​1. We would suggest the Strategic Business Case, Programme Brief or Outline Business Case, Justification and Vision are not corporately sensitive and ask when these may be shared with the Community Council?
2. What are the desired outcomes from the investment at Gilestone Farm, and how will these be realised over 3, 5 and 10 years?  When will benefits be realised and by whom?  How will dis-benefits or adverse impacts be mitigated and managed through the investment programme?
3.  What are the governance arrangements for the management of public money at Gilestone Farm, and to protect the asset, environment and our community?  Will WG be willing to share the Risk Register in respect of this?
4. When will WG be sharing the Communications Plan?
5. How will the benefits of the investment by WG be tracked and measured?
6. What is defined within the Target Operating Model?  What does the future look like, how is it defined and how is success measured?

The above questions all relate to standard management ahead of a Business Case being submitted.  A Business Case would detail funding, costs project detail and management arrangements.  As we don't know what is planned, its difficult to raise specific questions.

Gilestone Farm 
Gerwyn Evans of the Welsh Government has arranged a meeting regarding Gilestone Farm on Friday 17th of March at 11am in Agair, Brecon. This meeting is strictly under invitation and Cllr Simon Baldwin has been invited to represent the Community Council. Other attendees will be Anita Cartwright as our County Councilor, Fiona Stewart from Greenman, and representatives from BBNP and Powys CC. 
Cllr Baldwin requested councilors to forward questions they wish to be raised at the meeting prior to his attendance. 

 
 
 
 
 
 

In a letter to the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee of the Senedd, Mr Crompton noted that the Welsh government had been in discussion with Green Man about potential sites for some time but he said "with more time the Welsh government could have undertaken greater due diligence before making any decision". 
"By buying Gilestone Farm when it did, the Welsh government accepted an avoidable financial risk, albeit one which officials have emphasised to us was, in their view, low and manageable," he says.
"And, in our view, if the Welsh government had concluded its consideration of Green Man's plans before taking any decision about buying or not buying the farm, the Welsh government's external communication of its actions could also then have been clearer."

He notes that the purchase was supported by an independent professional valuation but that "the Welsh government has accepted financial risks that would not have arisen if it had delayed a final purchase decision until after its full consideration of Green Man's plans, and the suitability of Gilestone Farm for intended future uses, had been concluded".
​

The Welsh government said it welcomed the review.
"It is clear from the review that the acquisition of Gilestone Farm followed the appropriate processes, was value for money and is clearly aligned to our economic ambitions," the spokesperson said.
"Due diligence work continues on Green Man's detailed and comprehensive business plan which will conclude in the coming weeks. 
"No final decision on the future of Gilestone Farm will be made until the due diligence process is complete."

Gilestone Farm – 
​Matters arising from the validation of the UVCG survey by Cllr Burdon, Advice from OVW and the notice agreed by all Councillors which was posted on the Community Councils Facebook page and website 
 
The Clerk was asked by the chair to explain the item.
Cllr. Burdon confirmed that the community poll organised  by UVCG was verified by himself.
Following this verification, the clerk received inquiries regarding the independence of the Community Council in relation to this matter.
These inquiries were being made due to the fact the UVCG had stated on their website that the poll had been verified by the Acting Chair of the Community Council, Cllr Burdon. 
 
Cllr. Burdon has explained that the verification was carried out in a personal capacity only and not in his capacity as a member of the council. The Community Council  at no time had given Cllr. Burdon the authority to undertake this action on behalf of the Community  Council. 
Following his explanation, advice was sought from OVW, who advised that a retraction needed to be issued confirming that Cllr Burdon had carried out this verification, not as a member of the council, but in  his own personal capacity as a private individual. 
After this discussion had taken place, Councillor Moorman asked what the council could do to address the fact that  the UVCG had also previously tried to  indicate that they were working with the Community Council. 
In order to clarify the fact that Council is not and has never been working with the UVCG against the Green Man at any point , either in the past or at present, a proposal was put forward seconded and unanimously  agreed,  to issue a public statement that “the Usk Valley Conservation Group keeps making statements that are not true, regarding the Community Council. The Clerk said that the  Community Council had not yet taken a decision concerning its  position relating to the Green Man, as it is still waiting for the business plan to be published and circulated. 
Only following the publication and review of this document by the Council will they  then make an informed decision on their position.
In addition, it was suggested that the statement should indicate that any persons or any organisations currently trying to suggest that they are working with the Council against the Green Man are in fact incorrect.
The  draft statement to be circulated to all Councillors for agreement prior to it being published on the Community Council Website and Facebook page. 
 
The Community Council awaits a date to meet with Welsh Government to discuss the business plan.

Message from Talybont-on-Usk Community Council
With regards to the publication of the results of the UVCG Poll on the UVCG website, where it was reported:- 
“The poll has been verified by the acting head of the Talybont Community Council, Councillor Craig Burdon with review of the process and responses. Councillor Burdon has confirmed the result is an accurate representation of the returns.”
The Community Council wants it made clear that the Community Council has no involvement with the UVCG, and that no Community  Councillor is a member of UVCG.
Councillor Craig Burdon role in verifying the poll was carried out in a personal capacity and as a member of the public. At no time did the Community Council provide him with the authority to undertake this role on its behalf.  
Talybont-on-Usk Community Council was not involved in conducting the poll, however the Community Council will continue to listen to residents' views and represent all residents' perspectives and attitudes, when more details are known, concerning Welsh Governments’  purchase of Gilestone Farm.

The UVCG pole results were published as such:
“Please Note; The poll has been verified by the acting head of the Talybont community council, Councillor Craig Burdon with review of the process and responses. Councillor Burdon has confirmed the results is an acute representation of the returns.”’ 
Subsequently the Council was contacted by the Welsh Government asking is we had changed our position. The media was attempting to interview the Clerk.
​

A survey (without the Clerk, Members of the Survey Working Group and full Council's knowledge) appeared in the mailboxes of residents today. Some residents thought it was a scam/hoax. It was drafted by the UVCG and contained the same question that was asked at the meeting  they hosted on June 2nd: Do you support the staging of large scale (500 or more people) festivals / events at Gilestone Farm?
The following information was included as a preface to the single question.

Community Survey on the Staging of Festivals at Gilestone Farm
organised by The Usk Valley Conservation Group 
The Welsh Government purchased Gilestone Farm for 4.25 million and plans to lease it to Green Man. Currently, Gilestone runs as a farm with holiday accommodation and other businesses on site. Green Man plans to continue with these and to stage large-scale festivals/events. The UVCG is conducting this poll and the community council may be organising another survey looking at other aspects of the proposals when they are published.
The Welsh Government confirmed at its meeting with Talybont Community Council on November 17th that there will be 3 festivals per year, each of up to 3,000 people. They have not been able to provide any assurance that festivals in future years will not be much larger or more frequent than this.
The UVCG is supportive of sustainable agriculture on the farm and other sustainable business activities, particularly if these create local employment opportunities. However, we believe that large-scale festivals/events will be very harmful to the wildlife and environment as well as being disruptive for the community.
We would love to hear your views on large-scale festivals and events at Gilestone farm and invite you to complete the form below and return it to Talybont Post Office by noon on December 9th.

​Gilestone Farm, Report from meeting 17/11/22 with Welsh Government Officials  
 
Councillors discussed the next steps from the meeting of the 17th November 2022 
 
Following questions from the public the  Chair clarified that it was the Community Councils understanding that the Welsh Government would make a decision by Christmas to determine whether it would continue to move ahead  with  Green Man. Should this be the case the Welsh Government will then investigate all issues attached to the business plan. The Chair also confirmed that Charles Weston, the current tenant, holds the commercial lease until October 2023.  
 
It was agreed to contact  the Welsh Government to set a date for its next meeting. 
 
The Community Council has written to the Minister of Economy concerning its plans for the Orchard Walk following the purchase of Gilestone Farm. Response below:-
I can confirm there are no plans under discussion to rescind this informal use of the area. The use of the Orchard Walk was agreed via an informal permission with the previous owner and has been agreed to continue under the Welsh Government ownership of the site.
 

A letter to the First Minister  from a concerned resident is shared with the council with questions about the economic benefit.
Dear First Minister
                     Green Man Festival 2022: Up a Garden Path?
 Living in the Usk Valley for the last 35 years,  I have always been impressed with the Green Man Festival that has been been held on the Glanusk Estate for many of those years. There can be no doubt that, although regarded as a ‘bijou’ festival, it is well-organised and greatly enjoyed by those who attend. According to a pronouncement by your government: “… is a  major employer in mid-Wales making a significant contribution to the local economy”. It is therefore with great disappointment that I feel I must bring to your attention just how few local caterers appeared on the Festival 2022 site. In addition to that, the percentage of performing acts that come from Wales is extraordinarly low. More bands come by international air travel than come from Wales. It  seems that our Government has gone up a garden path,  partly through self-delusion.
       My evidence for the number of caterers that serviced the Green Man Festival 2022 has been obtained from an analysis of the listing in a post-event questionnaire sent to attendees by the Festival organisers. It is attached as Annex A. Only 13 come from Wales.
       My evidence for the home country of performing acts, bands, singers, musicians, authors, comedians, commentators etc results from a trawl through the Green Man Festival 2022 website. The list is attached at Annex B. Of the 153 acts listed, only 18 (11.7%) are listed as coming from Wales. These are outnumbered by the 22 acts from the United States. There is a huge preponderance of acts from England, 82 (53.6%). Strangely, as well as the 22 US acts there are 7 others that probably travelled intercontinently by air to this ‘Green’ Festival.  No mention has been made by the Festival organisers of carbon offsets for decarbonisation in respect of intercontinental air travel. Our Minister for Climate Change is not aware of any (Email exchange TO/JJ/01760/22).
        The evidence for the companies servicing the 2022 Festival was obtained by observation on the Glanusk site and is listed at Annex C, attached. With the exception of the taxi service  all the companies are based outside Wales.
         The evidence of the Annexes is disturbing. The Festival 2022 appears to have only paid lip service to employing Welsh performers and enterprises although the owner has received regular transfusions of cash from Welsh taxpayers.. Our Minister for the Economy, in pandering to the owner of the Festival, has undertaken to secure a permanent home for it in Wales at Gilestone Farm in a arrangement that seems a ‘sweetheart’ deal.  The threat to which he was responding was that the Festival would decamp to elsewhere. Judging by the evidence of the Annexes, it would not be such a terrible blow for the Welsh economy.
         Please give me your assurance that the operations of the Green Man Festival will receive a forensic scrutiny and its exact benefits to the Welsh economy will be ascertained by your officials independently of Green Man Festival’s claims. Any future plans to aid the owner of the Festival in cash or kind must be seen in the light of the truth that emerges.  Our Government must not continue up the garden path.
 Yours sincerely
​

A meeting was held with the Community Council and Survey Working Group to discuss Gilestone Farm matters affecting the Talybont-on-Usk Council Area. A follow-up meeting is anticipated after review of a business plan. Minutes are below.

In Attendance
Cllr. S Baldwin ( Chair),  C Burdon , R. Jones, E.Moorman, and, J Short.
Members of the Community Council Working Group-
Fiona Goodsell, Phil Darbyshire and Alastair Mackeown.
Welsh Government Officals-  Gerwyn Evans, Haydn Fitchet and Dai Baker.
Also, in attendance  Mrs. K Bender (Clerk) 

To consider the exclusion of press and public from the meeting in line with section1 subsection 2 of the Public Bodies Act 1960. 
 
To exclude the press and public from the meeting on the grounds that it is a complex subject with time constraints, resulting in the need to be focused. The Chair asked for a show of hand, all were in favour with the exception of Cllr. Moorman who asked for it to be recorded that she was not in support of the resolution. The resolution was carried.
 
To receive a report from Welsh Government Officials in response to questions put to Welsh Government by the Community Council, concerning the purchase of Gilestone Farm and subsequent lease to the Green Man Organisation.
 
Mr Gerwyn Evans opened with an apology for the length of time it had taken to respond to the Community Council stating he and his colleagues were dealing with a huge amount of correspondence concerned with the purchase of Gilestone Farm.
 
He explained the Welsh Government had been in conversation with Green Man for 4-5 years , the purpose being not to relocate the Green Man Festival but to grow the Green Man Brand. This included a food and drink element along with creative industries.
 
The Welsh Government had received an outline strategic case from Green Man in October 2021.
Due diligence was carried out on the  purchase of Gilestone Farm.
This being an economic development purchase to drive economic growth in Rural Wales and Powys in particular. 
 
Following a question on the price paid for the Farm, it was explained the price had been provided by an independent valuation, the farm had never been put on the open market and the Government did not pay over what it was worth. 
 
It was also stated the Welsh Government would not be allowed to do anything to hurt the ecology or environment of Gilestone Farm or its surrounding areas.
 
A new farm tenancy lease agreement had been put in  place until October 2023 for the farm to continue to be properly managed. 
The tenant is Charles Weston, and the short-term arrangement will be managed by Cooke and Arkwright.
The short-term lease has been agreed on a commercial deal basis.
 
The Welsh Government has the full Business Plan in front of it and is now in a position to bring it to a public meeting. 
 
If the Welsh Government decides to go ahead with the Green Man business plan, only then will the terms of the lease be agreed and will not come into force until September 2023. It is understood the lease will be signed by Cwningar Ltd, a company set up in February 2022 by Fiona Stewart. 
 
Concerning the plans , Gerwyn Evans said there is very little change to the activities that are operating at the moment, with the exception of possibly creating a brewery and bakery, but that will totally depend on obtaining the relevant planning permissions  and licenses. He also said that up to 3 gatherings a year are in the plans with a potential of 1-3 thousand attendees, however it is not about building up another music festival venue, it’s about having an area to develop the Green Man brand.
 
A member of the Community Councils Working Group stated the fundamental issue was the concerns around mass tourism events and the impact on the ecology and environment. The Welsh Government responded they would not allow their decisions to impact on the site in a negative way.
A follow-up question was asked if the farming community wanted to put forward outline alternative  proposals, how would it be received. The response was the Welsh Government would need to complete its discussions with the Green Man before any alternatives would be considered.
 
Another member of the working group stated that not everyone was against the prospect of the Green Man coming to Gilestone, as many people in the village are waiting to see the proposals, coupled with the fact many jobs were lost to local people when Buckland Hall closed, this may be an opportunity for job creation, and believed that it was not all doom and gloom with people  interested in what impact the proposals could make.  
 
A Councillor asked if flood management and the opportunities of tree planting had been considered. The response was the Welsh Government had done so but that it now has more time to look at all issues for any future proposals for the farm.
The Welsh Government will look to secure all existing businesses operating at the farm along with the Community Orchard and will continue to operate as a positive and responsible Landlord.
 
A Councillor  asked about White Labelling,  where others produce the goods which  are then marketed  under the Green Man label and if this would have a positive effect on job creation. The response was the ethos of white labeling would be supported by the Green Man. 
 
Following a question around assess routes, the response was there was no intention to open up alternative access routes. 
A question was asked if the business plan would be available for all to see, the response was that  relevant points in the business plan will be available to relevant organisations.
 
He then went on to explain the timeline going forward. 
During  the next two weeks  the Welsh Government  will formally meet  with BBNP & Powys CC, informal meetings had already taken place with Catherine Meeling- Jones of BBNP and Nigel Brinns of Powys CC.
 
 A decision is anticipated by the Welsh Government before Christmas, to determine if the Green Man opportunity will proceed.  
 
When the meeting takes place with Fiona Stewart of the Green Man, the Welsh Government will be in attendance. This meeting may take the form of a public meeting. 
 
Welsh Government said it was now the time to bring all partners together. The Clerk to liaise with Welsh Government on dates for the next meeting.