Cabinet

Cabinet considered a report on the findings of the Crickhowell Area Review. The Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys reminded colleagues that the Cabinet had asked for a catchment review to be carried out in the Crickhowell area so that a decision on Llanbedr C.i.W school was not taken in isolation. An engagement exercise had been carried out to understand the views of stakeholders in the Crickhowell catchment about the current educational provision in the area and the way forward for the delivery of education in the catchment. 228 responses were received to an online questionnaire, as well as 5 separate written responses. Based on the findings of the options appraisal document and the engagement exercise carried out, the advice of officers was that the preferred way forward for the Crickhowell catchment was to retain primary provision in Crickhowell C.P. School, Llangynidr C.P School and Llangattock C.i.W Primary School, and to retain secondary provision in Crickhowell High School. Mr John Meredith, Director of Education for the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon, was invited to speak by the Leader. He said that he did not believe all options had been explored in detail and he asked for a decision to be delayed until the Cabinet had the opportunity to assess a proposal he had sent to them the previous day for the establishment of a school of religious character for 3 – 18 year olds on multiple sites as had been done in Pembrokeshire. He urged the Cabinet to focus on growth not closure. Cabinet was reminded that the overwhelming response from the engagement exercise was that the community did not want a super school. The schools in the catchment did not want to be reorganised but for further collaboration and this was reflected in the recommendation before Cabinet. At the moment there was not a strong enough case for an all age school. County Councillor Matt Beecham spoke as the local Member. He and County Councillor Sarah-Jane Beecham had looked at ways of retaining schools in local communities and he urged the Cabinet to look further at the proposal made by the Diocese. He thanked the community, parents and governors of Llanbedr for their support. County Councillor Aled Davies spoke as the leader of the opposition arguing that nothing had changed and that resources had been wasted by delaying the closure of the school. The Leader reminded him that the decision had to be delayed because of the judicial review. County Councillor Gwynfor Thomas spoke as Chair of the Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee saying that the Committee had been clear in supporting the closure of Llanbedr CiW school and for the need for transformation to continue at pace. County Councillor Sian Cox advised that she would be speaking as a local member and abstaining from voting. She said she was persuaded by the all-age model being proposed by the Diocese and Councillors Matt Beecham and Sarah-Jane Beecham and that she would like to see the proposal costed. County Councillor Jackie Charlton also spoke as a local member to ask for more time to consult on the all-age school proposal. The Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys thanked Mr Meredith and Councillor Beecham for their proposal but said that in his view nothing had changed which would lead him to consider abandoning the proposal. No new information had come forward during the engagement exercise to suggest that the case for the closure of Llanbedr C. in W. School was no longer valid. He therefore moved the recommendation that there should be no further delay to the decision by the previous Cabinet to close Llanbedr C. in W. School, meaning that it would close on the 31st August 2023. RESOLVED 1. Not to delay further but to implement the decision made by the previous Cabinet to close Llanbedr C. in W. School. Implementation to take effect as from the 31st August 2023 as circumstances have not altered since the decision of the former Cabinet on 8th March 2022, such that implementation would be “inappropriate altogether”. 1. To retain primary provision at Crickhowell C.P. School, Llangynidr C.P. School and Llangattock C. in W. Primary School and to retain secondary provision at Crickhowell High School. 2. To support the Crickhowell catchment to deepen their collaboration as set out in their responses to the engagement exercise. 3. To support Crickhowell High School and Crickhowell C.P. School to explore the option of appointing a shared headteacher which would provide a basis for further consideration of the all-age model at a later date. 4. To undertake further work in the Crickhowell catchment, as outlined in the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan, including discussions with Mudiad Meithrin to explore the establishment of a Cylch Meithrin. This will also include discussions with neighbouring authorities. County Councillors Jackie Charlton and Sian Cox abstained. The Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys said he would visit the school to explain the decision. He also would be writing to the Minister to suggest that no decisions on school closures should be taken in a local government election year until the elections had been held. The Leader gave a commitment to work with the Diocese to find appropriate alternative uses for the site.

County Councillor Matthew Dorrance left the meeting while this item was being considered having declared an interest. Cabinet considered changes to Council Housing Rents, Garage Rents and all property and tenancy related Service Charges, for the financial year 2023-24 to ensure the HRA Business Plan remained both sustainable and viable. The recommendations took into account compliance with the Welsh Government’s Policy for Social Housing Rents (Rent Policy). The Council’s Tenant Scrutiny Panel had been consulted on the proposed changes and had commented that they understood that the increase must be financially viable for the service to continue. The Head of Service also reported that there had been a reduction of a third in the time taken to repair voids but that recruitment and retention of skilled craftspeople remained an issue. RESOLVED 1. That with effect from April 3rd 2023 the average rent in Powys will increase by 5.36% (the average rent being £101.44 per week) for all 5,500 Council owned homes, excluding service charges. 2. That service charges charged to HRA tenants are amended with effect from April 3rd 2023 (included in Table Two above) to allow the Council to recover the cost incurred in providing these services. 3. That the weekly cost effect from April 3rd, 2023 for Careline in 2022-2023 is £1.21 per week. 4. That HRA garage rents in Powys with effect from April 3rd 2023 for 2023-2024 are increased by 6.5% to £13.73 per week. 5. That garage plot charges effect from April 3rd 2023 for 2023-2024 increase by £10.66 per annum. 6. That the weekly occupation charge from April 3rd 2023 charges for Gypsy and Traveller pitches in 2023-2024 will be increased by 5.36% the average rent being £114.42. 7. That the charge for temporary accommodation increases, with effect from April 3rd 2023, for the year 2023-2024, by 5.36% 8. That all other rental, not detailed above, effective from April 3rd 2023 will increase by 5.36%. Service charges continue to be recovered on an actual basis.

Cabinet noted the delegated decisions taken by Cabinet members since the last meeting.

The leader of the opposition criticised the lack of detail in the forward work programme and the Cabinet Manager undertook to follow this up with Heads of Service.