Dyfed-Powys Police Strategic Centre Faces £555,576 Bill for New Lighting System

The Dyfed-Powys Police strategic centre at Llangunnor, near Carmarthen, is undergoing a lighting system overhaul projected to cost £555,576. The existing system, installed 15 years ago as part of the centre's £6.4 million construction, is reportedly outdated, with parts no longer available for maintenance.

The new contract, awarded to a construction firm, includes LED lighting, heat-mapping controls for energy conservation, and the replacement of external lights. Police Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn approved the project, asserting that all procedures adhered to established governance frameworks. However, panel vice-chairman Keith Evans expressed unease, describing himself as "a bit disturbed by the cost."

Professor Ian Roffe, the panel chairman, characterised the cost as "strikingly large," noting his previous assessment of the strategic command centre as potentially the best value public building in Wales prior to this expense. The Local Democracy Reporting Service detailed that the contract's financial evaluation considered terms, market access, timely delivery, and increasing material costs.