Friday
19
April
Newtown councillor questions council's report
14/10/2019 @ 09:43
Opposition county councillors said they were “confused” and didn’t recognise the council that was being talked about in Powys County Council's corporate improvement plan annual report.
It should have been discussed in July, but had to be postponed due to “purdah” rules of impartiality imposed that month due to the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election.
Newtown Mayor and county councillor David Selby, said: “Would the leader agree that I’m entitled to be confused about recognising the council that’s been talked about for this year 2018/19?
“If the portfolio holders are going to read prepared statements I think it would make sense to issue the report in advance so that we can have a chance of looking at it and debating it fuller.
“Because all we have had is an hour and a half presentation. This is probably not a council the residents of Newtown would recognise.”
Cllr Selby went on to list failings of the Independent/Conservative administration including cuts to youth services, unsatisfactory service from Heart of Wales Property Service, spiralling overspends in Social Services.
And that the Council Tax had to be raised by 9.5 per-cent.
Cllr Selby added: “All that is not in the report, I accept the good but we must be honest with our residents and talk about our failures.”
Council leader Cllr Rosemarie Harris responded angrily: “This is a balanced report, you obviously have not read the complete report.
“There are areas where we haven't come up to scratch and we acknowledge that.”
Cllr Harris went on to discuss Newtown, asking if “this was the place where a small hospital was going to be built?
And that PCC had given a large tract of land to allow the residents to deliver green space projects.
Cllr Harris also said the council had helped deliver the Newtown bypass that was opened earlier this year.
“I can go on, when we talk about balance Cllr Selby, let’s have some balance in your comments too,” said Cllr Harris.
Cllr Jeremy Pugh, the leader of the newly formed group Action for Powys, said: “I would like to congratulate all the portfolio holders. It sounded absolutely fantastic, you are doing a marvellous job.
“I’d just like to ask for the ratepayers of Powys, would you like to guarantee that there will not be more than a five per-cent increase in rates (council tax) as everything is so rosy?”
Portfolio holder for finance, Cllr Aled Davies replied that he could not guarantee that the council tax would be kept to a five per-cent rise.
Cllr Davies “We are working on the next budget and for the next two years. As it stands the council tax increase five per-cent.”
He added that whether that figure increases would be down to how much money PCC receive from the Welsh Government in the forthcoming budget settlement.
The report was voted through by 46 votes to eight against.
PCC’s corporate improvement plan is known as Vision 2025.
It has four main objectives:
Developing a Vibrant Economy
Providing integrated Health and Care in a rural environment
Strengthen learning and skills
Supporting Residents and Communities
It should have been discussed in July, but had to be postponed due to “purdah” rules of impartiality imposed that month due to the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election.
Newtown Mayor and county councillor David Selby, said: “Would the leader agree that I’m entitled to be confused about recognising the council that’s been talked about for this year 2018/19?“If the portfolio holders are going to read prepared statements I think it would make sense to issue the report in advance so that we can have a chance of looking at it and debating it fuller.
“Because all we have had is an hour and a half presentation. This is probably not a council the residents of Newtown would recognise.”
Cllr Selby went on to list failings of the Independent/Conservative administration including cuts to youth services, unsatisfactory service from Heart of Wales Property Service, spiralling overspends in Social Services.
And that the Council Tax had to be raised by 9.5 per-cent.
Cllr Selby added: “All that is not in the report, I accept the good but we must be honest with our residents and talk about our failures.”
Council leader Cllr Rosemarie Harris responded angrily: “This is a balanced report, you obviously have not read the complete report.
“There are areas where we haven't come up to scratch and we acknowledge that.”
Cllr Harris went on to discuss Newtown, asking if “this was the place where a small hospital was going to be built?
And that PCC had given a large tract of land to allow the residents to deliver green space projects.
Cllr Harris also said the council had helped deliver the Newtown bypass that was opened earlier this year.
“I can go on, when we talk about balance Cllr Selby, let’s have some balance in your comments too,” said Cllr Harris.
Cllr Jeremy Pugh, the leader of the newly formed group Action for Powys, said: “I would like to congratulate all the portfolio holders. It sounded absolutely fantastic, you are doing a marvellous job.
“I’d just like to ask for the ratepayers of Powys, would you like to guarantee that there will not be more than a five per-cent increase in rates (council tax) as everything is so rosy?”
Portfolio holder for finance, Cllr Aled Davies replied that he could not guarantee that the council tax would be kept to a five per-cent rise.
Cllr Davies “We are working on the next budget and for the next two years. As it stands the council tax increase five per-cent.”
He added that whether that figure increases would be down to how much money PCC receive from the Welsh Government in the forthcoming budget settlement.
The report was voted through by 46 votes to eight against.
PCC’s corporate improvement plan is known as Vision 2025.
It has four main objectives:
Developing a Vibrant Economy
Providing integrated Health and Care in a rural environment
Strengthen learning and skills
Supporting Residents and Communities
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service
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