May Council Meeting - Councillors, Crime and a Bench

Congratulations to Trudy Stedman, our new mayor, and to Alan Powell, this year's deputy mayor. Other councillors were decidedly thin on the ground, though. Gareth Ratcliffe attended in the audience, as he has decided to concentrate on being the county councillor for Hay this time. He thinks that he will be better able to fight Hay's corner if he does this.
There are six town councillor vacancies, and adverts will be going out soon to ask people to come forward to fill the places. Another member of the audience on Monday was Richard Greatrex, who has been involved with the fight to save Hay Library as part of HOWLS, and he said that he would be willing to step forward. He commented that the Town Council still has a problem with communicating what they are doing to the general public - maybe more people would be willing to take part if they knew what the Town Council is involved in, and what they have done for Hay! He added that decent photos on the website would be a start - which prompted a story of a recent incident in which Steve Like (40 years a town councillor) and Alan Powell (I think) were reported as being suspicious individuals when they were doing some measuring up on council business - the person reporting them had no idea who they were.
Another idea would be to get younger people involved, such as pupils from Gwernyfed School - they wouldn't have voting rights, but would be able to take part in the debates, and it would give them an idea of what local democracy is all about.

PC Lee was at the table, to give his crime report. He said there had been 119 calls to the police since the last time he was there - two or three involved cannabis, and there were four burglaries including Clyro Garage and tools being stolen from a local farm. He mentioned that any information about drug use locally can be given over the phone anonymously by dialling 101.
There was one case of fraud in which someone pretending to be from BT phoned a lady up, managed to persuade her to let them get into her computer, and got her to send money to Morocco!
Other activity of interest to the police included seven traffic collisions, and kids messing about in Hay Castle and causing some damage at Clyro School. He said it would be a lot better if there was a youth club - he would know where the kids were, and the kids would have something to do instead of hanging around and getting into trouble.
The Town Plan does include plans for a new youth club, and the new owners of the Rose and Crown have apparently offered their back room, with pool table, (not the bar) for youngsters on quiet nights.
One person was also banned from all the local pubs - and has since moved out of the area.
It is also Stop Rogue Traders Week - PC Lee had signs, and there was a photo opportunity! Trudy wore the mayoral chain for the first time to pose with PC Lee, Alan Powell and the signs.
Speedwatch seems to be going well, and is being expanded to Newport Street, Brecon Road and Gypsy Castle Lane.
PC Lee also asked if anyone locally would like to set up a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. He is also available to talk to any local groups which would like to hear him, about scams and how to avoid them.

There is a possibility that BT will deliver a new bench opposite the Cinema Bookshop, and take away the old one which was installed incorrectly when they brought it back after installing the new BT green boxes. Though there was some doubt about whether they would get the job done before Hay Festival. Councillors want to put a brass plaque on the new bench to commemorate Arnold Wesker - they have the plaque, and there were comments about attaching a sign to the existing, far too low, bench if BT don't do the work, which would say "Temporary bench due to BT incompetence". If BT don't come up with the new bench, Hay Castle have said that they have a bench they are willing to give.