Huge project to bring Town Hall ‘into the 21st Century’

A massive project that will eventually bring Welshpool Town Hall “into the 21^st Century” has been launched after £50,000 was secured to start a public consultation and to draw up architect’s plans for the building’s future.

The Town Council secured the UK Shared Prosperity Fund money through a fundraising consultant that they are working with, and have released two tenders, one to carry out a full structural survey and develop a fully costed design working closely with the other contractor who will undertake stakeholder consultation and develop a business plan for the future of the building.

The news was revealed at last week’s Strategy, Policy and Development Committee meeting when Cllr Richard Church declared it was “very good and important news for the town”.

“It is the biggest step forward yet in getting this building improved and brought into the 21^st century. At the moment the building is terribly underused,” said Cllr Church, who is also a county councillor.

The Town Hall has come under close scrutiny over the past year with the cost of living crisis highlighting just how much Welshpool tax payer cash the building is haemorrhaging.

But councillors are confident that a major project will transform the building and make it fit for modern-day use.

“Hopefully we can start to enjoy the benefits of the Town Hall without many of the costs we currently face,” said Cllr David France. 

But deadlines are tight for contractors with a selection committee hoping to report back with preferred companies by the end of the month for work to commence in August. The Town Council wants this initial phase done and dusted by the end of the year.

In a statement following the meeting, Cllr Nick Howells, the Town Mayor, said: “This project has taken several years of hard work to bring to this stage, and the award of this funding is a huge step forward.

“The fact that Welshpool Town Council had the foresight to allocate money to contract a professional fundraising consultancy, that has already brought in far more than they have earned, demonstrates the strategic way that the Council is working.

“This stage of the work towards creating a public building in which we can all be proud, and one that is fit for the future will be completed by Christmas. So, please make sure that you respond to the calls for your input.”

Stakeholder Consultation will include Welshpool residents, businesses and the wider communities and villages in north Montgomeryshire, as well as public bodies such as Powys Teaching Health Board, Powys County Council, and existing user groups.

“We are fortunate in being custodians of such a large and notable public building, which confers on us the responsibility of stewardship,” the Mayor added.

“We must ensure that Welshpool Town Hall, as probably one of the largest public buildings in Montgomeryshire fulfils the needs of the wider community and part of that is achieving a sympathetic renovation that is as sustainable as we can make it.”