Bins to go as rats invade town car park

Phil Pritchard, town and county councillor for Welshpool, says the bins in the town's Berriew Street car park will be removed by Powys County Council on October 1, following a series of complaints about the vermin running around the area in recent months.

The problems prompted Welshpool Town Council at its last meeting to support the local authority in removing the bins.

Councillor Pritchard said although he's happy the bins will be removed, he believes the bigger problem stems from Powys County Council's waste collections taking place every three weeks, as opposed to fortnightly.

He said: "Sometimes you can see at least six rats running around the car park at one time, that's no exaggeration, and that isn't the impression we want to give tourists stopping off in the town. It's terrible to see and, not only that, it's unhygienic.

"Although it's good that the council is taking action, I'm afraid this is as a result of a bigger problem, the waste collections taking place every three weeks.

"It's time Powys County Council was man enough to say it's made a mistake and go back to the fortnightly collections. Three weeks is not enough and it's created a situation where people are fly-tipping."

Councillor John Powell, cabinet member for environment and sustainability, said: "This site has experienced a large level of fly-tipping over recent years. It has now reached such a level that it is attracting vermin to the area.

"We have discussed options with the town council and it was decided to close the site.

"The closure of the site will not leave residents without a service as there is another community recycling site in the town at Tesco supermarket along with the household waste and recycling centre on Severn Farm Industrial Estate.

"We will be removing the banks from the site next month. We would urge householders to use their kerbside collection service as well as other facilities in the town."