Mid Wales community left without councillors

But amid the tranquility of Trefeglwys is a controversy that has left its community council without a single representative.

A row over pylons has left the council, the equivalent of a parish or town council, with no-one to represent the village.

There is plenty to rule over in Trefeglwys, with facilities ranging from a pub, a garage, a florist, church, primary school and village hall.

Now councillors are having to be sent in from surrounding areas to ensure the community is represented.

Emergency action has been taken by Powys County Council officials, who have sent in county councillors from the neighbouring areas of Blaen Hafren, Caersws, Llanidloes and Llandinam.

An election will then be held on June 29 in an effort to find new members.

The unusual situation comes after a three-year dispute initially sparked by plans to build pylons in the area.

Back in 2014, it emerged the community council was under investigation after allegations a former clerk had altered a letter that could have potentially influenced the future of the route of electricity pylons in the area.

The council was a consultee on the proposed Mid Wales grid connection project by Scottish Power that would link wind farms to a then planned substation near Cefn Coch.

Councillors decided they did not agree to either routes, but a letter drafted by the clerk at the time, and signed by the then chair to Scottish Power in October 2012, appeared to favour one of the routes.

Both Police and One Voice Wales, the body which represents town and community councils, carried out an investigation, and a report by One Voice Wales raised a number of code of conduct issues.

The then clerk and chair resigned at the time as a result and other members of the council decided they would not stand for re-election in May.

Councillor Gareth Morgan, who represents Llanidloes on Powys County Council and one of the temporary councillors for Trefeglwys, described the situation as a "strange and sad one".

He said: "It's a very unusual situation that I've never met before, despite being in local government for many years.

"It's all very unfortunate because the community council in Trefeglwys were a hard working and very conscientious council but this all erupted from a dispute with the former clerk of the council."

Councillor Morgan said although he and other neighbouring councillors were happy to temporarily serve the ward, he does not believe that the current situation is fair on the community.

He said: "Really we will be acting as caretakers for the community council in the interim and that isn't fair on residents. Trefeglwys needs people who are going to represent its best interests and have that intimate knowledge of the village.

Councillor Morgan has called for a resolution on the matter.

He added: "I would like to see the former members put themselves forward but in fairness to them, it's important that a decision is finally reached before they do, and then if one isn't reached it's only the community that will suffer."