Local sexual assault referral centre renovated

Newtown’s sexual assault referral centre has been renovated as part of work to improve support for victims across the Dyfed-Powys Police area.

The upgrade, completed in April, is among the few Newtown-specific developments contained in Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn’s Annual Report for 2025–26.

The report has been published as households face another substantial rise in the amount they pay towards policing.

The charge for an average Band D property has increased by 7.47%, from £360.68 to £387.63 a year- an extra £26.95. The force’s overall budget requirement has risen from £156.31 million to £165.09 million.

Council tax will provide £93.03 million of that budget, compared with £86.37 million in 2025–26.

The report says the additional money will help maintain officer numbers, strengthen neighbourhood policing and fund work involving rural crime, road safety and safeguarding.

However, it does not provide a county-level breakdown showing how much of the money will be spent in Powys or how many officers will be allocated to the Newtown area.

It also contains no detailed comparison of recorded crime, emergency response times, charge rates, victim satisfaction or public confidence against the previous year.

Instead, much of the report records activities undertaken, services funded and the number of people reached.

Mr Llywelyn said: “This report sets out how my office and I have worked over the last year to deliver on our shared priorities with communities across Dyfed-Powys.

“It highlights some of the progress we’ve made, as well as the challenges we face in ensuring that policing remains visible, effective and accountable.”

The report says the renovated Newtown Sexual Assault Referral Centre will improve the environment and support available to victims and survivors of sexual violence.

A separate hub opened in Aberystwyth in October 2025, offering forensic medical services, counselling and advocacy. The services are jointly funded by the commissioner’s office, health partners and policing.

Across Dyfed-Powys, the commissioner reports that services engaged with or supported 5,838 victims and 2,684 offenders during the year.

A child-focused court service received 263 referrals. Contact was made with 96% of those referred, and 84% of those contacted agreed to a specialist assessment and court report.

Fourteen school police officers carried out 2,814 engagements in 328 educational settings between September 2025 and April 2026. The report says these reached an audience of 60,193 children and young people.

Officers also dealt with 593 school-related incidents, led 82 restorative justice sessions and submitted 96 Public Protection Notices.

Changes to the way drug possession offences are handled increased opportunities for diversion and treatment by 55%, according to the report. The commissioner says this released the equivalent of 180 policing days and contributed to a 15% rise in charge rates for drug trafficking.

Almost £1 million—£996,293—was secured from the Home Office for additional patrols in areas identified as anti-social behaviour hotspots.

The report says the first year of earlier hotspot work delivered more than 12,000 patrol hours and was accompanied by a 40% reduction in reported anti-social behaviour. It does not identify the areas covered or provide figures specifically for Newtown or Powys.

Scrutiny volunteers made 52 unannounced custody visits during 2025–26, while the Custody Independent Scrutiny Panel has examined 182 custody records since March 2024.

The report acknowledges that an inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate found Dyfed-Powys Police needed to strengthen aspects of neighbourhood policing and community engagement. New scrutiny arrangements for problem-oriented policing plans are now being developed in response.

Financial tables show gross force expenditure is budgeted to rise to £190.2 million in 2026–27. Capital spending is expected to increase from £17.56 million to £25.35 million, while estimated reserves are forecast to fall from £17.67 million to £11.67 million.

The commissioner’s office and commissioned services have a combined net budget of £3.47 million.

Mr Llywelyn said the past year had involved investment in prevention, victim services and safer communities, while warning that policing in Wales faces uncertainty under UK Government reform proposals.

Those proposals could replace elected police and crime commissioners with policing and crime boards made up of local government representatives.

The full Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Annual Report 2025–26 can be found at https://www.dyfedpowys-pcc.org.uk/media/3naeghov/annual-report-2026-en-digidol.pdf