- Apologies for absence
Apologies received from County Councillor Greenland and P. C. Cowburn.
Members present:
Cllr Gwyn Rowlands, Chairman
Cllr. Lyn Bennett
Cllr. Colin Evans
Cllr. Mike Foster
Cllr Peter Gough
Cllr. Mick Sheath
Cllr David Williams
In attendance, Rev K. Hasler and Dr A. Jarrett.
-
Minutes of the Last Meeting.
The minutes were agreed by those present and signed by the Chairman.
The Clerk tabled seven emails from P.C. Cowburn and his report will
be attached to the minutes.
- Matters Arising.
8a Highways.
Hedge obscuring the main road at Llansoy, and the bridge parapet repairs
at Pentre Farm Llangwm. Neither job had been done, clerk to chase. The
Clerk emailed County Councillor Greenland about the latter, 18/09.
The Clerk emailed 18/09 about potholes on the road to Coed Cwnr; replied
that they will be inspected and repaired as required. Cllr. Williams
said that there were some new road markings there.
The Clerk also asked for the verge markers at Gaer Fawr to be re-erected;
Highways replied that they were investigating and considering planting
hedging and remarking two sections of the road. Cllr. Foster said that
verge markers had been erected, but no residents had been consulted
about a hedge, which would block the newly created view. He also repeated
his complaint that when damage to a road was repaired, often only the
middle was treated, leaving the edges dangerously uneven.
He further asked the Clerk to write to Devauden C C concerning pot holes
on a road in their area, California Lane.
Cllr. Foster raised the hazard of water on the road by the big cattle
barns just past The Pwll. Cllr. Williams was sure this was due to farm
traffic into the opposite field, and it was agreed the Clerk should
raise the possibility of a drain there.
The Clerk has still not received the road incident report form designed
by County Councillor Greenland.
Flooding at Llangwm. The environmental report is with WAG, and funding
permitting, the alleviation scheme will start next year.
Bridge Inn Llangwm - still up for sale.
Matters Arising under Any Other Correspondence.
Councillors had not reached any conclusions concerning the Tidy Towns
initiative and the Secret Millionaire schemes. The Clerk believed
the latter might be worth pursuing.
Local red telephone boxes. The Clerk had sought advice from BT, MCC
and our insurers, and would summarise as follows:
Adoption cost is £1 per kiosk, sold as seen. Then would be our
property, and could be moved, subject to Planning, but weigh 380kg,
are likely to crack, and disconnection from the mains would cost us
several hundred pounds. Each box would cost an additional £41.70
insurance premium.
If not adopted, they will not be removed at this stage, but BT would
monitor use and costs for later decision.
MCC are coordinating responses to BT. In view of the time scale, the
Clerk has advised them that we do not wish to adopt, and we objected
to the removal of the boxes at Llansoy and The Bridge, Llangwm, but
agreed to the one at Beech Tree corner, Gaer Fawr, being removed,
since it has not been used in a whole year.
Matters Arising under Any Other Business.
Building work at Coed Ceirw. Enforcement Manager replied 20/10, with
apologies for the delay, that the application for a certificate of
lawfulness was refused, and the owner advised that an application
for an unauthorised extension must now be submitted.
Agricultural tie. The Clerk made various contacts with MCC without
initial success, but eventually Mr Thomas, the Planning Applications
Manager, was most helpful, referring him to the WAG Technical Advice
Note No. 6, the relevant paragraphs of which will be circulated, together
with a useful comment from Mr Thomas.
The Clerk wrote to Mr Harris, Head of Highways and Waste Management,
21/09, to object to early summer closure of Civic Amenity sites, without
reply or acknowledgment.
- Finance.
The Clerk tabled the financial statement for the seven months April
to October showing total reserves of £4,135.73. The 'additional
income' of £30 was the BKV cheque for the Hall, which he has paid
out to the Hall Committee, as shown. Also the webmaster was urgently
paid £113.85 to maintain the community website, on which VAT can
be reclaimed.
Having been so late the previous year, the Clerk proposed that we
make the usual donation to the local churches at this meeting. This
was agreed. He also queried if Cllr Evans wished to ask for some financial
support from Council for improvements to the Hall, but Cllr Evans
thought this should be left to the Hall committee.
Cllr. Foster tabled travel expenses of £30.12, which payment
was agreed.
The Clerk had received notification of a 1% salary increase as from
1st April 2009. The hourly rate is now £8.747, giving an annual
salary of £909.69, or £151.61 per meeting. He asked for
agreement for this rate to start at this meeting, which was agreed.
The car allowance for casual users is now 60.1 pence per mile.
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Any Other Correspondence.
The following documents were tabled for circulation:-
A) Documents requiring decision:
From MCC:-
The Clerk issued forms for requests to MCC of copies of the Electoral
Roll, and was also asked for Councillors' names. He will send these
to MCC.
Planning Applications:-
DC/2009/00849, Steel framed farm building, Mr Rees, Wern Farm, Llansoy.
Agreed by MCC 4/11.
Previous planning applications:-
Highview, Llansoy, approved with 11 conditions;
The Bungalow, Chepstow Road Llangwm, still current, which seems odd,
as it was on the planning agenda for 22/09, recommend approval. Cllr.
Bennett suggested the Clerk should look up the Planning Committee
minutes for that date. (The Clerk subsequently tried this, but only
the agenda is on line, not the minutes.)
Coed Ceirw, removal of agricultural occupancy refused, because applicant
has not shown property was occupied by persons in breach of the occupancy
conditions;
Pentre Farm Llangwm, current; all the above as at 15/11/09.
Draft Economic Development Strategy, comments by 4/12.
Review of Local Government Authority Areas, meeting 30/11, advise
by 26th.
Nomination for Governor of Welsh Medium School, Caldicot.
Local Government Statutory Guidance, comments by 15/01/10.
From Other Bodies:-
Society of Local Council Clerks advise of possible £50 bursary
to assist in clerk training costing £100. It was agreed this
was not needed.
Requests for financial assistance from Shopmobility Newport; Victim
Support; Swansea National Eisteddfod; British Heart Foundation; National
Eisteddfod at Ebbw Vale; N..P.C.C.; Macmillan Nurses; Noah's Ark.
These were all refused.
B) For information only:-
From MCC:-
Two sets of Cabinet Agenda; two sets of Council papers.
Note the Clerk has been informed that in future these papers will
be distributed electronically. In view of the large increase in our
administrative costs that this will cause, he asked for guidance from
Council as to whether he should always print all these papers for
circulation or whether he can use his judgement to circulate only
those he thinks will be of interest to us.
Both Cllr. Foster and Cllr. Bennett felt that this was an unacceptable
transfer of cost and work load from the County Council to us. They
felt that the Clerk was not empowered to make such selective decisions,
and MCC were legally obliged not to disenfranchise voters without
access to a computer. The Clerk was instructed to write to the new
Chief Executive to raise our objection to this decision, despite our
previous attempts with his predecessor.
Traffic arrangements for the Ryder Cup.
Advice on the management of asbestos in buildings.
Emergency Contacts Directory - the Clerk once again advised no change.
List of individual Cabinet Member decisions, and areas of responsibility.
Countryside Volunteer Newsletter, Autumn.
Four sets of Planning Committee Agenda.
Rural Forum meeting, Central Monmouthshire Area.
Agenda and minutes, Mor Hafren Area.
Older Peoples's Strategy - Phase 2.
Monmouthshire LDP update, newsletter 6.
From One Voice Wales:-
Agenda and minutes of Newport Area Committee
Summary of recommendations from the Council Commission Expert Panel
for Wales.
The Clerk completed an on line survey requested by the Plunkett Foundation,
which offers help to local communities to create cooperatives to keep
local facilities open - too late for Llangwm. A very interesting website
detailing their work.
Submissions by OVW on the proposed Local Government Order.
From the Welsh Assembly:-
Community update on Swine Flu.
Proposed guidance for improvement of the Fire and Rescue Authorities
in Wales.
From G.A.V.O.:-
The Monmouthshire Network documents.
From Other Bodies:-
Severn Estuary Group: management Plan review public consultation,
and letter on the Tidal Power feasibility study.
Local Health Board Annual Report for 2008/9.
Clerks & Councils Direct for November 2009. Includes some legal
discussion and other letters about
unauthorised gypsy encampments.
- Any Other Business.
For information, the Clerk advised that some members of the Local History
Group were investigating how the very poor acoustics in the hall could
be improved, which would also help in Council meetings and might increase
public participation. He suggested Council might be willing in principle
to make use of some sound equipment for Council meetings at some small
fee. Cllr. Sheath pointed out we had made contact with some people with
knowledge of the problem, and that drapes/hangings in the hall would
improve the sound considerably. This would involve the Hall Committee,
and the Chairman asked Rev Hasler to speak.
The Reverend, as chairman of the committee, said all groups using the
hall would be invited to nominate a representative to sit on the committee
to contribute to their discussions. They met 4 or 5 times a year. After
discussion, Council asked Cllr. Gough to be their representative.
Rev Hasler further advised that, following a volunteer action grouped
led by Dr Jarrett, the P.C.C. had now decided to try to keep both
Llangwm churches open, though St Jeromes would be the one used for
regular worship. Dr Jarrett stressed that though the group had recently
worked at St Johns, they wished to support both churches, and queried
if the Community Council would give financial support. The Chairman
pointed out that the Council also represented Llansoy, and queried
the legality of this expenditure. The Clerk confirmed that legally
Council could spend up to £6.15 per elector - just over £2,000
- "for any purpose which in its opinion is in the interests of
or will directly benefit the area or its inhabitants, or of part of
it, or of some of them."
Replying to Cllr. Sheath, Rev Hasler said he was prepared to put St
John's to any non-religious use that was appropriate. Council's general
feeling was supportive of local churches, but their interest should
include Llansoy and the Llangwm Baptist church. The Clerk was asked
to invite all the churches for their expenditure proposals which Council
could consider. Rev Hasler's summary of the Llangwm situation will
be circulated with the minutes.
The Clerk tabled a very impressive summer newsletter produced by
Llanbadoc C.C. at their expense, picked up at Usk Garden Centre.
Llanbadoc C.C. had also advised him that they were very concerned
at the increased traffic that would result from the move of MCC HQ
to the Usk Coleg. He believed Usk Civic Society were also concerned.
Llanbadoc would advise him when they would be holding an open meeting,
when all the plans would be available.
The Clerk commented on the state of Llansoy's noticeboard, and reminded
Cllr Evans he was going to fix up the previous Llangwm noticeboard
for Llansoy.
Cllr. Foster reported on the Rural Forum meeting attended by the
new Chief Executive, who said all the right things about communicating
with other organisations. The other area meeting was addressed by
Richard Cope, concerning passenger transport.
Cllr. Williams pointed out that the black box waste collection was
being discontinued, replaced by two different sacks, which in his
case would be collected on two different days.
- Date of Next Meeting.
This was agreed for Tuesday 19th January 2010 at St. John's Hall. Llangwm.
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