A Welshpool Town councillor is calling on his colleagues to oppose Powys County Council plans to close or downgrade the town’s Recycling Centre operated by Potters.
Councillor Graham Breeze, chairman of the Council Services & Property Committee, raised the issue last week and members of the Planning Committee will discuss the situation on Wednesday night.
“I am extremely disturbed at revelations that Powys County Council is discussing closing the town’s Recycling Centre, having already decided to remove the bins from Berriew Street Car Park,” said the councillor.
“To even consider closing the site borders on insanity. You only have to visit the site for 10 minutes to realise just how much the people of Welshpool and the surrounding area depend on this facility.
“I shall be calling on the Town Council to voice total opposition to any cuts at this facility. We are already experiencing increased levels of fly-tipping and this move will only make things worse.
“The people of Welshpool and the whole county have to fight this move. The cuts have to come from somewhere else.
“You have to ask if the lunatics have taken over the asylum. First Powys Council reduces refuse collection to every third week and then threatens to close the community recycling centre too. Do they really expect people to travel to Newtown with their waste?”
Powys County Council is to carry out a full consultation on the following options:·
Reduce opening days at all sites to three per week to include Saturday, Sunday and one weekday (saving up to £140k)·
Close one HWRC site in Montgomeryshire or Brecknockshire (saving up to £350k
Close one HWRC site and reduce opening days at the remaining sites (saving £462k)·
Close two HWRC sites to leave one in each shire (saving £700k).
Close two HWRCs and reduce opening days at the remaining sites (saving £784k)·
There is also the potential to charge for some wastes not classed as household, such as soil and rubble, plasterboard and other DIY waste (saving £50,000).
