Parking charges criticised by councillor
New standard parking charges across a county have come under heavy criticism from a county councillor.
Powys County Council's cabinet has agreed to make parking charges equal across the county, for permits and events.
County councillor Peter Lewis, who represents Llanfyllin, spoke at the meeting, urging members of the cabinet not to go ahead with the decision.
He believes charges in smaller towns like Llanfyllin should not be the same as those in larger towns.
He said: "Local needs do differ.
"Although I am speaking on the behalf of Llanfyllin I believe many other communities would support the need for a local approach.
"All the towns in Powys are different and are having to change to survive especially in the last 10 years.
"How can you standardise or equate Llanfyllin with larger towns in Powys? The needs are entirely different.
"Llanfyllin is not Welshpool with superstores and free parking, or Newtown with banks and petrol stations, we have no station and the banks have closed, ripping the heart out of our town.
"It isn't Llandrindod Wells with hotels and county hall, or Brecon where millions of pounds have been spent on a museum.
"It is a small town 50 miles away from county hall and having to change to survive."
Councillor Lewis said Llanfyllin should have been allowed to govern its own car parking charges.
He said: "Llanfyllin is unique, being the only town in Wales to form a community interest company with 11 other community councils to take over services from Powys County Council to achieve a better level of service for our council tax payers.
"The Minister Guto Bebb at a meeting with our leader councillor Rosemarie Harris and cabinet members only last month echoed our approach by saying town and villages need to govern themselves.
“Shifting powers to local leaders who are better placed to take decisions that affect their communities."
