Powys council should own a share of successful future energy schemes in the county, a senior councillor has suggested.

At a Powys County Council’s meeting on Thursday, October 9, Council Leader Cllr Jake Berriman brought up the idea during a debate on a motion which asked the Welsh Government to pause wind turbine and energy developments in the county.

Cllr Berriman said that “council taking a view” on these energy producing schemes clearly “separates” the responsibilities that the council has as a planning authority from PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales) the Welsh Government’s planning arm.

These applications, which are considered as Developments of National Significance (DNS), are processed by Welsh Government Planning Inspectors at PEDW who advise a government minister on what decision to take.

The council is only a statutory consultee in this process and are able to provide a Local Impact Report (LIR) on a DNS application which explains what planning inspectors should consider during their deliberations.

Cllr Berriman (Liberal Democrat – Llandrindod North) said: “You will remember that I brought a motion forward that we seek a levy on water and energy that is exported from the county.

“That was supported but ultimately failed in the sense that it did not receive (Welsh) Governmental support as it may put a drag on these companies seeking to do business in Powys.”

Since then, Cllr Berriman who was a former senior planning officer for a council in England, told councillors that his “mind has turned” to finding other ways to “capture some benefit” from these schemes.

He explained that these proposals already mention providing benefits at community level if approved.

Cllr Berriman said: “The proposal basically says to the outside world seeking large-scale energy parks: that in doing business in Powys you need to be prepared to enter into a binding voluntary legal agreement to give Powys a five per cent ownership share of the project.

“The Welsh Government encourages up to a 10 per cent share to be bought by various parties and most of the interest is from outside of the area as that’s where the money is.

“I would have no intention of buying this share, it should be given voluntarily to Powys so that we have a lasting legacy for the communities should any of these developments be approved.”

He stressed that any share agreements would “stand outside” any community benefit scheme already being mooted between companies and communities.

Cllr Berriman said that he hoped the council would consider his proposal at a future meeting.

The debate then moved, and councillors voted unanimously to ask the Welsh Government to pause energy producing schemes in the county.

Back in December 2022, Cllr Berriman’s motion to raise a levy on water and energy generation/supply companies on piped water and energy destined for export was supported by 40 votes to 19.