Room hire fees will not be waived for sub-groups involved in work to help battle climate change, Machynlleth town councillors have decided.

Following the council’s decision to declare a ‘climate emergency’, a number of groups were established to help the town come up with proposals that could help fight climate change and make Machynlleth more environmentally friendly.

Several of those groups have met at council-owned rooms at Y Plas, but clerk Jim Griffiths said invoices at a discounted rate to hire the facilities had been questioned.

He said councillors needed to decide whether they were prepared to waive those fees or continue to charge the discounted rate, and said there had been some questions raised by community organisations which pay the discounted rate to hire facilities.

Cllr Glenda Jenkins said the town council’s decision to announce a climate emergency was based on no cost from the decision falling on the council and insisted that the discounted facility hire rate should continue to be charged.

She said: “I’m worried we’d be missing out on bookings and missing income. This council needs every penny.”

However, Cllr Ann MacGarry said many of the people who sit on the different groups established to investigate climate change issues felt that they were carrying out work on behalf of the council and that, as the groups have no income, any charge would leave them likely to have to find alternative premises.

She said: “This process was started by the council by declaring a climate emergency.

“The people on these groups do feel they’re working on behalf of the council.”

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