THE death of the Queen will be up for debate at a town council’s monthly meeting tonight.
The current Queen, Elizabeth the II, is 93 and is the UK’s longest reigning monarch but plans for how public authorities will respond to her death are in place and codenamed ’Operation London Bridge’.
Brecon Town Council will consider a report on Operation London Bridge, which was first drawn up in the 1960s when the then young mum had only entered her second decade on the throne, when it meets at the Guildhall at 7pm tonight.
The report states Powys County Council will be the local lead authority but Brecon Town Council wants to be prepared to play its part.
It wants advice from the county council on what it needs to do and guidance on its planned response.
The town council intends flying both the Welsh and Union flag at the Guildhall at half-mast until the funeral has been held. The Queen herself was criticised in 1997 as she initially refused to fly the Union flag at Buckingham Palace at half-mast in the days leading up to the funeral of her former daughter-in-law Diana Princess of Wales.
It is also proposed that an area be designed for the public to place flowers while a photograph of the Queen could be placed, by the council, on the Guildhall at the area where is proposed flowers are left.
The report states flowers will be monitored and watered "as required and dead ones removed tactfully."
A book of condolence will be available at the Guildhall "for an appropriate period" and the council will also consider what sort of statement it should make to the press.
At Monday’s meeting Brecon councillors will be asked to agree to take part in Operation London Bridge, request guidance from Powys council to ensure they are working in alignment with its plans and authorise preparation for the proposals outlined.
When the Queen Mother died, in 2002, a book of condolence was opened at the Guildhall.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who is 98, visited Brecon Show, when it was held at Newton Park, in August 1955.