Powys County Council dismisses rumours it will close Newtown depot

Assurances have been given that Powys County Council have no plans to leave their depot in Newtown. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ever since the council decided to develop the North Powys Bulking Facility at nearby Abermule in 2019 there have been rumours that the depot at Kirkhamsfield in Newtown would close. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Kirkhamsfield is the council’s biggest depot and caters for several different services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The depot provides work spaces, workshops and fuel storage facilities  for the council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Senior council manager have said in the past that it would be “prohibitively expensive” to build a similar facility elsewhere to replace it. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Plaid Cymru group leader, Cllr Elwyn Vaughan has brought up the depot’s future in a question posed to Liberal Democrat cabinet member for a Greener Powys, Cllr Jackie Charlton. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Vaughan said: “Could it be confirmed that there isn’t an intention to close this busy site in Newtown whether it be now or as part of  the new development plan, and to transfer it to somewhere else in order to sell the site to build houses.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Charlton said: “There are no immediate plans regarding Kirhamsfield depot that I am aware of. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“However the council will rightly continue to monitor and review its property portfolio both now and in the future, but may I assure members, that any changes that may be proposed within our property portfolio are subject to the democratic decision making processes and protocols required by the council.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Charlton added: “As you are aware the council has a significant property portfolio, and we need to ensure we maximise our property assets to ensure they are fit for purpose, meet the needs of the services that we provide and will meet the future aspirations within the corporate and financial strategies.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​