A site which is home to a family of Romany Gypsies will not be opened up to people outside the family, the council has confirmed.

The Smith family, which has occupied Brecon Gypsy and Traveller site at King’s Meadow since it opened in 2014, voiced their concern in recent weeks that the site would be opened up to strangers despite the site “originally being built just for the Smith family” and its future generations.

However it has now been confirmed that there was a “misunderstanding” between the family and the council as Powys has since confirmed that it was not looking to introduce a new licence agreement to the site.

At a meeting last Thursday, February 3, council representatives along with Brecon county councillor David Meredith met with the family where it was confirmed that site would continue to be allocated for the family.

Also at the meeting on the site was the head of the family, Trevor Smith, who praised their housing officer - Oscar - for his work with the family and to look after the site.

He said: “I’m quite satisfied with the meeting that’s gone on - I don’t actually know what’s really been going on in town or with the farmers and things, but my considerations is the site for my family which has always been for my family - the Smith family - and I’m very pleased with the outcome of the meeting here today because we’ve agreed and the council has also agreed that there’s been no change and there’s never going to be a change.

“We’ve got the local councillor here, our councillor for our area - David Meredith - and I’m very pleased with it. There isn’t much more I can say, things have got to take place here, there are some things that need doing. Every place gets run down in time, so there’s things that have got to take place and be done.

“We’re waiting on the Welsh Government for funding. Things will take place in the summer I think.”

The group agreed there would be a meeting later this month to discuss the ongoing needs at the site - including waste and refuse collection, pest control and issues with some of the properties - to form part of an action plan for the site.

Cllr David Meredith said: “There was a misunderstanding but I’m pleased the officers have resolved the situation with the residents.”

The King’s Meadow site was opened in 2014 after being built for the Smith family, who already resided in Brecon, as well as their future children.

Before moving to King’s Meadow, which is just off the A470 and near the Ffrwdgrech Industrial Estate, the Smiths had been living at a temporary site in Cefn Cantref for six years - before that they had lived in a lay-by near Libanus.

The site was the answer to a 15-year-search for the family and was backed with funds from the Welsh Government.

Since the misunderstanding between Powys County Council and the family, which made the front page of last week’s edition of The Brecon & Radnor Express - Wednesday, February 2 - Powys has reassured that any proposed amendments will be “fully consulted on” and that it was not looking to introduce a new licence agreement as had been previously feared.

A Powys spokesperson said: “Council officers met with Kings Meadow residents and advised them how vacant pitches at the site are allocated in line with the council’s approved Gypsy and Traveller Allocation Policy, which applies to all the council’s Gypsy and Traveller Sites. A key aim of the is policy is to ensure that allocations are made according to the needs of applicants while taking full account of existing family groups so as not to negatively impact the current community cohesion of the relevant site.

“Officers also advised residents that the council was not looking to introduce a new licence agreement. However, they were informed that the council needs to review the terms and conditions of the pitch agreements used across all the council’s gypsy and travellers sites to ensure that they are consistent. Any proposed amendments will be fully consulted on.”