FUTURE Powys County Council meetings could be a mixture of online and face to face with some councillors returning to the chamber in Llandrindod Wells. This was revealed at a meeting of the economy, residents, communities and governance scrutiny committee on Thursday, January 28, as councillors looked at savings proposed by the legal and democratic department for the 2021/22 budget. The draft council budget proposes a 3.9 per cent hike in council tax as well as £11.828 million in cuts or savings, that need to be made during 2021/22. The burden for the legal and democratic services is just under £100,000. Head of legal and democratic services, Clive Pinney, explained that councillors’ travelling expenses pot would be reduced by £28,000, from £78,000 to £50,000.
Neuadd Maldwyn Graphic - how it could look when finished. DECISIONS on planning applications for a £11.6 million transformation of Welshpool’s Neuadd Maldwyn into flats for older people, will ultimately be decided by the Welsh Government. The application by Clwyd Alyn Housing Association to turn the Grade II listed building into 66 one and two-bedroom apartments, could be “called in” to be decided by the Welsh Government. This meant that a decision made by PCC’s Planning committee at their meeting on Friday, January 22, to approve the plans, is for the time being only a “recommendation.” The Welsh Government will inform the authority 21 days after receiving all the relevant documentation whether they are going ahead with a call in, or not.