County kicks up a stink about bad smells
Powys has been dubbed the eighth smelliest place in Wales in a study which looked at the number of complaints about bad odours.
A total of 273 residents of the county made formal complaints about smells during the period from 2014-2019, according to government figures.
That represented 206 complaints per 100,000 people, giving it the eighth highest rate of complaints in Wales, according to figures compiled by fragrance company Lifestyle Packaging.
In ninth place was Wrexham, which actually received slightly more complaints, at 276, accounting for 203 per 100,000. Commercial and industrial smells were considered the biggest problem in Wrexham.
Swansea topped the table with 1,743 complaints, amounting to 707 per 100,000. The biggest cause of complaints was bonfires.
Flintshire was rated the country's best-smelling area, attracting just 42 complaints over that time, mostly about manure, while Cardiff came third 56, mostly about industrial or commercial odours.
John Evans of Powys County Council denied that the area had an odour problem.
He said: “Powys is the largest geographic county in Wales covering a quarter of the country’s land mass.
"The county is known for its wonderful scenery and wide open spaces which attracted thousands of tourists every year.
"Any complaint is treated seriously but having less than two a week in 2019 doesn't sound like a major problem for a county the size of Powys.”
John Evans
