MINUTES OF LLANGWM COMMUNITY COUNCIL

TUESDAY 16th JANUARY 2018 AT THE PARISH HALL, LLANGWM

COUNCILLORS PRESENT: Cllr David Williams (Chair), Cllr. Bob Trigg, Cllr John Watkins, Cllr Colin Evans, Cllr Peter Gough, Cllr Gwyn Rowlands

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

1. OPEN SESSION

There were no members of the public present.

County Councillor Bob Greenland asked if he could present his report (Agenda Item 10.) at the commencement of the meeting due to having to attend another meeting. AGREED by the Chair and reported under Item 10 in these Minutes.

POLICE REPORT

CSO Andy Jones had sent an email stating that the result of 'YOUR VOICE' showed that the Wards priority was still speeding traffic on the B4235.

Cllr Gough asked if any information on the accident between a cyclist and Bin Lorry just before Xmas near The Mill had been received.

AGREED that as the Clerk had not received anything, that she would write to the Police to get details.

2. APOLOGIES

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Trevor Heywood.

2a) RESIGNATION OF COUNCILLOR

The Clerk read out an email received from Cllr Heywood stating that he wished to resign as a

Councillor for the Llangwm Ward due to spending more time at his property in Spain.

In his absence, Cllrs thanked Mr Heywood on the work he has done on the Flooding issues in Llangwm, and in his email to the Clerk Mr Heywood stated that he would continue to find a resolution to this project.

AGREED that the Clerk to contact MCC, to draw up a Notice regarding vacancy on the Community

Council.

3. DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Declarations of interest will be made as and when required.

4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of 21st November 2017 were agreed and signed as a true and correct record.

5. MATTERS ARISING

5a) Defibrillator/CPR Training

Thanks were given to Cllr John Watkins for all his work organising the Defibrillator and the CPR Training. In total 15 people have now been trained on the use of the AED, and the Cabinet has been purchased. Cllr Watkins offered to collect the Cabinet from Mr Phil Hill, and then the Parish Hall Committee, will arrange to have it installed at the Hall.

5b) Bridge Inn Update

The Clerk reported that the Enforcement Officer has confirmed that the an Enforcement Case (E17/423) was lodged on 24th December, so the Landowner will have 3 months to do appropriate works. The Order covers both the building and car park.

The Clerk has contacted the Environmental Health about the vermin issue, but not heard back as yet.

5c) Road Signs

The meeting was asked to note that our request for Road Signs has now been passed to the Highways Officer, who has made initial contact, but the Clerk has not had any updates. AGREED to chase this up with Senior Officers.

5d) Proposed closure of St John's Church

Cllr Evans reported that a Public meeting had been held prior to Xmas where over 40 local residents turned up. It was noted that the closure of St John's Church was on hold for the time being for a Condition Survey to take place.

6. HIGHWAYS

a) Update on Matters Reported

i) B4235 Pavement between Yew Tree Cottage and Mill House - is covered in moss, and there are serious H&S issues as residents have to walk in the road as the path is unstable. This pavement is used and this is very dangerous due to bend in road and fast moving traffic. We appreciate we have reported this issue several times.

This has been scored and added to a prioritised maintenance database. Please refer to 025948 for previous comments WH 1/12/17

ii) Route 60.9 Passing bay between Piccadilly and Jnt with B4235 is covered in mud & grass.

Added to sweeper list to do WH 1/12/17. MS DUNSTER REPORTED THAT THIS HAS NOW BEEN DONE

iii) Across the whole of the Ward - Grit Bins need replenishing

Grit bins are currently being filled in wards in and around the Llangwm area WH 1/12/17

MOST HAVE NOW BEEN FILLED

iv) KEEP FREE BAY in Llangwm - needs re-painting

This is on the schedule as a low priority WH 29/11/17

Cllr Watkins handed over an old envelope which had been secured onto a car parking in the bay, by persons unknown, which had been responded to and the contents will be passed onto MCC.

v) Junction sign on the B4235 for Llanynant Road - is now obscured by vegetation

Private hedge obscuring jct sign. Pass to MPE. WH 01/12/17

Added to program. Owing to locale and speed of road additional traffic management is needed which require more resources. This has a bearing on when can be done. WH 01/12/17

vi) Route 81 - Gullies need cleaning out from the B4235 all the way to the Duffryn

Added to list to do. WH 01/12/17

vii) Route 63.9 & Junction of B4235 - Gullies need cleaning out from here to Belmont Farm

Added to list to do. WH 01/12/17

viii) Where 66.2 joins route 81 - Verge damage on the triangular piece of land occurred last week and house holders in the vicinity are concerned that vehicles could leave the carriageway and cause substantial vehicle damage so are asking if verge markers can be placed to the RHS of photo 1 & Photo 3 to warn vehicles that there is a fall off at the edge of carriageway. The damage was caused by a water bowser belonging to Gwent fire brigade going off the edge when attending a fire at Camp Cottage. URGENT

Been added to list to do WH 1/12/17

b) New Highway Issues raised by Councillors

i) Cllr Rowlands stated that several residents in Llansoy have complained that the 40mph limit through the village is now far too high, and should be reduced to 30 mph due to there being more children being picked up and dropped off from school buses.

Cllr Gough suggested that the limit in Llangwm should also be reduced to 30 mph, especially as Usk has become a 20mph, where cyclists can now overtake cars!

AGREED - the Clerk to write to the relevant MCC Officer.

ii) Cllr Evans reported that although outside the Ward, there was a real issue with flooding on the B4235 as you approach Bully Hole Bottom road, and it seems as if 2 gullies on the right hand side were blocked.

AGREED that the Clerk will report this issue

c) New Highway Issues raised by others

There were no issues raised by others.

7. FINANCE

Barclays Bank

Balance at the Bank as of 29th December 2017 was £3,560.25

Monmouthshire Building Society

Balance as of 31^st March 2017 - £1,761.51

INVOICES FOR PAYMENT

Invoice - Sylvia Fowles Domain name & Website £34.95 Chq no 694

Invoice - MCC Election Recharge - £93.26 Chq no 695

Invoice - Llangwm Baptist Church Donation for Churchyard - £50.00 Chq no 696

Invoice - Shirley Hughes expenses for Nov/Jan - £31.93 Chq no 697

Invoice - Parish Hall, Llangwm Hire & Electricity for 2017 - £188.60 Chq no 698

AGREED that The MCC Election Recharge cost be queried with MCC, and that the Baptist Church Donation be held over until the February meeting, when all the other Donations are decided.

It was AGREED that the other 3 invoices are paid.

The Monthly Finance Reconciliation for December/January 2017 was:

Receipts £6,264.57

Payments £3,489.05 (Net)

This was signed by the Chair, and will be circulated to the Cllrs in the near future.

7a) TO SET BUDGET AND PRECEPT FOR 2018 - 2019

i) BUDGET

A copy of the last 4 year's Budgets, plus the previous year's Actual Finances were distributed and the Clerk compared to the present financial year showing that the payments will increase slightly for the forthcoming year,

For example:

- Subscriptions - OVW £60

- Training - £35 per session, so if the Clerk did 2 training events per year = £70

- Admin - This is the cost of the Payroll from MCC, and at £6.75 per month = £75

- Grass Cutting - anticipate it will be = £240

- Hall Hire - approx.= £240

- Audit - new company so not sure how much = £220

- Insurance - Slight increase = £320

- Donations to Churches/Best Kept Village = £300

Along with the Clerk's Salary, expenses and other costs, these payments roughly add up to £5,169.

The Budget was AGREED and:

Proposed by Cllr. Peter Gough

Seconded by Cllr Gwyn Rowlands

ii) PRECEPT

Councillors were reminded that the Precept had been raised in 2016/2017 to £4,500, and along with the Building Society savings, it was AGREED to remain at this level for 2018/2019.

This was:

Proposed by Cllr. John Watkins

Seconded by Cllr Colin Evans

iii) TO CONFIRM INTERNAL AUDITOR FOR 2017/2018

The Clerk stated that Mr Ted Royds had been engaged as Internal Auditor in 2016/2017 for a 2 year period, so it was agreed that as Mr Royds did an excellent job, he would be asked to continue.

Proposed by Cllr Colin Evans

Seconded by Cllr. John Watkins

iv) RE-CHARGE OF VAT BY HMRC

The Clerk read out a letter received by HMRC stating that they were changing the way that Councils claim their VAT back. They will write again in 2018 with further information.

v) MCC PAYROLL SERVICE

MCC have decided to change the way the Clerk's salary is paid, and the Clerk read out a letter which states that if MCC are to continue the Payroll for 2018/19 the cost would be £754, which is the true cost of providing the service! Other Clerks who are paid on this basis are up in arms and suggestions are coming forward for alternative Companies who do Payroll Services.

AGREED to allow the Clerk to make enquiries prior to the next meeting, as the new arrangements come into force from 1st April.

vi) CLERK'S HOURS

The Clerk reported that she had worked 33.25 hours since the last meeting, which was 9 weeks ago.

8. CORRESPONDENCE

From MCC

a) Agenda's for various MCC Select Meetings

b) Various Press Releases: Chairman's New Year Message, Seeking views on Monmouth Play area, Car Parking capacity reduced for crucial schemes, MCC becomes first in UK to reach sports award etc.

c) Enforcement Cases Open and Closed for November & January - The Bridge Inn was added in December

d) Dates of Cluster Meetings - Usk & surrounding area will be on 23rd - Clerk will attend

e) Update on Alternative Delivery Model - emailed to Cllrs. Cllr Gough requested that a FoI request be asked for the total amount spent on Consultants during the process of preparing the Report for the ADM

f) Monmouthshire LDP Consultation on Draft Review Report - comments in before 5th February

g) Message from Paul Matthews asking everyone to complete a short questionnaire for the Monmouthshire Wellbeing Plan

h) List of fund raising events for MCC Chairman's Charity

One Voice Wales

a) OVW Training from Feb - Jul

b) Chair's Xmas Message

c) Year Planner

d) Agenda for OVW Meeting on 18th Jan at Usk Session House

Welsh Government

a) Section 137 for 2018 - 2019 is £7.86 per resident

b) Review of Community & Town Councils

c) Would you like to volunteer to join the Community Health Council?

d) Independent Review Panel Update

e) New contact from Planning Aid Wales

f) 'Planning Law Wales Consultation Paper' - link for response is open until 1st March

Business

a) SE Wales RET

b) Newsletter from NRW - sent to Cllrs

c) Aneurin Bevan Community Health Council Patients Voice News

d) David Davies Newsletter - In Touch

General

a) Letter from the Urdd Eisteddfod which will be held in Brecon in 2018 - asking for donation?

b) Letter from Llangollen Eisteddfod asking for funding

c) The Ambulance Service Charity - asking for funding

d) Winter Newsletter from Noah's Ark

e) New venue and opening hours for CAB - emailed to Cllrs

9. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

There were no new Planning Applications

10. COUNTY COUNCILLOR'S REPORT

County Councillor Bob Greenland gave the following report at the commencement of the meeting.

MCC are in the process of putting the 2018/19 Budget together. Staff have been awarded a 2% wage increase, yet Welsh Government have given MCC a cutback of 1%.

The County has seen an increase in children coming into the area with Autism and these all need extra care such as taxis to travel to Bristol and Carers to escort them. Just £200K has been awarded by UK Government. MCC have entrusted 12 Senior Officers to see where savings can be made, and it is hoped that cutbacks will not affect Frontline Services. It seems there will be a 4.95% increase in Council Tax.

The Utilities Company will cause major disruption in Usk for over 12 months starting in February, which will see sections of Bridge Street being closed. Local businesses, Usk Town Council, Utilities Companies and MCC are all working together to cause the least amount of disruption as possible, Usk Town Council have produced an excellent News Sheet which explains the works to be done.

Cllr Peter Gough asked CC Greenland about the Broadband in Llangwm? As the deal with BT & WAG finished on 31st December, the works were never completed in Llangwm and therefore there is no fibre in the village, but there should be a new roll out later in the year.

CC Greenland stated that local solutions are needed to sort this out so money needs to go into rural communities, and would like to see MCC putting fibre in the roads and verges in rural villages.

Cllr Bob Trigg mentioned that the O2 signal used to be good in the village, but since the Masts have been moved, signal is now very poor. CC Greenland stated that the 'Blue Services Masts' have been decommissioned. 100ft mast has suddenly appeared in Devauden without Planning Permission.?

County Councillor Greenland then left the meeting.

11. WARD REPORTS

There were no Ward Reports

12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

a) 2018 Emergency Contacts

The Clerk has been asked to update the Emergency Contacts for the Ward.

Llangwm - Cllr Bob Trigg

Llansoy - Cllr Gwyn Rowlands

Date of Next Meeting,

It was noted that the next meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday 20th February 2018.

Meeting closed 9.15pm