MINUTES OF LLANGWM COMMUNITY COUNCIL

TUESDAY 20th MARCH 2018 AT THE PARISH HALL, LLANGWM

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

IN ATTENDANCE: Local resident John Newell (part-time), CSO Andy Jones (part-time) and Shirley Hughes, Clerk

1. OPEN SESSION

POLICE REPORT

CSO Andy Jones gave the following report:

There is very little to report for the Llangwm and Llansoy area in the last month, but an Ivor Williams Trailer had been stolen from Howick and copper wiring had been taken from a farm near Shirenewton.

Cllr B Trigg asked about the Traffic Management in Usk and stated that cars were flouting the No Parking areas especially near the One Stop Shop where double yellow lines are now in force. CSO Jones said he would pass this comment onto his colleagues based in Usk.

Please remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity/crime at the time via either 101 or 999 if you deem it an emergency.

2. APOLOGIES

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor Bob Greenland.

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 20th February 2018 were agreed and signed as a true and correct record.

5. MATTERS ARISING

5a) Bridge Inn Update

It was noted that the front bow windows were now all boarded up plus the doors so the building does look a little bit better. This means that the landowner has complied with the Enforcement Order which was issued just before Xmas.

Cllrs were noted that no further correspondence had been received from the landowner in reply to emails sent from local residents.

5b) Street Signs

The Clerk had written to Paul Keeble following the last meeting, and had an email back stating that due to budget and resources, MCC were unable to install any signs. The Clerk wrote back a very strong email, copying an email we received nearly 12 months which also stated the same reason!!! CC Bob Greenland had also offered to look into this issue.

5c) Co-Option of Community Councillor

Councillors reported that so far they have not been able to find anyone prepared to be co-opted onto the Community Council, but there were a few who had not said categorically no. AGREED to Keep this item in View (KIV)

5d) BT Broadband & O2 Mobile phone Signal

Mr John Newell spoke about his continuing frustration about the lack of Mobile Phone Signal by O2 and slow Broadband speeds from BT. Cllr Peter Gough said that he had also been lobbying these companies with a small group of residents who had originally set up their own small group. AGREED that 4-6 residents get together in the near future, and take what action is necessary to find out why Llangwm has been left behind in the digital network!

It was noted that the Wales Government were due to issue the new tender at the end of January, but Mr Newell said that he had been unable to find it, so could only assume that it had not gone ahead.

The Clerk reported that the UK Conservative Government have announced that Monmouthshire has been chosen as a 5G Testbed site to improve rural connectivity!! Mr Newell stated that he had recently seen that his carphone had managed to pick up 2G, so there was still a long way to go!!

Mr Newell left the meeting at this stage.

6. HIGHWAYS

a) Update on Matters Reported

No report from MCC.

i) Cllr Trigg reported that the pothole on the B4235 between Toll House & Coal Chips Farm gate has been made safe.

b) New Highway Issues raised by Councillors

i) B4235 - Approx. 100m Usk side of the Bridge Inn blocked 300mm diameter culvert - reported on 16/3/18 by Cllr Bob Trigg - is still blocked, and this is constantly causing a dangerous flood on the B4235, and is polluting Mr Morgan's Silage store

ii) B4235 - Jnt 60.9 to Toll House Cottage gullies covered by grass & hedge cuttings

iii) Route 81 - Blocked culvert Pont-y-Caith

iv) Jnt 60.10 & 63.3 - Give Way Lines have faded and need re-painting

v) Route 80 - Grit Bin opposite Pwll Farm

vi) Route 60.2 - Potholes all along lane need to be made safe and passing layby north of Hillview needs clearing out

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 February 2018 was £3,004.77

Monmouthshire Building Society

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

INVOICES FOR PAYMENT

Invoice:

S Hughes - Feb/March Expenses - £37.78 - Chq no 706

AGREED that the above invoice is paid.

The Monthly Finance Reconciliation for March 2018 was:

Receipts £6,264.57

Payments £4,781.33 (Net)

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

7a) TO UPDATE ASSET REGISTER

The estimated value of the Council Asset's in Llangwm & Llansoy amounted to £9,755 and Cllr Colin Evans offered to inspect all the Council's assets and will give a full report in due course.

7b) TO OBTAIN GRASS CUTTING QUOTES FOR 2018 - 2019

The Clerk had written to Steve Beale from Green Grafter but not as yet received a reply.

It was noted that the Parish Hall also requires a quote for grass cutting, and Cllr Trigg offered to speak to Mr Beale. AGREED that when LCC grass is cut, that they also cut the Parish Hall area, and proposed by Cllr Gough, that the contractor issues 2 separate invoices for the work.

7c) UPDATE ON PROPOSED PAYROLL ARRANGEMENTS FOR CLERK

It was noted that the Clerk had received her P45 from MCC, and this has been sent off to Beverley Williams Accountants. Also B & W have sent a Starter Checklist for PAYE with HMRC, and the Clerk has filled that in and returned.

It was noted that there will now be a monthly Payslip for Salary, and this will have to be verified and paid by cheque at monthly meetings.

The Clerk asked about her Annual Increment which was from 1st April 2018 which would be by one point on LC1 - which would now be SCP 18, which equates to £9.392 per hour.

This was AGREED by the meeting.

7d) CLERK'S HOURS

The Clerk reported that she had worked 25.25 hours since the last meeting.

8. CORRESPONDENCE

From MCC

a) Agendas for various MCC Select Meetings

b) Various Press Releases: Easter activities for youngsters, Council Finalises Budget,

Council take back Borough Theatre, Update on Snow Clearing etc.

c) Poster & Letter Re: cutting back on Plastic items in Village Halls - distributed to Parish Hall reps

d) Chairman's Fundraiser - Evening Tour & Cheese & Wine at Sugar Loaf Vineyard - £15 BB

One Voice Wales

a) OVW Ideas for Motions for the AGM on 31st May - No Motions came forward

b) Details of National Awards Conference on 29th March

Welsh Government

a) Monmouthshire chosen as 5G Testbed site to improve rural connectivity

General

a) Details from Elan City with deals on Radar Speed Signs

b) Wales Air Ambulance - Appeal for donation

c) Homestart Monmouthshire - Appeal for donation

d) Keep Wales Tidy Info

e) Brochure from Glasdon - bins/seating/signs etc.

8a) BOUNDARY CHANGES

It was noted that in January a letter & report had been received regarding the proposed Review of Community Boundaries and Electoral Arrangements, and these changes would see the demise of Llangwm Community Council, and the Ward would be merged with Llantrisant to form Llantrisant Fawr. There would be a cut in the number of Councillors, and Llangwm would be represented by 3 and Llansoy by just 1 Councillor.

After much discussion, it was AGREED to:

a) Ask MCC why there is no consultation period this time as Council views may have changed over the 6 year period

b) Seek out the original correspondence from Llangwm CC and respond to MCC on the original points made back in 2012/14

c) Ask other Clerks what their thoughts were on the proposals

8b) TO DISCUSS WELSH LANGUAGE SCHEME

In the Newsletter from One Voice Wales in January, a Template was available to use for signing up to a Welsh Language Scheme for Community & Town Councils.

The Clerk has been in contact with fellow Clerks throughout Monmouthshire, and as there is no legal requirement to sign up to this scheme, the majority of other Clerks stated that their Councils were not going to sign up as cost of translation and volume of additional work would be colossal.

AGREED that Llangwm CC would not be signing up to the Welsh Language Scheme

9. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

The Clerk pointed out that due to the Planning System replacing their software, the Planning Portal on MCC Website was showing applications as being Current, when it is known that they have been approved!

Mr L Bennett had queried an application which was for new houses on land near the Bridge Inn which he had seen on the MCC Portal, but then disappeared! Councillors thought that this was probably a very old application that Bob Evans had applied for many years ago, but due to the Planning Portal being updated, this had just been posted unintentionally.

9a) PLANNING APPLICATION

DM/2018/00302 - Trevine Farm, Llangwm, Usk, NP15 1HG

Installation of new dormer windows to front elevation, installation of new French doors to front elevation. Construction of raised deck to front garden of adjacent existing dwelling.

AGREED to recommend this application for approval pending standard materials are used and are in keeping with present property.

9b) PLANNING APPLICATION

DM/2018/00417 - New House, Llangwm, Usk NP15 1HA

Improved visibility vehicular access to New House. Close-up existing access

It was noted that there were no documents for this Application and LCC had not been asked to comment on it.

10. COUNTY COUNCILLOR'S REPORT

There was no report from County Councillor Bob Greenland.

11. WARD REPORTS

There were none.

12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

a) LLANGWM PARISH HALL EVENT

Cllr Colin Evans reported that the Skittles Match and Ploughman's Social on Friday 16th March was a great success and had raised £462 of which £300 was for the Cabinet to house the Defibrillator, and the remainder would be donated to 'Jack's Pledge' who had donated the AED machine.

Now the Defibrillator was installed, it was noted that the key code was C159X

AGREED that at the April Meeting, a photoshoot will be held prior to the meeting to advertise the AED, and Cllr John Watkins would bring his camera, and invite Phil Hill along.

Date of Next Meeting

It was noted that the next meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday 17th April 2018.

Meeting closed 9.12pm