Mayor’s Q&A on the library

Welshpool Town Council has reiterated its stance that it is 100% against the library’s proposed move to the Powysland Museum, and at the latest Full Council meeting this week, Mayor Steve Kaye (pictured from a previous unconnected BBC interview), responded to questions from the campaign group. Here are the unedited answers to those questions.

Q) Is the town council aware of a document which states that the town council has not proposed to the county council that the town council would discuss taking over the Library and/or Museum services?

A) Any meetings held did not give the Town Council the opportunity to take over the services only to seek a financial contribution towards such services.

Q) Has the town council ever considered taking over these services to protect them for Welshpool?

A) The Town Council did put a proposal to Powys County Council on June 6 and a further proposal in September 2018 with regards the Library and the Museum Services. The County Council has made it clear that they do not wish to pass over such services of the Library or Museum to the Town Council.

In July this year the Town Council met with Powys County Council when a plan was issued with the current proposals in it. The paper stated ‘the library will be moving in with the museum’. The Town Council issued a counter proposal which prompted an email to say that Powys was not looking for a counter proposal but just observations.

Q) Has the town council seen County Councillor Phyl Davies’ comment on the county council having no confidence that Welshpool Town Council could deliver these services?

A) Any views Cllr Phyl Davies holds are for him. I am not sure that the way it is being read is what was meant. The concern was whether the Town Council could keep the Museum accreditation for the Museum, a fair to question to ask. Welshpool Town Council has proved it is more than capable of running services. The evidence is there with the takeover of the Day Centre, Tourist Information Centre, Toilets and Street Scene Services.

The Town Council is still very interested in working with the County Council to do the best for Welshpool but will for now wait until the results of the consultation and to see what is proposed following that.

Welshpool Town Council is fully supportive of the actions of the Town Clerk and contrary to media reports has the backing of this Council.  We would suggest that protesting to the Town Council will have limited effect as the services are those of Powys County Council. We suggest that you need to target your message to them.