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Fay Jones: Brecon and Radnorshire MP's office security fears

Fay Jones Fay Jones's Llandrindod Wells officeFay Jones
Fay Jones was advised by Parliament officials to improve security by replacing wooden frames at the front of her office

An MP advised to make her constituency office safer has had renovation plans rejected again on conservation grounds.

Brecon and Radnorshire Conservative Fay Jones, who said she has had threats of death and violence, wants to replace a "rotting wooden door and window frame" at her Llandrindod Wells office.

But a planning inspector said plastic frames would damage the appearance of the conservation area.

She said she was committed to finding a solution to "keep my team and I safe".

Ms Jones said she had been advised by Parliament's security and policing teams to improve security by installing plastic UPVC frames.

She won part of her appeal against the rejection by Powys council planners of retrospective permission to change her office from retail to office use

But she lost the other part of the appeal, on the plastic frames. The office on Temple Street is in a protected part of the town where frames are predominantly wooden.

Despite the proposed plastic frames being similarly coloured, planning inspector Clive Sproule agreed with the council's concern they would damage the look of the area.

Brecon and Radnorshire Conservative MP Fay Jones
Fay Jones says she may have to close her office and let staff work from home if it cannot be made safe

He said he had considered the need to protect politicians and their staff, as well as the advice from Parliament.

"However, there is no tangible information to indicate that other less damaging security options have been properly explored," Mr Sproule said.

"Neither is there any cogent evidence that timber replacement frames would provide significantly less security than UPVC," he added.

Ms Jones said: "I was advised to put these security measures in place by Parliament's security and policing teams.

"After a number of threats of violence, including a death threat in recent weeks, I remain committed to finding a solution which will keep my team and I safe.

"I very much enjoy having my office in Llandrindod Wells, in the middle of a thriving town where constituents are free to pop in any time.

"I would hate to close my office and force my staff to work from home because we are unable to find the right security measures."