Cllr claims Powys promised to replace Salop Road pitches

A Powys County Councillor has claimed that he was in a meeting when the regional authority said it would provide alternative sports pitches for the ones lost on Salop Road to the new primary school development.

The long running saga appears to have reached a brick wall, with a community group hoping that support can be garnered for a year-round 3G pitch for multiple sport activity to go someway to compensating for what was taken away.

But at the latest Town Council meeting, Cllr Phil Pritchard, who also represents the town on Powys County Council (PCC), laid the responsibility for providing new facilities at the door of the latter.

“I was at the meeting where they (PCC) promised to replace three football pitches for this town, in this town,” he said.

“I was one of the people that said ‘where the hell are you going to find them?’ because there isn’t three football pitches of space on a flat level surface.

“I’ve been knocking that door for three years now, and I welcome the Town Council to come in and take it over because, quite honestly, it needs rattling the cage.

“And can you tell me how Llanidloes had a brand new 3G pitch in the last 12 months funded by grants that came through Powys County Council? I rest my case.”

Cllr Pritchard was responding to a request to the Town Council from the 3G community group led by former Welshpool High School Headteacher, Paul Coackley, to apply to the recently announced Community Renewal Fund released by the UK Government to support projects that help the country’s Covid recovery.

Former Mayor, Cllr Steve Kay, was also scathing of the regional authority saying this latest Fund was “a farce” and that “they (PCC) promised us that they will provide a football field”. He urged his fellow councillors to start lobbying the county council over the issue by telling them to “pull your finger out because you promised us this”.

Mr Coackley has asked the town council to apply for funding for the proposed 3G facility which would be built on their existing rugby pitch at Maesydre.

However, the council felt the project would not meet the scheme’s criteria so have asked their Services Committee to discuss further, and possible other projects to be considered, at their meeting this week.

It was also revealed during the meeting that Welshpool Town Council did not attend an online presentation that was made by PCC to explain the benefits of the Community Renewal Fund and the best way to apply for funding.