Town councillors to discuss BID situation

Newtown's town councillors will discuss the recent issues over plans for the town's Business Investment District at a meeting next week.

A new steering group has been set up to oversee the plans for the project which saw its consultants resign earlier this month over social media comments.

The town council's Strategy and Corporate Projects Committee already had the BID as an agenda item for its meeting on 2 January. However, the latest developments will now be discussed as the town council will have a financial input into it, along with Powys County Council.

Powys county councillor Mark Barnes, who also leads Revive and Thrive, the company that won the contract to take the Newtown BID forward, claimed he had been targeted in a social media campaign over the plans by a group against the BID.

His company is still taking forward a similar project in Brecon where traders have voted to launch a BID in the town.

A vote in Newtown had been due to take place in January. That is unlikely to happen until the summer once new consultants have been appointed.

The Mayor of Newtown, Cllr David Selby, is due to give a verbal update to town councillors.