MINUTES OF LLANGWM COMMUNITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2018 AT THE PARISH HALL, LLANGWM
COUNCILLORS PRESENT: Cllr. Bob Trigg, Cllr Colin Evans, Cllr David Williams, Cllr Malcolm Hatfield, Cllr Gwyn Rowlands
Cllr Williams took the Chair in the absence of the Chairman & Vice-Chairman
IN ATTENDANCE: County Councillor Bob Greenland, and Shirley Hughes, Clerk
1. OPEN SESSION
POLICE REPORT
There was no Police Report available.
County Councillor Bob Greenland asked if he could present his report (Agenda Item 10.) early in the meeting due to having to attend another meeting. AGREED by the Chair and reported under Item 10 in these Minutes. Cllr Greenland left the meeting at 20:05.
2. APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Peter Gough and Cllr John Watkins
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 17th July 2018 were agreed and signed as a true and correct record.
Minutes of a Special Meeting to deal with Audit issues was held on 9th August, and these were also agreed and signed as a true and correct record.
5. MATTERS ARISING
5a) Street Signs
This was discussed in Item 10 under County Councillors Report as CC Greenland had looked into this for the Community Council.
6. HIGHWAYS
a) Update on Matters Reported
The Pro Forma from the 21st June had been received as follows:
i) Trelay Road potholes - We will inspect for any potholes and address as needed (DONE)
ii) Georges Delight pothole - we will address pothole (DONE)
iii) Keep Free Bay - the bay is not designed as a parking bay only a turning bay, the signage does not highlight this at this location. The CC will need to speak to the Traffic and development team to see what can be done to prevent parking or to change the layout. We will remark existing carriageway markings when we have the equipment available to do so.
iv) Grass Cutting - we will pass to Grounds Maintenance to comment as all grass cutting carried out by the grounds teams.
b) New Highway Issues raised by Councillors
i) Gullies - Cllr Trigg stated that the gullies throughout Llangwm were all blocked and need attention
ii) Route 80 from junction of B4235 to Nantygelli Crossroads - Potholes
iii) B4235 Tiveree to Llangwm - Warning signs and chevrons covered by vegetation and green algae
iv) St Tysoi Close, Llansoy - Cllr Rowlands reported that 30mph signs have been erected at the entrance of the Close? Why?
c) New Highway Issues raised by others
The Clerk reported that as promised at a meeting in early June of the Usk Cluster Group, we now have received the Programme of Works from MCC, which is a bit different to what we thought it would be.
It mainly deals with larger Capital Projects being done throughout the county, and not the standard works such as gully emptying, grass cutting etc.
Cllr Trigg suggested that when sending in the Pro Forma spread sheet, that a Completion date be asked for.
7. FINANCE
Barclays Bank
Balance at the Bank as of 27th July 2018 was £1,406.79
Monmouthshire Building Society
Balance as of 31st March 2018 - £1,771.20
INVOICES FOR PAYMENT
Invoice:
i) Shirley Hughes £272.02 - Salary for Aug & Sept - Chq no 720
ii) HM Revenue & Customs £102.00 - Tax & NI for July - Sept - Chq no 721
iii) Green Grafter £136.50 - Grass Cutting - Chq no 722
iv) Shirley Hughes £38.59 - Expenses for July/Aug/Sept - Chq no 723
AGREED that the above invoices are paid.
The Monthly Finance Reconciliation for September 2018 was:
Receipts £3,271.20
Payments £2,392.18 (Net)
This was signed by the Chair, and will be circulated to the Cllrs in the near future.
Barclays Bank - The Clerk reported that she had received an official letter to say that the bank in Usk would be closing on 19th October
7a) CLERK'S HOURS
The Clerk reported that she had worked 28 hours since the last meeting, due to work on the Audit.
7b) UPDATE ON EXTERNAL AUDIT
The Clerk reported that the Completion of the Annual Audit had now been received, and that the Notice would be displayed on the village Noticeboard.
There were two issues to note:
BUDGET - 'Although a precept was set by the due date and the council did prepare a budget to support this the budget did not take into consideration the income due to be received or the level of reserves held by the council'
EXPENDITURE POWERS - S137 POWER INCORRECTLY USED - 'Payments were made towards a local churchyard which could have been authorised under S214 of the Local Government Act 1972, power to contribute to the expenses of cemeteries
The Clerk and Councillors would take these issues into consideration when the 2018/2019 accounts are prepared and when the Precept and Budget are set for 2019/2020
Therefore it was Proposed by Cllr Bob Trigg and Seconded by Cllr Malcolm Hadfield that the Auditors Report for 2017/18 was concluded and agreed to be a correct record of Llangwm Community Council's Finance.
8. CORRESPONDENCE
From MCC
a) Agenda's for various MCC Select Meetings
b) Numerous Press Releases: County making strides to become Plastic Free, Residents views required over recycling, Excellent Exam Results, Launch of Usk Health & Social Care service, Monmouth LC re-opens, Trustees sought for new MonLife, Mythos Bar in Chepstow fined for hygiene offences etc.
c) Road Safety workshop Invite on the 5th Oct at 10am - 2 per CC can attend WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ATTEND?
d) Staffing Structure of Planning Department
e) Easy Read Guide to the new LDP
f) Offer to order Lamp post poppies for £3.50 each
g) Cabinet Decision Recording Log 25th July
h) Enforcement Cases for July & August - nothing for Llangwm or Llansoy
One Voice Wales
a) OVW AGM & Conference plus Motions for 29th September - Anyone wish to attend?
b) Training events for next 6 months
c) Minutes of Monmouthshire & Newport Area Committee and AGM
d) Next Monmouthshire & Newport Area Committee is on 4th October in Usk
e) Chairman's report
Welsh Government
a) August Newsletter for the Review of Community & Town Council Sector in Wales, plus Outline Findings and Recommendations. The Final Recommendations of the Review have now been sent to the Minister
b) Notes from Training Course from the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales
c) Connecting Communities in Wales - developing community based solutions for rural transport needs
Business
a) Talk Health - Discussions re: NHS services in Monmouthshire Event - 5th Oct in Monmouth
General
a) Royal Mail - raising awareness of Scam mail
b) Monmouthshire CAB - Looking for donations and raise awareness
c) Glasdon - Street Furniture and Village Gateways Catalogue
9. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
No planning Applications had been received.
10. COUNTY COUNCILLOR'S REPORT
County Councillor Bob Greenland gave the following report.
Street Signs - The Clerk had been sent the following email from Head of Operations, Roger Hoggins:
'Although not completed work has been done on the street/road naming report. The work done so far has highlighted that the ambulance service does not rely upon road name plates and would point out that clearly lettered house name plates are of more benefit. Most deliveries rely upon the Postal Address File (PAF) which is information purchased from the Royal Mail and as many rural addresses do not include a road name then again the road name plates are going to be of little use. Also, and I appreciate this is a generalisation with examples to the contrary, we do not sign the roads and lanes around Monmouthshire so those in Llangwm would be unusual.
The report has yet to be completed but I am aware of the length of time that has elapsed since your council raised the matter.
Therefore given earlier correspondence has indicated that we will install signs as requested by Llangwm CC, and whilst this should not be seen as a precedent, I think we should honour that commitment although I would ask your members to reflect on the number they wish to see installed, to acknowledge that the signs will be in Welsh and English (with the Welsh being first) and to indicate if they are willing to contribute to costs, this being an irregular item and not a high priority to the county council.
Based upon feedback from your members we will come up with a schedule of signs and some installation timescales. If they would like an officer to meet with the council or maybe some representatives then this might help to agree what can be achieved and at what cost'
A full discussion took place and the following points were made:
a) The Welsh translation was not really wanted - CC Greenland pointed out that this was mandatory to have both, and failure to comply could result in a £5k fine for the Council if the Welsh Language Act was not adhered to
b) Could Llangwm CC go ahead and install their own signs? - CC Greenland stated that if they go on the highway, MCC permission would have to be gained
c) Cllr Bob Trigg noted that if the signs were attached to a property e.g. Side of a house or wall, MCC permission would not be required
AGREED
i) that the information is forwarded to Mr Sheath & Mr Royds and that they are invited to the October Meeting to gain their thoughts
ii) Ask MCC what they are expecting the CC to pay per sign?
Chepstow School - Cllr Evans asked about the sudden resignation of the Head of Chepstow School, and what where the grounds of her resignation?
AGREED - CC Greenland would find out this information
Highway issues - Cllr Trigg had reported a blocked gully on the B4235 via the Hub, and it showed online that this case was now closed, but the gully was still blocked and the hazard still exists. The Clerk had also reported this issue on 27th March 2018
AGREED - that the Clerk write to Highways, and copy CC Greenland into the email
Usk Primary School - It was noted that a child was being transported by taxi from Newport to Usk each day, whilst there was budget restraints in the Education Department?
AGREED - CC Greenland would look into this
11. WARD REPORTS
There were no Ward Reports
12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
a) Flashing Speed Signs - Cllr Trigg asked if the costs could be explored
b) Street Light - The light by Lyn Morgan's was still not working, nor the one opposite Mill House - Clerk to follow these up and report them
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday 16th October 2018.
Meeting closed 8.48pm