³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

People in Powys who want to use household waste and recycling facilities in Monmouthshire could do so if they are willing to pay.

It follows claims that some residents face 50-mile round trips to Brecon when Abergavenny is much closer.

Monmouthshire introduced permits over concerns about the cost of recycling waste from outside the county.

The council says it may be willing to offer Powys residents to use their sites if they agree to pay.

A survey suggested one in seven visitors to Monmouthshire waste and recycling sites came from over the border, with Abergavenny just six miles from the south Powys town of Crickhowell.

Powys residents turned away from Monmouthshire waste sites have complained to their local councillors.

Councillor Jackie Charlton told last week's full council meeting that residents of Llangattock and Crickhowell were "constantly" asking why they could not use the waste recycling centre in Abergavenny, which she claimed would be "much easier, sustainable and makes perfect sense".

She was told by Phyl Davies, the Powys cabinet member in charge of recycling, that discussions were under way to allow it, although people would have to pay for the privilege.

A spokesman for Monmouthshire defended the restrictions on its sites, saying it was estimated that out-of-county use equated to 3,000 tonnes of waste and recycling, costing an average £60 per tonne to process, or about £180,000 a year.

"Without the introduction of permits this could have led to additional strain on our ever-decreasing budgets," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"We would be happy for residents living near to the borders to pay to dispose of their waste at our sites," the spokesman added.

"This option is already available to traders and small businesses."