Dear resident,
The National Assembly was on its summer recess over the last month and it has been a pleasure to be able to spend more time in Montgomeryshire, catching up with many of you at the various local shows and events. In spite of it being recess, it has been an equally busy month for me and my team.
Please find below an update on various issues below. There are a number of areas that I want to particularly concentrate on in more detail in the coming months. This month, I will focus on wind farm developments in detail. In coming months, I will report in greater detail on two important areas: changes to education in North Powys, and the re-configuration of health services for Mid Wales. I will also update you on the Newtown bypass.
Kind regards
Russell
Wind Farm and Mid Wales Connection Developments
As you may be aware, a year ago (September 7th 2015), the UK Government announced the outcome of the conjoined public inquiry which was triggered by the objection of Powys County Council to five separate wind farm applications, plus an application for an overhead line. In my view, it was a victory for democracy when the UK Government’s Department for Energy and Climate Change rejected all but one of the applications. The developer of the approved application has decided not to continue with its project.
However, two of the developers (RWE and RES) of the Carnedd Wen and Llanbrynmair developments decided to seek a Judicial Review into the process by which the decisions on the wind farm applications were reached. The Secretary of State considered the position and judged that the best way forward was to 'quash' the decisions and reconsider them.
On 6th July, our MP, Glyn Davies responded to an invitation to comment on these re-determinations outlining his opposition to both of these developments, comments which I fully endorse. In his letter to the Secretary of State, he outlines the cumulative impact which these developments would have on Montgomeryshire. A copy of Glyn’s submission can be found on his blog.
I hope that after due consideration, the Secretary of State will come to the same decision as his predecessor did on September 7th last year. Although there is no statutory timescale for the redetermination of these applications, the Secretary of State aims to do this in ‘a timely manner’.
Now to turn to a number of wind farm developments that were not part of the Public Inquiry.
The Tirgwynt wind farm development in the Carno area was granted permission some years ago and the development already has access to the Grid along existing power lines. This wind farm has to be producing power by April 2017 if it's to receive public subsidy. The transportation of turbine components has been taking place throughout the summer and have been travelling through Welshpool, and on through Cwmgolau and Cefn Coch to the site.
The Garreg Lwyd wind farm near the Radnorshire/Montgomeryshire border (again this development was not part of the Public Inquiry) was approved by the Welsh Government in May of last year. This project will not connect via the Mid Wales Connection project. Before the Welsh Government approved this application, I lodged my objection highlighting the serious traffic issues it would cause in and around Newtown.
The full delivery of turbine components for this development is in progress (September) with all deliveries for the initial build expected to have been made by mid-December. These abnormal loads will travel along the A483, and travel along Pool road Newtown and up Llanidloes road. The abnormal loads will then be required to travel under Nantoer bridge on the A489. This particular bridge is also well known for large vehicles having difficulty passing under it and blocking the main trunk road.
The Abnormal Loads are being transported on specially designed heavy goods vehicles in a convoy of up to three components, escorted by escort vehicles including the police. Dyfed-Powys Police has set up a dedicated Twitter feed for the transportation of Abnormal Load deliveries through the Dyfed-Powys area. Follow @DPPAbnormalload for the latest information from the ground.
I have also been concerned by potential safety concerns relating to the designated lay-bys which have been constructed to accommodate and ease the inevitable congestion that will be caused behind the numerous abnormal and heavy goods vehicles which have and will pass through areas of Montgomeryshire to deliver components to both Garreg Lwyd and the Tirgwynt developments.
I wrote to the Chief Constable of Dyfed Powys Police to seek assurances that the Force was satisfied that the lay-bys are safe, fit for purpose and will be used for the intended purpose. Dyfed Powys Police have assured me that it now has no concerns after identifying that the lay-bys had not been equipped with dropped kerbs which would allow Police motorcyclists to safely access the lay-bys and there were insufficient hard standing areas to allow the motorcycles to be safely places on the centre stands. I have been informed that this has since been rectified by the developers.
Last month, I also called for clarity from the Welsh Government on who was responsible for setting the transportation conditions for both wind farms. I have on-going concerns that the Welsh Government failed to place conditions on the developers to survey properties along the transport route in spite of local residents’ concerns that the abnormal vehicles would cause damage to properties which are along the A483. I’m therefore astounded that Welsh Ministers have failed to impose explicit conditions on the developers to survey properties along the proposed route. I have written to the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment to this effect.
Finally, the Blaen y Glyn Wind Farm near Llangurig, Llanidloes has recently been granted by the Welsh Government Planning Inspectorate. Powys County Council had presented a number of objections including on landscape and cultural heritage grounds. However, the view of the Inspector seems to give little weight to the visual impact of the proposed 6 turbines or the effect on the cultural heritage of the area, believing that on balance these effects would be “outweighed by the environmental and economic benefits of the scheme, especially in terms of wind energy generation.”
However, there are outstanding issues which I will be looking to raise in the National Assembly with the First Minister. The Blaen y Glyn development is outside of the areas identified for onshore wind in the Welsh Government guidance - TAN8 – so this is yet another reason to refuse the application in my view. It also opens up a number of other questions about the relevance of this guidance.
Furthermore, it ought to be remembered that when considering all of these developments, the Conservative UK Government, in its 2015 Election Manifesto, committed to only supporting onshore wind farms where they have the support of local people and has also committed to ending any new subsidies for onshore wind power. So, while planning permission may have been granted in the case of Blaen y Glyn, it may be the case that the developers will not see the project as economically viable to proceed. I also note that permission to take the power from the development to the grid has not been agreed, which is a further issue for the developers to overcome.
I hope that you have found this extended update on wind energy useful but please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or views.
Education
Llanfyllin High School
Over recent months, I have been in contact with the Wales Audit office to discuss concerns regarding home to school transport in Llanfyllin and I have also called on Powys County Council to outline how it will respond to criticisms contained in an independent report, commissioned by Powys County Council and the Governing Body of Llanfyllin High School, which identified a series of failings relating to the local authority’s procedures which it must address. I have requested an update from the Wales Audit Office on the latest situation and will report back in future updates.
Welshpool Town Primary Schools
Powys County Council has now published the Consultation Document related to Powys County Council’s proposals for the Welshpool Town Primary Schools which can be found via this link.
The consultation will run from 5th September and will end at 5pm on 18th October.
Small Business Support
Supporting Powys’ High Streets
A couple of weeks ago, in my capacity as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, I called on the Welsh Government to do more to support Powys’ high streets after a study by the Welsh Retail Consortium revealed that while visits to Welsh high streets are on the up, shop vacancy rates have risen. The UK Government has brought in changes to support small businesses in England, and the Welsh Government must now come forward to do the same, as currently Welsh businesses are at a competitive disadvantage. With shop vacancy rates still rising, the Welsh Government must use all the devolved levers available to them to reverse this trend. We need new and innovative measures which will allow local high street businesses to compete and remain relevant at a time when internet and out-of-town shopping centres are posing significant threats. Business rates reform, simplified planning, free parking; these are just some of the proposals which I have been pushing for many years to support small businesses across Montgomeryshire.
Waste Management
Household Waste Collection
Information provided by the Welsh Local Government Association, regarding the charges levied for the collection of household waste, showed that Powys has one of the highest charges for the collection of bulky household waste in the whole of Wales. I have raised this issue with Powys County Council as I am concerned that higher rates could result in a further increase in fly-tipping in Powys.
There has also been a great deal of concern regarding the changes to recycling collections. A particular concern is the collection of plastic waste when residents do not separate the ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ plastics. I met with the Cabinet member responsible and senior officers at Powys County Council earlier in the summer to outline many of your frustrations, including my own, when operators refused to collect full containers of plastic recycling. Whilst the council explained that they were not able to recycle ‘soft’ plastics, I did raise my view that the way in which they communicated and carried out these changes was poor. There is a link here to frequently asked questions and further information on recycling in Powys here .
Culture & Tourism
Heritage Hub for Mid Wales
The Heritage Hub for Mid Wales (HH4MW) is an exciting new project which has the potential to become a major tourist attraction for Mid Wales. It aims to forge a brand identity for Mid Wales, through the exploitation of digital technology and the promotion of our culture, including paying tribute to the iconic social reformer, Robert Owen, famous to our area. I am delighted to be able to support such an exciting project which has the potential to provide an amazing opportunity for showcasing Mid Wales’ cultural heritage and in bringing together the communities of Mid Wales. In July, I was pleased to be able to champion the vision and ambitions of this innovative project in the National Assembly and gained a positive response from the Welsh Government on the funding opportunities available for the project to pursue. At a time when nearly 400,000 visitor journeys are taken through Montgomeryshire on route to West Wales coastal resorts, the HH4MW will be a fantastic addition to the tourist attractions which Montgomeryshire has to offer.
Telecoms
Broadband
After a few requests for updates from residents across Montgomeryshire, I thought it would be worthwhile to once again list the current broad timescales for the rollout of fibre broadband. Please note that communities listed below refer to the wider regions around these areas. Some towns and villages in these exchange areas will already have access to fibre broadband and for those in deep rural areas, your availability may be affected by factors such as the length of your line or distance from the exchange/cabinet. For more information on your individual circumstances, please visit this availability checker. Alternatively, please get in touch and I will make some enquiries with Superfast Cymru on your behalf.
Abermule – autumn 16
Caersws – autumn 16
Carno – spring 17
Castle Caereinion – summer/autumn 16
Cemmaes Road – winter 16/17
Churchstoke – winter 16/17
Forden – autumn 16
Guilsfield – autumn 16
Kerry – winter 16/17
Llanbrynmair – autumn 16 to spring 17
Llanfyllin – spring 17
Llanidloes – summer/autumn 16
Llanrhaeadr – winter 16/17
Llansantffraid – autumn 16 & spring 17
Llansilin – autumn 16
Llanymynech – autumn 16
Machynlleth – summer 16
Meifod – winter 16/17
Montgomery – autumn 16
Newtown – most areas done, remaining areas - spring 17
Pennant – autumn 16
Trefeglwys – winter 16/17
Tregynon – autumn 16
BT has also made me aware of a test which Openreach are carrying out which may help rural Wales in the future. The remote community of North Tolsta on the Isle of Lewis has become one of the first places in the UK to test a new technology that increases the speed of fibre broadband over long phone lines. Openreach’s ‘Long Reach VDSL’ technology is undergoing a proof of concept test on the island to find new and innovative solutions to improving rural connectivity. I understand that initial results are encouraging, with most households seeing significant increases in their fibre broadband speeds. Applied to rural areas across Powys, the technology has the potential to improve broadband speeds for hundreds of homes and businesses – particularly those connected by long lines that are between 2.5km and 3.5km away from their nearest green cabinet. It’s encouraging to see this new development in technology being used in a rural community for the first time.
Housing
Rent Smart Wales
The law now requires private sector landlords to register, and requires letting agents and managing landlords to undertake training and obtain a licence from Rent Smart Wales by 23rd November 2016. From that date, anyone who has not complied with the law can be issued with a fixed penalty, or if taken to court, can be fined.
I was opposed to this new legislation on the grounds that the Welsh Government failed to listen to the housing sector and failed to empower vulnerable tenants. ‘Rent Smart Wales’ risks penalising good landlords and risks an increase in rent for tenants as landlords look to pass on the costs. While it’s extremely important to target bad landlords and root them out, deterring people who may wish to bring a home back into use through the private rented sector must be avoided. Reputable landlord organisations have consistently offered to work with the Welsh Government to deliver a scheme which will incentivise the supply of quality homes for rent, target bad landlords and give tenants a voice. However, the Welsh Government chose to ignore them, avoiding solutions which could’ve made a real difference.
Nevertheless, Powys County Council’s Private Sector Housing team are approved to deliver Rent Smart Wales’ landlord training.
Training for landlords will take place across Montgomeryshire in September and October from 9.00 am – 4.30 pm at the following venues:
· Tuesday 20th September - The Park Offices, Newtown
· Tuesday 27th September - The Park Offices, Newtown
· Tuesday 4th October - Neuadd Maldwyn, Welshpool
· Tuesday 11th October - The Park Offices, Newtown
The course costs £65 and payment must be received to confirm your booking. Payment can be made over the telephone by contacting Powys County Council’s Housing Services on 01597 827464. For further information on this training contact Peter Tagg, Private Sector Housing Environmental Health Officer by email on [email protected] To find out more about Rent Smart Wales visit www.rentsmart.gov.wales or call 03000 133344.
Agriculture
Farming Support
Both Glyn Davies MP and I are pleased that the Prime Minister Theresa May has outlined the UK Government’s commitment to ensuring that the agriculture industry remains supported following Brexit. Inevitably there is some uncertainty and nervousness in the farming industry following the decision by the British people to leave the EU because between 2014-2020, farmers have been allocated £250 million annually in direct payments, and an additional 655 million euros via the rural development programme.
In a post-brexit world, the farming community in Wales, and Welsh decision-makers, must now be at the centre of the development of a new support system, which recognises the distinct challenges faced by farmers in Wales and provides financial support necessary to support the industry's long-term, successful future.
Advice Surgeries
Upcoming advice surgeries:
· Monday 19 September – Newtown
· Friday 23 September – Welshpool
· Friday 7 October – Newtown
· Saturday 22nd October – Llanidloes
If you would like to make an appointment, please call my office on 01686 610887 or email [email protected]
Citizens Advice
From the beginning of June 2016, the Citizens Advice call service centre in Newtown increased its reception services and will be open from 10am to 3pm on Thursdays for drop in clients. Citizens Advice can be contacted on 0345 601 8421 or you can visit their website at www.powyscitizenadvice.org.uk . Follow them on Twitter - @PowysCAB
Useful Telephone Numbers and Links
Police, Ambulance & Fire – 999
Police Non-Emergency – 101
Powys County Council – 01597 826000
Severn Trent Water – 0800 7834444
Electricity Emergency – 0800 0015400
Gas Emergency – 0800 111999
NHS Enquiries – 0845 46 47
Powys Mental Health – 01686 628300
ShropDoc – 08444 068888
Samaritans – 08457 909090
Citizens Advice – 0845 6018421
Age Cymru – 01686 623707
I thought it would also be useful to include the following links from which you can report a range of problems and find out what is going on in your local area.
Report, view or discuss local problems in your area at - https://www.fixmystreet.com/
Problems with hedges, trees or verges
Report faulty street lights or traffic lights
Council Tax and business rates
For more information on this and other local matters, please visit the Powys County Council website