A PROPOSAL to have town or community councillors on the Powys Public Service Board (PSB) will come back for discussion this week.

At the PSB’s next meeting on Thursday, December 19, the board will discuss a report that “seeks approval” to invite One Voice Wales (OVW) to nominate a member for Montgomeryshire and one for Brecon and Radnorshire to attend board meetings.

The intention is that they share the role coming to alternate meeting.

OVW is the the umbrella organisation for town and community councils in Wales.

In her report, Powys County Council (PCC) corporate director for resources and Transformation, VanessaYoung, said: “Town and community councils are represented on many PSBs across Wales.

“Since the last PSB meeting, discussions have taken place between members of the OVW executive board and PCC officers to consider how best to ensure an OVW representative could represent all the town and community councils in Powys.

“The PSB has recognised the value of engaging town and community councils in the delivery of Towards 2040 before the request from OVW was received.”

This is because an “engagement” event had been held between town and community councillors and the PSB after its last meeting on September 19.

At the last PSB the Board received an application from OVW to have one of its members in Montgomeryshire, Cllr Derrick Pugh a councillor at Trefeglwys Community Council, sit on the board.

At the meeting the application was unsuccessful but it was agreed to hold further discussions.

PSBs have been set up in Wales under the 2015 Well Being of Future Generations Act. They are made up of representatives from the local authority, health board, fire and rescue authority and Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

The idea is that PSBs are supposed to improve joint working across all public services in each local authority area in Wales.

In Powys the future well being plan is called “Towards 2040” and it has four identified objectives:

  • People will experience a stable and thriving economy.
  • People will enjoy a sustainable and productive environment.
  • People will be healthy, socially motivated and responsible.
  • People will be connected by strong communities and a vibrant culture.

Under the  Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 town and community councils with a turnover of more than £200,000 a year must take all reasonable steps in its areas towards meeting the local objectives including in the local well-being plan.

In Powys, Town and Community Councils five community councils meet this criteria, they are: Brecon, Machynlleth, Newtown, Welshpool and Ystradgynlais.