As you are all undoubtedly aware Powys County Councils decision to switch off 2/3rds of the street lights outside core areas is now being implemented.

This has already been completed across Bronllys Ward.  A number of residents have raised concerns with me about this decision. 

I have approached the council about this but following the Boards decision to continue with the implementation of this decision and carry out a review at the end of the year, I am unable to say when or if any lights will be switched back on.

 However, I along with my Liberal Democrat colleagues on Powys County Council have tabled a motion to the next full council meeting (Thursday 23rd October) calling for the council to reconsider the current position.

 Personally I have no problem with the council switching off lights that are not essential but I am very concerned that some lights have been switched off which may cause unnecessary concerns for the safety of the public.

 We shall have to wait to see if our motion to council gains the support it needs to overturn the Board’s decision. I’ll keep you updated.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR VIEWS ON THIS ISSUE. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

This week I attended the Builth Wells Transport Study Exhibition, held at Antur Gwy, Builth Wells.

The aim of the exhibition was to seek the views on the problems and issues that the study should be addressing, and the possible options or solutions.

The goal of ‘One Wales’ is to promote sustainable transport networks taht safeguard the environment while strengthening our economic and social life.

Following the Public exhibition there will be further assessments and a Public Consultation on the identified options during the summer of 2009.

 Further information is available on the Welsh assembly Government website:

http://new.wales.gov.topics/transport/roads/NewRoads3

Then click on: A470 Builth Wells

The Welsh Assembly Government have announced a grant that will be available to County Councils to assist local business, in the form of a rate relief, if they agree to make their toilet facilities available for use by the general public.
However I strongly believe that this grant, which will only amount to some £18,000 per local authority, would be better spent in upgrading and maintaining the existing facilities. This grant should not be used to provide alternative facilities to those that are already in place, such as the toilets in Erwood.
In particular the facilities that are available in Erwood are situated on the A470, the main road linking North and South Wales, they are open 24 hours a day and are easily accessible. If these facilities were to close and local business were to make their facilities available they would most definitely not be open 24 hours a day. Local business have also expressed concern that the money that could be available would be no where near enough to cover the costs they would incur in water bills, cleaning and sanitation products.
I feel that the Welsh Assembly Government and the Trunk Road Agency MUST take responsibility for the toilets that are situated on the trunk road network. I have already written to the Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, to ask that the Welsh Assembly Government take control of this situation before we see further closures.

Photo: Local residents were joined by County Councillor Clair Powell and Brecon and Radnorshire AM, Kirsty Williams to raise awareness of the importance of retaining the public toilets in Erwood.

I have this morning received notification from Powys County Council that the Kerb Side Recycling scheme will start in Pontywal Lane, Bronllys next week.

Residents of Pontywal should have received their recycling bags this week in time for the first collection which will begin next week, on the usual refuse collection day.

 I am delighted that the Council have been able to extend this service to Pontywal and I hope that it will encourage more recycling in this area.

I shall also be talking to the council about piloting a scheme for the more rural parts of the ward.

Last week I was joined by Roger Williams MP, parents and pupils of Gwernyfed High School on the walk from Bronllys to Gwernyfed High School.

This followed being contacted by parents who have been told they will need to pay £105 per pupil for school transport in the new term because they live under the three mile current limit. (2.917 miles away)

You may recall that I mentioned earlier that the guidance actually actually states that the LEA must provide free transport for pupils, regardless of the distance they live from the school, if there is no safe route.

 Well, that was what we were setting out to prove, that the route, along the main road, is not safe. In places there is no verge, there are blind bends and dips in the road that cause traffic serious vision problems. Not only that but if children would be forced to walk they would be faced with doing so, in the dark during the winter months as there are no street lights.

I would not care to walk this route again. The speed and amount of traffic, not forgetting the size of some of the vehicles, passing us at 60mph was an extremely dangerous one.

We have a video of our journey and I hope to get it posted on here shortly. 

 Please let me know if your children are experiencing the same problem. It would be great to hear your views.

Press Release from Roger Williams MP:

Following her election as County Councillor for Bronllys Ward, Cllr Clair Powell has spoken passionately about joining forces with other agencies to help improve the lives of the residents in the Bronllys Ward.

Cllr Powell, who has already met with local housing officer, Meryl Lewis, and the Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency, last week met with local PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) Lloyd Harries along with local Liberal Democrat MP Roger Williams. During their meeting Cllr Powell, Roger Williams and PCSO Harries took a walk round the village of Bronllys to meet residents as part of their discussions.

Cllr Powell said:
“To be fair Bronllys is a relatively peaceful village with very few problems that require police involvement. However a few residents have raised concerns about a recent spate of anti-social behaviour and it is important that this is stopped before it gets out of hand. I was very pleased to be joined by PCSO Lloyd Harries and Roger Williams MP to walk around the village and discuss issues of concern. I feel it is very important that we work together and it was a great opportunity to speak with local residents and show them that we are all here to help”.

Roger Williams MP said:
“I warmly welcomed the opportunity to meet Cllr. Powell and PCSO Harries and local residents to work on matters of concern for local constituents.

Cllr. Powell is doing a first class job in bringing people together in this way and I look forward to working with her and Lloyd Harries over the coming years to deal with the issues that really matter to local people, such as the delivery of local services and community safety.”

I am pleased to report that a kerb side recycling collection service has been agreed for Pontywal Lane in Bronllys.

This service  should be in place shortly and I  hope that following the review, which is currently under way, of the kerb side recycling collections, they will roll out further across the ward.

Please let me know if you are interested in this type of service.

Today, Councillor Clair Powell who represents Bronllys Ward called for an extension of the kerb side recycling collections. Speaking on this issue Cllr Powell said “At a time when we are being encouraged to reduce, re-use and recycle I call upon Powys County Council to extend it’s kerb side recycling collections. In my ward there are many areas that do not have this type of recycling collection and people often have to make an extra journey into town to recycle their waste. One place in particular is Pontywal Lane in Bronllys which serves  a number of properties yet there is no kerb side collection there and residents have to pass through the village (where there is a kerb side collection) to take their recyclables to either Talgarth or Brecon.”

“I hope that the council will consider extending this important service. I am sure that it would lead to a greater percentage of residents recycling their waste and that can only be a good thing”

HAVE YOUR SAY….

Do you have kerb side collections for recyclables?

If yes, what do you think of the service?

If not, would you like to have this service?