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/

3 January 2023

Residents living in Llansilin and the surrounding area are being invited to give their views about their housing needs at a drop-in event later this month.

Powys County Council, in collaboration with Grŵp Cynefin, has arranged a drop-in session that will take place at Llansilin Memorial Hall on Saturday, 21 January from 10am to 1pm.

The council’s Housing Development Officers will be available to answer questions and provide people with more information regarding a possible new-build housing project within Llansilin. A survey will be available for people to fill in to help the council understand the demand for affordable housing in Llansilin.

There will also be an opportunity for people to find out how they can register their housing need at the drop-in session.

Cllr Matthew Dorrance, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys, said: “We cannot build the stronger, fairer, greener Powys we want without tackling the housing emergency in the county. The only way we can achieve this is by increasing the number of council houses in our communities and building high-quality council homes is helping us do that.

“Our Affordable Housing Team will be working in communities throughout Powys to identify suitable land for housing and establishing housing needs.

“We want to gather as much information as possible and this drop-in event will allow residents to make their views known.

“We would encourage all members of the community to come along to this event but especially younger people, as we recognise that they have difficulty finding suitable affordable accommodation.

“This drop-in event is important as it will allow ask to gather the views from residents while we find out what the housing needs are for this area.”

Anyone who can’t attend the drop-in session but want to fill in the survey to let help the council understand the demand for affordable housing in Llansilin can do so by visiting https://www.haveyoursaypowys.wales/housing-need-in-llansilin.

The survey closes on Tuesday, 31 January, 2023.

3 January 2023

Powys County Council are looking for care staff to work in residential homes to support children and young people.

Come along to one of the recruitment events across the county to find out more about working in our residential homes.  

The events are a chance for those interested in the roles to find out about current job opportunities and to ask questions to our friendly team. Our staff will also be on hand to guide and help you complete your application form.  

We welcome anyone interested in a caring career to come along, whether you are starting out in your career, have experience, or looking for a new challenge.  

The events will take place at: 

• The Royal Oak, Welshpool on Tuesday 10 January at 11am – 1pm
• Miners Welfare Hall, Ystradgynlais on Wednesday 11 January at 11am – 1pm
• Y Gaer, Brecon on Friday 13 January at 11am – 1pm 

By working with us, you will play a part in making a positive difference to the lives of young people in this specialist area of residential care and supporting children and young people in Powys.

We offer great employee benefits including excellent rates of pay and great training and development opportunities.

There are job opportunities for qualified care staff, senior care staff as well as individuals with experience in working with children and young people and those who wish to work towards their QCF qualifications.

Cabinet Member for Future Generations, Cllr Sandra Davies said: “We are committed to delivering the best outcomes for the children, young people and families in Powys, so if you would like a new opportunity, with a chance to make a positive difference then come along and meet us to find out more about our jobs.”

To view our current vacancies, visit https://en.powys.gov.ukhttps://en.powys.gov.uk/jobs

30 December 2022

There is still time for business rates payers in Powys to apply for the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rate Relief for 2022-23, the county council has said.

The Welsh Government scheme, which is being administered by Powys County Council, is offering eligible occupied businesses a discount of 50% on the business rates bill for a property.

The scheme will apply to all eligible ratepayers with a relief cap for all your business properties up to a £110,000.

To date, 870 businesses in the county have applied for the rate relief which has reduced their business rates bills by £3.4m.

The business must be in the retail, leisure, hospitality or tourism sectors. Examples include shops, pubs, restaurants, self-catering units, sports clubs and bed and breakfasts.

Businesses who meet the eligibility criteria must apply for this rate relief. It will not be automatically awarded like in previous years.

Cllr David Thomas, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation, said: “It is a real difficult time for those businesses in the retail, leisure and hospitality sector that currently face challenging economic times at the same time as trying to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

“I would urge those businesses who have not applied for this rate relief to do so immediately.  This scheme closes on the 31 March 2023 so there is still time for businesses to apply.”

For more information on the scheme, including how to apply, go to Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief 2022 / 2023.

28 December 2022

Powys Adult Services supports people to live the best life they can. By focussing on what matters, we work alongside people to help them find the right solutions.

We are currently recruiting for several social work roles across our community, hospital teams and mental health teams. For any of our roles, we pay the costs of Social Care Wales registration, alongside competitive pay, and lots of opportunities for training and career progression.

We’d really welcome an interest from anyone who has recently left the social services sector, or who has retired, that is looking to move back into a social work role.

Michael Gray, Head of Powys County Council’s Adults Services said: “Powys is a great place to live and work. If you’ve recently left the sector but want to return to support people to do what matters to them, we’d love to hear from you. We are also open to fixed term roles.”

For more information on the advantages and benefits of working in Adult Services, please follow this link: Working for Adult Social Care

All our current roles are available to see here: Search and Apply for Jobs 

To discuss fixed term roles across our services, please contact Michelle Griffiths, HR Business Partner at [email protected] (working days are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays).

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.”

23 December 2022

Powys residents who shop at Lidl are being advised that the supermarket chain has recalled several smoked trout and smoked salmon products because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The products that have been recalled are:

• Lidl Deluxe Oak Smoked Scottish Louch/ Loch Trout, 100g, all use-by dates between and including 20 December 2022 and 6 January 2023
• Lidl Lighthouse Bay Smoked Trout Trimmings, 120g, all use-by dates between and including 20 December 2022 and 6 January 2023
• Lidl Deluxe Mild & Delicate Smoked Scottish Salmon, 100g, use-by date 11 January 2023
• Lidl Deluxe Smoked Scottish Salmon with Ben Bracken Whisky, 100g, use-by date 11 January 2023
• Lidl Lighthouse Bay Smoked Scottish Salmon Trimmings, 120g, use-by date 31 December 2022

No other Lidl GB products are known to be affected.

Symptoms caused by Listeria monocytogenes can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.

Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one-month-old and people with weakened immune systems.

Powys County Council has been advised of the recalls by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The FSA advises consumers who have bought any of the smoked fish products listed above not to eat them, and instead return them to the store where they were bought for a full refund. Any queries or concerns can be directed to Lidl Customer Services on 0800 977 7766 or [email protected]

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

21 December 2022

Several Powys volunteers who have made a huge difference in their communities have had their efforts recognised by the county council.

Powys County Council hosted a Volunteering in Powys Reception at this year’s Winter Fair at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd.

As part of the reception, a community group and two individuals received Silver Kite awards from the Chair of Powys County Council, Cllr Gareth Ratcliffe, for their volunteer work in supporting others in their communities.  The recipients that received Silver Kite awards were:

• Fuelled by Cake
• Steph Burton
• Jen Craven

Dignitaries and invited guests at the reception heard from the Leader of Powys County Council, Cllr James Gibson-Watt, who spoke about how volunteering is key to Powys communities and how the council has worked with its partner PAVO, the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations, to establish its Warm Spaces network as well as the Cost of Living Hub.

The reception also heard from guest speaker Clair Swales, Interim Chief Executive Officer at PAVO.

Leader Cllr James Gibson-Watt, said: “Volunteering plays a key role in our communities so I was delighted to jointly host this reception and pay tribute to all those volunteers that make a real difference to so many people in Powys.”

Chair Cllr Gareth Ratcliffe, said: “It was a pleasure to award these Silver Kite awards at the Volunteering in Powys reception.  All of them were worthy recipients who have made a real impact in the communities they volunteer in.  Congratulations to them all.”