A SENIOR councillor says he won't support Powys County Council’s draft budget for next year if proposals to take black bin waste to Abermule's new recycling site are in it.
At a meeting of the council’s Economy, Residents and Communities scrutiny committee on Tuesday, January 30, councillors went through savings proposals from Highways Transport and Recycling Department which include taking Black Bin to the recycling site at Abermule near Newtown.
The council is looking to make £10.652 million cuts, savings, and income generation as part of the budget, with highways looking at covering £2.121 million of this.
That includes saving £100,000 over two years by taking black bin waste to Abermule instead of having Potters in Welshpool deal with the rubbish.
Committee vice-chairman Conservative Cllr Karl Lewis said: “I chaired the (planning) meeting when the proposal for the bulking station came forward.
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“During that meeting I felt as did other people in the room that Powys would not go down the route of bringing residual waste there.
“I am disappointed to see this proposal.”
He added that campaigners could have mounted a legal challenge against the site but had not because “they had assurances” that it wouldn’t happen.
“I’m requesting that this idea is dropped,” said Cllr Lewis.
Senior waste and recycling manager Ashley Collins defended the proposal, adding that Abermule with Llandyssil Community Council had not objected the planning application in 2018.
He said villagers only formed the campaign group Abermule Communities Together after planning permission had been given.
Mr Collins said: “A further report came back to full council on May 3 (2019) which was presented by the portfolio holder at the time, Cllr Phyl Davies.
“He mentioned there were no current plans to take residual waste to the site.
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“He was pushed on that point, and he said he couldn’t make a commitment years into the future.”
Mr Collins said that the site had been working “like clockwork” since staff were moved there 18 months ago and recycling started being taken there six months ago.
Mr Collins: “I appreciate it is an issue to the community, but we’ve shown that most of the fears have not been realised.
“The site is operating to a very high standard.”
He explained that black bin waste would be “tipped off” from the bin lorries and then loaded into another lorry for onward transport.
Cllr Lewis said: “Handling residual waste is a totally different animal to recycling.
“I think it’s important to consult with the residents and let them know what you’re planning to do – you owe them that.”
Mr Collins said that “lengthy” consultations with villagers had already taken place during the NRW permit process – but the suggestion would be “taken away.”
Portfolio holder for finance Labour’s Cllr David Thomas warned councillors that for any proposal to be taken out of the budget, “the probability” is that it would see the Council Tax increase from the 7.5 per cent hike already proposed.
Cabinet is set to receive comments from council scrutiny committees on the draft budget at a meeting on Tuesday, February 6.
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