Powys County Council election: Group leaders' pledges to voters

Here is what the leaders of the Action for Powys, Conservatives, Independent Group, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru groups on the council said.

Former Wales rugby international Jeremy Pugh was part of the Independent group up until the autumn of 2019, when he and several others left to form their own group, Action for Powys.

He says that he has several independent candidates who are willing to follow his lead, and he hopes that they could become the majority independent group after the elections.

Mr Pugh said: “My main aim is to have everyone work together rather than stone throwing.

“We need to start looking at education in a different way, can we deliver rural school education.”

Mr Pugh explained an idea to keep very small schools open, children would ne educated locally from the age of nine would move to intermediate or bigger schools where they could enjoy competitive sport or activities they could miss out on in very small schools.

Mr Pugh said: “The most important part for me is post-16 education, it’s not broken, it doesn’t exist.

“In this day and age we should be able to deliver and support people studying courses and staying in Powys.

“That would give our young people the option of staying and being supported with their further education.”

Sorting out council debt would also be a priority and he believed that the schools transformation programme, with the increase in costs, could add a further £40 million to be repaid on top of the the current £19 million debt repayments.

This would affect the delivery of other services.

To help the economy Mr Pugh believes there is a need to unleash Powys’ potential to create electricity, he said that this could entice industry into the county.

Another key for Mr Pugh is to look at using Day Care Centres to help more home carers by giving them up to 10 hours a week of respite care help.

Mr Pugh said: “They could be helped with five hours rest twice a week would be good for their wellbeing – it’s saving the council millions of pounds – but it’s not recognised.”

TORIES say they have “huge ambitions” for Powys and plans to go forward building on their achievements of the last five years

Powys Conservative Group leader, Aled Davies was the deputy leader and finance portfolio holder during the last council administration.

With 46 candidates standing all across Powys, he will be hoping to form a stand alone administration.

Mr Davies said: ‘’When we formed a coalition five years ago, it was the first time that the Welsh Conservatives have been part of the ruling group.

“Tough difficult decisions had to be made to transform our council and it is now accepted that we are one of the best performing councils in Wales.

‘’None of our schools are now in special measures thanks to our teachers and the education service, that have worked so closely together to deliver improvements, our additional investment in schools is paying off.”

With a number of school building projects taking place and approved  Mr Davies said that his group will: “Deliver excellent schools for our children and teachers.”

Mr Davies said ‘’For the first time in a generation, council houses are being built, extra care homes are being built by our partners to support independent living.”

‘’We have arrested the decline in road conditions, for the first time in many years the percentage of roads in poor condition has fallen but there is so much more to do.

“Over the next five years we must focus on improving our infrastructure to help grow the economy and by working closely with UK Conservative Government through the Levelling Up Fund, the Shared Prosperity Fund and the Growth Deal and we will deliver.

“We have already seen £22 million worth of announcements in the last six months.

‘’We will always deliver value for money and we will not side-step difficult decisions.

“There is so much more to do, lets build on the foundation that we have laid over the last five years.”

POWYS County Council is seen as a bastion of Independent councillors in Wales.

And out of the 180 candidates hoping to be elected on Thursday, May 5, there are more independents standing than for any of the official political parties.

On Thursday, May 5. Powys voters go to the polls – and by Friday night, May 6 the county will know who the winners and losers of the election are.

In 2017, all independents were part of one big group.

But by the end of the council term this year, that big group had fragmented into three groups.

While not having one central manifesto, each independent candidate will be campaigning on issues that affect their own wards.

After Friday, May 6, it is expected that those elected will once again come together to work as a collective.

Council leader between 2017 and 2022, Rosemarie Harris is hoping that voters will continue to show an independent turn of mind.

Mrs Harris said: “We are what it says on the tin, independent.

“We do act loosely as a group, but not a political one and we don’t have a general manifesto, we’re independents for a reason.

“We have different challenges in each area really as well as issues that are relevant to the council like building affordable housing, the economy and jobs, developing broadband in the county and awarding contracts and sub-contracts so that we can keep the pound in Powys.”

“All the priorities relate to the vision (Vision 2025) that we’ve had as a council over the last five years.”

These priorities in Vision 2025 are:

Developing a Vibrant Economy

Providing integrated Health and Care in a rural environment

Strengthen learning and skills

Supporting Residents and Communities

Mrs Harris said: “Hopefully when we get back after the election it will be about keeping social care going, as we can see there will be vastly increased costs of all kinds.

“We have to address climate change, but only within the budget that we’ve got, we’ll do our very best within the services.

“People are generally happy with the services the council provides, there is the odd thing but they appreciate and understand quite well that there’s been a lack of funding in Powys for a number of years, it’s improved during the last couple of year.

“I’m hopeful we’ll get more Independents back in.”

POWYS has not traditionally been a happy hunting ground for Labour, but the party could hold the balance of power after the local elections of May 5.

The bulk of the party’s candidates are standing for election in the southern parts of Powys, centred around Brecon and Ystradgynlais, within sight of Labour’s Welsh heartlands in the industrial south of the country.

But they do have a smattering of candidates standing in wards further north in Montgomeryshire, where energetic campaigns on local issues could cause an upset in traditional Tory territory.

On April 5, Labour launched it’s national campaign to gain seats and control of more local authorities across Wales on a manifesto based on last year’s Senedd Elections success, and also look to deal with the cost of living crisis which they say has been created by Conservative policies.

Labour’s group  leader in Powys Mathew Dorrance said: “The priorities of Labour councillors will be to deliver on the promises we have made in our manifesto so that we can build a stronger, fairer and greener Powys.

Labour’s pledges are:

• Taking action to tackle the cost-of-living crisis;
• Better housing, better care and better schools;
• A safer and cleaner Powys;
• Making Powys the green heart of Wales;
• A town centre revival plan; and
• Connected communities.

AN alternative vision for Powys County Council is being offered by the Liberal Democrats.

And with 42 candidates standing across the county, Liberal Democrat group leader James Gibson-Watt is hoping that his party will be in power come after the local government election

Different directions would be taken in several key areas including school reorganisation and finances.

He also believes in the need for more discussions to take place with backbench and opposition councillors before cabinet members take major decisions.

He also wants to review the planning department, making it “slicker and more efficient” so that it can help drive economic regeneration in the county.

Mr Gibson-Watt said “We need to re-focus the schools transformation programme, I’m very unhappy that some major decisions were taken right at the end of the last council which will, to a degree, bind the hands of the next council.

“For me schools transformation should have been conducted on a cross party basis,

“Our aim is to find a way to keep as many schools as possible by pursuing a clustering approach which other local authorities have successfully done.”

This means that several primary schools work together on some aspects such as the curriculum and economies of scale

Mr Gibson-Watt said: “Schools are the hearts of the communities and the impact on villages is very dramatic and negative when you close them.

“We have to get control of the council’s budgets, there are too many of them not being well managed and consistently overspending.

“There would be a fundamental review of the capital (building) programme because in the medium to long term it looks unaffordable.

“We  cannot go on raising council tax in the way that we have for the last five years.

“The medium term financial plan leave five percent rises each year of the council tax absolutely out of the question, we won’t be going there.”

“If there has to be an increase it will be kept to a minimum.”

WITH a dozen candidates standing across Powys, a record number for Plaid Cymru, the party have a chance to increase their numbers and if they taste election success they could have a say in who runs the council.

Plaid Cymru believe they can be a strong voice for rural communities and their leader in Powys, Elwyn Vaughan explains what he hopes to achieve for the county over the next five years.

Mr Vaughan said:  “ The first thing we want to see changing is of attitude and outlook.

“We want a positive Powys, one that is committed to working with communities, truly work with others rather than pay lip service, one that wants to innovative yet emphasise the local, be it in housing, food, employment or economic opportunities.

“We want a Powys with a positive narrative, one that celebrates the fact that we are at the heart of Wales, one that see’s ourselves as a Celtic knot tying the rest of Wales together rather than constantly complaining that we’re a gap between North and South.

“One that wants to play as much a part in the future of Wales as it has historically contributed to it.

In doing so we would prioritise:

Campaign for affordable homes for local people in the area

Improve and develop local opportunities for independent businesses to strengthen the local economy

Reduce our carbon footprint by ensuring that public sector food procurement is local, seasonal and sustainable and that new housing stock is to a high environmental standard

Support rural schools, support networking, shared resources and innovation

Deliver the free school meals commitment and support families in these hard times

“We want a caring council, one that listens, works positively with others and proud to be a integral part of Wales.”

OTHERS

The Green party have three candidates standing in the election and will be hoping that they are elected so they can put their “principles of social and environmental justice into action.”

The Green party says: “Our Green New Deal for a just and sustainable future will not only protect our environment but also provide jobs and strengthen public services, supporting those who were left behind by Labour and Conservatives as old Welsh industries declined.

“Quality of life and the wellbeing of current and future generations are at the heart of our beliefs.”

A new name for Powys political aficionados is Propel.

Propel has one candidate standing in Powys and the party was founded by former Plaid Cymru Senedd Member, Neil McEvoy.

They have a “contract” with the people of Wales.

Propel said: “There are clear challenges out there facing our communities. Propel proposes to deal with the issues of 2022 head on."

They pledge to review council management structures, that council’s generate income to help provide jobs, build affordable housing as well as bringing redundant and empty buildings back into use,

They also propose to make changes in Social Services.

There is also a candidate for the Freedom Alliance: Supporting Medical Freedom.

Freedom Alliance say they are committed to preserving and upholding the principles of bodily integrity, medical freedom, and informed consent.

They said: “Freedom Alliance is a pro-choice party and does not believe any individual should be discriminated against for their personal medical choice.”

Polls open in Powys on Thursday, at 7am and close at 10pm.