Council leader sets out priorities for next two years

Tackling poverty in Powys is set to be the key priority of the Liberal Democrat/Labour administration for the remainder of its time in power, a senior councillor has said.

At a joint meeting of all three Powys County Council scrutiny committees on Friday, March 14, councillors and lay committee members discussed the authority’s performance from October to the end of December in the third quarter of 2024/2025.

They looked at the council’s Corporate and Strategic Equality Plan Scorecard, which evaluates performance against the council's own expectations and three objectives.

Health and Care scrutiny chairwoman, Conservative Cllr Amanda Jenner chaired the joint meeting and said: “There’s measures in here (report) which are doing really well and measures that are off track.

“As an administration you’ve got another two years left.

“Where would you really like to focus on improvement in these measures in those two years?”

“Where are your biggest concerns?”

Council leader, Liberal Democrat Cllr James Gibson-Watt said: “From a general point of view, I think the linkages between poverty, housing and education attainment, all of these areas.

“There’s a danger we look at them in isolation without understanding the wider context.

“I wish we could do more on the poverty front, it’s not because we are not trying but because it’s difficult work.

“Whatever local authorities or national government’s do, doesn’t insulate society from the wider pressures that impact on economic performance – which is such a key part of people’s wellbeing and financial security.”

Cllr Gibson-Watt also wished that the council’s “partner organisations” were in a “better place.”

He explained that all public sector organisations and the private sector are facing “serious” economic headwinds especially in terms of recruiting and retaining staff.

“I am and we should all be concerned about the general economic situation which has an impact beyond our control” said Cllr Gibson-Watt

Cabinet member for a connected Powys, Cllr Jake Berriman told councillors that driving improvement is customer services is really important to him.

Cllr Berriman said: “The quality of services we provide reflects on us all.”

He added that the council is about to launch a “customer experience framework”.

Cllr Berriman explained: “When people do contact us, they are treated promptly and properly, and they get a good customer experience.”

He believed this needed a “cultural shift” within the council.

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service