The Powys Council Cabinet met to discuss several key issues, including proposed changes to local schools, the annual monitoring report for the Local Development Plan, revisions to panel performance assessments, and financial planning. A decision on transformation proposals for Ysgol Calon Cymru and Builth Wells C.P. School was deferred, while the Cradoc Campus proposal for Ysgol Golwg Pen Y Fan was considered alongside concerns raised by County Councillor Iain McIntosh. The Cabinet also reviewed and discussed the financial planning update and budget book for 2025-26, and agreed to recommendations made by the Finance Panel.

School Transformation Proposals

A major focus of the meeting was the consideration of transformation proposals affecting several schools in the region.

Ysgol Calon Cymru and Builth Wells C.P. School

A decision regarding the consultation report on transformation proposals for Ysgol Calon Cymru and Builth Wells C.P. School was deferred until 21 October. The proposals under consideration include:

• Establishing a new Welsh-medium all-age school (4-18) on the current Builth campus of Ysgol Calon Cymru by September 2027.
• Changing the language category of Builth Wells C.P. School to English-medium.
• Changing the language category of Ysgol Calon Cymru from dual stream to English-medium, phasing out the Welsh-medium stream by September 2029.
• Closing Ysgol Calon Cymru's Builth Wells campus and consolidating operations at the Llandrindod campus by September 2029, following capital investment.

Minutes from consultation meetings with staff, governors, and pupils were included in the agenda pack, revealing a range of concerns and questions about the proposals. Staff members raised questions about investment, accommodation of additional pupils, and the curriculum. Governors requested detailed financial breakdowns and expressed concerns about staffing and resources. Pupils voiced worries about transportation, friendships, and the quality of education.

Cradoc Campus of Ysgol Golwg Pen Y Fan

The Cabinet considered a proposal paper regarding the Cradoc Campus of Ysgol Golwg Pen Y Fan.

County Councillor Iain McIntosh submitted comments expressing strong objections to the handling of the matter. Councillor McIntosh claimed that governors were informed that any decision regarding an early closure of the Cradoc site would be made by the governing body, and that the short notice given to governors before a public press release was entirely unreasonable .

Councillor McIntosh also raised concerns about the accuracy of the school's capacity figure, stating:

If Cabinet had been given the accurate school capacity figure in 2021, the decision to close the school would not have been justified, and therefore Cabinet members would not have made the decision to close the school.

He insisted that the school be re-measured accurately and that the council publicly disclose the true capacity as it stood when the original decision was taken.

Powys Local Development Plan Annual Monitoring Report 2025

The Cabinet was asked to approve the Powys Local Development Plan (LDP) Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) 2025 for submission to the Welsh Government. The LDP sets out the council's policies and proposals for the use of land in Powys, and the AMR assesses the implementation and effectiveness of the LDP. The Cabinet Report for AMR 2025 noted that the AMR is a key component of the plan-monitor-manage approach, providing a mechanism for assessing the extent to which the LDP's vision, objectives, and policies are being achieved.

Revision to Panel Performance Assessment Approach

The Cabinet considered a report regarding a revision to the previously agreed Panel Performance Assessment (PPA) approach. The PPA is a framework used to assess the performance of various panels within the council, ensuring they operate effectively and efficiently. The report likely outlined proposed changes to the assessment criteria, methodology, or reporting mechanisms.

Financial Planning Update and Budget Book 2025-26

The Cabinet received and considered a financial planning update, along with the Budget Book for 2025-26. This included recommendations from the Finance Panel, who met on 10 October 2025 to discuss the Medium Term Financial Strategy and financial planning update. The Finance Panel's observations included:

• Inflation continued to impact the cost of delivering council services.
• A 1% increase in pay inflation equated to an additional £2.3 million pressure on the budget.
• The council's assumptions for inflation were set at 2% for both pay and non-pay, though these were under review.
• Gilt yields were approaching 4.8%, significantly affecting borrowing costs.
• Less than 50% of households paid full council tax, with the current yield exceeding £100 million.
• The council's usable reserves were relatively low compared to other Welsh authorities.

The Panel also expressed concerns regarding the realism of inflation and settlement assumptions, the deliverability of proposed savings, the affordability of the capital programme, and the pace and effectiveness of the council's asset disposal strategy.

The Panel made several recommendations, including that service-specific Financial Resource Models (FRMs) be shared with members as soon as they were available, that benchmarking information be provided to compare Powys County Council's borrowing costs against other Welsh local authorities, and that assumptions within the FRM be kept under regular review. The Cabinet was asked to provide a written response to the scrutiny report within two months.

Acquisition of Land Purchase, Newtown

The Cabinet considered a report regarding the acquisition of land purchase for commercial development in Newtown. This likely involved a proposal to purchase land for the purpose of stimulating economic growth and creating employment opportunities in the area.