Committee votes to recommend that Powys member champions role is axed

On Monday, April 22 the Democratic Services scrutiny committee debated the validity of the role.

In recent years the importance of the role has waned and there are now only three champions when there had been 10 just four years ago.

This is partly due to the covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions placed on meeting individuals and groups at that time.

They were told by anti-poverty champion, non-affiliated Councillor Joy Jones who has been in the role since 2014 that she had regularly shared information and worked with the cabinet in the past.

But since the new cabinet was formed in 2022 and the “later years of the former cabinet” this had broken down.

Disability champion Councillor Ange Williams of the Independents for Powys group, said: “We don’t have any officers or funding, so we do this out of love for the job and the people of Powys.”

The third champion is deputy council leader and cabinet member for a Fairer Powys Labour’s Councillor Matthew Dorrance who is the Armed Forces member champion.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Claire Hall said: “I am very aware of member champions and the positives they bring.

“I think it’s more about influencing policy and strategy across the council and championing that particular interest group – to a certain extent it’s almost a lobbying role.”

Labour’s Councillor David Meredith said that the way of appointing councillors to these roles is “totally undemocratic.”

Councillor Meredith said: “I don’t think it’s right that a member champion is just appointed by the leader, and I don’t think it’s right that after a council term (five years) that people automatically move forward to the following term.

“I equally don’t think it’s a role of a cabinet member to be a champion.”