To receive reports from, and to put questions to, Cabinet Portfolio Holders:
a. Councillor Rosemarie Harris – Leader
b. Councillor Myfanwy Alexander – Cabinet Portfolio Holder: Education
Minutes:
At the onset the Leader and Portfolio Holder encouraged members to contact them direct on any matters for discussion/update at any time.
Councillor Rosemarie Harris - Leader
a. Shire Meetings – the Leader would, where possible, support requests from the shire for Cabinet members to attend to update on portfolio matters. The Leader had also agreed to Cabinet members attending shire meetings on rotation to update on activity and take questions
b. Cabinet Vision – Cabinet had recently determined its vision and there would be a period of promotion/publicity. Supporting economic development featured very strongly, a key area of focus would be tourism
c. Workshops – it was reported that there’s a waiting list for workshop space. Workshops are very well utilised. A member requested details of the assets held and examples of lease agreements entered into
d. Business Services – there had been a focus on the Council using/selling services to generate income. The Council now administers a Disclosure and Barring Service on behalf of a number of authorities and had recently entered into agreements to operate fraud services. Generating income from ventures of this nature would continue to be considered. There are other business functions with potential to ‘sell’
e. Royal Welsh Agricultural Show – the show Royal Welsh Show site is within Radnorshire and its success on a national level is well recognised. Cabinet took the opportunity at this year’s show to link better with the business community and it is hoped that this would be a regular feature of the show. There would be appropriate reviews etc. following the fatality at this year’s show
f. Business Links – Cabinet would be engaging closer with businesses in order to support them in growing and establishing within Powys. Regeneration features as a priority for Cabinet. Members welcomed the approached and urged contact and support for existing and new businesses
g. Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) – positive links with the WLGA remain important and the Leader would encourage Powys to be represented at relevant meetings/events
h. Town and Community Councils – Cabinet recognise the work of town and community councils and would encourage good links between the Council and those who represent communities at the most local level
i. Council Tax – there’s a balance to be struck between raising income in order to provide and retain services and keeping levels of Council Tax increase low (the Welsh Government cap tax rises). In general terms Cabinet would work to a 3.75% annual increase
j. Brecon Cultural Hub – as work gathers pace members would be welcome to visit the site by appointment
k. County Farm Estate – there had been a period of sale, however, the Leader would look to retain current levels of stock (sales had provided money to upgrade some farm sites and to support the school modernisation programme). There are in the region of 140 farms in the Powys estate, roughly a third are on short term lease, a third are on lifetime leases and a third of leases expire when the tenant reaches 65 years of age. A member referred to a recent, positive media report regarding ex-service personnel taking on farm tenancies
l. TwrBrycheiniog (Showground) – the site can be booked for general use by staff and also to outside bodies in order to generate income. The Leader would ensure that staff are reminded to use the site and would link with the property department regarding publicising for external use
m. Doldowlod Caravan Park – the County Council own the site and its predicted to be in profit for the 2018/19 financial year
Councillor Myfanwy Alexander – Cabinet Portfolio Holder: Education
a. County Farm Estate – officers are exploring the use of farm sites for training purposes
b. Welsh Learners (Members) – a number of County Councillors had approached the Portfolio Holder regarding options for learning Welsh. Training provided for staff would need to be re-packaged for members in order to fit with their schedules
c. Urdd – the Urdd Eisteddfod brings £6 million into the economy for the hosting area
d. Mid Wales High School (Llandrindod/Builth) – one high school for the Llandrindod and Builth area would operate over two sites. Councillor Gwilym Williams requested details in relation to the average cost per pupil across all Powys high school sites in order to compare spend
e. School Budgets – some Governing Bodies seem to be able to manage their budgets better than others and don’t go into deficit. Understanding spends etc. would be important in order to support governing bodies in working within budgets. It would be important for governing bodies to take actions to reduce spends as opposed to operating on deficit budgets year-on-year. The Authority top-slices funding received from the Welsh Government to provide transport, its support service and to meet some leisure service costs provided by Freedom Leisure
f. Partnership Working – working in partnership between schools and with education/learning providers across sites etc. would present great opportunities and should be at the forefront of considerations in order to deliver learning
g. All-through Schools – two communities had approached the Authority expressing an appetite to engage in an all-through school approach
h. Small Schools – the Cabinet Secretary for Education recognises small schools and would be reviewing the Welsh Government’s position and support
i. Distance Learning – there are options to deliver distance learning using technology
j. School Transport – it costs £48k per day to transport learners to learning sites in Powys
k. 21st Century Schools Fund – the Authority’s submission for Welsh Government capital funding to support school modernisation is in the region of £112 million
l. Business Manger Positions – removing business functions from teaching staff could be positive and the Welsh Government had recently provided funding to support a pilot scheme. The Business Manager position would be shared between a number of schools
m. Additional Learning Needs (ALN) – the Powys spend in comparison to other Welsh authorities is high, it would be important to review the spend
n. Pre-School – all pre-school settings would need to be registered with CSSIW. The Authority recognises the position and would support applications
o. Exclusion / Well-being (Re-integration) – the Portfolio Holder would be reviewing the pathway after exclusion with a view to putting in place processes which would look to re-integrate those excluded back into the school setting as opposed to Pupil Referral Units etc.