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I got a letter from Roger Williams, MP, today. I wrote to him, along with many others, about the development proposals for the school site. As a result of the letters, he requested a public meeting with Powys County Council. Mr Patterson, Chief Executive of the Council, has now replied to say there will be a public meeting (date still to be decided).
Here's his full answer to Roger Williams, which was included with my letter.

"Hay on Wye - Development Proposals

Thank you for your email concerning the above. I confirm that the Cabinet has not yet signed an Options Agreement in relation to the development of a new school in Hay. The Cabinet has agreed that a Stakeholder Meeting consisting of a range of representatives from the Community would be helpful in formalising views on the way forward. Such a meeting will allow a full explanation of a project to be provided with opportunities for questions and comments to be made. It is proposed to hold such a meeting during December/January and a date will be identified shortly. The Cabinet has agreed such a meeting will take place prior to any decision being taken in respect of an Options Agreement.
As has already been widely acknowledged an Options Agreement would in effect be a Statement of Intent subject to a range of other issues being resolved, not least of all a Planning Application. As such an application would be handled by the Brecon Beacons National Park, this will allow further detailed scrutiny of the project by a wide range of Stakeholders. Given that this exercise would be undertaken by the National Park and not the Council's own Planning Department, it is considered this would be an extremely robust mechanism for testing any development proposals."

A couple of things strike me from this email. The first is that the meeting proposed is a "Stakeholders meeting", not a public meeting. I know that various local groups, including the Fairtrade group, have been asked if they wish to be Stakeholders - but surely every parent in Hay should be considered to be a stakeholder. And an explanation of the project with opportunities for questions and comments doesn't seem to leave much room for alternative plans to be put forward or considered.
The second thought is that any planning department can only consider the plan in front of them, and not whether that plan should ever have been presented to them in the first place, nor whether there might be a better plan.

I also got the B&R this morning, and two stories caught my eye. On the front page is the headline "£78 million for schools". It seems that Powys County Council will be getting £78 million from the Welsh Assembly towards new school building projects. Okay, it will be spread across seven years, and needs to be match funded with savings and borrowing on the part of the Council - but if this amount of money is available, why do we need a deal with a supermarket - or a developer - at all?

The second story concerns Mid Wales Hospital in Talgarth, which has been bought by a man from Pontrilas called Phil Collins. The paper says he has forty years experience in the building industry. He wants to build affordable homes and retirement homes on the site - so here is someone in the industry who thinks that it is feasible to build houses rather than "retail developments". He also wants to build a 60 bed care home. Since the plans for the new school site in Hay also include a 60 - 80 bed care home, just how many care homes do we need locally?
Mr Collins, unlike Powys County Council, seems to have kept local people informed of what he's doing, with an exhibition and talks with local people, before he is ready to submit the planning application to the National Park.