team for their work. He reported that the Council's Senior Information Risk Owner provided "Reasonable Assurance" that Information Governance arrangements were broadly effective and information-related risks were being appropriately managed. However, several areas required improvement, particularly around training compliance, Subject Access Requests (SARs), and human-error related breaches. Building on the lessons learned from the issues and incidents highlighted in the report, a number of improvement activities had been identified for 2026/27. RESOLVED that Cabinet notes the assurance set out in paragraph 12.1 of the report and the planned activity for 2026-2027 as set out in paragraph 13.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to approved the Annual Monitoring Report 2026 in Appendix 1 with Annex 1 (Appendix 1a) and Annex 2 (Appendix 1b) in order for the AMR to be submitted to the Welsh Government by 31st October 2026 in accordance with the relevant legislation.
Cabinet was asked to approve the Powys Local Development Plan (LDP) Annual Monitoring Report covering the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 for submission to the Welsh Government by 31 October 2026. The current Powys Local Development Plan was assessed as largely delivering its objectives, with most monitoring indicators performing satisfactorily. Of the 62 monitoring indicators: · 39 are Green (performing as expected) · 2 are Blue (officer training required) · 10 are Amber (policy review needed) · 4 are Red (plan review required) · 7 are not applicable or have been superseded. Housing delivery remained the main concern. Since 2011 3,813 homes had been delivered against the target of 4,500 homes. Cabinet was advised that of the dwellings completed since the base date of the plan of the 1st of April 2015, 67% had come forward on windfall sites, compared to 20% on committed housing sites, and just 13% on allocated housing sites. Cabinet discussed the factors restricting development including the ongoing issues over phosphates and regulatory requirements which placed additional burdens on developers in Wales making schemes less affordable than in neighbouring English counties. Councillor Richard Church, who chaired the Planning Agents Forum, would raise this issue at the next meeting of the Forum. There had also been uncertainty over the proposed new Glyndŵr national park. The Leader advised that he had written to Welsh Government on behalf of the Council urging Ministers not to proceed with the proposal to create a new national park. RESOLVED to approved the Annual Monitoring Report 2026 in Appendix 1 with Annex 1 (Appendix 1a) and Annex 2 (Appendix 1b) in order for the AMR to be submitted to the Welsh Government by 31st October 2026 in accordance with the relevant legislation.
Cabinet noted the delegated decisions taken by Portfolio Holders since the last meeting.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that Cabinet notes the current Strategic Risk Register and is satisfied with progress against mitigating actions for quarter 1.
Cabinet received the Strategic Risk Register report for Quarter 1. The report set out the 11 non-confidential strategic risks on the Strategic Risk Register and the mitigating actions being taken to control them. RESOLVED that Cabinet notes the current Strategic Risk Register and is satisfied with progress against mitigating actions for quarter 1.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following items of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 7 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following items of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 7 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that Cabinet notes the current Strategic Risk Register and is satisfied with progress against mitigating actions for quarter 1.
Cabinet considered the confidential report on the Strategic Risk Register. RESOLVED that Cabinet notes the current Strategic Risk Register and is satisfied with progress against mitigating actions for quarter 1.
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.
Jake Berriman: Personal interest on Transformation Proposals for Ysgol Calon Cymru and Builth C.P. School (Establishment of Ysgol Bro Epynt) - change of implementation date
The Leader advised that he is a governor at Ysgol Calon Cymru. The Standards Committee has granted a dispensation allowing councillors to speak and vote on school issues where they are governors.
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