Row over plans for town’s £13m cultural centre
PEOPLE in Brecon have hit out at plans to share space in a new £13m cultural centre which should have been opened on St David’s Day.
The Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery has been closed for eight years and was due to be reopened in early 2019 as a museum, art gallery and library after the old museum building was given a total revamp.
But rising costs have stalled the official unveiling and residents have accused Powys County Council of holding secret meetings with Neath Port Talbot College to take over part of the new building, including one of the art galleries.
More than 200 people turned out for a heated meeting at the Castle Hotel in Brecon on Tuesday, when senior councillors and officials presented “exciting plans” for a partnership with the college to “strengthen the scope of the facility even before it opens”.
The museum, which will be called ‘Y Gaer’, Welsh for ‘Fort’, was originally planned to be a regional centre of excellence, providing a community resource and a tourist attraction.
But increasing austerity means Powys Council now cannot afford to open the new building for more than 30 hours per week, forcing it to look at other ways to generate income.
In the meeting, chaired by Councillor Matthew Dorrance, residents said this was never agreed in the initial plans and said the original concept would be destroyed by sharing the building with further education students. It could also mean the National Heritage Lottery Fund and the Welsh Government, who provided funding for the project, might ask for their money to be returned.
The council responded to allegations of holding meetings “in secret”, saying they publicly announced they were considering working with the college to extend the scope of the museum in July.
Corporate Director Economy & Environment, Nigel Brinn said: “We are working on plans to make the fantastic new y Gaer facility even better when the doors open in a few months’ time.
“We ask residents to be patient for a little longer, we are confident that y Gaer will be worth the wait. We are exploring exciting partnership opportunities with Brecon Beacons College, part of NPTC Group of Colleges to expand the range of potential opportunities for the community delivered from the building.
“Our aim is to provide an exciting base for history, art, culture and learning for the town and surrounding communities.”
Kirsty Williams AM, Education Minister, said the Welsh Government would want to know whether the council had met the terms and conditions of the £1m grant provided by the Welsh Government.
“If not, the government could ask for their funds to be repaid,” she said.
The Heritage Lottery Fund gave more than £3m to the project, which was originally due to cost £10.4m but costs spiralled to over £13m. Mr Dorrance said he would continue to fight the proposals, saying: “We have waited eight years for our museum. We are expecting what was promised.”