Venue: Hybrid meeting - Zoom - County Hall. View directions
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Apologies To receive apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors A Kennerley (Cabinet Assistant).
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To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 14th January 2025 as a correct record. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 14th January 2025 as a correct record. |
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Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no declarations of interest reported. |
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Brynllywarch Hall School - Full Business Case To consider a report by County Councillor Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys. Additional documents:
Minutes: Cabinet was asked to give approval for the submission of a Full Business Case to the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme for capital investment to build a replacement school building for Brynllywarch Hall School. The report set out the case for change, the costs of the project and the costs of financing it.
Members questioned the anticipated rise in utility costs and asked if it was because the building had been designed to meet standards for net zero. Members also asked if Welsh Government would make additional funding available to meet those costs. Cabinet was advised that the design would ensure the building was as energy-efficient as it could be. There would be no additional funding for utility costs which would have to be managed through the funding formula.
RESOLVED to submit the Full Business Case, as set out in Appendix A to the report, to the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme for capital investment to build a replacement school for Brynllywarch Hall School.
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Request for use of the Brecknockshire Reserve To consider a report by County Councillor David Thomas, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation. Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet considered a request from Hay & District Sports & Community Association Ltd (HADSCAL) for use of a £200K reserve previously earmarked by the former Brecknockshire Committee of Powys County Council for a Community Centre in Hay on Wye.
RESOLVED that Cabinet approve a virement for a payment to HADSCAL an amount of up to £200k, paid quarterly in arrears, funded by the Brecknockshire Committee Reserve fund for the Community Hall in Hay-on-Wye from development through the full planning process, including design elements of the site, surveys and possibly an impact assessment and other necessary works.
The Leader and the Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys left the meeting for a meeting with Estyn. |
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To consider a report by the Leader, County Councillor James Gibson-Watt. Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet considered a proposed approach to the Council undertaking its Panel Performance Assessment based on recently released WLGA and Welsh Government guidance.
RESOLVED
1.
To agree to commission the WLGA for the purpose of supporting
Powys County Council in undertaking its first Panel Performance
Assessment. 2. To approve the draft, provisional approach to undertaking the Panel Performance Assessment as set out in Appendix B and are satisfied that this will allow the Council to meet its duties under Part 6, Chapter 1 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021.
3. To agree the proposed timeline of September to November 2025, for this work to be undertaken.
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Scrutiny Recommendations on the Budget To consider recommendations from the Scrutiny Committees on the budget. Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet considered the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committees on the draft Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025-2030, the draft Budget for 2025-26 and the Capital Programme for 2025-2030.
The Chairs of the Economy, Residents and Communities Scrutiny Committee, the Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee and the Finance Panel attended to provide feedback to the Cabinet. They recognised that it was a very challenging budget.
Cabinet discussed points raised by the Chairs on schools delegated budgets and savings delivered through Sustainable Powys. Formal responses would be provided to the recommendations. The Deputy Leader thanked the Chairs and Members of the Scrutiny Committees for their work scrutinising the budget. |
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Delegated Decisions Taken Since the Last Meeting To note the delegated decisions taken since the last meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet noted the delegated decisions taken by portfolio holders. |
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Forward Work Programme To consider the Cabinet forward work programme. Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet noted the forward work programme. |