Latest news with #Gibson-Watt
Powys County Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Powys cabinet backs role in Home Office asylum housing pilot
Taking part in a Home Office pilot scheme to support asylum seekers would give Powys County Council greater control over where people are placed, a meeting has heard. The council's cabinet has officially voted to express an interest in being part of a pilot scheme which would see the Government handing over cash to help boost Powys' housing stock. In exchange housing would be leased to the Home Office for 10 years, then returned to Powys wider social housing stock. The plans, which will involve a non-binding expression of interest alongside neighbouring councils Carmarthenshire and Monmouthshire, will have no impact on people currently on the housing waiting list, the meeting heard. Speaking at the meeting, the council's deputy leader Cllr Matthew Dorrance said: 'Currently the existing UK Government offering Clearsprings ready homes, procures accommodation within the authority for people seeking asylum. 'We don't have any control over that process; it does not include us in the sourcing of accommodation for asylum seekers and that will continue. 'Bringing a new scheme forward and collaborating with other authorities in the rural sector will give us greater control over the council accommodation that is used.' Cllr Dorrance said this would include the 'location and the support structure' put around the asylum seekers that are brought into Powys. Cllr Dorrance said: 'This scheme will enable the local authority to access UK Home Office funding that will provide us with capital resources for additional homes. 'What this proposal will enable us to do is add to the social housing stock. 'Because at the end of the 10 year period the homes we build using this external home office money will then become housing stock available to be used through the housing register." He said this would have no impact on those people already on the housing waiting list. Former council leader and now cabinet member for a more prosperous Powys, Cllr James Gibson-Watt (Liberal Democrat) welcomed the proposal. Cllr Gibson-Watt said: 'It's very important that this is about asylum not immigration, people who come to this country fleeing very dreadful situations.' He stressed that the UK under various treaties and conventions have an obligation to accommodate asylum seekers and process their claims in a 'fair way.' 'I'm very enthusiastic that the council should participate in this,' said Cllr Gibson-Watt. The cabinet voted unanimously to express their interest in being part of the scheme. Powys council's Reform UK group leader Cllr Iain McIntosh complained after the meeting that he had not been given the opportunity to object. A council spokesman explained that there is 'no provision' under the council constitution that allows leaders of opposition groups to speak at cabinet meetings on any item they wish to. A council spokesman said: 'Section nine of the Home Office Asylum Dispersal Pilot report states that here are no community specific implications for particular wards arising from this report. 'Therefore, the business of today's cabinet meeting was transacted in line with the council's constitution.'
Powys County Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Outgoing Powys Council chief says he ‘felt pressure'
The outgoing leader of Powys County Council has assured his fellow members that he did not take the decision to quit "lightly". Addressing the council at its annual general meeting on Thursday (May 15), Councillor James Gibson-Watt gave a farewell speech before member held a vote to elect his successor. Speaking to the council chamber, Cllr Gibson Watt said: 'It's been an absolute privilege and thank you for entrusting me with this role. 'I apologise for landing the council in this situation where you're having to elect a new leader three-fifths of the way through council. 'I can assure you I haven't taken this decision lightly. 'But I do think it's the best thing for council that this happens because I'm not confident that I can fulfil the role over the next couple of years as well as I would want to.' 'I have felt that pressure for the last few months.' Cllr Gibson-Watt told councillors that he was one of only two current councillors who had been elected in the first election of the new version of Powys County Council following the reorganisation of Welsh local authorities in 1995/1996. He said that he has seen a 'dramatic change' in the role of councillor and council over the last 30 years. Cllr Gibson-Watt continued: 'You need to understand the constraints that we have operate in, and you don't really understand that until you become leader of the council.' He added: 'I would ask members to be sympathetic to the next leader as a lot of these constraints are unseen and are for regulatory purposes, which is extraordinarily onerous, it eats up vast amounts of officer and member time, and is very expensive. 'It constrains the degree to which a local authority and administration of any colour can make its own sovereign decisions. 'Local government in Wales is a delivery arm of the Welsh Government. Frustrating as it is that is just the reality of life.' He added that he believed local authorities in Wales had a better relationship with the Welsh Government than their counterparts in England have with the UK Government where there are some 'acute tensions.' Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app But Cllr Gibson-Watt is not completely stepping away from the top table yet. Later in the meeting, when his successor was named as Councillor Jake Berriman, Cllr Gibson-Watt was entrusted with a cabinet position to push on with the 'initial engagement phase' of reorganising post-16 education in Powys. This is part of the cabinet brief for a more prosperous Powys, which he will carry out until the end of September while mentoring Cllr Glyn Preston to eventually take on that role.
Powys County Times
09-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Powys County Council leader James Gibson-Watt to resign
LIBERAL Democrat councillor James Gibson-Watt the leader of Powys County Council will step down from the role at next week. Cllr Gibson-Watt who represents the ward of Glasbury is expected to announce his resignation at the council's annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday, May 15 after three years of leading the minority Liberal Democrat/Labour administration. Cllr Gibson-Watt said: 'To be the leader of a Welsh local authority is a rare privilege enjoyed by relatively few politicians and is one I have relished. 'However, I have decided that the time is right for me to step aside and allow another member to take on the role and take forward the council's corporate vision of stronger, fairer, greener, on which we have made good progress over the past three years.' Rumours that Cllr Gibson-Watt was intending to resign have been swirling around the corridors of county hall for several months with the expectation that planning portfolio holder, Liberal Democrat Cllr Jake Berriman will be put forward to take his place. Cllr Gibson-Watt confirmed that this is the expected succession. Cllr Gibson-Watt said: 'My group has elected Cllr Jake Berriman as my replacement as group leader and will be the group's nomination to be the new council leader at the AGM on May 15. RECOMMENDED READING: 'Jake has my full and unqualified support, he will make an excellent council leader.' Cllr Gibson-Watt added: 'It has been a difficult and turbulent time, with continued financial restraint and the challenges of inflation and the ongoing cost of living crisis.' 'But, despite that, significant progress has been made in improving the social care system, the transformation of Powys's education system, developing the economy and making progress towards the council becoming a 'net zero' organisation. 'I am particularly pleased with the way the council has developed partnerships across the Mid Wales region and the counties bordering Powys in England. 'The future operation of our public services depends on successful partnership working and sound foundations have now been laid to ensure that collaboration can and will develop further.'
