Cost of policing Hay on Wye Festival 630/2026

FOI Reference: 630/2026

Request:

1. The total costs for policing the Hay Festival in 2025 (May 22 to June 1, 2025) and 2026 (May 21 to May 31, 2026), respectively. This should include costs related to additional police presence, overtime, and any other expenditure directly associated with the event and policing the town during this time, excluding routine policing costs that would have been incurred regardless of the festival.
2. The amount, if any, contributed by Hay Festival Foundation Ltd towards the costs of policing the Hay Festival in 2025 and 2026, whether paid directly to the force or via any other arrangement. If no formal contribution was made, please confirm that in writing.
3. The precise contribution in monetary terms that closing and selling Hay on Wye Police Station was anticipated to have as part of the "£10m savings plan spanning three years" referenced in the announcement, published 27/02/2025 on the Dyfed-Powys Police website, that the station would be closed. If no specific figure was assigned to this station individually, please state what figure or estimate, if any, was used to inform the decision to close it, and if none existed, please confirm that in writing.

Response 1:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

2025 – £30,000

2026 – unknown as not all overtime has been claimed/paid yet

Response 2:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

2025 - £2,080.75

2026 - £2,668.64

Response 3:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

Estimated Capital Receipt £125,000

Revenue Cost/Saving per annum £14,000

Future Capital Cost Avoidance £0

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 14/07/2026)