Last-minute vote sees £1.3m for key bus routes

Powys County Council will provide an extra £1.3m for key bus services, but the last-minute nature of the decision has been criticised.

The money will help connect five hub towns in Wales' biggest local authority area to larger cities, as well as providing longer hours and weekend services.

An extraordinary meeting of council members on Friday agreed to find £1.349m from internal budgets, as the new service needs an extra £2.354m on top of the basic £5.442m set aside.

This was the last possible date to sign paperwork that would allow the seven-year contract to come into force on 1 September and the timing angered opposition councillors.

The services are seen as crucial to help residents in the largely rural area access health, education and other services that are not available in the county.

"It's highly unfortunate and some would say unprofessional that we're having such an important discussion on multimillion-pound contracts at the very last minute," said Plaid Cymru group leader Elwyn Vaughan.

Jackie Charlton, Liberal Democrat cabinet member for highways, transport and recycling, responded: "I think it's been one of the most professional processes I have seen in this authority.

"It's been through the full democratic process, it's been through scrutiny, cabinet and has been out to engagement."

Independents councillor Gareth E Jones believed that funding could result in a 2% increase in council tax.

Liberal Democrat cabinet member for legal and regulatory services Richard Church said: "We should be shouting from the rooftops the fact that we are bringing back Sunday and evening services."

The move was backed by the Labour-Liberal Democrat cabinet last month, and in Friday's vote by 25 councillors, with 21 against, and one abstaining.

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