HUNDREDS of people attended a public meeting to discuss Brecon’s new y Gaer centre - and around 100 more couldn’t even get in the room.

The meeting was called by local councillors concerned at delays to reopening the refurbished museum and new library and the possibility of the building becoming a part of the NPTC College’s Brecon Beacons campus.

All 120 chairs in the large ball room of the Castle of Brecon Hotel were taken and there was standing room only at the back of the room with many others standing at the side.

There was a large queue to enter the 7pm meeting, which ran for an hour and a half on Tuesday evening, and many people couldn’t get into room. Some stood in the hall way and others in the hotel’s grounds and listened at the patio doors that were opened. It was claimed during the meeting around 100 people had left as they couldn’t get in.

During the meeting the council’s head of housing and community development, Nina Davies, who has responsibility for museums and libraries, said it is now planned y Gaer, which was originally due to open in 2018, will open in November or December this year.

But she said the delays that have blighted the project, which also had a projected opening date of March 1 this year, are no longer costing the council or its funding partners more money as a fixed price contract has been agreed.

But she confirmed the total cost has now risen to £14.2 million, with the council having spent £9m. The original cost when the scheme was first proposed was £8m.

Ms Davies said the council is discussing a potential partnership with the NPTC College as it could "secure the future financial stability" of y Gaer and she said the council is currently looking at reducing the opening hours of all its libraries to just 30 hours a week.

When Ms Davies said the NPTC college has "long been a partner" in y Gaer plans there were loud shouts of "no" from the audience but she said there had always been an agreement it would run the centre’s cafe and there would be a shared library space. But she said no agreement has been reached with the college.

Other speakers from arts groups involved in the plans confirmed during the meeting they had been aware of plans for the college to run the cafe but objected to proposals that would see the large Sir John Lloyd Gallery used by the college.

Cllr Rachel Powell, the cabinet member responsible for libraries, said she would like to hear "solutions" from the public as to how y Gaer’s running costs could be met but said linking with the college would encourage younger people to use the centre and in the longer term.

Cllr Phyl Davies, the cabinet member for buildings, claimed the proposals mostly related to the library. He said: "The museum space is largely untouched."

When questioned about plans that have circulated showing which areas would be reallocated to the college Cllr Davies said: "Those are not Powys County Council plans or are they in date."

He was also asked if funding partners, including the National Lottery which has put nearly £3m towards the project could withdraw their funding if the council hasn’t met their conditions. Cllr Davies replied: "We are having discussions to ensure we are as compliant with as many conditions as possible."

But he said without a partner y Gaer wouldn’t be able to open for six or seven days a week as the council had intended.

The meeting also heard from Brecon and Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams who said she would ask questions to ensure the council has met the terms and conditions of grants, including from the Welsh Government.

She echoed concerns raised at the meeting at a lack of transparency.

MP Jane Dodds said asked how the council would improve consultation and transparency and also asked the council to ensure documents can be made available. She said: "It is really important everyone has the same information."

The council’s corporate director for the economy, Nigel Brinn, said he would like to see recognition of the council’s investment in Brecon. He said : "Powys is a quarter of Wales we are spending significantly more in Brecon than any other town in Powys."

Brecon St John councillor Matthew Dorrance, who organised the meeting with his colleague Cllr David Meredith, closed the meeting by calling for people to maintain pressure on the authority. He said: "We are fighting to get Brecon what it was promised, that is a cultural centre."

He said there had appeared to be "a bit of a climbdown" from the council at the meeting.