Minutes – Full Council – 19/11/2025

Apologies were received from Cllr P Lewis.

No declarations of interest were registered.

Councillors VOTED to suspend the meeting to allow residents to make representations in respect of the Weekly & Christmas Market lease.

There were no matters arising.

a) Mayors Announcement – Remembrance Day well attended.
b) County Councillors Announcement; concerns still being raised about pharmacy provision, PTHB have advised they are still exploring options. It was also noted by Cllr Kretchmer that the surgery in Llanrhaeadr is scheduled to be closed next year to save approx. £200k; resulting in a significant impact on the Llanfyllin practice.
c) Correspondence
- Clerk read out a letter as requested, from a resident related to drain clearing, river dredging and the market situation.
- Cllr A Griffin provided a summary of correspondence received from a resident covering multiple areas of concern. Summary is attached for completeness.

a) Cllr Williams – RBL Coffee Morning raised £255.
b) Cllr Wilkinson – nothing to report
c) Cllr Cowham – covered under Public Amenity Committee update.
d) Cllr Nazar – nothing to report
e) Cllr Waldron – nothing to report
f) Cllr Jones – nothing to report
g) Cllr Mayor - nothing to report
h) Cllr Kretchmer – Actively involved in Churchyard & Wetlands Maintenance.

a) Payment Approvals – reviewed by Cllr Waldron and validated by Cllr Mayor.
b) Clerk shared the draft budget for review by Councillors. Recommendations for changes to be sent to the Clerk to prepare the final budget for agreement at the December Meeting.

a) The disabled toilet has been refurbished, with anti-vandalism fittings and timed locks reducing vandalism and drug activity. Infrastructure grants are needed for drain work and refurbishing the Ladies' and Gents' toilets.

b) Representatives from BRACE attended the previous meeting and provided input regarding the management of Cae Bodfach. The discussion was constructive, resulting in a decision to develop a Cae Bodfach Management Plan informed by recommendations from BRACE and other advisors. The Clerk will prepare a draft for review by the Full Council, including any necessary budgetary considerations before sharing with interested parties.

a) Market Lease – Clerk advised she is working with our legal team and Powys CC on the draft lease. Recent feedback needs to be communicated clearly to prevent confusion.
- Powys CC confirmed that only Pen-Y-Bryn can be used for charter markets, including weekly and seasonal events, as Town Square is not a designated public highway and
has never been authorised by them for Market Operations.
- The lease requires an onsite Market Manager during market hours. Council need to decide how to manage this role and budget for it if recruitment is necessary – with
minimal traders’ financial viability would need to be taken into account.
- There is also an annual reporting requirement for numbers and revenue, with commission due if revenue exceeds set thresholds. Not currently as issue as we do not charge but that may need to be reviewed as well.
- Parking enforcement at Pen-Y-Bryn can be done by the Market Manager, but we currently lack one, and enforcement procedures are unclear; Clerk to follow up with Powys CC.

Issues with Town Square ownership and adjacent land have been identified but remain unresolved. They are not directly related to the market lease so Clerk recommended the Public Amenities Committee investigate these and report back at the next meeting.

b) Christmas Market over 35 stalls confirmed. Complaints and concerns raised by several residents were covered under Item 6c and 10b.

c) Chester Market Bus Trip has been popular – all online tickets sold out in the first few days.

No items to discuss

a) Police Incident and Drug Concerns: Steve Wilkinson reported a recent police incident reflecting increasing drug activity in town. He stressed the need for more visible police presence and action. PCSO coverage is lacking due to staff absence and desk assignments, leading to more incidents without sufficient policing.
b) Cllr Williams reported that debris cleared from the Brook by Powys CC is left on the bank and often re-enters the water; proper removal is needed. Councillors agreed to ask Cllr P Lewis, in his Country Councillor role to address this as well as the drain clearance issues raised.

The next meeting will be on 17th December 2025 at the earlier time of 18:30.
Any agenda items are to be submitted to the Clerk by Wednesday 10th December.