Many of you will know that since becoming elected I have written a monthly column in the Wye Local magazine. I think this is a great way to reach out to people in the ward who perhaps do not have access to the internet. You can pick the Wye Local up from local shops across […]

Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillors Clair Powell and Liam Fitzpatrick have warned of possible major changes to schools throughout Powys should the revised Home to School Transport Policy be approved. Following a report to the council’s people scrutiny committee which took written evidence from a number of councillors, the problem was highlighted by a question raised by Bronllys Councillor Clair Powell. […]

The public consultation on the revised home to school/college transport policy will end on 30th September. This is proving to be a very controversial policy and it remains to be seen whether it will be approved by the council’s board. I have held a number of meetings with other councillors and also recently attended a […]

You may recall that I raised the issue of the council’s revised home to school/college transport policy which is open to public consultation. This is just a quick reminder that the closing date for the consultation is 30th September. There are also two public meetings being held to discuss the revised policy. They are tomorrow […]

The council have put to consultation a Revised Home to School-College Transport Policy. This policy, if adopted could have varying degrees of impact on our schools. During 2008-09, a review of issues relating to the operation of the Authority’s home to school – college transport policy was carried out, as a result of which a […]

Today I have received the news that the school transport appeal was finally granted yesterday at a meeting held in County Hall. This will mean that the resident for whom we were appealing will now receive free school transport to Gwernyfed High School. I would now like to encourage other parents to re-apply for school transport as […]

Lobbying WAG over the poor financial settlement – Cllr Clair Powell, Mick Bates AM, Kirsty Williams AM and Cllr William Powell. Yesterday I joined the Powys Against Cuts in Education Group (PACE) to lobby the Welsh Assembly Goverment over the latest poor settlement that the authority has received. The lobby was timed to coincide with the […]

Tomorrow I am joining residents of Powys to lobby the Welsh assembly about the budget settlement we have received. Initially 0%, but now given a floor of just 1.5%, the Powys Against Cuts in Education group have arranged to lobby the Welsh Assembly tomorrow ahead of the finance debate that will take place at the […]

Following a meeting of the Welsh Liberal Democrat Group on Powys County Council yesterday it has become apparent that there are many problems with school transport across Powys. Problems range from the ones we are experiencing in Bronllys, where children reside just under the 3 mile limit for receiving free school transport and are expected […]

I have had a number of calls from residents and discussions with other councillors recently regarding the legislation governing free school transport. The limit by which pupils can get free school transport is if they live over three miles from their school. All families living under three miles from their school have to pay a fee of £105 […]