NEWS POLITICS

Local councillor to keep champion role

A local county councillor, along with two others, will keep their voluntary member champion roles at Powys County Council until the next local elections in 2026.

4 months ago   2 minutes read    1,848 views

The image for Local councillor to keep champion role
 
Share            Listen to the story

By Elgan Hearn
Local Democracy Reporter


A local county councillor, along with two others, will keep their voluntary member champion roles at Powys County Council until the next local elections in 2026.

But incumbents, Cllr Joy Jones (Powys Independents) the anti-poverty champion, Cllr Ange Williams (Powys Independents) the disability champion  and Cllr Matthew Dorrance (Labour) the armed forces champion will need to apply to keep their roles.


  Other Trending Stories

    An updated report was  in front of councillors at a meeting of the Democratic Services committee on Monday, November 25 which included the results of a questionnaire sent out to councillors asking for their views and ideas for other member champion roles to add to the three.

    At a council meeting in July councillors had rejected the committee’s recommendation to scrap the role and asked the committee to look again at the issues.

    Head of business intelligence and governance Catherine James said: “We sent out a questionnaire during September asking councillors what member champions were required, and we had 14 responses back.

    “It was re sent to encourage additional uptake and we had 20 responses back.”

    This is 20 out of a total of 68 Powys councillors.

    Committee chairman, (Powys Independents) Cllr Graham Breeze said that the committee needed to be “quite specific” about what it wanted to do with the roles.

    Conservative Cllr Pete Lewington said: “I am struggling with this.

    “We’ve only had 20 responses which is less than a third of councillors and seven of those said they didn’t want member champions.

    “So really we just have 13 councillors engaged and wanting member champions.

    “For me this can’t work if the councillors aren’t engaged and don’t see it as necessary.”

    Plaid Cymru group leader Cllr Elwyn Vaughan was chairman of the committee when it had voted to scrap the role back in April.

    Cllr Vaughan said: “I have been of the opinion that these posts are surplus to requirements to the council hierarchy, obviously full council did not agree with that.”

    “Based on the responses, can I suggest we stick to the three we currently have until the next election, and then the new authority can take stock of things.

    “We have much more important things as a council to sort out.”

    The move was backed by Cllr Gareth E Jones (Powys Independents) and was then put to the vote.

    The majority of committee members agreed to the suggestion with one councillor abstaining.

    The recommendation to just keep the three roles along with the previously agrees changed appointments process will now go to a future council meeting for a decision in the new year.

    The suggestions by councillors had included creating member champion roles for: agriculture and rural affairs, economic development and regeneration, culture, heritage and the arts and older adults and an ageing population.

    One councillor had also suggested the council needs a “communications champion” because: “I feel the communication between senior officers and the cabinet with county councillors, town and community councils and the public is at a very low level.”

    You've viewed 1 stories so far!

    All About Newtown is an independent not-for-profit online news and information service for the town of Newtown in Mid Wales. We provide ad-free content, so rely on reader subscriptions and donations to run.

      Donate via PayPal

    Related or similar stories based on this one

    Image for the article Council member 'champions' could be scrapped
    Council member 'champions' could be scrapped

    11 months ago

    Image for the article Council to examine role of members champions
    Council to examine role of members champions

    7 months ago

    Image for the article Who's on the Car Parking Review group?
    Who's on the Car Parking Review group?

    1 year ago

    Business of the Week
    Garth Owen Stores

    Garth Owen

    Follow us

    Connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Google News

         

    Trending
    Donate to us

    We're a not-for-profit community interest company and have no corporate owners. We'd appreciate anything you can give to keep us providing free content.

      Donate via PayPal
    Upcoming Events
    Canal Forum

    04/04/25 02:30pm

    ARRIVAL - The Hits of ABBA

    05/04/25 02:30pm

    ARRIVAL - The Hits of ABBA

    05/04/25 07:30pm

    Latest Stories
    See what's on next week in our area (W14)

    4 days ago

    Calls to sack education chief after damming report

    1 week ago

    Secondary school standards risk

    1 week ago