WHO is responsible for sorting out the £13 million budget blackhole facing Powys County Council (PCC) this financial year?

Council Leader Cllr Rosemarie Harris, (Independent – Llangynidr), has sent a letter to all of PCC councillors telling them that the budget is a universal responsibility for all of them.

While a non-aligned councillor and former cabinet member Cllr Liam Fitzpatrick (Tal-y-Bont) points that the ruling Independent/Conservative group and cabinet are looking for scapegoats.

The discussion has emerged as the budget setting process for next year starts.

Councillors have been given a draft copy of a website page which explains to the people in Powys how PCC is funded, the services it provides and how much it costs.

Councillors are expected to comment on this before the page goes live sometime in October.

Cllr Fitzpatrick said:  “I  believe the public are rather fatigued with this unique here we go around the mulberry bush politics.

“Every year the cabinet don’t balance the books , find someone to blame and attempt to involve every councillor and then ask the public for advice .

“Let’s do it the old fashioned way and ask your cabinet to do something unique, balance their departmental books, reach their targets and do what they said they would do.”

Cllr Harris responded by saying that she thought many councillors would want to take part in the budget setting process which will now run for the next six months.

Cllr Harris said: “Approving the budget is the responsibility of the whole council.

“The proposals that are included in the budget are indeed proposed by cabinet and we will fulfil that responsibility.

“But in order to formulate those proposals engagement with the wider council membership and our citizens is an important part of that process.

“We need to do more to ensure that the public are informed as to why the council is needing to transform.

“Then to seek their views and engagement about how the council changes and what are the important issues for them.

“I would anticipate that most councillors will wish to participate in this process and we are providing you with some information to support you to do so. “