The last time there was an election in Llanigon for parish councillors there was a thriving village school, and a bus service every Thursday to take people to market and back.

You didn’t have to pay to park in the local town when you did your shopping. Some people wore flared trousers. Wales still had working coal mines employing thousands of people.

The National Election on Thursday, May 3 1979 is remembered as the day the first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, won a momentous election. But it was also the day when local democracy in Llanigon slipped into slumber for next forty-three years - there were never enough candidates to trigger an election.

Nearly half a century later there’s no public transport on any day of the week, the bus shelter is used as a free bookshop, and the village school is closed. What remains is a shell of the building and an ongoing battle between Llanigon residents and Powys County Council.

The very first parish meeting for the election of parish councillors was on Tuesday, December 4 1894 at 6.30pm in the School Room.

Back in the 60s land for a new school was generously sold by Llanthomas Farm to Brecknockshire County Council when the site they had originally planned to buy fell through at the last moment. It was a kind hearted act of community spirit. When the village school was closed by Powys County Council in 2014, residents might have expected that the site would be handed back to the community, to create village green space, sports facilities, a children’s playground, or much needed parking for the village hall. This has not been the case.

Llanigon Community Council candidate, Nick Russell-Paver said: “What is missing from the county council’s intention is the loss of amenity to a community, the absence of the community spirit in which the land was first sold to build a new village school, the loss of community assets for the benefit of the community. And more shockingly the loss of a moral compass by those in public service, paid by public money, who too often appear to disregard almost everything entrusted to them except how to make money from it.”

When residents go to the polls to vote on May 5, they will be electing the first Llanigon Community Council for 43 years.

However the residents of Llanigon choose to vote, it is hoped that the election will create a strong community voice to protect and improve their village for every resident to share and the generations to come.