'Watch this space' on North Powys Wellbeing Hub

County Councillor Sian Cox has told a town council meeting to 'watch this space' on the North Powys Wellbeing Programme - with fears that it might be scrapped.

Cllr Cox, the Cabinet Member for Caring Powys made the remark during a Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council meeting whilst answering questions from town councillors.

In response to a question from Cllr Jack Griffin Lewis about the future of the day centre, which forms part of the current North Powys Wellbeing Programme preferred site, Councillor Cox said:

“We don’t know for sure what is happening with [the North Powys Wellbeing Programme]."

"It’s a huge capital project and you would have heard of the very dire financial situation of the Welsh Government finds itself in with £900m less in real terms than two years ago.”

“I would be foolish to just take it for granted that the North Powys Wellbeing Project will go ahead”.

"I hope it does."

"I would be very very sad if it does not go ahead."

"We have to watch that space really and wait and see what Welsh Government decide in terms of funding being rolled out."

Powys County Council is working with Powys Teaching Health Board on the Wellbeing Programme, which is supposed to bring health, social care, education, voluntary sector and even housing together in one place.

The cost of the total scheme was estimated to be £122 million last year and will be funded by the Welsh Government.

The hope is that it will be built and open by 2026.

A Powys Teaching Health Board spokesman said:

“It is expected that a business case for the programme will be submitted to the Welsh Government next summer."

“Work remains on schedule.”