Joy keeps her role as anti-poverty champion

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Longstanding Powys County Council’s anti-poverty champion, Cllr Joy Jones, is set to keep the role.

At the council’s annual meeting this Thursday, councillors will receive a report to find out who expressed an interest in becoming one of the three council member champions.

Back in December, the council agreed that the anti-poverty, disability, and armed forces member champions roles would be kept, at least until the end of this council term in May 2027.

But, instead of being appointed to the role by the council leader as had been the case in the past, those interested have had to go through an application process.

The report said: “Documents relating to the roles, responsibilities, support and governance arrangements and the expression of interest form were emailed to all councillors asking for submission of an expression of interest form. The closing date was February 7.”

Out of a possible 68, only three “expressions of interest” were received for the member champion roles. Two were for the anti-poverty champion role.

These were by the incumbent Cllr Joy Jones (Powys Independents) and Cllr Little Brighouse (non-aligned).

One expression of interest was shown in the armed forces champion role, by Deputy Council Leader, Cllr Matthew Dorrance (Labour), who is also the incumbent.

The report added that no councillor had applied for the disability member champion role.

The report said: “The Council Chair (Cllr Jonathan Wilkinson – Conservative), Leader (Cllr James Gibson-Watt – Liberal Democrat), Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys (Cllr Dorrance) were consulted on the expressions of interest received for the anti-poverty member champion and it is recommended that Cllr Jones be appointed.

“The Chair and Leader were consulted on the armed forces member champion, and it is recommended that Cllr Matthew Dorrance is appointed.”

If councillors agree the recommendations, details of the member champions including their description of the role and how to contact them will be published to the council website.

They will also be expected to present annual report on their work to a council meeting.

Following a review last year, the Democratic Services committee decided to scrap the member champion roles, and this recommendation was put to all councillors at a full council meeting last July.

But councillors voted to reject the recommendation, and it was sent back to the committee for further discussion.By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service