​Regarding the purchase of Gilestone Farm by the Welsh Government and the Council's interaction as a stakeholder:
Here is a collated list of all the questions that have been submitted by the Council requesting more information about the potential lease, the potential traffic and infrastructure problems, the potential affect on the environment and residents and how the economy might benefit from the proposal.

Planning and Environmental Questions for Gilestone Farm

1. At the November meeting, we were informed the WG would be meeting with Powys and BBNPA the following week. Were the concerns of the council raised at the meeting? How were they addressed and responded to? Can we have a representative of the council as a stakeholder in future discussions to satisfy the ‘need to be heard’? 
2. You stated you would be pursuing your due diligence for the environment.  have you been refered to the planning ecologist at BBNPA? Will a CEMP and bat survey be required? Will an EPS license be required?
3. What implementation will be undertaken to prevent further phosphate pollution in the river? 
4. Is the welsh government required to undergo all these environmental processes? Will Cwningar be required to as lessees?
5. Have you consulted with NRW about the SSSI/SAC river and protected species on the farm? Flood risk? Water management? Is the welsh government required to? Will Cwningar be required to as lessees?
6. Have you consulted with cadw about the listed monument and building on the farm? Is the welsh government required to? Will Cwningar be required to as lessees?

 
Community Questions for Gilestone Farm
1. There have been statements in the press by our local MP, Fay Jones, announcing ‘that the concerns of local residents have been dismissed in this whole initiative’. Have you been contacted by her or her office requesting a meeting to hear residents concerns?
2. As we have had extremely limited information of what is planned, making any affect on the Talybont community speculative, do you feel that residents concerns have been heard?
3.  How many letters have you received and responded to from our community?
3. When will a meeting be arranged with the community? If not, why?
4. When will a communications strategy be implemented? 
 
Infrastructure Questions for Gilestone Farm

1. One of the major concerns of the community has been traffic, parking and the pressure events of 1-3000 will put on the infrastructure of the area. at our only meeting with Fiona, when this issue was one of the first raised, she spoke of shuttle busses and traffic management to alleviate stress on an already busy minor road system. Has this been explored in greater detail? if so what plans are being considered? How will it affect our community?
2. At our meeting with the WG in november, a question was raised about their large financial investment in the farm and cwningar and if they would equally invest in improving infrastructure in the surrounding village to alleviate potential problems that may encounter from a burgeoning influx of tourists. The question was passed to Haydn (the senior manager of business solution, economy, science and transport) to pursue. Has this been further explored? What possible mitigation has been identified? is it an option? if this has not been pursued, then why? Will it be explored in the future? Any benefits of potential growth to the economy should be met with careful consideration for those who may be affected.

 
Business Questions for Gilestone Farm

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? 
3. When will benefits be realised and by whom? 
4. How will the benefits of the investment by WG be tracked and measured? 
5. How will adverse impacts be mitigated and managed through the investment programme? 
6. What are the governance arrangements for the management of public money at Gilestone Farm, and to protect the asset, environment and our community? 
7. Is the WG willing to share the Risk Register in respect of this?
8. When will WG be sharing the Communications Plan?
9. What is defined within the Target Operating Model? 
10. What does the future look like, how is it defined and how is success measured? 
11. According to a pronouncement by the government concerning GMF, “… is a  major employer in mid-Wales making a significant contribution to the local economy”. The evidence for the companies servicing the 2022 Festival was obtained by observation on the Glanusk site and is listed attached. With the exception of the taxi service  all the companies are based outside Wales. Of the 53 caterers, only 15 were from Wales.   what can be done to ensure the money from this ‘investment’ is actually staying in wales?

Lease Questions for Gilestone Farm

1. Will Cwningar Ltd be sub-letting/leasing/renting Gilestone Farm to the Fiona Stewart’s Greenman companies? 
2. If Cwningar Ltd are leasing Gilestone Farm to the Greenman companies what will happen to this lease if the Greenman companies are sold?  
3. Will the lease be terminated as the whole reason for purchasing Gilestone Farm was to secure a permanent site for Greenman and not a festival site for Cwningar Ltd?
4. Could you confirm that Gilestone Farm will not ever be used as an extension to the Green Man Festival as stated by Mr Mark Isherwood MS in his audit of The Welsh Government’s Purchase of Gilestone Farm

‘the property acquisition was being progressed to support future expansion of the Green Man Festival.. because the current festival is constrained by the lack of available land to accommodate the number of visitors that could be attracted to the event. In our view, these statements suggested that increasing the festival’s visitor capacity was the primary objective’

1. Will there be a clause in the lease which guarantees that there will be no more than three events a year and it will be capped at no more than 3000 per event as has been previously stated by WG and Fiona Stewart?

 
 

​Yesterday, we received a call from the Welsh Government asking about the stress the council has been placed under. They are aware of the numerous council resignations, FB posts, FOI requests, internal and external division that has occurred in our community since the Gilestone purchase was announced.
Our next joint meeting will be scheduled shortly after our AGM midmonth. We will be developing an essential Communications Strategy so that we can be fully informed on all issues related to the farm.
We will continue to share all of this information with you as it is disclosed.
Open and honest communication is the bedrock for a healthy community.

​BRIDGE UPDATE;
the canal repairs are now complete. alas, the roadworks will not commence until next week. we’ll keep you posted.

We have been made aware of an email that has gone out questioning the viability and integrity of Talybont-on-Usk Community Council. There has been reasonable concern about a large number of resignations on the the council and the effect it may have on the community.
We can assure you that your council is quorate, informed on all legal and electoral matters and moving forward with purpose. We have been regularly in touch with the Senior Election Officer for Powys and also the Scrutiny Manager and Head of Democratic Services at Powys as well as the Monitoring Officer. We are always in communication with, and a member of, One Voice Wales, the national representative for community councils in Wales. These experts in council governance have been both advisory in future steps and encouraging in what we have already done.
At the last council meeting we passed many proposals to make the council compliant with statutory requirements that had not been put into place as well as those for better community engagement.
These include:
• A requisite training plan for all councillors for ‘Code of Conduct’ and ‘Councillor Induction’
• A policy for all emails to be replied to promptly and cc’d to the Clerk
• Organising a community forum to heal community division
• Establishing a Talybont-on-Usk Biodiversity plan with members of the community.
• An annual report to be posted on the website
• A policy to notify the public as all information is disclosed regarding Gilestone et al.
• A policy to keep the public up-to-date with local information through social media
• Posting a policy for complaints and FOI requests on our website
• Posting a policy for The Wellbeing of Future Generations Acto on our website
Our Annual Meeting is scheduled for May 15th when a new chair (and vice) will be elected, new councillors will be coopted and committee appointments will be made. A new council will be formed as it is every year. We will continue to be intent on serving the public.

 Just an update to say that we are currently planning the works required and hope to have all the RAMS, permits etc in place to be able to carry out repairs on Friday. To do this the team will mobilise tomorrow and start dewatering (lowering water level) from tomorrow afternoon.
Contact has been made with Highways and we will endeavour to work with them to ensure they can re-open the road as soon as possible.

On 17 September, the Welsh Government will introduce a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales. Restricted roads are generally those where streetlights are placed no more than 200 yards apart and are usually located in residential and built-up areas with high pedestrian activity.

The move will see Wales become the first UK nation to introduce a lower speed limit following in the footsteps of European countries, such as Spain, where 30km/h (18.5mph) is already in place.

Evidence shows reducing the default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph on these roads, will see a number of benefits including a reduction in road collisions and serious injury, more people walking and cycling and improvements to health and wellbeing.

In preparation for the changes the council will be working to remove some of the existing speed limit markings, or roundels, on the county's roads. Changes to signage will also be programmed, ready for the 17 September start date. Replacement roundels and other signage changes will continue to be introduced after the implementation date.

"The Welsh Government have taken a bold move to implement the new 20mph default speed limit across the country," explains Cllr Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys, "but the benefits we can hope to see around slower driving speeds, improved safety and increased levels of cycling and walking, will go a long way to out-way and reluctance for change.

"Findings from other 20mph implementations in the UK and the trials here in Wales, show that even small reductions in average traffic speeds where people live and work can result in substantial reductions in collisions and serious injury, helping to make communities safer.

"The new 20mph speed limit will also complement our increasing network of active travel routes across the county, where we encourage people to make short, local journeys on foot or bicycle, rather than the car. It is especially hoped that more Powys families will confidently choose to walk or cycle to and from school, knowing the roads will be safer.

"Although still some months away, September will soon be here, so work to prepare for the change will begin in earnest across the county as soon as possible to make sure we are ready for 20!"

Further details of the upcoming default 20mph speed limit and which roads will be changing will be available soon.

The canal bridge is closed in both directions in Talybont- on-Usk. Please do NOT move the signs and bollards to drive across. It is dangerous! Foot and bicycle traffic is fine, which is why the bridge is still down. There is a leak from the canal and a risk of further collapse from automobile traffic. To access Aber, the reservoir and beyond, use the Cross Oak Road.
The Canal and River Trust is monitoring the situation twice a day. We met with them this morning. A crew will be out on Tuesday for a full assessment.
Powys CC has already been alerted.

Old or young, Big or small, Woman or man (or other).
Be a councillor. Be the change.
Another casual vacancy for cooption has arisen on the Community Council.
Details are available on our website. www.talybont.org

​The council will receive official minutes from the WG by April 27th, documenting the meeting with Fiona Stewart and key stakeholders in regards to Gilestone Farm. We will publish them immediately. We will also be sharing the questions that have been put forth by your Council to the WG throughout the past year.
In the meantime here are notes that were taken at the meeting by Chairman S. Baldwin and Cllr. Cartwright.
• A meeting was held at Theatr Bycheiniog on Friday March 17th to update on Gilestone Farm. The meeting was called by the Welsh Government and was attended by officials and elected representatives from Powys County Council including local County Councillor Anita Cartwright, Simon Baldwin as Chair of Talybont-on-Usk Community Council, and the CEO and Vice Chair of the Brecon Beacons National Parks Authority.
• The objectives of the proposal were stated as responding to the critical risks facing Powys today, being the environmental crisis and particularly a significantly ageing population. They aim to reverse the social decline and contribute to a Rural Creative Cluster, of small businesses. This responds specifically to Welsh Government objectives as laid out in the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. Also to the Brecon Beacons National Parks key objective to ‘let nature and communities thrive’
• The meeting was the beginning of the consultation process. The Community Council will remain as a statutory consultee alongside the National Park, Powys County Council and NRW, for both licensing and planning as the project develops. This will involve a chance to feedback on specific details relating to each aspect of the scheme.
• The environmental impact will be properly assessed and managed. Details on environmental procedures will be forthcoming at a later stage. It was noted that the Green Man team have experience of sensitively managing activity on a SSSI and SAC. Welsh Government have a statutory obligation to ensure adequate protections.
• Proposals are based around enhancing the activity that already occurs on-site and visitor numbers are not expected to increase significantly from those reported by the current tenant. No new buildings are proposed.
• This involves;
1. A Creative Hub of small businesses: The businesses on-site are invited to stay, these include a marquee business, market garden, an electrician, woodworkers and training providers. Other similar businesses will be invited to fill vacant buildings and benefit from the connection to the Green Man brand. A brewery, bakery and baking school are proposed. Apprenticeships, training and jobs are expected to be created.
2. A permanent base for the Green Man Trust, the charitable arm of Green Man: This has supported 10,000 people to date from offering opportunities for young people to access training and skills to supporting local community groups, including those affected by recent flooding of the Usk.
3. Farming. To improve on existing farming activity as part of the sustainable farming scheme. This includes a move towards regenerative farming with the objective of reducing phosphates and increasing biodiversity. For example, via no-plough meadows on the floodplain.
4. Tourism. Also developing on what is already on site in terms of glamping accommodation, to create a green eco-retreat.
5. Live experience events which are ‘family friendly and based around wellbeing, science and the Arts.’ For example, partnerships with Universities to provide interactive science engagement workshops. A garden festival, talks and yoga were also mentioned. Events will be carbon neutral and powered entirely by alternative energy. Noise will be carefully managed so that outside the site it is quieter than a tractor (under 90 decibels). This will be monitored by noise level readers around the perimeter. A traffic management plan will be provided as part of the licensing process, which the Community Council will have the opportunity to scrutinise as a statutory consultee. Visitors can be managed so they do not enter the village, should the community request this. It is expected for only one weekend event to occur in 2024. This will be small in nature so that the specificities of the site and mitigation of risks can be fully understood. There are no plans to offer festivals similar to the Green Man, which will remain at Glanusk.
• All parties present including Welsh Government, the Green Man team, Powys County Council and the National Park are committed to supporting the village, given it is already a honeypot tourist destination within Wales, Powys and the National Park. It was suggested that their representatives join the community in developing a Destination Plan for the Village. For example, to look at improving local facilities and infrastructure, including investigating funding opportunities.
• All parties are equally keen to listen to the view of the Community. A roadshow style event was suggested, where residents can see the ideas presented on boards and speak to representatives of the key stakeholders. Would the Community Council like to take this offer forward?