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MINUTES OF LLANGWM COMMUNITY COUNCIL

 

TUESDAY 14TH JULY 2015 AT THE PARISH HALL, LLANGWM

 

COUNCILLORS PRESENT:  Cllr Michael Foster (Chair), Cllr. Bob Trigg, Cllr Peter Gough,

Cllr David Williams, Cllr. Lyn Bennett, Cllr. Colin Evans, Cllr Gwyn Rowlands

 

IN ATTENDANCE: County Councillor Bob Greenland and Shirley Hughes, Clerk

 

1.      OPEN SESSION

There were no members of the public present.

 

2.      APOLOGIES

There were no apologies for absence received

 

3.    DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Declarations of interest will be made as and when required.

 

4.    MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING – 16th June 2015

Minutes of the meeting of 16th June were agreed and signed as a true and correct record by the Chairman.

5.    MATTERS ARISING

       5 a) Community Speedwatch

Cllr Bennett reported that at the Open Meeting which was held on 7th July, 12 local residents had attended to hear more about the Scheme presented by Sgt Steve Parsons. Some of those who did attend mentioned that it was a shame that the scheme could not extend outside the 40mph limit as it was mainly on the long straights into and out of the village that vehicles speed. The Clerk reported that to date 4 people had handed in completed application forms.

CC Bob Greenland mentioned that perhaps there was some merit in extending the 40mph limit within the village?

Cllr Bob Trigg mentioned the proposed reduction of the speed limit to 50mph on the old Usk to Abergavenny road.

CC Bob Greenland stated that this was a trial reduction between Usk & the Steel Horse Café, and if successful, there may be other roads within the County that will have reduced limits in the future. He also stated that other rural counties have reduced limits to 50mph on B classed roads.

 

5 b) To Adopt Standing Orders

The Cllrs had all received a Draft copy of the Standing Orders that had been prepared over the previous months, and the following amendments were agreed:

1.a) Meetings – As the monthly meetings were being trialled during 2015, agreed to state 6 meetings per year would be held.

5. Quorum of the Council – Four members shall constitute a quorum.

Plus several typos were amended.

 

Cllr Lyn Bennett proposed, and Cllr Colin Evans seconded that the Llangwm Standing Orders be adopted as agreed.

 

5 c) Bus Shelter Repairs

Following an inspection of the Llangwm Bus Shelter by several Cllrs, it was felt that it would probably cost approx. £200 to repaint the bargeboards, and this was not worth doing as the roof required re-felting. The slates would need to be taken off, replacement bargeboards fitted, new felt, slates re-fitted and all timbers painted.

 

It was agreed that Cllr Colin Evans would prepare a brief for the works to be done, and the Clerk would obtain 3 independent quotes from suitable local builders.

 

5 d) Signage to St Jerome’s Church

The Clerk has taken a photo of the sign as it is at present to forward to the Friends of Friendless Churches, but requires details of the person who did the last lettering previously so costs could be sought so that a maintenance budget could be sent to them, so the upkeep could be scheduled to be done every 2 years. It was unclear how old the sign actually was, and Cllrs mentioned that there were in fact 2 signs, one being by St Johns Church.

Cllr Bennett recalls that for the sign on the B4235 the ironwork had been done in 2014, and the signwriting probably the year before that, but the post had not been painted for several years.

 

5 e) Enforcement Case E14/096 Mill Meadow Stables – no progress on this Case to date.

 

5 f) Enforcement Case E15/29 Bridge Inn, Llangwm -   The MCC Officer had not had any response from the initial letter that was sent to the owner.  She intends to send out a chase up letter to the owner of the land.  If there is no response from this letter then she will need to write up a report to consider serving a Section 215 notice on the land.

 

6.   HIGHWAYS

a) No new updates received from Highways

63.1/63.6 Chapel Lane - conifer hedge at Junction encroaching onto Highway – Clerk to

write to residents of Nant-y-Gath. Owner has now cut the hedge down and replaced with fence and new hedging plants.

 

b) New Highways issues raised by Councillors

            1.    Cllr Foster reported that the Grit Bin had been damaged when verge cutting had taken place on

                   Gaer Fawr.    

2.    Hedge opposite the Village Hall belonging to Brook Cottage needs cutting back due to visibility

       issues. Clerk to write to owners.

         

            c) New Issues raised by others - There were no additional Highways Issues

 

7.    FINANCE

 

The Clerk reported that copy statements had arrived the previous day from Barclays Bank, which showed the following balance:

 

As of 29th May

Barclays Bank                                      £2,125.92

Monmouthshire Building Society           £2,344.39

 

The Clerk reported that she would now be able to reconcile the 2014/15 accounts and get them Internally Audited prior to be approved by the Council, and then sending them for External Audit to Mazers.

 

INVOICES FOR PAYMENT

·        Invoice - Shirley Hughes expenses for May/June  - £39.28  Chq no 100634

·        Invoice - Shirley Hughes expenses for June/July  - £51.07  Chq no 100635

 

8.    CORRESPONDENCE

From MCC

a) Enforcement Lists – Nothing for Llangwm or Llansoy

b) Rural Forum Meeting – 16th July at Usk Fire Station – Defibrillator Training (Blue Box)

c) Planning Agenda 7th July – nothing for Llangwm or Llansoy

d) Invitation to the Chairman’s Charity Garden Party – 19th July (Blue Box)

 

One Voice Wales

a) Community Engagement Training – 21st July (Blue Box)

b) Call for Nominations for the 2016 Queens Honours List (Blue Box)

c) One Voice Wales AGM – 9th July

 

Welsh Government

a) Tax Collection and Management (Wales) Bill (Blue Box)

b) Invitation to TB Dashboard at Royal Welsh Show (emailed and in Blue Box)

c) Energy Efficiency Strategy Consultation (Blue Box)

 

General

a) Wholesale Catalogue from J Parkers – Dutch Bulbs (Blue Box)

 

9.    PLANNING APPLICATIONS

    

NEW APPLICATION

9.1 There were no new Applications

 

Update on other applications 

9.2 Tyr Berllan – Had been decided on 23rd June

9.3 Ysgubor, Belmont Farm – approval made on 25th June

 

The Clerk reported that she had now purchased a Hard Cover Book to keep a record of all Planning Applications.

 

10.       COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT

County Councillor Bob Greenland gave the following report:

Had attended the WLGA Conference in Swansea where Leighton Andrews gave his report on Local Government re-organisations and out of the 300 people present, very little support was given to his plans. The Labour Party would include the mergers in their Manifesto, but may need a coalition of AM’s to govern in Cardiff.

It was hoped that the Welsh Government would look to their reserves to plug the gaps for Local Authorities, as MCC will need a further reduction of £6m in next year’s budget.

 

A lengthy discussion took place regarding issues at Chepstow School. Issues raised by Councillors were as follows:

·        No teaching staff for many of the lessons

·        Syllabus not completed before exams started

·        No resources for pupils – such as paper, mouse to use with PC, etc.

·        Exodus of quality teachers from the School

·        Why do they use a private company to operate their HR business?

 

CC Greenland stated that all schools are autonomous but MCC are responsible for standards in schools. The Education Advisory Service is a Limited Company and covers the whole of the old Gwent boundaries and their Advisors go around the Schools to check their operating systems and what work they are doing.

 

11.    WARD REPORTS

Cllr Trigg asked how the new ruling with regard to Giant Hogweed would affect MCC, as everyone will want it cut back or landowners will have to pay up to £20k.

Cllr Gough stated that NRW is working with the Rivers Trust and have resources to do most of the work on the riverbanks.

County Councillor Greenland left the meeting at this point.

12.       ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

12.1    Cllr Foster

The Chairman, Cllr Mike Foster stated that he will not be standing at the next Election. If someone can be found to replace him before then he will retire early, otherwise he will stay on the Council until the Election.

 

12.2     Best Kept Village

Cllr Trigg noted that the verges on the B4235 had not been cut. The Clerk to add this to the Highways Enquiry Form

           

Date of Next Meeting,

Tuesday, 15th September 2015

 

Meeting closed: 9.05pm