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Protestors stop crunch Powys council savings meeting Two Powys budget cut plans rejected at crunch meeting
(about 2 hours later)
A crucial meeting to finalise Powys County Council's budget has been disrupted by protestors. Two controversial proposals in a £20 million package of savings in Powys have been thrown out by councillors.
About 100 demonstrators gathered outside County Hall in Llandrindod Wells ahead of the meeting on Tuesday morning. The authority was considering closing special and additional learning needs pre-school assessment centres in four schools and 18 specialist support units in schools.
Councillors decided to cover the savings from its reserves.
Plans to increase day care centre charges by almost six-times were also dropped.
The charge for attending a centre was going to be increased from £6 to £35.
Personal alarm
But members rejected an amendment for a 30% cut in funding to Powys CAB and other advice services.
It decided to put forward the cabinet's original proposal to halve the county's CAB funding of £93,580 in the next financial year.
The meeting continues as members prepare to vote on the budget as presented by the cabinet.
The meeting was earlier disrupted by protestors.
About 100 demonstrators gathered outside County Hall in Llandrindod Wells ahead of the meeting at Llandrindod Wells.
But a small group went inside the building to the council chamber where one set off a personal alarm.But a small group went inside the building to the council chamber where one set off a personal alarm.
They were then removed by police after stopping the meeting for around 10 minutes.They were then removed by police after stopping the meeting for around 10 minutes.
The authority needs to save almost £20m in the coming financial year. Job losses
Many of the demonstrators were concerned over the future of special or additional needs education.Many of the demonstrators were concerned over the future of special or additional needs education.
Service cuts
Powys is considering closing pre-school assessment centres in four schools and specialist support units in 16 schools.
Before the meeting Powys Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) handed over a 5,000-name petition to Powys council.Before the meeting Powys Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) handed over a 5,000-name petition to Powys council.
The council aims to halve the county's CAB funding in the next financial before shelving it the year after. The bureau says the funding cut could leave Powys as the only county in Wales without CAB services.
The bureau says it would leave Powys as the only county in Wales without CAB services.
The organisation claims its offices in Newtown, Brecon and Ystradgynlais are under threat with 22 full and part-time staff facing redundancy.The organisation claims its offices in Newtown, Brecon and Ystradgynlais are under threat with 22 full and part-time staff facing redundancy.
The council's budget savings plan includes service cuts, a possible 3.95% hike in council tax and increased service charges.The council's budget savings plan includes service cuts, a possible 3.95% hike in council tax and increased service charges.
'Drastic action'
Up to 400 Powys workers are also likely lose their jobs as the local authority aims to save £40m by April 2017.Up to 400 Powys workers are also likely lose their jobs as the local authority aims to save £40m by April 2017.
Last week the council's cabinet decided back a plan to halve the £93,580 grant to the county's CAB in the next financial before cutting all financial support the years after. Other savings proposed by the council include:
Powys CAB chairman Chris Mann urged councillors to "think long and hard before ratifying this drastic action".
He added that the funding cut would be a "death sentence" for the "unrivalled service to the most vulnerable people in remotest parts of Wales".
"If they go ahead these people will have no comparable service and their lives and those of their families will suffer greatly as a result," he said.
'The wider economy of Powys will also lose the £2.2m which the CAB generated for clients in secured welfare benefit income last year alone."
Far reaching cuts
Other proposals include:
Powys council leader Barry Thomas said: "We have to balance the needs of providing statutory services such as education and social care, alongside those that are socially desirable, while taking into account the county's ability to pay.
"This year we are recommending a council tax increase of 3.95% the minimum we felt was acceptable and will add £38 a year to an average Band D property."