Powys County Councillor Report for Vale of Grwyney

October 2025

Report by Powys County Councillor Chloe Masefield

Contents

Powys County Councillor Report for Vale of Grwyney. 1
Local news. 1
Flood Wardens. 1
Community Transport 2
Crickhowell post-16. 2
Powys news. 2
Affordable housing in focus. 2
Sustainable Powys: Adult Social Care Transformation – our journey so far (January – August 2025) 2
Powys launches next phase of post-16 education engagement 4
Private fostering. 5
Contract awarded to create first Changing Places toilet in Powys. 5
Save time, save money and power Wales to No.1. 5
Project helps deliver more hours of home care to more people. 7
Primary schools can win vouchers for recycling batteries. 7
Latest Powys PSB annual report agreed. 7
‘Keeping Healthy in’ Powys events. 8
Council makes it easier to apply for HGV jobs. 8
Bluetongue virus confirmed in Powys – livestock keepers urged to stay vigilant 9
Annual “Let’s Talk: Living in Powys” Survey Launches. 9
Safety work to be carried out on unstable memorials in council cemeteries. 10
Parents warned – fake Labubu dolls found across Powys. 11

Llangattock & Crickhowell Flood wardens are encouraging wardens and residents to check ditches and culverts and report to PCC ahead of the winter storm season. At the recent Flood Governance Board meeting it was mentioned there is a plan to map all the PCC assets. I raised the issue that contractors don’t always know where the ditches and culverts are. PCC officers assured me they will seek local knowledge to avoid any key ones being missed.

Community Transport

The Crickhowell & District Community Transport Group are encouraging residents to sign up to the electric car club to get a community owned car for residents to hire. More details available here. The group have also approached the National Lottery to apply for a grant for the pilot project with Dial A Ride. The pilot will run a limited service across the area to build up an evidence base for 12 months.

Crickhowell post-16

The next phase of the post-16 review by Powys County Council is taking place. This focuses on learners and parents and also includes teaching staff and governors. There will be a third phase early in the new year where communities can get involved.

Powys news

Affordable housing in focus

Local housing leaders and Welsh Government officials came together in Ystradgynlais for a high-level meeting that focused on accelerating housing delivery and tackling key challenges across Mid Wales.

The meeting provided an opportunity to explore collaborative approaches to increasing the supply of affordable homes, streamlining the delivery of council housing, and addressing homelessness.

One of the key outcomes from the meeting was a commitment to look at how the cost of building social housing can be reduced. This project will be led by the Welsh Government with housing officers from Powys joining the project group.

Sustainable Powys: Adult Social Care Transformation – our journey so far (January – August 2025)

In the face of rising demand and budget challenges, we began a review of Adult Social Care earlier this year as part of our Sustainable Powys work. The diagnostic phase of the review highlighted the following opportunities for improvement:

More people could benefit from early targeted help in their communities, which would stop crises developing.
More Powys adults could benefit from home-based enablement support, improving their health, wellbeing, and independence.
There are opportunities to support more older Powys adults to stay at home, reducing costs and allowing them to maintain their independence.
Some working age Powys adults receiving formal care, could be supported to live more independently.

In total, the opportunities identified show the potential to deliver savings of £4.5 million and avoid costs of £6.2 million, giving a total financial benefit of £10.7m.

Based on this information, we are now planning how we improve services, so they deliver better outcomes for residents, in more innovative and efficient ways.

Phase 1: Diagnostic Assessment

During this phase we worked with staff, service users, Cabinet, and key partners to gather data, information, and views to best inform the direction we take for our services.

93 practitioners from 23 disciplines reviewed 81 active cases in multidisciplinary team case review workshops over five days.

Over 1,000,000 data points within our reporting systems were analysed.
Discussions were held with front line staff to help to understand our processes and blockers, particularly around decision making and time spent doing admin.
Discussions were held with key decision-makers across the organisation.

Phase 2: Mobilising the Change

The most recent phase is helping us understand how we can seize the opportunities identified in the diagnostic and build the plan to achieve our goals.

Next steps for Sustainable Powys: The Adult Social Care Model

In the autumn, we will start to implement changes aimed at supporting people in Powys to live healthy, active lives at home for as long as possible. We know that what wellbeing means varies from person to person but also that there are key common components, such as being able to live life in the way you want to live it, having a reliable support network, and feeling socially connected. The Adult Social Care model for Sustainable Powys remains true to these principles, and builds on work already happening in that sphere, such as Extra Care and the new model for daytime opportunities, all of which support people to live the lives they choose, in line with their personal and individual needs and interests.

Powys launches next phase of post-16 education engagement

Learners, parents and education partners are being invited to shape the future of post-16 education as the county council begins the next phase of its engagement programme.

Powys County Council is working with stakeholders to develop a long-term model that meets the needs of learners and is financially sustainable.

Post-16 education in Powys faces several challenges, including a steady decline in sixth form numbers. This trend has financial implications, as Welsh Government funding is largely based on learner numbers, making it harder to maintain effective provision, especially in smaller schools.

Earlier this year, the council held engagement sessions with school staff and governors to share information about the pressures facing the sector and gather feedback on future provision.

To lead the second phase of engagement, the council has appointed Opinion Research Services (ORS). This phase will include:

An online questionnaire for parents/carers of secondary-aged learners and pupils attending secondary and post-16 education in Powys
Focus groups with pupils and staff in all 13 secondary and all-age school sites
Engagement with learners who have chosen college or out-of-county provision.

The questionnaire will be issued via secondary schools on behalf of the council.

This phase will run throughout the autumn term, alongside continued engagement with headteachers, governors, the Regional Skills Partnership, and other education providers across Wales and beyond. The council is also working closely with partners to strengthen existing arrangements and ensure a collaborative approach to future provision.

The findings will inform the evaluation of long-term options for post-16 education. While three options were referenced in the Cabinet report, the council will also consider alternative proposals from stakeholders.

A further engagement period will follow in the summer term, allowing everyone to comment on the options before Cabinet agrees a preferred way forward.

Any changes to post-16 education provision are not expected to be implemented before 2030.

A dedicated webpage, https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/18867/Review-of-Post-16-Education has been created to provide updates, FAQs and presentation slides from earlier engagement sessions.

Indicative Timeline

Phase 2 Engagement (Learners, Parents/Carers, and Partners) – September–December 2025
Outcome of engagement and updated options appraisal – Spring Term 2026
Phase 3 Engagement (Public feedback on shortlisted options) – Summer Term 2026
Cabinet decision on preferred way forward – Autumn Term 2026
Implementation of any changes – No earlier than 2030

Private fostering

Looking after someone else’s child? That could be a private fostering arrangement and you need to let us know so we can support you.

Private fostering is when a child under 16 (or under 18 if disabled) is looked after in the home of someone who is not a close relative or guardian, for more than 28 days.

The arrangement is made between the child’s birth parents and the proposed carer, and often comes about as a positive response to a family’s difficult circumstances; but the child’s welfare must always come first. So, we need to be satisfied that the welfare of the child who is, or will be, privately fostered is being satisfactorily safeguarded and promoted.

If you are aware of an arrangement taking place, we ask that you please get in touch so we can provide help and support to those families.

Please contact Children’s Services Front Door via:

Email – csfrontdoor@powys.gov.uk
Telephone 01597 827 666 (office hours) 0845 054 4847 (out of hours)

For more information on private fostering, please visit https://en.powys.gov.uk/privatefostering

Contract awarded to create first Changing Places toilet in Powys

Public toilets in Llandrindod Wells are to get a significant upgrade – including creating the first Changing Places facility in Powys – with the help of a £120,000 grant.

The cost is being met by the Welsh Government’s Mid Wales Conveniences Fund, which is being managed by Powys County Council

Save time, save money and power Wales to No.1

Autumn is here, the holidays are behind us, and routines are back in full swing. Whether you’re juggling work, studies, or family life, autumn is the perfect time to reset habits – especially in the kitchen.

That’s why Powys County Council has partnered with Wales Recycles to show how cooking smart can help you save time and money, reduce waste, and make it easier than ever to enjoy your 5-a-day …all while helping Wales on its journey to becoming the world’s number one recycling nation.

We’re already proud to be second in the global recycling league – just behind Austria – but food waste is where we can make the biggest impact. A quarter of the average rubbish bin in Wales is still made up of food, and over 80% of that could have been eaten. That wasted food costs the average household of four around £84 every month. That’s money (and meals) straight in the bin!

“Whilst most Powys households recycle everyday items such as paper and card, glass, cans, plastic bottles and cartons, many are still not recycling all their food waste.” Explains Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys. “In fact, around a quarter of what’s in the general rubbish bin is still food, all of which could be recycled easily in the food waste caddies.

“Powys people are already doing a great job at recycling, which is why we have any impressive recycling rate of over 68%, and food waste is where we can all easily do our bit and directly help combat the effects of climate change.”

By getting smarter with your meals and recycling what you can’t eat, you’ll cut down on waste, save money, and easily pack in more of your 5-a-day – all while helping Wales reach the top spot. And we’re going to show you how simple it can be.

Cook once, serve multiple times: Prep it. Flex it. Recycle it!

With the evenings getting darker and time often in short supply, autumn is the season for easy, no-fuss comfort food. The idea is simple: Prep it. Flex it. Recycle it.

Cook up a simple base dish with everyday ingredients, then add a few extras to keep it fresh and tasty. Serve it up in different ways over the week so you spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your meals.

And don’t forget – the bits you can’t eat, like peelings, stalks, bones or eggshells, should go straight into your food caddy. Food waste in Wales is turned into renewable energy. Just one caddy full can power a typical home for an hour!

Here are 3 easy, simple recipes to get you started:

Jazzed-up stew – hearty, simple & flexible

This anything-goes stew is made for autumn evenings when you want something warming without too much effort. Start with a simple base of onion, garlic, tinned tomatoes, stock and your choice of protein – leftover meat, beans or lentils. Then add in whatever veg you’ve got to hand and let it simmer into something rich and hearty.

The beauty of this dish is how it can change through the week: enjoy it first with crusty bread, then ladle it over mashed potato the next night, and later in the week top it with pastry or mash to turn it into a pie. And remember, any onion skins, carrot tops, pepper stalks or bones go in your food caddy to be turned into green energy.

Mix ’n’ Match Curry – big flavour, minimal effort

Begin by frying onion, garlic and ginger, then stir through curry spices or paste. Add your choice of protein, whether that’s chicken, lentils or tofu, before pouring in tinned tomatoes or coconut milk. Bulk it out with whatever’s in season – pumpkin, peppers, mushrooms, spinach or beans all work brilliantly.

Once cooked, you can enjoy it with rice for a classic dinner, wrap it up in a flatbread for a quick lunch, or spoon it over a baked potato when you need something speedy. Don’t forget to recycle what you can’t eat to power Wales to No.1.

Healthy Fruit Crumble – simple, warming & versatile

When it comes to autumn comfort, nothing beats a fruit crumble. It’s simple to make and surprisingly versatile too. Just mix oats, flour and a little honey or syrup with butter to create a golden crumble topping, then bake it over soft seasonal fruit like apples, pears, plums or blackberries, with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg for extra warmth.

Once baked, you can enjoy it hot from the oven with custard or ice cream, serve it cold with yoghurt for a wholesome breakfast, or even use it as a crunchy topping on toast spread with nut butter. As for the apple cores, pear stalks and plum stones – they all belong in your food caddy, ready to be recycled into clean, green energy.

Take the Smart Food Challenge and win a delicious Welsh prize

Head over to Wales Recycles to take the Smart Food Challenge, discover more smart recipes that will save you time and money, and be in with a chance of winning a delicious Welsh prize.

Project helps deliver more hours of home care to more people

A project which aimed to deliver more hours of home care to more Powys residents has been hailed as a huge success.

Staff working for private agencies, or the county council, now provide 38% more hours of home care to 29% more people than they did two years ago.

The Modernisation of Domiciliary Care project has also reduced the need for the council’s own staff to step in and provide a ‘bridging service’, until agencies can pick up the contracts, and has helped reduce the number of people waiting to receive a social care package by 57%.

In August this year 9,368 hours of home care were delivered in Powys, compared with 6,794 in September 2023. While in August this year it was delivered to 609 people, compared with 471 in September 2023.

In August this year 47 people were waiting for a social care package in Powys, compared with 109 in September 2023.

When council staff aren’t providing a ‘bridging service’ they are able to fulfil their main role of providing independence support through an enablement programme.

Primary schools can win vouchers for recycling batteries

Primary school pupils in Powys could win a share of up to £600 worth of vouchers for their school by recycling as many batteries as they can.

Powys County Council is once again running a free battery recycling competition and is encouraging primary schools in the county to sign up to be in with a chance of winning a share of up to £600 worth of Amazon vouchers.

Teachers, governors and parents are being encouraged to sign up their local primary school and start collecting those batteries. To get involved, please contact the council by emailing schoolsbatteries@powys.gov.uk

Latest Powys PSB annual report agreed

Powys Public Services Board’s annual progress report for 2024/25 was agreed at its meeting on 25 September 2025.

Powys Public Services Board (PSB) is a statutory partnership of public bodies operating in Powys, working together with other organisations and the people of Powys to improve well-being in local communities by working together in a more sustainable manner.

The annual report, with supporting Executive Summary, can be read on our website page here: https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/7509/Powys-Public-Service-Board—Our-Annual-Progress-Report

To view more information about the PSB and well-being in Powys, visit https://en.powys.gov.uk/sustainability

If you would like to get in involved or tell us what you think, please let us know by e-mailing powyspsb@powys.gov.uk

‘Keeping Healthy in’ Powys events

Free community well-being events are being held across Powys, the county council has said.

As part of a joint initiative between Powys County Council and Powys Teaching Health Board, the ‘Keeping Healthy in’ Powys project brings together local services and resources, with the aim to strengthen communities and provide individuals with the choices and support they need to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

With multiple organisations available in one place, the events are designed to increase awareness; educating communities on services, initiatives, and resources for health and well-being that are suited to their needs, and connect communities; promoting relationships among residents, encouraging networking, collaboration, and a stronger sense of community throughout Powys.

The events will be free to attend and our nearest one is:

Brecon – Wednesday 12th November 2025, 10am-2pm, St Mary’s Church, Brecon, LD3 7AA.

Those already taking part in the events include, PAVO, Powys County Council, Powys Teaching Health Board, Severn Wye Energy, Care & Repair Powys, Alzheimer’s Society Cymru and more.

Organisations that wish to take part can sign up for free by emailing healthprotection@powys.gov.uk

For more information, please visit https://en.powys.gov.uk/wellbeingevents

Council makes it easier to apply for HGV jobs

Powys County Council has introduced a new easy recruitment process for anyone applying for heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driving jobs.

If you believe you have what it takes to be part of our team, use the easy apply option now. It’s simple and won’t take long:

Visit: www.powys.gov.uk/easyapply
Answer a few simple questions
Upload your CV or if you don’t have one, you can just tell us about yourself in a few short sentences
If you meet the criteria, we’ll invite you to an informal interview

Bluetongue virus confirmed in Powys – livestock keepers urged to stay vigilant

Last week (1 October), the Welsh Government implemented a new Bluetongue Virus Temporary Control Zone in Monmouthshire following another confirmed case of Bluetongue virus on a farm near Chepstow.

Now Powys County Council’s Animal Health Team are urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases. Bluetongue is a notifiable animal disease and, if suspected, livestock keepers must report it immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on 0300 303 8268.

Bluetongue is caused by a virus that is primarily transmitted by certain species of biting midges. It affects ruminants (such as cattle, goats, sheep and deer) and camelids (such as alpacas and llamas).

There are many strains of bluetongue. Cases of serotype 3 (BTV-3) were identified in England in November 2023 and the virus can also be spread through germinal products (semen, ova, and embryos) as well as transmitted maternally from mother to unborn offspring.

Clinical signs when present, can include: fever, crusting and ulcers around the muzzle area, swollen head, salivating and lameness. You may also see other signs including reduced milk yield, abortions and malaise.

Bluetongue does not affect people or food safety.

The main control measures for Bluetongue are the implementation of control zones and movement restrictions of susceptible species within these zones.

However, livestock owners should follow this advice to control the spread of Bluetongue:

Keepers of ruminants and camelids can help minimise potential spread of bluetongue by checking the health of your animals and reporting any suspicious clinical signs
All livestock must be registered with the Rural Payments Wales (RPW) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). You can do this online at http://gov.wales/get-county-parish-holding-cph-number
You must register all land and buildings used to keep livestock, even short term lets, so the location of susceptible animals can be traced to help prevent and control disease.
Animals on a bluetongue restricted premises and animals in certain disease control zones can only move with an appropriate licence
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carries out surveillance to check for disease. This may include blood sampling on holdings with susceptible animals in high-risk areas and in disease control zones.

Further guidance on bluetongue can be found on the Welsh Government website: https://www.gov.wales/animal-health

Annual “Let’s Talk: Living in Powys” Survey Launches

Powys County Council is calling on all residents to share their views and experiences of living in Powys through the “Let’s Talk: Living in Powys” survey.

Launching today (Monday 6 October) the survey offers a platform for residents to voice what matters most to them, their experiences in their local area, and their interactions with the Council.

The Council aims to gather insights that will help them better understand:

What is important to you
Your experience of your local area
How you view and interact with the Council

Complete the survey online here: https://arolygon.data.cymru/s/524ArolwgPreswylwyr_ResidentSurvey/

The survey will be open until Sunday 30 November 2025.

For more information please visit: https://www.haveyoursaypowys.wales/lets-talk-powys

Paper and Easy Read copies of the survey are available to download or can be picked up from your local library. Please return completed forms to library staff, or scan and email them to haveyoursay@powys.gov.uk.

If you need further assistance or have any difficulty completing the online survey, please email surveys@data.cymru or call 029 2090 9500.

Data Cymru is running this survey on behalf of Powys County Council.

Safety work to be carried out on unstable memorials in council cemeteries

Unstable memorials identified during an inspection of Powys County Council’s cemeteries will soon be made safe – either by being laid flat or made safe by other appropriate means – to ensure these spaces remain safe for visitors.

Earlier this year, the council oversaw a memorials inspection programme across its cemeteries, with memorials assessed and placed into one of three categories:

Category 1 (Red): Unsafe and in need of immediate attention
Category 2 (Amber): Unstable but not posing an immediate risk
Category 3 (Green): Stable and no action required

Category 1 memorials were made safe at the time of inspection, with bilingual red notices placed on them.

Category 2 memorials were marked with bilingual amber notices, advising that they were unstable and require repair. If these memorials were not repaired within six months of inspection, they would be laid flat or made safe by other appropriate means.

This six-month period has now elapsed. From November, the council’s contractor will begin revisiting Category 2 memorials to carry out this work.

Bilingual information signs will be placed at cemetery entrances ahead of the work to inform visitors.

For more information, please contact the council’s Environmental Protection Service by emailing environmental.protection@powys.gov.uk or calling 01938 551300.

Parents warned – fake Labubu dolls found across Powys

More counterfeit Labubu toys have been seized from shops and markets stalls across Powys, just months after over 500 were removed from sale at this year’s Royal Welsh Show, the county council has said.

The seized dolls were found to be counterfeit. Subsequent safety testing has revealed that the dolls also posed a serious choking hazard due to small detachable parts, rendering them unsafe for children and in breach of safety regulations.

The council’s Trading Standards Service is urging parents and guardians to exercise caution and follow the advice below if they are considering purchasing Labubu Dolls:

Check packaging for a UKCA or CE mark and ensure a UK-based importer or manufacturer is listed. Warnings and usage instructions should be present.
Look for authenticity markers on Pop Mart Labubu dolls, including a holographic sticker, a scannable QR code linking to the official website, and a UV stamp on one foot (on newer editions).
Inspect the toy’s appearance – signs of a fake include overly vibrant colours, poor stitching, or the wrong number of teeth (authentic Labubus have nine).
Be wary of “bargains” – lower prices often mean higher risks.
Buy from trusted retailers and avoid unfamiliar online vendors or third-party sellers on marketplace platforms.

To report concerns, contact Powys Trading Standards at trading.standards@powys.gov.uk or call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 123 1133.

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