Powys council records £5.3m surplus on budget
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South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Assurances on inspections given on coal tip in Blaenau Gwent
At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council's Economic Development and Environment Management scrutiny committee on Tuesday, July 8, councillors received a briefing on the draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for the next five years. Infrastructure services manager Kevin Kinsey explained the council's areas of responsibility as one of the authorities that is tasked to deal with flooding incidents. Within the document disused coal tips are mentioned – this is because of the risk that their stability could 'fail' in periods of heavy rain. This happened last November, when 40 homes had to be evacuated during Storm Bert as heavy rain caused a landslide from an old coal tip near Cwmtillery. Mr Kinsey told councillors that there are 129 disused coal tips in Blaenau Gwent and the council 'owns and maintains' 53 of them, which includes the one in Cwmtillery. Cllr Wayne Hodgins (Independent) wanted some clarification on coal tips. 'It's quite alarming that they are our responsibility,' said Cllr Hodgins. Mr Kinsey explained that the council has an 'inspection regime' in place and maintenance work is funded by the Welsh Government. Cllr Hodgins said: 'That does put a large strain on our resources, there may need to be a review of how we manage those tips with the limited resources we have in house.' Mr Kinsey said that the Welsh Government had provided the coal tip safety grant to fund maintenance work in the aftermath of the Tylerstown coal tip landslide in 2020. Mr Kinsey said: 'We've been able to undertake a lot of work, and we spent just under £2 million in tip maintenance across our tips plus private tips as well, if we feel it's justified. 'In terms of our physical resource it is very limited we are only a very small team. 'Be assured that these inspections are undertaken and where maintenance work that needs to be done it is undertaken.' Cllr Sonia Behr (Labour) asked if private owners were charged for inspections and for work to be carried out on their disused tip? Mr Kinsey said: 'We don't charge, it's Welsh Government funding. 'Under the coal tip maintenance programme, funding will be made available to private landowners that has to be directed or undertaken by the local authority.' Councillors agreed the draft strategy which will go before a future meeting of the Labour Cabinet for a decision.
Leader Live
4 hours ago
- Leader Live
Lead member defends Tŷ Pawb as jewel in Wrexham's cultural crown
That was the core of an impassioned defence of the cultural market by Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council's lead member for Strategic Planning and Public Protection. Wrexham County Borough Council's Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee was examining a report into Tŷ Pawb's finances which showed the centre is improving it's financial position, but is still making significant losses. This year it is projected to make a loss of £89,000 – it's lowest loss for four years. Labour group leader Dana Davies led the probe by councillors. 'We're in a better position than we've seen previously and overspend is coming down year-on-year,' she said. 'Where are we sitting with our repairs and maintenance? I know we've had issues with the roof but I want to understand the future R&M costs. 'We also need a breakdown of the premises cost – R&M, utilities, rates, cleaning and waste removal come to £374,000, that seems high.' Cllr Jones said he would ask finance to provide that breakdown, but Plaid Cymru Cllr Andy Gallanders of Rhosnesni criticised the lead member. 'I'm disappointed in the reply you gave to Cllr Davies,' he said. 'You should know the finances inside out. 'It's also interesting Hugh, as lead member, that you've now admitted that the building once highlighted as the 'Crown Jewel' is not so sparkling anymore. 'Are the losses just the price for culture or a project that wasn't done right in the first place – i.e the building not being watertight? 'If this was a school, we'd be putting it into a three-year plan for deficit recovery. So what's the difference between this and our schools – where our headteachers are losing staff left, right and centre? Is it simply the cost of culture?' Read more: Popular arts centre still struggling to make profit Cllr Jones and Amanda Davies, city centre arts and culture lead, highlighted progress that had been made to reduce energy costs through solar power and challenges, including the allocation of 50 corporate car parking spaces at Tŷ Pawb for council staff. Cllr Jones defended Tŷ Pawb – arguing that the value of its contribution to culture and society in Wrexham far outweighed the costs it continued to incur. 'There is a cost of culture. There is a cost of fulfilling the council priorities, there is a cost to fulfilling the Welsh Government priorities in terms of community engagement and involvement,' he said. 'That's never going to come for nothing. 'When the Quarterbridge report first came out people were skeptical about our ability to get 100,000 people a year through the door at Tŷ Pawb, we've actually got 471,000 people through the door in the last 12 months. 'Tŷ Pawb is still the jewel in the crown for Wrexham. We have to realise the contribution that Tŷ Pawb makes to the community of Wrexham. Particularly to those communities that are difficult to reach. 'This doesn't cover the contribution Tŷ Pawb makes to improving people's lives across a wide section of the community in Wrexham. You can't put that down in pounds, shillings and pence. It delivers a huge community benefit and a benefit to us all. 'Yes we've got problems with the building but we're dealing with that. Overall, I believe Tŷ Pawb has been a success. You can't put a price on enriching people's lives so I would defend everything we do.'
South Wales Argus
6 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Pontypool explores sustainable options for VE Day benches
Pontypool Community Council is investigating the possibility of using recycled or UK steel for the VE80 Bench Project, which commemorates VE Day. These benches are set to be installed on November 11, the council confirmed in its June meeting. This initiative is part of a broader commitment to sustainability and biodiversity. The council has also approved a live trees maintenance plan, which will include collapsible trollies for watering. The council is also promoting the use of digital tools over paper, including QR code-enabled surveys. The council meeting, which took place across multiple locations on June 25, was marked by a strong commitment to community engagement and support. A presentation was given by Cwmpas, a not-for-profit organisation that supports co-operative and social enterprise housing. The organisation, backed by the Welsh Government and charitable foundations, offers comprehensive guidance for community-led housing initiatives in Pontypool. Councillors also approved funding of £500 each for two local events: the 130th Anniversary of Pontypool Indoor Market and the Pontypool Food Festival. The funds will support marketing and promotion efforts for these events. The council members noted preparations for the upcoming Youth Festival and Twinning Conference, set to take place from August 20 to 24. These events aim to strengthen international links and increase youth participation. The meeting also saw a series of formal approvals, including the adoption of the Annual Report 2024/25 and the approval of the Final Accounts and Governance Statement for the year ending March 31, 2025. The council also confirmed minutes from recent council and committee meetings and ratified updated constitutional changes and a suite of reviewed and new council policies. These policies include Internet Banking, Data Protection, and a Multi-location Meeting Policy. In terms of technology and civic engagement, councillors approved the purchase of three new laptops due to ongoing equipment issues. Plans were also reviewed for rolling out new official email addresses to members. The council discussed improving community engagement, with a training session hosted by One Voice Wales scheduled for October 15. Councillors were also invited to participate in Party in the Park on July 12, where a community survey will be launched to gather feedback on key local issues such as youth provision and public amenities. The council also reviewed plans for a future "Away Afternoon" to reflect on strengths and strategic improvements within both council operations and community services. This will be discussed further at the next meeting. The council moved into a confidential session at the end of the meeting to consider sensitive matters.
