A Powys County Councillor and former Senedd member has paid tribute to late Councillor Mike Williams for his incredible work over 40 years.

William Powell paid tribute to Mr Williams for his work in the community in Machynlleth including helping get work started on the new Dyfi Bridge and his community role at the time of the murder of April Jones.

“Mike was astonishing really, he was a gritty public servant, absolutely dedicated to Machynlleth and its people. He never engaged in social media or anything like that – but he was always totally in touch with his community,’’ said Mr Powell.

“He always sought to find common ground. He was always chatty and conversational. He was non-partisan. He always sought to do what was right for his residents and for the greater good.”

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Mr Powell said he was full of admiration for the way Mr Williams dealt with the extraordinary and awful circumstances that came in the search for April Jones.

“I recall that Mike was particularly active in supporting his community together with then Mayor Cllr Gareth Jones, in the dark days following the disappearance of the late April Jones in 2012,” said Councillor Powell.

“Between them they played a huge role in trying to hold the community together the best they could in those tragic circumstances.

“Living as he did in the heart of the Bryn y Gog estate, he was a was a respected community leader and dealt with the locals, as well as the national and international media and everybody who descended on Machynlleth, at what must have been extraordinarily difficult time for everyone concerned.”

Mr Powell added that one of his other crowning achievements was being one of the key figures in getting the new Dyfi Bridge for the town.

“The campaign for a new Dyfi Bridge at Machynlleth had been active for many decades, including a 3,000 strong petition to the Senedd Petitions Committee in 2011,” added Cllr Powell.

“But when I, as Chair of the Petitions Committee, secured a ministerial site meeting in Machynlleth with then Welsh Business and Transport Minister, Mrs Edwina Hart, back in 2014, it was Mike who helped me to convene the meeting.

"It took place in the Parliament House in Machynlleth, and involved Mrs Hart, senior Transport officials, local businesspeople, and a delegation of town councillors, including the town clerk.

“There followed an in-depth discussion of the case for a second Dyfi crossing, including routing options for the scheme and in retrospect, it really seemed to turn things, helping to secure an initial investment in feasibility works, that was something of a game-changer.

“That was Mike really, he was very good at bringing people together. The last time I saw Mike in person was at the opening of the Dyfi Bridge, back in February this year. 

“I said to him:  ‘Do you realise how important you were in making all this happen?’ With characteristic modesty, he played down his part, but Mike was quite properly feted at the opening event – and it was clear that both the Griffiths Contractor team and Welsh Government officials understood what a key player he had been in the earlier years.

“Mike always sought to find common ground, where it was possible, was always chatty and conversational. He was non-partisan, non-tribal and scrupulously fair. He always sought to do what was right for his residents and for the greater good. We will not see his like again.”