“THE PUBLIC want services not snappy catchphrases,” a Powys resident has said as he asks why £300,000 will be spent on “reimagining” Powys County Council.
Questions from members of the public will be posed to the Liberal Democrat/Labour and Green party minority administration at a council meeting on Thursday, March 2.
The questions have already been submitted and a response has been provided from the relevant councillor on the Powys Cabinet.
At a meeting of the cabinet on February 7 it was revealed that £300,000 for a “reimagining review.” will be moved from the Covid Recovery Reserve to fund trio of council officers for two years to work on a review of services.
Nigel Williams asks: “How, at a time when the council is struggling to cover its statutory obligations, does the council justify spending £300,000 of taxpayers money on ‘reimagining’ the council?
“The public want services not snappy catch phrases which mean nothing.”
In response to the question finance portfolio holder, Labour’s Cllr David Thomas said: “Growing financial and workforce pressures are having an impact on the ability of public services to meet the needs of the population.
“A radical transformation of the council is needed, making use of a reduced number of assets across the county, breaking down silos between services and reducing fragmentation in service delivery.
“We must become more effective, perform better and be more connected to the population we serve.”
Cllr Thomas explained that the by 2025 it is hoped that the council will be on a “more sustainable footing” moving away from the “annual service cuts.”
Cllr Thomas said “There is no doubt the organisation will be smaller and more efficient using technology where appropriate to improve service delivery.
“It will need to hold less assets whilst providing accessible services across community areas.
But before doing this the work needs to be done to identify “the type and volume of services” that the council will provide.
Cllr Thomas added: “This will mean the appointment, into temporary roles, to programme manage, support and cost the future council.”
After Cllr Thomas has read out his answer, Mr Williams will be allowed to ask an extra follow up question.
