Welshpool Town CouncilFull Council
Wednesday 22/10/2025 at 6:30pm in Council Chamber, Welshpool Town Hall.
Agenda Agenda & Reports Pack Approved Minutes
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Below shows the attendance for the meeting.
| Attendee | Attendance | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Cllr Alison Davies | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Dr Ben Gwalchmai | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Carol Robinson | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Chris Davies | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr David France | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Estelle Bleivas | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Jackson Quarrell | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Julie Arnold | Apologies for absence | Committee Member |
| Cllr Morag Bailey | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Nick Howells | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Phil Owen | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Phil Pritchard | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Richard Church | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Sally Fitzgerald | In attendance | Committee Member |
| Cllr Revd William Rowell | Apologies for absence | Committee Member |
TBC
1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Chair will welcome Councillors and members of the public and will receive, and if desired, resolve to approve, any apologies for absence.
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS AND DISPENSATIONS
To receive and resolve if desired, declarations of interest and relevant dispensations.
3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
To receive members of the public who wish to address the meeting, in respect of any item of business included in the agenda. No resolutions may be made under this item and should relate only to matters of Council policy or practice, and not individual affairs or the questioner or any other named person.
4. TOWN MAYOR'S REPORT - OCTOBER 2025
To receive a verbal report from the Town Mayor, Cllr Phil Owen.
5. COUNTY COUNCIL AND COUNTY COUNCILLOR UPDATES
To welcome County Councillors and to receive a verbal update and exchange information on matters affecting
Welshpool.
6. MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING
6.1. Previous Minutes
To approve and sign as a correct record, the minutes from the meeting of the Full Council on 24/09/2025.
6.2. Matters Arising
To report for information purposes only matters arising from the Full Council on 24/09/2025.
7. COMMITTEES - RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1. Events & Planning Committee - October 2025
To confirm the recommendations from the meeting of the Events & Planning Committee on the 01/10/2025.
| Item 8 - Winter Festival RECOMMENDED To approve the proposal for free parking at Severn Stars and Church Street car parks for the Winter Festival Event (29th November) and the three Saturdays leading up to Christmas Day (6th December, 10th December and 20th December 2025); to request that Special Projects Budget is used to support this cost and to contact surrounding local councils asking them to write to Powys County Council to consider free parking over this Christmas period. |
| Item 12 - Book sale RECOMMENDED To allocate the raised funds from the Book Sale as follows: - Montgomeryshire Family Crisis Centre £100 - Montgomeryshire Youth Theatre £100 - Parkinson's Welshpool branch £100 - Dementia Welshpool branch £100 - Bryntirion £100 - Feathers £200 |
7.2. Operations & Development Committee - October 2025
To confirm the recommendations from the meeting of the Operations & Development Committee on the 08/10/2025.
| Item 5.2 - Playground Maintenance RECOMMENDED To accept the quotation for secondary support chains from Playdale at a cost of £1,394.52 excluding VAT. |
| Item 5.2 - Playground Maintenance RECOMMENDED To accept the quotation for repairs to the hurricane swing and new net from Wickstead at a cost of £2,276.54 excluding VAT. |
| Item 5.2 - Playground Maintenance RECOMMENDED To accept the quotation for new basket seat and chains from Playdale at a cost of £2,291.51 excluding VAT. |
| Item 9.2 - Oldford Estate RECOMMENDED To seek the following at Oldford in respect of play provision: - To enter into negotiations with ClwydAlyn in respect of the current Scansis Pitch lease; - To include the green space adjacent to the pitch in these negotiations; - To ask ClwydAlyn to build a playpark on this site; and - To take responsibility for this area in respect of maintenance, once the new park has been built. |
| Item 7.1 - ISP Action Plan RECOMMENDED That a working group of Cllrs Phil Pritchard, Estelle Bleivas, Nick Howells and the Mayor be established to work with the Town Clerk on proposals for possible grant application in relation to the Motte and Bailey and/or other areas of the ISP Action Plan. |
| Item 12 - Review of Cleaning Contract RECOMMENDED To approve Option 2 as set out in the confidential report but seek to add an additional cleaner at SCP 2 on flexible hours with both operatives not to exceed 30 hours per week and for the Town Clerk and Operations Manager to resolve the specific contractual details. |
| Item 13 - Berriew St Toilets RECOMMENDED To authorise the Town Clerk to pursue the proposal without prejudice to the previously approved course of action. |
| Item 5.3 - Equipment RECOMMENDED To approve the request to purchase a Stihl KMA 135 R battery powered long reach hedge cutter for £1,287.45 ex VAT |
| Item 5.4 - All Wales Play Opportunities Grant RECOMMENDED To note that the Council has been awarded £20,000 from the All Wales Play Opportunity Grant to install accessible play equipment in Maes y Dre play park; To endorse the Town Clerk's acceptance of the grant; To approve the match funding contribution of £954 from the Play Equipment budget; and To approve the quotation from Ray Parry Playgrounds Ltd to carry out the works. |
7.3. Finance & Governance Committee - October 2025
To confirm the recommendations from the meeting of the Finance & Governance Committee on the 15/10/2025.
| Item 5.3 - Scrutiny of Payments RECOMMENDED To elect Cllr Morag Bailey following members to perform scrutiny of payments exercise in December. |
| Item 5.6 - Fees and Charges Review RECOMMENDED To approve the new schedule of Fees and Charges which shall take effect from 1st January 2026, with the new charges applying only to payments made on or after that date. Bookings made and paid for in advance of the 1st January 2026 shall be charged at the current rates. |
| Item 9 - SALES LEDGER - DEBTORS RECOMMENDED To request that the Town Clerk brings back the debtors list at the appropriate stages of the Debt Management Policy, and not each month; and brings forward actions relating to other debts as appropriate. |
| Item 12 - SALARY SACRIFICE SCHEME RECOMMENDED To note that the report and that the scheme is cost-neutral to the Council and actually will reduce the Council's Employers National Insurance costs; To approve the introduction of the Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme for Council staff with Octopus Electric Vehicles; and To authorise the Town Clerk to complete the necessary arrangements for implementation and communication to staff. |
8. FINANCE
8.1. Council Accounts (September - Period 6)
To consider the Income and Expenditure Reports and Cash and Bank Totals for September 2025 and note
the bank balances as of 30th September 2025:
- General Fund - £17,339.16
- 30 Day Account - £170,056.23
- Petty Cash - £196.98
- Hub Community Account - £2,235.35
8.2. Payment of Invoices - October
To consider payment of invoices for October, including any additional payments tabled on the night.
9. BUDGET 2026/2027 - DRAFT 1
To consider the Draft 1 budget report and to approve recommendations from Finance & Governance Committee.
10. TOWN HALL TRANSFORMATION
To consider a report from the Town Clerk in respect of Town Hall Transformation project governance as recommended by the Operations & Development Committee.
| Item 9.1 - Town Hall Transformation RECOMMENDED To approve the establishment of a Town Hall Transformation Project Board to oversee the project; To delegate authority to the Town Clerk to make all decisions relating to the Restarting Welshpool Towns Heart project within the approved budget and scope; To require the Town Clerk to exercise this delegation only following consultation with the Project Board; To approve the composition of the Project Board as up to 4 councillors plus the Town Mayor, and up to 3 co-opted members from the Community Stakeholder Group; and To appoint Cllrs Phil Pritchard, Estelle Bleivas, Sally Fitzgerald, Nick Howells to the Project Board. |
11. OUTSIDE BODIES
11.1. OVW Area Committee Meeting
To receive information regarding the recently held One Voice Wales Montgomeryshire Area Committee
Meeting (Cllrs A Davies, M Bailey).
11.2. Sustainable Powys
To receive information regarding a Sustainable Powys meeting at Welshpool Livestock Market on 27th
November 2025 at 7pm and to elect, if desired, up to two representatives from the Council to attend.
11.3. Welsh Government - Written Statement
To receive for information only the Welsh Government written statement on actions arising from the review of
town and community councils.
11.4. Other Outside Bodies
To receive reports from the Council's representatives on other outside bodies, as available.
12. CONSULTATIONS
12.1. PCC - Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs
To consider the consultation by Powys County Council on Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs - Site
Options Consultation for the Welshpool area (response required to be submitted by 31st October).
12.2. DBCC Draft Report for 2026/2027
To consider the consultation by the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru on Annual Remuneration
(response required to be submitted by 18th November).
13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
To note that the next meeting of Full Council will be held on 26th November 2025 at 6:30pm.
14. CONFIDENTIAL SESSION - EXCLUSION
To resolve, if required, that members of the public and press be requested to leave the meeting by reason of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted.
15. DOMEN GASTELL [CONFIDENTIAL]
To consider an update on the Motte and Bailey.
16. MARKET BUSINESS UNIT [CONFIDENTIAL]
To consider the tenders received for the Market Business Unit (formerly Cafe).
17. STAFFING [CONFIDENTIAL]
17.1. Review of Cleaning Contract [CONFIDENTIAL]
To consider the report from the Town Clerk in respect of the cleaning contract and the recommendations
from the Operations & Development and Finance & Governance Committees.
17.2. Staffing Review [CONFIDENTIAL]
To consider the report from the Town Clerk along with the report from the LCC on the Staffing Review.
17.3. Town Clerks Probation Period [CONFIDENTIAL]
To consider the report by the Mayor and recommendation from Finance & Governance Committee in respect
of the Town Clerks Probation Period.
| # | Item | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welcome and Apologies for Absence The Chair will welcome Councillors and members of the public and will receive, and if desired, resolve to approve, any apologies for absence. | |||||||||
| 2 | Declarations of Interests and Dispensations To receive and resolve if desired, declarations of interest and relevant dispensations. | |||||||||
| 3 | Public Participation To receive members of the public who wish to address the meeting, in respect of any item of business included in the agenda. No resolutions may be made under this item and should relate only to matters of Council policy or practice, and not individual affairs or the questioner or any other named person. | |||||||||
| 4 | Town Mayor's Report - October 2025 To receive a verbal report from the Town Mayor, Cllr Phil Owen. | |||||||||
| 5 | County Council and County Councillor Updates To welcome County Councillors and to receive a verbal update and exchange information on matters affecting Welshpool. | |||||||||
| 6 | MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING | |||||||||
| 6.1 | Previous Minutes To approve and sign as a correct record, the minutes from the meeting of the Full Council on 24/09/2025. | |||||||||
| 6.2 | Matters Arising To report for information purposes only matters arising from the Full Council on 24/09/2025. | |||||||||
| 7 | COMMITTEES - RECOMMENDATIONS | |||||||||
| 7.1 | Events & Planning Committee - October 2025 To confirm the recommendations from the meeting of the Events & Planning Committee on the 01/10/2025.
| |||||||||
| 7.2 | Operations & Development Committee - October 2025 To confirm the recommendations from the meeting of the Operations & Development Committee on the 08/10/2025.
| |||||||||
| 7.3 | Finance & Governance Committee - October 2025 To confirm the recommendations from the meeting of the Finance & Governance Committee on the 15/10/2025.
| |||||||||
| 8 | FINANCE | |||||||||
| 8.1 | Council Accounts (September - Period 6) To consider the Income and Expenditure Reports and Cash and Bank Totals for September 2025 and note the bank balances as of 30th September 2025: - General Fund - £17,339.16 - 30 Day Account - £170,056.23 - Petty Cash - £196.98 - Hub Community Account - £2,235.35 | |||||||||
| 8.2 | Payment of Invoices - October To consider payment of invoices for October, including any additional payments tabled on the night. | |||||||||
| 9 | BUDGET 2026/2027 - DRAFT 1 To consider the Draft 1 budget report and to approve recommendations from Finance & Governance Committee. | |||||||||
| 10 | Town Hall Transformation To consider a report from the Town Clerk in respect of Town Hall Transformation project governance as recommended by the Operations & Development Committee.
| |||||||||
| 11 | OUTSIDE BODIES | |||||||||
| 11.1 | OVW Area Committee Meeting To receive information regarding the recently held One Voice Wales Montgomeryshire Area Committee Meeting (Cllrs A Davies, M Bailey). | |||||||||
| 11.2 | Sustainable Powys To receive information regarding a Sustainable Powys meeting at Welshpool Livestock Market on 27th November 2025 at 7pm and to elect, if desired, up to two representatives from the Council to attend. | |||||||||
| 11.3 | Welsh Government - Written Statement To receive for information only the Welsh Government written statement on actions arising from the review of town and community councils. | |||||||||
| 11.4 | Other Outside Bodies To receive reports from the Council's representatives on other outside bodies, as available. | |||||||||
| 12 | CONSULTATIONS | |||||||||
| 12.1 | PCC - Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs To consider the consultation by Powys County Council on Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs - Site Options Consultation for the Welshpool area (response required to be submitted by 31st October). | |||||||||
| 12.2 | DBCC Draft Report for 2026/2027 To consider the consultation by the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru on Annual Remuneration (response required to be submitted by 18th November). | |||||||||
| 13 | Date of Next Meeting To note that the next meeting of Full Council will be held on 26th November 2025 at 6:30pm. | |||||||||
| 14 | Confidential Session - Exclusion To resolve, if required, that members of the public and press be requested to leave the meeting by reason of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted. | |||||||||
| 15 | Domen Gastell Confidential To consider an update on the Motte and Bailey. | |||||||||
| 16 | Market Business Unit Confidential To consider the tenders received for the Market Business Unit (formerly Cafe). | |||||||||
| 17 | STAFFING Confidential | |||||||||
| 17.1 | Review of Cleaning Contract Confidential To consider the report from the Town Clerk in respect of the cleaning contract and the recommendations from the Operations & Development and Finance & Governance Committees. | |||||||||
| 17.2 | Staffing Review Confidential To consider the report from the Town Clerk along with the report from the LCC on the Staffing Review. | |||||||||
| 17.3 | Town Clerks Probation Period Confidential To consider the report by the Mayor and recommendation from Finance & Governance Committee in respect of the Town Clerks Probation Period. |