bENCHES will be installed on Y Plas grounds in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour and to provide young people with “somewhere to hang around”.

During a council meeting on 31 January, Machynlleth Town Councillor Ann MacGarry discussed recent issues with anti-social behaviour from young people in the town: “This work we are doing with young people to engage them is triggered by damage to the Gerddi Gardens, because kids have been hanging around. Sometimes they cause minimal damage, moving things around, Julie just deals with it.

“But it’s quite obvious they need somewhere to hang around.”

Cllr MacGarry said they had received £7,500 from the All Wales Play Opportunities Grant Scheme to design and construct benches in the Plas for young people. She added young people have been consulted on what they want, have stated they want the benches to be sheltered.

Cllr MacGarry suggested a spot opposite the woodland stage as this would be suitable for the young people, but also for parents watching their children play on the Hurricanes Football Pitch.

She added they would be “moveable so we don’t need planning permission”.

Cllr Jeremy Paige responded with his concerns regarding the suggested space, saying: “That path is so dark at night, and I’m thinking that we’re going to have potential of issues around that area with no CCTV. It’s a path that people walk through and so it could be quite intimidating.

“I think it would be more suitable opposite the Plas, and good for people who use the Plas cafe.”

Cllr MacGarry added: “This is Plas Manager Julie Humphrey’s preferred spot and she has the best idea of what goes on around here. The kids around here are fine.”

Cllr Paige said: “Groups of people can intimidate sole people, irrespective of how good those people might be.”

“I propose we put them there but any complaints and, as its moveable, we can move them,” Richie Gaskell proposed.

Cllr Paige questioned whether money would be set aside for if the benches are damaged, but Cllr MacGarry said if they were damaged then they would be removed: “If they destroy them then they destroy them.”

She added: “It is tragic that we don’t have a youth club, when we did we weren’t having the same issues. But Powys County Council removed the funding across Powys. We should have fought tooth and nail at the time, but we didn’t. “

Councillors agreed to place the benches where Cllr MacGarry suggested, as long as they were moveable.