‘Safety comes first’ says County Councillor amidst Bull Dingle storm
Cllr Graham Breeze has insisted that ‘safety comes first’ after a storm of protest from some concerned residents and wildlife lovers following the widespread tree felling over the past six weeks.
He is unable to attend tonight, and MyWelshpool understands that no Powys County Council officers will attend either, so he has issued a statement which will also be read out at the meeting taking place at 6pm at the Cowshacc.
Cllr Breeze’s explanation is below, and comes as MP Steve Witherden and television wildlife expert Iolo Williams also joined the row by calling for answers.
Below is the statement from Cllr Breeze word-for-word.
“I received an emailed invitation on Tuesday morning (August 26) to attend a meeting arranged by Sally Gartell for Friday, August 29 (tonight) following clearance work by Powys County Council at Bull Dingle.
Unfortunately, I have a prior commitment and am therefore unable to attend.
Bull Dingle is very much in the centre of my ward and has been the subject of safety concerns since my election to the council just under nine years ago.
In the last two years those safety concerns have increased greatly with many residents approaching me for help as their county councillor.
The safety of residents and property in my ward will always be my number one priority.
Those approaches have included episodes of conservatory, shed and garden subsidence together with falling and diseased trees, loss of sunlight, tv connectivity, and of course flooding caused by blockages to the stream running through the dingle. They have also included trees falling onto private property.
All those reports were passed onto Powys County Council with requests for action to be taken.
In 2024 letters were distributed informing residents that work to address the issues was to start but due to the arrival of Storm Darragh contractors were diverted to more urgent situations. I personally delivered new letters to residents on Croft Road and Borfa Green dated May 25 – speaking to as many as possible - some weeks ahead of the current works starting.
As the local county councillor, I was given a briefing of the work to be carried out and provided with the assurances that all required legal processes were in place and that clearance was given by Natural Resource Wales for works to begin.
I have regularly challenged and scrutinised officers and have been given sight of all the required documentation, licencing and wildlife reports. That includes NRW licences to carry out the “clearance works” due to their urgent nature and impossible conditions for contractors to be more selective in the felling process.
I have also ensured that a full replanting programme is carried out under NRW guidelines and asked for a regular maintenance programme.
You will know that PCC doesn't have the funding to randomly carry out such hugely costly projects unless there was an urgent need.
I have been acutely aware of the dangers to life and property caused by the worsening situation in Bull Dingle for some years now and those areas remain my priorities.
In 2018, tree debris caused the blocking of Bull Dingle culvert during flash flooding, leading to the flooding and subsequent closure of Welshpool Hospital and despite expensive improvements to the culvert I firmly believe that threat still remained without tackling these issues.
Clearance work is nearing completion, and I am assured that as soon as conditions are right an extensive replanting programme will be carried out by Powys County Council, fully guided by NRW.
Sadly, the Bull Dingle area has received only emergency maintenance over the last 40 years leading to the situation we now have.
Throughout the six-week work programme I have been constantly available and have arranged numerous meetings for concerned residents with Powys County Council officers when issues were raised.
Powys County Council released a full Press Release on this subject yesterday at my request.”
PICTURE: The scale of the work at Bull Dingle captured by From Above - Drone Photography
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