Minutes – Full Council – 18/06/2025

Cllr Steve Wilkinson
Cllr Ian Jones (long term sick)
Cllr S Nazar (received at 7pm)

Public session was attended by one member of the public to discuss the process for becoming a Councillor.

No declarations were made.

Cllr P Lewis has followed up with Powys CC about increasing waste collections during the summer months. It was agreed that the bin allocation across the town needs to be reviewed, and consideration should be given to relocating bins that are not being utilised. This matter will be discussed by the Public Amenities Committee at their next meeting.

Attended the opening of the St Myllins Access project on St Myllins Day. Also attended the Mencap Celebration at Crosskeys – great theme: "Do you see me?" Reminder: Civic Sunday is at 11 o’clock at St Myllins.

Powys CC have advised hedge cutting will not take place until September unless there is a Health & Safety Risk.
Planning, Highways and legal are involved in the on-going development of the land opposite the Workhouse.
Cllr P Lewis has been re-elected as Chair of Powys Pension Committee.

Brilliant Basics: The funding team confirmed that the grant can be used to extend the boardwalk. Revised quotes will be
submitted to Powys CC within the original grant's financial limits. The grant requires an 80/20 match, with the Town
Council needing to fund approximately £4,200 by February 2026.
Transforming Towns Frontage Scheme: The grant of £86,572.28 has been approved, split among eleven businesses.
This is a 70/30 match fund grant, with no contributions needed from the Council other than managing submissions and
payments.

A hand delivered letter was received at the start of the meeting related to the mowing of Cae Bodfach.

a) Schedule of Payments: reconciled against invoices by Cllr D Mayor.
b) Bank Account Changes: Unity Bank seems to be the best fit for what we need and is used by many other local councils. Cllr P Lewis proposed that we initiate the change of the current account, the proposal was
seconded by Cllr A Williams. Cllr S Cowham advised that with the completion of the audit and the strengthened financial regulations there was no longer a need for a separate RFO role, and he would hand all responsibilities over to the Clerk when the new bank account is set up and operational.
c) Audit Wales/AGAR Sign Off – Documents reviewed
Duly signed by Cllr A Griffin (Chair) and Cllr S Cowham (RFO). Regulatory notices will be published on the website with the regulatory period for examination and the return will be submitted to the external auditor, Audit Wales.

No planning items to discuss.

a) VJ Day: 15th August: Agreed remembrance at the War Memorial @ 11am. Cllr A Williams to contact Gurkhas to come and do an open session with refreshments 1pm-4pm at Public Institute. Cllr L Kretchmer to check if the bell ringers would replicate what they did for VE Day. Sunset ceremony and lighting the beacon on the field to take place afterwards.
b) Christmas Market: 28th Nov: Cllr A Griffin proposed we ask Cllr P Lewis to switch on the lights to reflect his many years as part of the Town Council, as our previous Mayor and as our County Councillor. All Councillors present agreed. Electricity supply on the square needs to be upgrade before then – this will be discussed at the Market & Events Committee Meeting.

a) Committee Terms of Reference: These are fundamental for the establishment of Committees. Dates have been arranged for the remaining financial year, with provisions to adjust if necessary. The terms include delegated authority to spend within allocated budget lines in accordance with the Financial Regulations. The Clerk will provide the schedule of dates and associated budget information. Committee details will also be published on the website.
b) Financial Regulations: updated to allow delegated authority to the formed Committee’s and to strengthen the current financial approvals ensuring no individual may approve or authorise expenditure if they have a family, financial or business relationship with another person involved in approving or authorising the same expenditure.

Due to recent issues identified with accessing Council records and the reliance on individual’s personal addresses for official business, it is essential that the Council secures a permanent address. A fixed address would also provide a stable point of contact for the public and external organisations, supports continuity during changes in Clerk and Councillors, and ensures compliance with legal and administrative requirements.

Car Park: The town is currently experiencing significant pressure on parking capacity. The main car park is frequently full, with additional strain caused by residents occupying long-term spaces. This shortage of available parking not only affects residents but also deters visitors, which in turn negatively impacts local businesses that rely on tourism and customer footfall. The current situation is unsustainable and requires intervention to balance the needs of all users.
Town Square: Cllr S Cowham presented a new design for the Town Square sign and notice board. Councillors approved the design and agreed to use the new branding across all media going forward.

No response to our request for moving the current defibrillator at the Ambulance Station. Cllr S Cowham advised that the one on Pen-y-Bryn had been used on several occasions despite it being out of service.

The date of the next Full Council meeting will be Wednesday 16th July 2025 commencing 18:45 at The Public Institute.