A NEW website launched today (January 22) makes it easier for Powys residents to keep a watchful eye on the performance of their local county councillors.

Spotlight Powys is a dedicated website for residents and interested parties in Powys to properly scrutinise and evaluate the performance of our county councillors and community and town councils.

The Spotlight Powys website, available at www.spotlightpowys.wales, allows residents to enter their postcode in Powys to view the information relating to them. The website allows residents to view information on their county councillor in relation to their allowances received since 2017/2018, attendance at meetings since 2017/2018 and tells us how they voted on any council tax setting resolution since 2018 (council tax for 2017 was set by the previous council).

The website also highlights to residents how their council tax bill is broken down between county council, community/town council and police. It also includes a comparison to the council tax level in 2012. 

Alongside this features overall Powys analysis around council tax setting resolution since 2018 by county councillor and filters allowing residents to filter by political group; as well as allowances received since 2017 by county councillor and filters allowing residents to filter by political group.

Spotlight Powys also allows residents to view overall budgets and council tax relating to their community or town council.

“Council tax in Powys has risen by at least 30 per cent since the last election,” said the group behind the website.

“As we approach the next county council election (May 2022), it is vital that residents can view the information relating to their county councillor and community/town council and hold them to account effectively.

“The information presented is all available in the public domain, but hides among the files and folders of the Powys County Council website. Bringing this information to the forefront, in a structured and accessible way, along with resident being able to search by postcode, allows them to gather more information and make informed choices which are personal to them.”

Spotlight Powys is available via www.spotlightpowys.wales and can be viewed on both desktop and mobile.