By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter
Hundreds of protestors from Abermule have picketed County Hall in Llandrindod Wells.
Plans for a bulk waste facility planned by Powys County Council (PCC) on the outskirts of the village were being discussed.
Despite the protest, Waste and Recycling portfolio holder, Cllr Phyl Davies told councillors that the project will still go ahead.
Outside County Hall, Stephen Meadowcroft of pressure group Abermule Communities Together said: “We’re here to tell Powys County Council that we’re not happy with what they are planning to do with our little village.
“The Bulk Recycling plant that they plan to build is far too big for our environment.
“It’s an industrial process and it should go on an industrial estate and we’d like them to take it away, please.”
At the full council meeting, the controversial project which was passed by just one vote at a planning meeting in August was discussed as part of a notice of motion by Dolforwyn county councillor, Gareth Pugh.
The motion was to ask PCC to engage better with the public.
Cllr Pugh said: “Local authorities all too often lose the confidence of the electorate because they appear detached and unaccountable. More needs to be done to engage and enthuse the electorate and make it more vibrant and relevant to our communities.
“This Council prides itself in being open and transparent and listens to the people but that is not felt. Some decisions we make are difficult and some will always be unpopular.
“What takes a biscuit is when it appears the Council is not listening to them at all. I have an example in my own ward, where the voice of the residents is not being respected. People are left with the impression that the Council doesn’t care and just does what it wants."
“To prove that PCC is not detached, would the leader like to start by listening to the people of Abermule and re-site this development in a more appropriate place. I urge you to open constructive dialogue with the community.”
Cllr Liam Fitzpatrick, said: “When 200 people turn up to protest that is democracy in action and we should not ignore it. The people of Abermule are against this and it should be more important than strategic goals.
“If you get a trophy for recycling but lose the people what have you really achieved? You have made a planning decision and we can respect that – but you don’t have to build it.”
Portfolio holder for Highways, Recycling and Assets Cllr Phyl Davies who earlier received a trophy after Powys came top in Wales for hitting carbon recycling targets, said: “Unfortunately with the cost pressures upon us and the position we are in at the moment, we do not have the ability to postpone the development.”
Council Leader, Rosemarie Harris listed a host of events that showed the Council trying to engage and pointed out that decisions could be scrutinised and planning application seen before meetings.
Cllr Harris said: “Every decision can be scrutinised before or after it is made. All planning applications that come before the committee are publicly displayed before the decisions are made, we do consult a great deal with the public.
“We’ve done a great deal of work since we came into cabinet to make sure the community are consulted on every single subject.”
Cllr Gareth Ratcliffe, said that the best way was to explain to people why certain decision had to be made even if they are unpopular.
"They might not like it but they can understand it, ” said Cllr Ratcliffe.
