General
The Committee noted, observed, or requested
that:
- The budget was balanced between
further efficiencies and protecting services residents depend
upon.
- All services were doing as much as
possible to make savings where possible.
- The Council were awaiting National
Insurance settlement information from Welsh Government
- The Workforce and Development Plan
demonstrated demands on staffing and related issues. Vacancy
management provided an overview for wages and inflation assumptions
to be forecast in the budget.
- Number of roles to be reduced was
constantly evolving with limited agency staff usage.
- Second and empty homes in Powys
could bring in an income, however significant challenges and notice
had to be provided to change a premium and was suggested to
evaluate impacts across Wales before a decision was made.
Highways, Transport
and Recycling
The Committee noted, observed, or requested
that:
- Page 153 ( appendix F) –
Sustainable Powys public transport had Welsh Government funding set
aside to enhance the service and to ensure communities were kept
mobile.
- A staffing and back-office
restructure would be undertaken to ensure consistency across the
service area. Artificial Intelligence would be reviewed to
determine how it could provide support to staff.
- Part of the transformation fund an
additional role was added to help the Councils journey through net
zero around electric vehicle education, infrastructure and on
street parking.
- Certain grant funding was set aside
for statutory services including ‘Rights of Way’
and investment would be made into
bridges to avoid legal action.
- All possible avenues were explored
to ensure school transport continued during road closures including
trains. Work with Transport of Wales ensured limited closures.
- Waste Awareness Officers supported
and guided residents with recycling and advising that recycling
bins were to be put out for collection every week.
- Profit sharing agreement was an open
book approach, If a contractor made a profit over and above the
submitted price, it was shared 50/50 with the Council.
- Page 153 ( appendix F) – the
adjusted base budget stayed in place for the service until it was
suggested it was removed as a cost reduction.
- Longer term investment and
adaptations to flooding were needed.
- More information was needed around
the public transport budget element as it was unclear how it would
be sustainable for the Council. Work
was ongoing with Welsh Government, Transport for Wales and
partners.
- Page 22 (item 3.77 table 5) –
HTR had significant budget pressures and explained that all
services had been tasked to keep services to a minimum to reduce
costs. A wide variety of areas were being investigated including
Trunk Road Agency efficiencies and a resource strategy for
recycling currently out for engagement.
Planning, &
Regulatory Services
The Committee noted, observed, or requested
that:
- Neuadd Brycheiniog be considered for
social housing due to homelessness pressures. A paper providing all
options would be available later in the year.
- The Gwalia building had been sold
without contents which had been reused, recycled and reduced and
importantly stressed that it was not sold under pressure with a
full asset review imminent.
- If Welsh Government planning fees
rose too high would a decline in the number of applications
received be a concern.
- There were a large range of fees in
which some discretionary fees were not legally able to support a
profit including Environment Health in which inspections cost the
Council above average due to travel.
- More detail was explained that
capital receipts figures differed due to a loss of a key sale and
highlighted that interest payments to service borrowing were
£37k daily and must be kept to a minimum, the Council look to
use capital receipts effectively as possible and reduce the need to
further borrow.
Housing Services
The Committee noted, observed, or requested
that:
- Page 51 (Capital) – disabled
adaptations a statutory duty for the Council helped to keep people
living independently in which Powys had an aging population. The
approval was subject to assessment/tests and may be subject to
repayment.
- Homelessness was a whole Council
concern and required early intervention in order to provide the
best possible support and help. It was
encouraged that advice was sought early to secure better
outcomes.
- The Council had limited stock and
aimed to provide a more permanent provision by asking partners to
accept a larger number of temporary tenants to eliminate bed and
breakfast provision, and to work towards everyone having a key to
their own front door.
- Rental income from gypsy and
traveller sites was actively being reviewed to invest back into
sites.
- A number of schemes and loans were
on offer interest free to landlords to maintain homes, once repaid
the money would return to the pot for others to use.
- Empty properties were actively being
sought with a dedicated website to report properties and officers
on the ground. Frustrations were shared
regarding the timescale setting up a programme and a detailed
report would be forthcoming following the implementation of the
strategy.
Economy and Climate
Services
The Committee noted, observed, or requested
that:
- The Grant Funding Team had an
important role to play to seek, sought and secure funding for the
Council. Green financing including private sector investment
housing and big fund providers looking to invest. The Marches Partnership was looking at innovative
ways to fund capital and revenue costs of the Council.
- A commitment be made that the Shared
Prosperity Fund allocation, vital to working in partnership with
the third sector remained. The Portfolio Holder was committed and
proud of the work conducted with the third sector and a community
fund had been set up with PAVO (Powys Association Volunteering
Organisation).
- Funding was available for 35
staffing roles; however, some schemes and projects had concluded,
and temporary contracts had ended, however a restructure would take
place and roles at risk would be placed on the redeployment
register.
Community
Wellbeing
The Committee noted, observed, or requested
that:
- Libraries received a core budget and
sought grant funding from alternative sources including Shared
Prosperity Funding to support roles and deliver schemes.
- A review on assets and services in
each town to meet the priorities of the community would be
conducted to explore all options of co-location.
- Libraries were a key hub for members
of the public to use if digital availability was limited, putting
considerable pressure on library staff in which the pay adjustment
was welcomed.
- Participation and attendance figures
for libraries was dependent on a wide variety of variables
including, location, space, hours etc.
- Digital development was ongoing with
increased uptake including an iPad and sim card loan schemes.
- The upcoming customer experience
framework would ensure that the Council offered all options to
residents.
- Solar panel investment would
continue as it had shown a reduction in gas and electricity
consumption in leisure centres and Powys buildings with some
savings and helping towards the effects of global warming.
Corporate
Services
The Committee noted, observed, or requested
that:
- Conversations be pursued between the
Council and relevant bodies to discuss and call for options that
may lead to the Fire Authorities budget requests being met directly
through their own mechanism for council tax precept levies, as was
the case for the Police and Town and Community Councils. A clear
narrative be provided for council tax bill payers showing the
element that relates to the Fire authority.
- Two major concerns around the cost
analysis were shared to be population and secondary schools numbers
which did not favour rural authorities in which had been expressed
in communications to the Welsh Government and Welsh Local
Government Association.
- It was important to sign post and
support residents who may have personal financial concerns, and the
Council Money Advise Team could help identify benefits that they
could draw down.
- An advertising campaign be
considered to ensure residents knew the full range of money advice
and support services the Council offered.
Legal Services
The Committee noted, observed, or requested
that:
- Base funding was in place to
increase service capacity to improve responsiveness and efficiency
in order to support all services of the Council.