Council to hold talks with neighbours over Powys residents' access to tips

Talks are taking place with neighbouring local authorities over strict rules that stop Powys residents using their nearest waste and recycling facility that could be over the county border.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet on Tuesday, December 18 senior councillors received a new draft five year plan to deal with waste and recycling up to 2030, which the council call the “sustainable resource strategy”.

When the draft strategy was discussed by councillors at a scrutiny committee earlier this month the distance some residents have to travel to use the council’s five waste and recycling facilities was highlighted as a major concern.

Powys residents who live along the borders of the county would find it easier to use these facilities in neighbouring counties but are unable to do so as their use is restricted to locals.

Cabinet member for education, Liberal Democrat Cllr Pete Roberts said: “We know that Shropshire (Council) have just introduced a booking system that limits the sites to Shropshire residents, and we have anecdotal evidence that people have been turned away.

“We hear from councillors in the Crickhowell area that Abergavenny is closer to them for recycling than Brecon.”

He asked what work was being done with other local authorities, the Welsh Government, and the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) to “actually make it easier” for people to use cross border recycling facilities.

Cllr Roberts added that a deal had been done with Neath Port Talbot Borough Council to allow its residents to use the Lower Cwmtwrch Waste and Recycling Centre near Ystradgynlais

Senior waste and recycling manager Ashley Collins said: “We are having discussions with our neighbours we have spoken to Monmouthshire, and we are going to be meeting with Shropshire.

“Neath Port Talbot closed their nearest site so that they could combine with us – both authorities made a small saving.”

He explained that “reciprocal” arrangements of people using neighbouring authorities recycling facilities worked very well when closeby.

The problem with making a deal with Monmouthshire council to allow residents in the southeast of Powys to use the Waste and Recycling Centre at Llanfoist near Abergavenny is that Powys’s nearest facility is miles away Monmouthshire.

Which means Powys would have to pay Monmouthshire to allow residenst to cross the border and use their facility.

Mr Collins said: “Shropshire put in their permit system to keep out people from neighbouring authorities because the idea is why should they pay for people who are not paying Council Tax to them.

“I appreciate it’s very frustrating, but it is a case of the finance.

“Budgets are too tight to pay for people to use neighbouring sites.”

Cabinet member for Future Generations Labour’s Cllr Sandra Davies said: “I do vouch that site is working well as that site is in my ward in Cwmtwrch and I know the people of Neath Port Talbot do really appreciate it.

“Cwmtwrch borders two local authorities not just one as the top of the village is in Carmarthenshire.

“Introducing a booking service might be something to consider as people do travel from Carmarthen to Cwmtwrch.”

Councillors unanimously voted to start the  three month engagement process with Powys residents which is expected to start on January 10.

Following comments from the public an updated draft strategy would be put in front of senior councillors for a decision sometime 2025.