Powys County Council posts £1.2 bn surplus and adopts long‑term growth strategy

Powys County Council announced a £1.222 million (approximately £1.2 bn) budget surplus for the 2025/26 financial year after spending £365.833 million against a £367.055 million budget. The surplus is lower than earlier forecasts but reflects continued underspend, with £12.358 million of the targeted £16 million savings achieved. Council reserves rose to £72.009 million, and the General Fund Reserve increased to £12.255 million.

At the same time, the council’s Cabinet will consider adopting the revised “GROW Powys Economic Strategy 2026‑2040”. The plan aims to foster a stronger, fairer and greener economy through seven priority sectors—advanced manufacturing and engineering, energy, agriculture and rural resilience, defence, AI and cyber, construction and retrofit, and tourism, culture and events. It outlines objectives such as creating better‑paid jobs, attracting investment, and supporting local businesses, with more than 50 accompanying projects to drive growth through 2040.