A plan to push for a reduction in plastic use across Powys will be debated at today’s full council meeting.
The county’s only Green Party councillor, Emily Durrant, will ask the full council to back a number of small steps intended to reduce the need for single use plastics such as water bottles, hard to recycle takeaway coffee cups and drinking straws.
The councillor, who represents Llangors, has also proposed drinking fountains should be brought back to towns in Powys as a way to reduce the use of plastics.
She said: "I want councillors to support two major actions: that we promote Powys as a major plastic reducing council and; put a strategy together that will ensure a significant reduction in plastic usage."
The idea, which was originally due to be debated in January but couldn’t because of a lack of time, is backed by Plaid Cymru. The party and Green councillor Durrant sit as one group on Powys council.
Campaigners, including Cllr Durrant, have also staged protests at local supermarkets to highlight unnecessary plastic packaging.
Today’s council meeting will also be asked to formally approve a 5% increase in the council tax for Powys as well as set the community charge for 2018/19 including precepts charged by town and community councils and the Dyfed-Powys Police precept, the local contribution to the cost of policing.
Councillors will also discuss a plan to reduce the number of Powys councillors from the current 73, representing as many wards, to 68 members from 60 electoral divisions.
The plans have been proposed by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales and any decision would have to be passed by the Welsh Assembly.
You can view today’s council meeting on the county council’s website by following this link https://powys.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/342371