How will Powys cut £13 million?

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

The size of next year’s council tax hike and cuts to be made to services are all set to be decided in the coming weeks, but the meetings could be held behind closed doors.

An estimated £13 million will have to be cut from Powys County Council’s (PCC) budget for next year and on Monday members of the Finance Panel will receive a briefing and discuss the next year’s budget as well as the following two years.

The agenda for the meeting already says that the item should be discussed in private. But members of the panel could decide to vote against the monitoring officer, Clive Pinney’s advice.

Mr Pinney, said: “To make this information public would disclose information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person, including the authority holding that information.

“These factors outweigh the public interest in disclosing this information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test.”

Minutes from the last Finance Panel meeting on October 31, show that the Head of Finance, Jane Thomas, gave the panel a confidential report on the development of the 2021 budget.

The minutes say that the members were encouraged to complete the budget simulator.

Online at PCC’s website for a month until November 3, people were challenged in the simulator called the ‘Big Squeeze’ to produce a balanced budget.

Visitors to the site did this by sliding on the graphic left or right to provide departments with money or take it away.

The minutes add that the head of finance was supported in her wish by the panel members to have robust detail around full cost reductions and impact assessment from the services.

Services will be asked to show evidence of pressures and to “ascertain a level of risk”.

The minutes also note that the cabinet will establish a panel to consider proposals. At the meeting the minutes show that the Finance Panel has “requested”  that it has a representative on that group.

Portfolio holder for finance, Cllr Aled Davies, who is a member of the Finance Panel, agreed at the meeting to take this request back to the cabinet.

The minutes add: “The panel welcomed the update and thanked cabinet for releasing the information. It was hoped the panel could play a role in developing the budget.”