17 January 2023

There is still time for members of the public who visit a north Powys canal to give their views on the canal before a major restoration project begins.

As part of the Montgomery Canal Restoration Project, three surveys are being held to find out the current views of people who visit Montgomery Canal.

The surveys are being carried out by Glandŵr Cymru (the Canal & River Trust in Wales) and Powys County Council, who are delivering the ambitious project to restore and revitalise parts of the Montgomery Canal. The two organisations were successful in securing almost £14m from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund for the project.

The three baseline surveys are being held before restoration works begin. The surveys are:

The surveys will close on 31 January 2023.

The survey results will help the Trust and Council understand what people currently think of Montgomery Canal and Y Lanfa, how often they visit and the purpose of their visits. The Trust and Council will carry out other surveys as the project progresses and at the end of the project.

Cllr David Selby, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, said: “The Montgomery Canal Restoration Project will make a substantial contribution towards the wider, phased restoration of the Montgomery Canal, that when fully completed, will provide long-term economic, cultural, wellbeing and recreational benefits for local communities.

“However, it is important that we seek the views of the local community and visitors to Montgomery Canal and Y Lanfa to understand their current thoughts, how often they visit and the purpose of their visit.  I would urge visitors to the Montgomery Canal and local residents to use this opportunity to make their opinions known by completing this survey.”

Jason Leach, Head of External Programme Delivery at Glandŵr Cymru (the Canal & River Trust in Wales), said: “The next phase of the restoration of the Montgomery Canal will bring many benefits to the community but it’s important we understand how local people use the canal and why they come to visit.

“We know that being by water is good for our mental and physical health so it’s wonderful that this next step of this restoration project is going ahead. Our canals have been reinvented as a place for people to spend their leisure time, get fit, enjoy the outdoors, and feel healthier so come for a visit.”

For more information on the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund in Powys, including the Montgomery Canal Restoration Project, visit UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund

For general enquiries regarding the Levelling Up Fund in Powys, please email [email protected]

12 January 2023

Powys County Council’s new Progressive Partnership has today published its draft budget for 2023/24.

It balances the need to deliver sound services at an affordable cost and protects the most vulnerable in society, while continuing the council’s journey towards its goal of net zero carbon by 2030.

Council Leader, Cllr James Gibson-Watt said: “This has been the most difficult budget-setting process the county council has ever experienced.  The impact of over 10% cost inflation, the consequent need to increase staff pay to meet the cost of living crisis and a huge increase in demand for social care as a result of flu, Covid-19 and the crisis in the NHS, have combined to create an extremely difficult position.

“But after a lot of detailed work and a better-than-expected grant settlement from the Welsh Government we have been able to limit the proposed council tax increase to 3.8% for council services, well below the current rate of inflation, with a further 1.2% to cover the unprecedented increase in the Fire & Rescue Authority annual levy imposed on the council.”

The view was endorsed by Deputy Leader Cllr Matthew Dorrance, who said: “As a new Administration we said we would be stronger, fairer and greener and this budget delivers on all of those themes. We have focused on protecting services such as our libraries and roads; and sustaining funding for those services that support people at this most difficult of times, while implementing measures to cut energy costs and take us closer to net zero.”

Cllr David Thomas, Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation, said: “The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement made it clear that all councils will face a worse funding crisis in two years time and it is vital that we move the council to a position from which it can successfully meet that challenge. This budget achieves that and gives us a stable position to undertake a major review of council services to prepare them for the future.”

Cllr James Gibson-Watt added: “The economic turmoil produced by Brexit and the UK Government’s actions last Autumn has left a legacy that means that we cannot continue with business as usual. It has been a hard task for Cabinet colleagues to balance the books for the coming year.

“We now begin the even harder challenge, working with our local communities and partner organisations, to protect future services while delivering balanced budgets in the face of a hugely unstable future.”

11 January 2023

A brand-new 3G pitch at a north Powys sports centre is now open, Powys County Council and Freedom Leisure has announced.

Bookings are now being taken for the new 3G pitch that has been installed at Llanfyllin Sports Centre.

Work to install the new pitch, including an improved floodlighting scheme, drainage works and perimeter fencing, finished last month (December).  The installation was carried out by Pave Aways Ltd.

The 3G pitch will be suitable for football, hockey and a wide variety of other outdoor sports for the communities and visitors in and around the Llanfyllin area to use.

The improved facility is an ideal surface during the winter months when grass fields and pitches become muddy and unusable.

This project is part of the capital programme to improve facilities across the county to provide positive benefit to the health and well-being to the communities of Powys.

Cllr David Selby, Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, said: I’m delighted that the 3G pitch is now open and I’m sure that the sporting communities in north Powys are looking forward to using this new facility.

“This development demonstrates our continued commitment to provide high-quality, inclusive and fully accessible leisure facilities for communities in Powys.  It is also another great example of partnership working between the council and Freedom Leisure.”

Cllr Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “One of the aims in the recently updated Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys is to improve the learner entitlement and experience.

“The new pitch, which will enhance the facilities at the centre, will help the council meet this aim. Not only will members of the community benefit from this new pitch, but it will also provide an all-weather surface to help learners improve and enhance their sporting prowess and their wellbeing.”

Richard Milne, Freedom Leisure’s Area Manager (North Wales), said: “We’re delighted to be operating this new 3G pitch in partnership with Powys County Council. It’s a fantastic addition for the local community, allowing access to state-of-the-art facilities.”      

Dewi Owen, Headteacher of Ysgol Llanfyllin, said: “The new pitch looks incredible and is going to be a huge boost to both the school and local community.

“The increase in participation in sport is going to be very significant and this will have a hugely positive effect on pupils’ physical and mental health, which is vital in these post pandemic years. This is a very important development for our community here in north Montgomeryshire.

“Our pupils have been fascinated by the construction work and I’d like to thank Pave Aways for the way they have included the school and our pupils in every step of the process with site tours and information sessions.”

Pave Aways’ construction director Jamie Evans said: “We have very much enjoyed being part of the partnership bringing this valuable new facility to the community.

“We have been able to teach children more about construction and the process of creating this pitch so we hope we may have inspired some builders of the future. It’s also been an important investment in the Powys economy with the use of local sub contractors and materials including stone coming from Cefn Coch near Llanfair Caereinion.”

Pave Aways has also donated £500 of sports equipment to the school and sponsored a 15-strong team kit that the school will receive this month (January).

For clubs and organisations wishing to enquire further about the pitch or make a booking please contact [email protected] or call Llanfyllin Sport Centre on 01691 648814.

Photo courtesy of Pave Aways

4 January 2023

Work progresses on Powys County Council’s Levelling Up funded project to rejuvenate the local canal network in Montgomeryshire by opening up previously un-navigable sections of the canal to increase its appeal and attract more tourists to the region. 

Announced by the Chancellor in the 2021 Autumn Budget, the £4.8billion Levelling Up Fund invests in infrastructure to improve everyday life across the UK including regenerating town centre and high streets, upgrading local transport, and investing in cultural and heritage assets. Of this fund Powys secured almost £14million for this project.

The enhancement of the Y Lanfa building, its wharf and the associated listed Canal side cottages forms part of the overall project. The authority currently delivers Welshpool’s Library Service from the building together with Powysland Museum.

The scheme drawings are currently being worked on and further details will follow as the project unfolds.  An application for planning permission for the new scheme will be made in the New Year.

The aim of this part of the project is to improve the multi-functional use of Y Lanfa and try and create adaptable floor space which will ultimately improve the community and cultural services being offered from it.

The surrounding wharf area will be remodelled to improve the canal side setting creating a sense of place and to encourage increased use, whilst the canal side cottages will be restored and offered for commercial/community use.

Councillor David Selby, Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, commented: “This is an exciting opportunity to not only safeguard the future of an important landmark building but to improve the service for both the local community and tourists alike.”

As part of this project, Miller Research are gathering information through an online survey focused on understanding the needs of different users of the canal and surrounding area, and of visitors to the canal. To access the user survey of the Y Lanfa building, cottages and adjoining space please click on the following link: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/YLanfaEng/

28 December 2022

Following extensive engagement with communities and stakeholders, the county’s Active Travel Network Maps (ATNM) have now been officially approved by Welsh Government.

The maps, which show current active travel routes and details of aspirational future routes within the county’s 11 designated active travel localities (as defined by Welsh Government), can be viewed on the Welsh Government hosted DataMapWales site here: https://datamap.gov.wales/maps/active-travel-network-maps  

“The Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 aims to make Wales a walking and cycling nation.” explains Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys.

“Essentially, this means that we are endeavouring to make it possible for us to all make short journeys such as our commute to work, school or local shops, by physically active means, like walking or cycling.

“Not only does active travel have huge health and wellbeing advantages to us all, but by prioritising walking and cycling, rather than using the car, for short, local journeys we are also helping combat the current climate emergency. Less reliance on our cars will go a long way in helping us achieve our ambition to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2030.

“Welsh Government have made it clear that walking and cycling must be the natural mode of choice for short everyday journeys, or as part of a longer journey in combination with other sustainable modes, and the continued investment into practical active travel routes within Powys will help us achieve this vision.

“Developed with the help of local communities, these newly published ATNM show areas across Powys which could be improved to enable more people to walk or cycle for short journeys. These improvements could be as simple as providing a safe place leave your bike while you pop to the shops, adding a road crossing to allow pupils to safely walk to school, or widening and improving pavements to make walking to town with the children and a pushchair easer.

“Whether big ideas or small suggestions, we are grateful for everyone’s feedback and input into creating these maps, all of which been vitally important in creating the community’s vision of future active travel networks throughout the county.”

21 December 2022

Consultation on plans to introduce a Welsh-medium stream at a south Powys primary school have begun, the county council has said.

Powys County Council is proposing to move Ysgol y Cribarth in Abercraf along the language continuum by establishing a Welsh-medium stream at the school.

The school is currently an English-medium school providing education for pupils aged 4 to 11.

The proposed change would see a Welsh-medium stream introduced at Ysgol y Cribarth from September 2023, operating alongside the school’s English-medium stream.

Last week (December 13), Cabinet gave the go-ahead to start formal consultation on the plans.

Cllr Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “Since September 2021, Ysgol y Cribarth has operated a Welsh-medium Foundation Phase class on a pilot basis as part of a scheme that has been supported by the council.

“The class has continued to operate in the current academic year and there are currently 20 pupils in the Welsh-medium class.

“To provide continuity of provision for pupils attending the pilot provision and to provide clarity for the school going forward, the council has explored options for the school’s future language category with the aim of ensuring that Welsh-medium provision can continue to be offered at the school.

“This would ensure that all pupils in the area would have the opportunity to choose this provision, which would give them the opportunity to become fluent in Welsh and English and therefore contributing to the Welsh Government’s aspiration to achieve a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

“It would also support the council’s aims and aspirations as outlined in the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) for 2022-32 and the Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys.

“However, it is important that the school community of Ysgol y Cribarth and those living in the wider area have their say on these proposals. I would urge them to send their views so that they can be considered.”

To respond to the consultation, visit Ysgol y Cribarth..

Alternatively, you can respond to us in writing by emailing [email protected] or via post at Transforming Education Team, Powys County Council, County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 5LG.

The consultation will close on Monday, 6 February, 2023.

To find out more about Welsh-medium education in Powys, visit Destination bilingual