Latest news with #PowysCountyCouncil
Powys County Times
8 hours ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
How 'enhanced' bus services coming to Powys will look
'Enhanced' bus services could be coming to Powys after recommendations to the council. Powys County Council said it has revised its local bus timetables and service routes, incorporating public feedback to 'ensure a more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable transport network'. This comes after a full public engagement and consultation on local bus services which took place through 2024 and earlier this year. According to Powys County Council, members of the public said there needed to be 'more reliable and frequent services in rural areas' and 'better connections between towns and key services'. There were also calls for 'improved accessibility for older residents and those with mobility challenges' and 'affordable and simplified fare structures'. The council said that, following approval from cabinet, contracts will be awarded to a range of local and regional operators, who will begin 'delivering enhanced services with greater connectivity' from September 2025 Cllr Jackie Charlton, cabinet member for a greener Powys, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in the public engagement and consultation. 'Your feedback has directly helped shaped the future of public transport in Powys. The proposed new services will help us build a more connected county. Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app 'With the council's commitment for a Sustainable Powys, this improved public transport network is aimed at supporting public transport services from our communities and localities into the county's core towns within an hour's journey time. 'We look forward to working with our new transport partners to deliver on this vision for Powys.' Under the Sustainable Powys scheme, services look set to be centred on five core towns - Welshpool, Newtown, Llandrindod Wells, Brecon and Ystradgynlais.
Powys County Times
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- Powys County Times
Groe footpath in Builth Wells to be partly closed next month
A FOOTPATH in the popular Groe area of Builth Wells will be partly cut off to the public for one day next month due to a popular motorsport event being held in town that day. The Nicky Grist Stages Rally comes to Builth on Saturday, July 12, which will require the closure of part of the Groe footpath for the day. The section of path that will not be accessible is 210 metres long and runs adjacent to North Road and Church Street, from the Alpha Chapel access point to Builth's Ysgol Calon Cymru campus. 'We have received the following notification from Powys County Council regarding an upcoming short term temporary closure of public rights of way, which is needed due the Nicky Grist Stages Rally motorsport event on 12th July,' said Builth Wells Town Council in a post on its Facebook page. 'Paths to be closed (are) Footpath 8, Builth Wells, from SO040510 to SO038512, for approximately 210 metres. 'Alternative route: Follow Church Street then North Road to entrance to Builth Groe at play area and vice versa. 'By way of explanation, Powys County Council adopted a revised protocol for authorising motorsport events on March 3, 2020, which now requires that public rights of way be closed for the duration of a motorsport event.' Organisers of the rally confirmed last month that the stage would be returning to Builth. With the rally so start in Strand Street while the finish will be on the banks of the River Wye, and the service area will be located on the Groe, on the town's rugby pitch. 'I am delighted that we have got what is probably the most-liked stage of the Nicky Grist Stages back in the 2025 edition – Route 60,' said Nicky Grist. 'Route 60 is such a fantastic stage with wonderful high speed and flowing corners that nearly everyone enjoys. 'I was also overjoyed when we found out that Storm Darragh did not affect us anywhere near as badly as other stages in Wales and I am looking forward to catching up with everyone at the event in Builth Wells in July.' 'At the beginning of the year there were some doubts as to whether we would be able to run the 2025 Nicky Grist Stages, thanks to the damage caused in the Welsh forests by Storm Darragh and military training operations combining to seriously curtail the stage mileage available to us on both NRW and MOD land,' admits Neil Cross, the clerk of the course. 'However, with the invaluable co-operation and hard work of NRW, the MOD and Rally4Wales we have instead put together a fantastic route.' Organisers thanked Powys County Council, Builth Wells Town Council, Builth Wells Rugby Club and local businesses and residents for their support. Further details about the 2020 protocol can be found at
Powys County Times
14 hours ago
- General
- Powys County Times
Powys County Council to begin work on Elan Valley roads
A POWYS councillor has praised the local authority after it was announced that 'long awaited' repairs and resurfacing are due to be carried out on rural roads in her ward. Councillor Angela Davies, who represents Rhayader, revealed on Wednesday that Powys County Council is to undertake work on roads in several isolated locations in the Elan Valley, around its reservoirs. The work is set to start at the end of June and carry on into early July in both the Elan Valley and Claerwen Valley. 'I am delighted to share with you that we are set to see long awaited road resurfacing repairs on our rural roads,' said Cllr Davies on the Facebook page. Work will take place near the Claerwen reservoir in two parts, from Monday-Tuesday, June 30-July, and again from July 2-4. There will be two sites in the Elan Valley where works are carried out – around the Graig Goch, Pen y Garreg, Graig-ddu and Caban Coch reservoirs, between July 7-11, during the hours of 8am and 5pm. A timeline for work in the Dernol Valley, meanwhile, is to be determined.
Powys County Times
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Claims ombudsman 'too slow' on Powys councillor complaints
Complaints against Powys councillors are being dealt with too slowly by Wales' ombudsman, it has been claimed. Powys County Council's standards committee meeting on Wednesday, June 18 heard an update on eight referrals to the ombudsman from 2023 to this April. Details of the complaints and the identity of councillors had been kept confidential. One referral was completed with 'no evidence of a code of conduct breach being found', and one case would be referred to the committee. But the pace of progress was also highlighted by Cllr Ian Harrison, who said there are two cases that are "well past" the 12-month due date. The Conservative councillor said: 'I wonder if there's any known reason why the ombudsman has failed to complete their investigation within the 12 month period?' Deputy monitoring officer Debby Jones said: 'We have raised this concern with the ombudsman before. 'I seek regular updates from the ombudsman and I generally receive the response that they are still under investigation. 'There can be lots of reasons for delay, they can be because they can't get hold of witnesses or arrange a convenient time to meet or there's illness or absences. 'It really isn't in our control, once a matter has been referred to them.' Committee chairman and lay member Stephan Hays said that he understood that the ombudsman had been 'a bit short on personnel' capable of conducting investigations and had only last year been allowed to recruit new staff. Mr Hays said: 'So it's probably taking some time to catch up on things, in addition there has been a 30 per cent (national) increase in the number cases. 'Put all together it's exacerbated the situation for them.' Cllr Harrison stressed that he wanted the ombudsman to explain to the committee on whether the delays are down to their 'capacity issues' or there are specific 'difficulties' with the Powys related investigations. Cllr Harrison said: 'At least then we would have a feel for what's causing the issue.' Mr Hays said that he was attending a National Standards Forum meeting on Monday, June 24 which the ombudsman is due to attend and where the issue could be raised. Lay member Jonathan Goolden asked the committee that copies of previous correspondence between the council and ombudsman be passed over to Cllr Harrison.
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Powys councillors to be asked to explain meeting absences
TWO councillors will be asked to appear in front of Powys County Council's standards committee to explain why they have missed so many meetings. Reform's Cllr Karl Lewis, who defected from the Conservative group and is a former planning chair, is one of two councillors who will be asked to explain why they have not reached the 60 per cent threshold of meetings from May 16, 2024, to May 14 this year. Labour's Cllr Sarah Williams is the other. Members of the Standards committee at their meeting on Wednesday, June 18, heard that three councillors had failed to hit the 60 per cent attendance rate. Head of legal services and monitoring officer, Clive Pinney said that Cllr Josie Ewing (Liberal Democrat) had explained why her meeting attendance level had been 57 per cent. Cllr Ewing had been on maternity leave and had informed her group leader at the time, former council leader Cllr James Gibson-Watt, that her attendance would drop after returning from maternity leave while she found day care for her children. The committee accepted her 'very reasonable' explanation. Mr Pinney then brought up Cllr Lewis who had attended 59 per cent of meetings while Cllr Williams (Labour) had only attended 40 per cent. Cllr Karl Lewis Mr Pinney told the committee that letters asking for an explanation had been sent to Cllr Lewis on June 3, he had been asked during a phone-call conversation with democratic services officer Carol Johnson on June 12, and a further email reminder was sent in June 17, all of which had not received a response. Committee chairman and lay member, Stephan Hays asked Ms Johnson if Cllr Lewis had given an explanation verbally during their phone call. Ms Johnson said: 'He said he would get back to me about it.' Similarly, Cllr Williams had been contacted three times and asked to explain her absences. Mr Pinney told the committee that they had not had 'any communication' from her on the issue. Cllr Liz Rijnenberg (Labour) said: 'In these circumstances when someone has been contacted and not responded I wonder whether or not it would be appropriate for the group leader to check how they are and if there is anything that needs to be done in terms of support. 'It's unusual for someone not to respond at all, there could be something quite serious going on with that person.' Mr Pinney said that they have 'not traditionally' contacted group leaders, but this could be done in the future. Cllr Baverley Baynham (Powys Independents) said: 'I think we should ask them to come in front of committee and explain. 'Cllr Ewing has given a perfectly adequate explanation, as a committee we need to set the stall out and say it's not acceptable not to give a reason for not turning up. 'They have both had the opportunity to provide reasons.' Cllr Ian Harrison (Conservative) said: 'For me invitation seem a little bit weak. 'I would like the letter to be a little stronger and if you can't attend you need a very good reason why not, because we have professional standards to maintain and county councillors should be held accountable.' Member agreed that Cllrs Lewis and Williams will be asked to attend the next meeting of the Standards committee to explain themselves.
