A Powys town council bidding for grants for improved bus facilities and a river project

One of the projects believed to cost about £28,425 would improve bus route infrastructure in the town.

The second project would improve river testing on the Teme and provide a flag system to show if the river is safe for bathers. It would cost about £2,425.

The council will submit expressions of interest for both projects to the Brilliant Basics fund, which would provide 80 per cent grants, leaving them having to find 20 per cent of the cost.

But a third project to place flowers and non-operational gates at the main road entrances to the town providing an attractive entrance and calming drivers down, costing about £14,000, was rejected.

It was turned down on the basis of the cost, although several members liked the idea and were in favour of bringing it back at a later date.

Councillor Tom Taylor told an extraordinary meeting of the council that the bus project would make it easier, safer and more convenient for people to use the buses.

He said the money should be spent on 11 bus stop signs fixed to existing lampposts, two signs with a pole, 13 timetable cases, nine areas of level access boarding, one bus shelter, one electronic real time departure board as at Llandrindod, Newtown and Brecon.

Councillor Taylor said he had asked Powys County Council for cost estimates but they had not replied so the costs are currently guesses. But he said if the costs were almost correct, the project would cost the town council about £6,000.

He said; “We have successfully delivered ‘Spaces for Nature’ in various areas around the town and transformed the most unwelcoming bus station in Wales to (probably) the most attractive bus station in Wales.

“Most of the work would have to be undertaken by Powys Highways, but we could affix the bus stop signs, timetable cases and timetables.”

Councillor Taylor said the river project would ‘draw individuals back to the river once more’.

He said Knighton Woodland Tots would organise weekly river testing by volunteers throughout the summer half of the year to monitor the bacteria and phosphate levels of the river.

A flag system and information board by The Offa’s Dyke tourist centre would then alert people on the recent status of the river health and its safety in respect to river bathing.

Councillor Taylor said it could increase concern about the river’s health, improve community wellbeing and enhance the visitor experience.

The grant money would be spent on an information board, artwork, flags and river testing kits and it would only cost the council £484.

The council agreed to submit expressions of interest for the two projects.