No need for a Guilsfield plan ‘bee’

Village volunteers are celebrating a win for common sense after Powys County Council climbed down from its order for them to turn a beautiful bee garden back to an overgrown patch of scrub.

There has been considerable anger after residents in Guilsfield were told that they had carried out work to transform a patch of overgrown land without the relevant permissions, and should return it immediately to its shoddy state.

But the villagers dug their heels in, and called for a compromise which was agreed during a meeting between the council’s Interim Director of Environmental Services, Matt Perry, and village’s County Councillor Ian Harrison and community councillor, Steve Coverley.

“Residents will be pleased to hear that updated documentation will be issued to allow Guilsfield Community Council to continue to manage this area and the other bench sites around the village,” said Cllr Harrison.

“These sites were originally established with oak benches as part of the Millennium celebrations in 2000, and were all formally adopted by the Community Council in November 2008.

“I just want to say well done to the residents whose excellent work has transformed this prominent area of the village, and thankfully this has been recognised by Matt and his team, who we are grateful to for spending the time to consider the issue and find a resolution.”

The issue has ramifications county-wide, with residents unsure of their rights when carrying out voluntary work to tidy up areas.

Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys, said: “The council has met with residents and the local member to look at the work that volunteers have done in the Guilsfield Bee Garden. We are working with the group to apply licenses which have been supported by the council retrospectively.

“We will continue to work with those communities who want to take pride in their area to ensure that any works within the highway boundaries have permission to ensure that they are carried out safely, do not represent a hazard to highway users and do not create a problem in the future.”

PICTURE: All smiles... Matt Perry (right) reassures Guilsfield County Councillor Ian Harrison (left) and community councillor, Steve Coverley, that volunteers will not need to revert beauty spot back to original shabby state.