Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the meetings held on 21^st and 28^th May 2024 as correct records.

The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the meetings held on 21^st May and 28^th May 2024 as correct records.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.

County Councillor Sandra Davies declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 7 Powys Area Energy Plan.

To consider a report by County Councillor Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys.

Cabinet considered responses to the consultation to the following proposals:

Phase 1: close Treowen C.P. School from 31 August 2025 and extend Ysgol Calon y Dderwen to include the former Treowen C.P. School site from 1^st September 2025.

Phase 2: Ysgol Calon y Dderwen to move to a new building located on the existing Ysgol Calon y Dderwen site during 2026/27, and the Treowen site closes.

38 objections had been received during the statutory objection period. The objections received and the Council’s response to the issues raised in these objections were listed in the Objection Report attached to the report.

In addition, a petition entitled ‘Save Treowen Primary School from Closure’ had been received during the Objection Period. The petition included 436 signatures, dated between 11/11/2023 and 31/01/2024.

County Councillor Pete Lewington spoke as a local Newtown member asking the  Cabinet to consider how the closure of Treowen school would affect the community. He asked the Cabinet to speak to the newly elected MP for Montgomeryshire and Glynd?r who was opposed to the closure of the school.

County Councillor Beverley Baynham read out comments on behalf of the local member, County Councillor Joy Jones, who was unable to be present. Councillor Jones had reiterated her opposition to the closure of the school citing the effect it would have on the community of Treowen.

The Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys acknowledged the comments of the local members, the objections received and the petition. Having considered the points raised he did not consider that there was anything that would change his recommendation to the Cabinet. He therefore moved the recommendation which was duly seconded and it was

                        RESOLVED

i)     To consider the Objection Report in respect of the proposal for Ysgol Calon y Dderwen and Treowen C.P. School.

ii)    To approve the implementation of the following proposals:

Phase 1: To close Treowen C.P. School from 31 August 2025 and extend Ysgol Calon y Dderwen to include the former Treowen C.P. School site from 1^st September 2025.

Phase 2: Ysgol Calon y Dderwen to move to a new building located on the existing Ysgol Calon y Dderwen site during 2026/27, and the Treowen site closes.

iii) In accordance with the Scheme for Financing Schools, to introduce restrictions on spending at Treowen C.P. School as follows:

·         Spend at Treowen C.P School is restricted to that included in its approved budget plan and no virement of funds between budget headings is permitted unless approved by the Authority;

·         Any staffing changes are subject to approval by the Authority;

·         Any contracts awarded for the supply of goods or services are subject to approval by the Authority. 

The Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys noted that this would release the Treowen site which would not be required by Education. He would welcome suggestions from the community for its future use. The Head of Schools Transformation placed on record her thanks to both Ysgol Calon y Dderwen to and Treowen C.P. School for the way  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider a report by County Councillor Jake Berriman, Cabinet Member for a Connected Powys.

Cabinet considered a revised Delivery Agreement for the preparation of the Powys Replacement Local Development Plan (LDP) and its submission to Welsh Government for agreement and the Preferred Strategy for the Powys Replacement Local Development Plan (2022-2037) for statutory public consultation.

                        RECOMMENDED that the Council approve

1.    The revised Delivery Agreement (Appendix 1 of the report) for the preparation of Powys Replacement Local Development Plan and its submission to Welsh Government for agreement.

2.    The Preferred Strategy for the Powys Replacement Local Development Plan (Appendix 2 of the report) for public consultation.

3.    Final editorial rights for making minor editorial amendments to the Preferred Strategy ahead of its publication for public consultation are delegated to the Professional Lead – Planning.

To consider a report by County Councillor Richard Church, Cabinet Member for a Safer Powys.

Cabinet considered a report outlining the key findings of the Food Standards Agency audit and options to address the issues highlighted.

In presenting the report, the Cabinet Member for a Safer Powys thanked the staff in the Public Protection Service but noted that given the finite resources available, the inspection regime was concentrated on the areas of highest risk. Further funding together with the use of new technology and new ways of working would increase capacity in the service to undertake more work with lower risk premises.  It was proposed to allocate an additional £211k annually to the Public Protection Service for three years.  

                        RESOLVED

1.    That £211K be allocated annually to the Public Protection Service for 3 years to increase the council’s capacity to undertake work required by the Code of Practice as set out in paragraph 5.3 of the report.

2.    A virement of £500,000 be approved from specific reserves over the 3-year period as spend is incurred.  

3.    That Food Hygiene and Food Standards work continues to be undertaken utilising a risk-based approach.

4.    That the resource realisations of the new ICT system, alternative enforcement strategies, joint visits, and AI be investigated at pace.

5.    That progress reports are reported to Cabinet periodically to enable the impacts of the actions to be assessed.

To consider a report by County Councillor Jake Berriman, Cabinet Member for a Connected Powys and County Councillor David Selby, Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys.

Cabinet considered to agree the freehold transfer of Ty Brycheiniog to Dyfed Powys Police in consideration of a protected lease to the Council of the 2^nd floor and part of the 1^st floor. This would enable Powys County Council and Dyfed Powys Police to occupy the Ty Brycheiniog building.

The Head of Legal and Monitoring Officer advised Cabinet that there were exceptional circumstances, set out in the report, which warranted the transfer of the freehold.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys, speaking as the local member agreed that this was a good proposal but said that the public needed to be informed which services the Council would be delivering from Ty Brycheiniog.

RESOLVED

1.    That the freehold of Ty Brycheiniog, Unit 1b, Brecon Enterprise Park, Brecon, Powys LD3 8BT is transferred to Dyfed Powys Police  subject to a covenant to protect the use of the building as a multi-agency hub for the next 40 years in line with the grant conditions.

2.    In consideration for the  transfer of the freehold  set out in recommendation 1 above, Dyfed Powys Police grant to  Powys County Council a protected lease agreement for 40 years, for the 2^nd floor and part of the 1^st floor of Ty Brycheiniog under the following terms:

·         A peppercorn rent.

·         A service charge to be agreed.

·         A standard Full Internal Repairing Lease.

·         Ability to sublet.

To consider a report by County Councillor David Thomas, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation.

This item was deferred.

To note the delegated decisions taken since the last meeting.

Cabinet noted the delegated decisions taken by Portfolio Holders since the last meeting.

To consider the Cabinet forward work programme.

Cabinet noted the forward work programme.

To consider a report by County Councillor Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys.

County Councillor Jackie Charlton joined the meeting having been in another meeting.

County Councillor Sandra Davies declared a personal and prejudical interest in this item as a close family member worked for one of the green energy companies referred to in the report and took no part in the debate or the vote.

Cabinet considered a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) for Powys. The LAEP was developed collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders and was informed by the MWES. Delivery of the LAEP would be supported by the Growing Mid Wales’ regional energy team.

The LAEP detailed the scale and rate of change required to transition the local energy system to net zero by 2050. The plan provided solid foundations to support local stakeholders to reduce their carbon emissions. The LAEP aimed to deliver cost savings, social benefits, and a more coordinated energy transition by taking a proactive, whole-systems, place-specific approach to energy planning.

Whilst welcoming the report, Cabinet noted that the limitations of the grid in Mid Wales and a lack of government investment in it until 2050 meant that  the ambition to for the area to become a major energy hub had to be tempered with realism. Cabinet members expressed frustration that the communities of Mid Wales which were net energy exporters often did not benefit from local green energy production. They also noted that the goal of reaching net zero by 2050 would require a reduction in energy use as well as energy production.

                        RESOLVED that Cabinet endorse the Powys Local Area Energy Plan in Appendix 1 to the report.