COUNCILLORS in Abermule are set to fight moves to bring black bin waste to the village.

Powys County Council is set to lodge an application with Natural Resources Wales for an Environmental Permit to run the North Powys Bulking Facility, at the edge of the village.

Once it's operational, recycling from all over Montgomeryshire will be brought to Abermule for sorting.

But the licence was discussed at an online meeting of Abermule with Llandyssil Community Council on Wednesday, September 2.

Council chairman Cllr Jane Rees said a meeting had been held at the site with Powys Council officials on August 25, which she and Dolforwyn county councillor Gareth Pugh had attended.

Cllr Rees said: “They have not yet applied for the NRW licence, they confirmed that they would give Cllr Pugh advance notice of the application, and there would be a 21 day consultation period when it goes live.

“Cllr Pugh asked was it still their intention to include residual waste on application.

“Ashley Collins (Powys Council's senior manager for waste and recycling ) explained when any business applies for license they don’t apply for current production, they allow for expansion.”

Cllr Rees explained that Mr Collins told her that residual waste is anything that can’t be recycled and as it would only be there for a maximum of 72 hours there would be no smell.

Cllr Rees added: “I jumped on him and said that that residual waste could have been in householders' bins for up to three weeks and includes nappies, sanitary wear, pet waste, unrecyclable food containers and that it did smell.

“We left them with no uncertainty that we were unhappy with that and would be objecting to it.”

Cllr Pugh said that he understood that the licence with residual waste on it would mean PCC having to comply with a higher level of conditions.

But any change of waste being dealt with at Abermule would need to go through the planning process and be decided by councillors at committee.

“If it went to planning at this stage I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be supported,” said Cllr Pugh.

Cllr Rees asked whether it would help to bring the issue up at a full meeting of Powys Council on September 24.

Cllr Pugh said that he would find out if questions from the public were allowed at a full council meeting, and if not would ask the question himself.

Work at the £4 million facility is expected to be finished in November.