Councillors to get £5k to fight anti-poverty

Each county councillor in Newtown will receive £5,000 to spend on anti-poverty projects in their ward.

Powys County Council’s 68 councillors will receive the grant.

At a meeting of the Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet next Tuesday, senior councillors will receive a report on the proposal to establish an “Anti-Poverty Locality Fund” at the council.

The  £340,000 comes from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.

The report said: “Poverty and the cost-of-living crisis are identified as a key challenge faced by Mid Wales.

“The fund has the potential to play a part in reducing poverty in the county, across a range of small-scale projects.

“The fund is directly aimed at combating poverty within Powys, at a locality level and will support projects to increase the sustainability and resilience of the communities in Powys.”

The report explains that the  Joseph Rowntree Foundation has identified a number of interventions that are “most effective” in reducing poverty.

The report said: “The fund, in particular, will support the promotion of local economic growth, improvement of skills, support for families and children and community engagement.”

Councillors will have six months to spend the money, they could work together with neighbouring councillors and pool their finding for a one project.

They will also be encouraged to work with their local town or community council on projects.

The report said: “The proposals takes advantage of the unique links and understanding that councillors have with their communities to identify the most effective local interventions to be made with the fund.

“This fund has been established to empower local communities and
provide targeted support where it is most needed.”

The proposal will be put forward for a vote by the cabinet member for a more prosperous Powys, Liberal Democrat Cllr David Selby.

Projects that could be helped include:

Community support for the elderly.
School uniform swap shop.
Meal provision.
Support for mother and baby groups.
After school clubs.
Community trips and exercise clubs.
Volunteer recruitment and development.
Community garden schemes

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service