Llangwm Home:Llangwm Community Council

Minutes of Meeting held on Tuesday 15th January 2008

at St John's Church Hall, Llangwm
  1. Apologies for absence

    Members present:
    Cllr. Mike Foster, Chairman
    Cllr. Lyn Bennett
    Cllr. Colin Evans
    Cllr. Peter Gough
    Cllr. Gwyn Rowlands
    Cllr. Mick Sheath
    Cllr. David Williams

    In attendance County Councillor Greenland

  2. Minutes of the Last Meeting.

    The minutes were agreed by those present and signed by the Chairman.

  3. Matters Arising.

    The Clerk will pass the latest information on the Llangwm Neighbourhood Watch to Cllr. Foster when he has added the known email addresses, and also would pass on contacts for Mr. Bill Savage & Mrs. Mavis Sheath.

    8a Highways.
    Emailed 29.11 concerning
    1. Road surface & lay by, Llangwm/Llansoy road.
    2. Highways Inspector to call on Cllr. Foster, re George's Delight.
    3. 'Unsuitable for HGV' sign opposite glider field.

    No reply received as yet - chased. Cllr. Foster said that he had been contacted by a highways engineer, and had been able to make the required points. Cllr. Williams pointed out that the grass in the lay-by was actually growing on the pile of silt & tarmac rubbish.
    The Clerk also emailed 1/08 re a 20 ton lorry which demolished the wall of the bridge opposite Pentre Farm barns at the end of November, ending nose down in the stream. Reply that repairs are scheduled.

    My Highway contact has issued two new proforma - for Traffic Issues and Operation Issues.
    The previous Inspectors roles are now carried out by the Area Superintendents. Inspectors will be in the loop as far as receiving the issues on the proforma, for their attention & repair, but the written response will be from the Area Engineer. The previous inspectors now come under the Projects & Structure Section, their role is to inspect the highway network, & report defects.

    Matters Arising under Any Other Correspondence.
    Flooding at Llangwm. The Clerk emailed Martyn Evans following last week's heavy rain to enquire where the environmental survey had got to, and if the bridge arches could simply be enlarged while we're waiting. He has also been contacted by the two residents who had suffered flooding last summer.

    Planning Application DC/2007/01482, Mark Tout, Change of use of Bridge Inn Llangwm from A3 restaurant to C3 dwelling. The Clerk has objected on behalf of the Council, that the loss of this last village amenity would be contrary to U.D.P. Policy CF2.
    A sub committee has been formed "Bridge Inn Action Network" - to breath new life into 'BrIAN'.

    A circular went round the villages to encourage people to write in to Planning using their own words.
    (The Clerk said he had used the Council's laser printer for this, and it was agreed this was a valid use of our resources.)
    Contacted David Davies, MP, who has issued a Press Release in support. Also been approached by his opposition, the Labour Parliamentary Candidate Hamish Sanderson, who is willing to help, having been involved in the Royal Hotel episode.
    Issued a survey to record the community's views on how, and how often, the pub would/could be used by locals.
    The Clerk and Mick Sheath interviewed on Radio Wales, and on BBC Wales website.
    Photoshoot for SW Argus, and another for the Free Press. Item in Abergavenny Chronicle.
    Signs 'Save our Pub' outside the village hall.
    Petition sent round local farmers by Howard Peterson, Pentre Farm.
    As at 15/1, 50 letters of objections on MCC website, none in support.
    An additional section 'Hot Topics' had been added to the village website, where such comment could be added.
    Prof Peter Hines, BrIAN Chairman, had presented our case in person this morning to the Planning Officer.
    In reply to the Clerk, County Councillor Greenland explained that the Planning Committee would each get a copy of the Officer's report on the application. This would be posted on the MCC website on the Wednesday or Thursday before the planning agenda is issued, and the action group could respond to that by emailing all committee members.
    The Clerk has also written 28/11 to Savills, the agents, asking for recompense for infringement of copyright; holding reply received 3/12. County Councillor Greenland declared an interest in this item. The Clerk to chase.

    The Clerk wrote to support the appeal by Mr Worthy, Owl Barn, Llangwm against refusal of a conservatory.

    Matters Arising under Any Other Business.
    Cllr. Bennett emailed County Councillor Greenland 28/11 itemising a number of the errors in online planning applications for Llangwm. This he had raised with Mr David Swanson, who had taken it up with Planning Portal.

  4. Finance.

    The Clerk tabled the financial statement for the nine months April to December, showing reserves of £3,324.37. The final tranche of the precept had been received.
    We are required to set the precept for 2008/2009, so the Clerk tabled a proposed budget for consideration, maintaining the current level of precept. The Council Tax based was estimated at £244.33, the previous year being £238.56.
    The major item of expenditure could be the May election; he had received no guidance on these costs, so used the figure estimated on the previous occasion. (The actual expenditure in 2005 had been £245). All agreed this risked running the reserves too low, especially as County Councillor Greenland warned that more cost from the County Council could fall on Community Councils this year. Cllr. Bennett proposed that, since the full election cost was unlikely to be incurred, the precept should be increased by the amount of the actual cost. After some discussion, this was agreed and the precept set at £2,700.

    The Clerk proposed that the three grants to the churches should be made as usual. This was agreed, County Councillor Greenland commenting that Trellech was granting £260 for church maintenance.
    The Clerk had just received the invoice from MCC for the laser printer for £181.78 - VAT was included, but he can reclaim this.
    He asked for approval of payment of his salary, expenses of £24.57 for the four months September to December, and travel expenses for Cllr. Foster of £10.04. These were all agreed.

  5. Any Other Correspondence.

    The following documents were tabled for circulation:-

    A) Documents requiring decision:

    From MCC:-
    Planning applications:-
    DC/2007/01416, Dr & Mrs Mathews, barn conversion, New Home Farm, Gaer Fawr, Llangwm.
    This was agreed.
    Request forms distributed to Councillors for the 2008 electoral register, and returned completed.
    Consultation on the MCC budget: Cllr Phil Murphy has arranged one meeting for 7 p.m. Shire Hall, Monmouth on 17th January; also 10 a.m. Little Mill Village Hall 24th January. Now also 5th February, 10 a.m. venue to be confirmed. The Clerk to liaise with Cllr. Bennett and Cllr. Sheath on which date to attend.
    The Clerk had emailed three Councillors regarding a meeting on 'Connecting the Spheres' on 10th January, but none had been available.
    Highways Workshop Meeting, Mor Hafren Area on 19th February 6 p.m. in County Hall Civic suite, to explain the new structure of the Highways department. Provisionally, Cllr. Bennett, Cllr. Sheath and the Clerk to attend. Cllr. Foster reported that he had attended a previous meeting on this topic.
    Consultation on the draft Regional Technical Statement for Aggregates, comments requested by 31 January. Passed to Cllr. Gough.
    Grants from the Community & Economic Development Scheme for 2008/2009 now open for applications, deadline of 4 pm Friday 15th February. Passed to Cllr. Bennett.

    From One Voice Wales:-
    'Delivering a successful Youth Council', meeting Ammanford 5th April.
    Planning Aid Wales, training seminar for Councillors on land use planning, Ystrad Mynach, 25th February. One person per Council, £25 fee.
    Complaints Handling seminar, Llantrisant, 7.00 p.m. 21st February.
    Services Survey with Wales Rural Observatory - completed by the Clerk a second time.

    From Other Bodies:-
    Invitation from the Post Office to meeting 16th January 7 p.m. Parkway Hotel Cwmbran on Post Office closure programme for the area.

    Request for financial assistance from the Woodland Trust for the regeneration of Wyeswood Common. This was refused.

    B) For information only:-

    From MCC:-
    Three sets of Cabinet, and two sets of Council, minutes.
    Two agenda and minutes of Planning Committee.
    Pamphlet on MCC 'Improving Your Services'.
    Special Rural Forum on Highway issues, 13th December - Cllr. Foster attended.
    Rural Forum minutes.
    Mor Hafren committee minutes.
    Two weekly lists of Enforcement cases. The officer had assured the Clerk that these are not confidential.

    From One Voice Wales:-
    Agenda and minutes of Area Committee meeting.

    From Other Bodies:-
    Councils Suppliers Guide & Yearbook; contains various legal extracts, and clerks' remuneration.
    Clerks & Councils Direct for January 2008.


  6. Any Other Business.

    Cllr. Foster requested the Clerk complain about the road surface from Gaer Fawr to Gaer Llwyd, though this was outside our area.
    Replying to Cllr. Bennett, County Councillor Greenland said that a new Code of Conduct for Wales had not yet been issued.

  7. Date of Next Meeting.

    This was agreed for Tuesday 18th March at St. John's Hall. Llangwm.