Powys County Councillor Update

The National Flood Forum are developing a proposed pan-Wales flood resilience support service. Welsh Government has committed to establishing a service designed to support communities affected by flooding, with a steering group due to meet for the first time in October. Representation on the steering group will include a range of organisations and stakeholders, including Natural Resources Wales, emergency services, resilience partners and community representatives.

It was reported that the proposed service is expected to focus on two key areas: supporting community preparedness and resilience before flooding events occur, and providing assistance to communities during the recovery phase following flooding incidents. While detailed arrangements for the service are still being developed, it was noted that the commitment from Welsh Government represents a positive step forward and responds to an identified need for greater support for communities across Wales.

Work remains at an early stage and that further details regarding the structure and delivery of the service will become available as development progresses. An offer was made to provide a more detailed update at the Board’s December meeting.

Flooded People UK, provided an overview of the Seven Together initiative, a community-led campaign established by residents and flood groups along the River Severn to raise awareness of the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme. The campaign engaged with communities, businesses, elected representatives and other stakeholders across the catchment to gather views on flooding, water management, environmental concerns and the future development of the scheme.

It was noted that the initiative supports the objectives of the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme by promoting community involvement and helping to ensure local knowledge and experience inform future plans. Discussions highlighted the importance of adopting a catchment-wide approach to water management, involving farmers and landowners in decision-making, and securing long-term investment to enable delivery of the scheme. Funding certainty remains a key challenge, with communities keen to see the strategy progress into implementation.

New forum to give Powys private tenants a stronger voice

Private tenants across Powys are being invited to help shape a new forum that will give renters a stronger voice, better access to information and a chance to share their experiences of renting privately in the county.

The forum has been set up following a recent Powys County Council survey, which asked private tenants about the issues affecting them and what support they would like to see in place.

Thirty people completed the survey, including 24 current private tenants. Their responses highlighted concerns around affordability, housing conditions, limited choice and long-term security.

Many respondents said high rents, deposits, advance rent and limited access to suitable homes made it difficult to move or find secure, long-term housing.

Respondents also raised concerns about property conditions, repairs, energy efficiency, landlord standards and the impact of short-term holiday lets on the availability of long-term rental homes.

When asked how a tenants’ forum could help, respondents said it could provide clear information and advice about tenants’ rights, improve landlord accountability and housing standards, give renters a stronger collective voice, and support people who may find it difficult to raise concerns on their own.

Meeting details

Date: Thursday 29 October 2026
Time: 5 – 6pm
Place: Online on Microsoft Teams
Sign up: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=4Z4dwLAOVEeZrgOuinMrUHxZ-8JHn81DnRUhdlnbi99UNllBNVQyTVkySTcxUlE2Vk5JTEE2QVMwMC4u

Private tenants who would like to attend are asked to sign up in advance using the registration link above. For more information, contact privatesectorhousing@powys.gov.uk

The Private Tenants Forum builds on wider work to support and improve the private rented sector in Powys, including the council’s Landlords Forum, which brings private landlords, council housing specialists and Rent Smart Wales representatives together to provide clear guidance on legislative and regulatory changes, property standards, registration, licensing and compliance

More Council homes for Powys residents

Powys County Council is purchasing properties across the County to provide more affordable council homes for local people in housing need.

The homes will be managed by the Council and allocated through the Common Housing Register to people who are unable to meet their housing needs on the open market.

These purchases form part of the council’s wider programme to increase the number of properties within its Housing Revenue Account and expand the availability of council housing for those in need.

In the first quarter of 2026/27, the council bought six properties, which are now being improved ready for tenants. A further 16 properties were purchased in March 2026, with 15 already occupied, while only one of the 34 homes bought during 2025/26 remains empty.

In Knighton, the council has purchased a former Right to Buy property, bringing it back into council ownership. This means it now owns the full terrace of five homes and can manage repairs and maintenance more consistently.

The three-bedroom home was in poor repair and has been refurbished to meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, with work including a new roof, replacement windows, a new kitchen, heating system, flooring, redecoration and garden improvements

Powys winter service routes updated following review

Powys residents are being encouraged to check the updated winter service arrangements in their area before colder weather arrives, as revised winter service routes come into operation across the county this winter.

The routes have been reviewed through a consistent, transparent and evidence-led approach, taking into account traffic volumes, public transport links, access to key services, schools, medical centres, emergency service locations and wider community needs.

Additional salt bins have been installed at locations identified through the winter service routes review process, and existing bins have been checked and replenished as part of normal winter-readiness activity.

Precautionary gritting remains focused on keeping key routes available during periods of frost, ice and snow. Highways teams will continue to respond to severe weather conditions throughout the winter, with snow clearance arrangements remaining unchanged.

The wider winter service also includes treatment of key pedestrian locations, salt-bin provision and replenishment, and emergency response during severe weather.

Residents are encouraged to plan ahead during winter weather, allow extra time for journeys, take extra care on untreated roads and never assume a road has been gritted or is free from ice.

When ice or snow is forecast, information is published online about which routes are due to be gritted on the council’s website: Winter gritting – Powys County Council

The map on the webpage shows the different winter service routes and salt bin locations. Other information on the page includes:

How and when we grit roads
Gritting routes
What’s changing this winter
Severe weather and emergencies
Salt bins
Staying safe on the roads in winter weather

Powys schools set to open new library spaces as National Literacy Trust Investment supports Reading for Pleasure

13 Powys primary schools have started the academic year with exciting new library developments thanks to a major investment from the National Literacy Trust’s Libraries for Primaries programme.

The successful schools have secured fully funded library packages worth more than £6,500 each, providing high-quality books, furniture, staff training and specialist literacy support to strengthen reading cultures and create welcoming spaces where children can develop a lifelong love of reading.

The initiative aligns with Powys County Council’s commitment to improving literacy outcomes, developing engaging reading environments and ensuring that all children have access to high-quality texts and opportunities to read for pleasure.

Each successful school receives:

500 high-quality and diverse children’s books
Library furniture, including modular shelving and soft seating
An audiobook player and story cards
Bespoke professional learning for two members of staff focused on reading for pleasure
Membership of the National Literacy Trust and access to additional literacy resources and opportunities

The package is designed to help schools establish or transform dedicated reading spaces and foster sustainable reading cultures that support literacy development, wellbeing and educational achievement.

The following 13 schools have secured places on the National Literacy Trust’s Welsh cohort for 2026/27:

Penygloddfa C.P. School
Buttington Trewern C.P. School
Carreghofa C.P. School
Ysgol Gynradd Llanfair-ym-Muall/ Builth Wells C.P. School
Ysgol Golwg Pen Y Fan
Ysgol Bro Caereinion
St Mary’s R.C. (A) School
Llangattock C.I.W. Primary School
Abermule Primary School
Llanelwedd C.I.W. School
Sennybridge C.P. School
Priory C.I.W. School
Ysgol Gymraeg Dyffryn Y Glowyr

Adoption Mid and West Wales introduces new visual identity

Adoption Mid and West Wales has introduced a new visual identity for the regional adoption service covering Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys.

The service works to find safe, loving and permanent homes for children who cannot live with their birth families, while providing support to adopted people, adoptive families and birth families throughout the adoption journey.

The new visual identity reflects the connections at the heart of adoption. Drawing on themes of belonging, support and togetherness, it represents the people whose lives are touched by adoption and the relationships that help children thrive.

Alongside the new visual identity, Adoption Mid and West Wales has launched a new website, providing information about adoption, the support available and how to take the first step towards becoming an adopter.

For more information, visit the Adoption Mid and West Wales website.

First round of Powys’ Food Aid Grant awarded to community groups

13 community organisations are helping local people access nutritious and affordable food after receiving funding through the first round of Powys County Council’s Food Aid Grant.

The funding is available to support voluntary and not-for-profit organisations that make a real difference in tackling poverty in Powys. This includes food banks, meal schemes and projects that build longer-term resilience such as food growing and distribution schemes.

Projects supported through the fund must benefit people living in Powys and demonstrate how they address local need, reduce inequalities and create sustainable, longer-term impact.

There are still two rounds of funding open, so I would encourage voluntary and not-for-profit organisations working to tackle food poverty in Powys to consider applying.”

More information about the grant and how to apply: https://en.powys.gov.uk/foodaidgrant

Independent reports recognise progress in growing Powys economy

Powys County Council’s ambitious approach to economic development and investment is delivering positive results for businesses, communities and residents across the county, according to two independent reviews.

Assessments by Audit Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) Panel Performance Assessment have highlighted the council’s growing role in supporting economic growth, attracting investment and creating opportunities for future generations.

While both reports identify areas for continued development as the strategy is implemented, they acknowledge the significant progress made in establishing a clear, evidence-based approach to economic growth and creating the foundations for long-term prosperity across Powys.

Wales comes together to stamp out spiking

Powys County Council, in partnership with Stamp Out Spiking, will host the Stamp Out Spiking Welsh Roundtable and Night Time Economy Safety Conference at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd, on Monday 12 October 2026.

The free event will bring together campaigners, experts, businesses, public services and organisations from across Wales to discuss preventing spiking and improving safety in the night-time economy.

The conference is for anyone involved in or supporting the night-time economy, including venue and hospitality staff, taxi and private hire drivers, security staff, police, licensing and health professionals, community safety practitioners, local government, education providers, charities and community organisations.

The conference takes place from 9.30am to 3.30pm on Monday 12 October at the Members’ Centre, Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd (LD2 3SY).

Attendance is free, but places are limited.

View the programme and register for a free place at https://en.powys.gov.uk/NTEC

Powys families to benefit from expanded funded childcare from January

Parents of two-year-olds across Powys will be able to access up to 12.5 hours of Welsh Government-funded childcare each week from January 2027.

Families do not need to take any action at this stage. Further information about eligibility, applications, participating childcare providers and when children can start attending will be published before applications open.

In the meantime, families can continue to check whether they are eligible for the existing Flying Start programme through the Powys County Council website: https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/1481/Flying-Start

Marches leaders take rural growth case to the Senedd

Regional leaders and industry partners took a united message to the Senedd: investing in solutions to flooding, drought and wildfire risk can help secure the long-term future of rural communities while driving economic growth.

Following the Senedd event, partners will continue the conversation in Westminster on 19 October, where they will present a united case for greater investment in rural innovation, resilience and economic growth and a request for £2.5m from the UK Government.

Council celebrates successful graduate scheme

Powys County Council is celebrating the achievements of two graduates who have successfully completed the Local Government Association (LGA) Impact Graduate Management Programme, while also welcoming the latest recruits to the scheme.

Congratulations to Annabelle Miller-Blundell and Jed Knight, who have completed the prestigious two-year programme, gaining valuable experience across a variety of council services.

Applications open for primary school places for September 2027

Parents and carers of children due to start reception class in September 2027 can now apply for a primary school place.

Applications are open from Thursday 1 October 2026 and close on Friday 15 January 2027.

Parents and carers will receive the results of their application on Friday 16 April 2027.

Further information and application details are available on the council’s website: Applying for a School Place – Powys County Council

New Chair appointed for Powys Regional Partnership Board

Powys Regional Partnership Board (RPB) has appointed Rhiannon Beaumont-Wood, Vice Chair of Powys Teaching Health Board, as its new Chair.

Powys Regional Partnership Board brings together representatives from Powys County Council, Powys Teaching Health Board, the third sector, housing partners, care providers, citizens and unpaid carers to improve health and wellbeing services across the county through collaborative working.

Warm spaces open to support residents across Powys this winter

A network of Warm Spaces is being refreshed to ensure residents across Powys have access to welcoming places where they can stay warm, connect with others, and take part in local activities throughout the winter.

Residents can find a warm space near them using the directory on the council’s website: https://en.powys.gov.uk/powyswarmspaces

Community groups, organisations and businesses that can provide a Warm Space this winter are encouraged to ensure they are registered.

Any organisation, business or community group that is interested in being included on the register can find out more and submit their details through the council’s website: https://en.powys.gov.uk/creatingwarmspaces

Grant funding is also available to support organisations delivering Warm Spaces, including funding for improvements that enhance the comfort, accessibility or functionality of the space.

For more information about establishing a Warm Space in Powys, or to update an existing listing, please contact the team at: costofliving@powys.gov.uk.

Let’s Talk: Living in Powys

There is still time for residents across Powys to share their views and experiences of living in Powys through the “Let’s Talk: Living in Powys” survey.

The survey gives residents across Powys the chance to help shape the council’s understanding of life in the county.

The survey will be open until Saturday 31 October 2026.

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

For more information and to download paper and easy read copies of the survey, please visit: https://www.haveyoursaypowys.wales/lets-talk-powys

Please return completed paper 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.

Transformation delivers lasting benefits for communities across Powys

The Transformation Portfolio delivered more than £1.3 million in net savings during the year, alongside a wide range benefits for communities across the county.

From supporting vulnerable residents and tackling poverty to modernising services, improving sustainability and strengthening local communities, the portfolio has focused on delivering meaningful change in the areas that matter most to residents.

More children supported closer to home, with 25 new foster carers recruited since the Fostering Framework began and 78 children now cared for by Powys foster families.
The opening of Neuadd Maldwyn Extra Care Scheme in Welshpool, providing 66 high-quality apartments that enable older residents to live independently, with support available when needed.
Energy efficiency improvements across council buildings, including solar panels, battery storage, LED lighting and heating upgrades, projected to save around £183,000 annually in energy costs.
An estimated 323 tonnes of carbon emissions reduced through climate and nature projects, supporting the Council’s commitment to a greener Powys.

More children staying closer to home thanks to expanded Powys care services

More children and young people are being cared for closer to home thanks to the expansion of Powys County Council’s fostering, residential and supported accommodation services.

The improvements are helping to maintain family, school and community connections, while reducing reliance on expensive external placements.

Key achievements so far:

Five council-run children’s homes now operating across Powys, providing 13 bed spaces for local children and young people.
More children living with Powys foster carers, with in-house fostering placements increasing from 54% to 63% over the past year.
Fewer children placed with for-profit providers, with numbers down from 56 in September 2025 to 51 in September 2026.
25 supported accommodation places for care leavers provided through a commissioned not-for-profit service.
Plans progressing to create a further eight bed spaces through the development of additional in-house 16+ accommodation.
A renovated residential home in Brecon will provide two additional specialist disability placements, helping more children return to care closer to home.

This progress is also helping the council meet its legal obligations under the Health and Social Care (Wales) Act 2025, which introduced a phased transition towards not-for-profit provision for children looked after across Wales.

The council’s Health and Care Scrutiny Committee will consider a report on this progress on Friday 16 October. The legislation aims to ensure that public funding is reinvested in services for children and young people rather than used to generate private profit.

Powys County Council is also preparing its first Annual Sufficiency Plan for submission to the Welsh Government by December 2026. It will set out the council’s current and future placement needs and explain how it intends to secure enough high-quality, local, not-for-profit provision while continuing to reduce its reliance on for-profit providers.

If you are interested in becoming a Powys foster carer you can call: 0800 22 30 627, email: fostering@powys.gov.uk or complete an online form: https://powys.fosterwales.gov.wales/

Council presented with Defence Employer Gold Award

The council received its Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award at a special ceremony held at HMS Cambria in Cardiff Bay on 24 September. It was one of eight Welsh employers honoured at the event and one of 162 organisations across the UK to receive the Gold Award this year.

The award is the highest level within the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme. It recognises organisations that employ and support serving members of the Armed Forces, reservists, veterans and military families.

Waste collection review highlights service improvements and lessons learned

A review of Powys County Council’s waste and recycling route optimisation programme has shown significant improvements in service performance, while providing greater clarity on the financial impact of the changes and the lessons learned from the rollout.

The report, which will be considered at the joint meeting of the Governance and Audit Committee and the Economy, Residents, Community and Governance Scrutiny Committee on 21 October, explains how route optimisation was introduced to modernise the waste and recycling service, respond to growing demand and create a more efficient and resilient operating model for the future.

While the introduction of the new routes in March 2026 caused more disruption than anticipated in some areas, the review shows performance has improved significantly since then. Reported missed collections fell from 0.47% in March to 0.12% in August and September, while the time taken to return to incomplete rounds is now at its lowest level in recent years.

The report also confirms that the original budget saving was achieved. The introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) funding allowed the council to retain and add resources to improve resilience and service continuity, while still reducing pressure on the council’s core budget.

The review acknowledges that governance and project management arrangements could have been stronger and sets out a series of improvements that will be applied to future transformation projects, including clearer governance, stronger financial monitoring and enhanced project planning.

The report concludes that the strategic case for route optimisation remains valid and that the focus now is on maintaining service improvements, embedding the lessons learned and continuing to improve reliability for residents across Powys

Do you have a question about council services?

People who live, work or study in Powys are being invited to submit a question to the next full meeting of the county council on Thursday 3 December.

They must relate to the county and the services the council provides, and if accepted by the Chair of Powys County Council they will be added to the agenda in the order in which they are received.

The council provides a 20-minute slot at the start of all full council meetings for public questions and only four valid questions will be considered in the order that they were received.

If the council receives more than four questions, other valid questions will be held over until the full council meeting in March 2027.

To submit a question for the December full council meeting, email publicquestions@powys.gov.uk by 5pm on Tuesday 10 November.

The meeting at County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, which are attended by some councillors in person and by others over Zoom, can be viewed via the council’s website.

Family Voices Powys launches to strengthen the voice of families

Parents and carers across Powys are being invited to join Family Voices Powys and help shape the support available to families across the county.

Formerly known as the Powys Parenting Forum, the network is relaunching as Family Voices Powys during Parenting Week, from Monday 19 to Friday 23 October 2026.

The network is open to parents, grandparents, foster carers, adoptive parents, kinship carers and anyone with parental responsibility. It offers a welcoming space to share experiences, discuss the issues that matter to families and influence how support and services develop in Powys.

No previous experience or specialist knowledge is needed. Members are simply asked to give a few hours of their time to attend four online forum meetings each year, with support, guidance and training provided.

By taking part, members will have opportunities to:

share their experiences and help improve services for families
raise issues affecting parents, carers and children in their communities
receive training on participation and safeguarding
access information and resources to share with other families
represent their communities at Wales-wide events and meetings
develop communication and organisational skills
connect with local support and advice.

By joining Family Voices Powys, members can help ensure the experiences of parents, carers and children inform decisions about parenting and family support in Powys.

Ready to add your voice? Find out more and register your interest on the Family Voices Powys page: https://www.haveyoursaypowys.wales/parenting-forum-powys

661 households could be missing out on extra financial help

Around 661 Powys households could be missing out on extra financial help, the county council believes.

The council has identified households that may be eligible for Attendance Allowance or Pension Credit and is writing to them over the next few weeks, encouraging residents to check their eligibility.

The council’s Money Advice Team can help residents check what they may be entitled to and support them with applications over the phone, in person at a council office or in their local community or at home.

Free and confidential money advice is available at any time.

Get help as a council tenant:

Phone: 01597 827464
Email:

fsogroup@powys.gov.uk

Website:
https://en.powys.gov.uk/Financial-Support-Officers-Information

For all other households:

Phone: 01597 826618
E-mail: moneyadvice@powys.gov.uk

Website: https://en.powys.gov.uk/moneyadvice

£500k Growth Grants to support businesses across Powys

Businesses throughout Powys are set to benefit from Growth Grants totalling £509,000, backed by the Local Growth Fund, following significant demand for the latest round of funding.

More than 150 applications were received, with the assessment process completed and applicants notified of the outcome within one week of the grant scheme closing.

Subject to the completion of funding agreements, 37 businesses across 15 Powys towns and communities have been selected to receive support. The successful applications are spread across Brecon, Crickhowell, Hay-on-Wye, Knighton, Llangammarch Wells, Llanidloes, Llansantffraid, Llanymynech, Machynlleth, Montgomery, Newtown, Presteigne, Rhayader, Welshpool and Ystradgynlais.

The funding will support projects connected to six of the seven key growth sectors identified in the Grow in Powys Economic Strategy:

Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering: £179,000

Foundational Economy: £143,000

Construction and Retrofit: £67,000

Agriculture and Rural Resilience: £60,000

Tourism, Culture and Events: £49,000

Energy: £11,000

The Local Growth Fund is funded by the UK Government and managed in Wales by the Welsh Government.

Parents in Adoption Mid and West Wales urge more families to consider adoption

Parents in Adoption Mid and West Wales who have built their families through adoption are encouraging others to consider providing a stable, safe adoptive home for a child in care in Wales.

This National Adoption Week (19-25 October 2026), the National Adoption Service for Wales is asking more people across Wales to consider adoption when planning their families. National Adoption Service Wales is celebrating the second year of its Now is a Good Time campaign, inspired by stories of the lifechanging moment parents took the decision to begin the adoption process.

Across Wales, initial enquiries to adopt increased by 10% over the last year – a positive change following several years of decline. However, the need for adoptive families has also grown. The number of children waiting to be adopted increased by 11%, with 310 children currently waiting.

One parent hoping to encourage others to consider adoption is Carys, who adopted through Adoption Mid and West Wales.

Shortly before marrying her husband, Aled, Carys was told she would be unable to have children naturally without fertility treatment. After considering their options, the couple decided to pursue adoption and begin growing their family in a different way.

National Adoption Week 2026 | Vimeo

Carys, adoptive parent with Adoption Mid and West Wales, said: “When that child comes home and they’re in your hands, it’s all worth it.

“There’s never the perfect time. The perfect time is when they’re home.”

For more information about adoption in Mid and West Wales, visit the Adoption Mid and West Wales website

Council continues highway drainage improvements across Powys

Powys County Council is continuing its targeted programme of ditching and drainage works this winter, building on the significant progress made during 2025/26 to help protect roads from flooding and water-related damage.

The 2026/27 programme is being delivered across Powys, with locally sourced contractors undertaking planned ditching and drainage works, while in-house highways teams remain focused on reactive maintenance, winter service duties and emergency response.

Last year’s programme delivered more than 174,000 metres of ditching, almost 180,000 metres of siding work (where verges are cut back so drainage features are visible and functioning), over 11,000 grip reinstatements (where channels are cut through verges to allow water to leave the carriageway and enter drainage systems) and more than 10,800 gullies emptied across the county.

This winter’s programme is targeting known drainage issues, local priorities and identified problem areas, supporting the council’s longer-term ambition of developing a rolling programme to address known flooding hotspots and improve drainage across the highway network.

Marches Forward Partnership is “UK’s most significant rural growth partnership”

The ambition of the Marches Forward Partnership (MFP) to become the Rural Capital of Britain has been recognised as the UK’s “most commercially significant regional initiative” at a high-profile Westminster reception.

The event set out the bold new proposition for the Marches as the Capital of Rural Britain: a connected cross-border economy with nationally important strengths in food, farming, water, energy and environmental innovation.

The partnership used the Westminster showcase to demonstrate how councils, businesses, universities, agencies and infrastructure partners are already working across geographical and administrative boundaries to develop investable projects and tackle challenges that no single organisation can solve alone.

Its growing pipeline includes work on green growth, business resilience, food and farming, digital innovation and water management.

The partnership is seeking recognition as a national pathfinder for rural growth and resilience, alongside government support to develop its delivery model, unlock investment and take forward its pipeline of projects.

Representatives from Shropshire, Herefordshire, Powys and Monmouthshire met with ministers, MPs, investors, infrastructure leaders and regional partners at the House of Commons on Monday 19 October.

Powys set for Tour de France as full route and Llandrindod Wells sprint announced

Race organisers, A.S.O, have today revealed the full route for the 2027 Tour de France, with stage three starting in Welshpool, travelling through Powys and finishing in Cardiff on Sunday 4 July.

This marks the next step towards the historic 2027 Grands Départs, as Britain becomes the first country outside of France to host the start of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in the same year.

To find out more information and keep up to date with the 2027 Grands Départs, please visit:

https://en.powys.gov.uk/countdowntotourdefrance2027

Letourgb.com

Details of the route timings and road closures are expected by early January 2027.

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