Iolo Williams to quiz council over canal restoration

Elgan Hearn Local Democracy Reporter

Presenter and nature conservationist, Iolo Williams is set to quiz Powys County Council over the restoration of the Montgomery Canal.

Mr Williams who lives near Newtown has asked questions to Powys County Council’s cabinet which will be read out and officially answered at a council meeting on Thursday, December 5.

Mr Williams said: “Having declared a nature emergency some two years ago, how can supporting large sums of public money on preparing the Montgomery Canal for the passage of motorised boats be justified?

“It is known that even small numbers of motorised boats would damage the ecology of this Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and it is also known that most of the economic potential from canals is derived from tow path usage, not from the passage of boats?”

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Answer

In their answer Liberal Democrat cabinet members for a greener Powys Cllr Jacki Charlton and a more prosperous Powys , Cllr David Selby stress that the restoration project includes building two new nature reserves.

Cllrs Charlton and Selby said: “The Canal and Rivers Trust and associated interested parties have applied successfully to various funding sources to undertake repairs and restoration works to Montgomery Canal, including UK Government Funding (formerly Levelling Up Funding) which Powys County Council is responsible for administering.

“These works have associated economic and well-being benefits suchas improving access to the tow path for visitors.

“Without these restoration works it is considered that the condition of the canal would deteriorate to the detriment of its ecology and its designation as a SSSI/SAC (Special Site of Scientific Interest/Special Area of Conservation) designation.

“There is no assumption as part of this funding that boats will be present on completion of LUF project.”

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Claims

They claim that the canal’s Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) has “thoroughly examined” the potential use of motorised boats on the canal and has concluded that the absence of them would: “lead to the canal becoming clogged with invasive species and other weeds, which would harm rare species.”

On the flip side “unrestricted boat use” would risk ecological damage.

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Habitat

Cllrs Charlton and Selby said: “Therefore, the CMS proposed a cap to boat movements per year, increasing gradually from the current 500, with ongoing impact monitoring.

“The experience from the Rochdale Canal restored over 20 years ago has shown boats and rare water plants can live together so long as there are not too many boats.

“In addition to the channel works the LUF works incorporate building two new nature reserves to provide further habitat for rare and important plants.”

They say that a “forum” of ecological experts has advised on the restoration project and any developments that could allow more boat activity would be subject to planning permission.

Under council rules Mr Williams who is a mainstay of the BBC’s Springwatch/Autumnwatch programmes will be allowed to ask the councillors an extra question at the meeting.