MINUTES OF LLANGWM COMMUNITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY 15TH JANUARY 2019 AT THE PARISH HALL, LLANGWM
COUNCILLORS PRESENT: Cllr Colin Evans (Chaired the meeting), Cllr Bob Trigg, Cllr Malcolm Hatfield, Cllr David Williams, Cllr Gwyn Rowlands and Cllr John Watkins
IN ATTENDANCE: Mr Ted Royds, Mr Mick Sheath, Mr Dave Keenan, Mr John Newall and Shirley Hughes, Clerk
1. OPEN SESSION
BROADBAND AND MOBILE PHONE SIGNAL
Mr Keenan explained that he had written to David Davies MP and he was told that there are no plans to include Llangwm in the next role out of Broadband, he had also written to Nick Ramsay AM, but not got a satisfactory reply.
A lengthy discussion took place, when the following points were made:
- Wolvesnewton Exchange has been converted
- Great deal of fibre had been installed already in Llangwm, with lanes closed for months
- Need BT Openreach to spell out what work has been completed in Llangwm
- Openreach are bidding for the Superfast Cymru 2
- Seek out the other communities in Monmouthshire who are having issues with Broadband
- 'Stranded Assets' wrapped around telephone poles
- Residents unable to buy a Smart TV, and students can't download homework files
- Community Councillors unable to look at Plans on MCC Planning Portal
- Wales Audit Office Report states that Monmouthshire sits within the 10 counties in the UK with the lowest Broadband speed
- Must address the poor mobile phone signal
- Suggested that a meeting should be held with the Leader & Chief Executive of MCC
The Clerk stated that she had written to the Director of OFCOM Wales to ask what Standard of Service rural communities should expect for their Broadband & Mobile Phone and still waiting for a reply from her.
ACTIONS
Clerk
a) to find out who the Broadband Officer is within MCC, and to get attendance list from the meeting held with Julie James in Llandewi Rhyderch
b) ask MCC when the Welsh Government representative is attending the Economy & Development Select Committee
Cllr John Watkins
a) To draft a letter to go to Welsh Government and find out who the correct Minister to address it to
The Chair thanked the Guests for attending the meeting, and bringing their concerns to the Community Council.
2. APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Peter Gough
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 November 2018 were agreed and signed as a true and correct
Record.
5. MATTERS ARISING
5a) Street Signs
Following the last meeting, MCC have now confirmed that the signs cost £145 to produce, and the remainder of the £421.03 is made up historical rates for Labour, Plant and Materials.
The Clerk has done a Timeline and has recorded emails sent & received, plus which Officers from MCC she has been in contact with, and there has been:
- Well over 50 emails sent & received
- Engaged with at least 13 different MCC Officers
- Plus numerous phone calls
Cllr Trigg - stated that the CC were not expecting 10 signs, but 4 - 6 would be sufficient to mark the main lanes in the village, and it was disappointing that MCC keep moving the goal posts
Cllr Watkins said - that it was a case of Public Safety as with poor mobile signal, it is very difficult to get an Emergency vehicle to a heart patient within the allotted time, which was 7 mins to start someone's heart.
AGREED - that the Clerk write to the Chief Executive & Chief Officer as this issue had been going on for 2 years and it must be now resolved.
5b) Bridge Inn Llangwm
The Clerk noted that on the Enforcement List for Dec, it showed that the Bridge Inn Enforcement Case was closed due to 'Notice Complied With'?
Clerk queried this with the Officer and was told that everything that had been requested in the notice had been complied with in the time period specified hence why it was closed.
A Senior Officer was going to write to the owner of the property trying to ascertain what plans he may have for the building and adjoining land, and that Head of Planning would discuss what could be done next, as MCC cannot continue to issue Section 215 Notices.
AGREED - that the Clerk contacts the Enforcement Officer to see what the outcome of her discussions with Head of Planning as to the next step.
5c) Bus Stop at Ivy Cottage
It was reported that MCC Passenger Transport Unit had not responded but Graham Adams from Llangwm had seen the November minutes and sent the following reply:
This is an area I have some knowledge of as a sometime software developer, so I checked the latest NaPTAN (National Passenger Transport Access Node) dataset. This includes two stops described as "Camp Farm" in Llangwm, one northbound and one southbound.
An organisation ATCO (Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers) gives these codes:
The northbound has ATCO code 5330AWB33533.
The southbound has ATCO code 5330AWB33534. So the stops are valid.
Cllr Trigg was delighted to hear this news, and would pass it on to the person who has to walk into the village to catch a bus home from work.
5d) To Discuss the Possibility of Closing the Usk Household Waste Recycling Centre
Mr Lyn Bennett had sent a letter to the Community Council outlining the proposal by MCC to save money, and close the Civic Amenity Site in Usk. This had been circulated to Cllrs prior to the meeting.
He noted that:
- Although the site is small, and consequently has operational difficulties, it is well-used by local residents and has recycling facilities for all but the largest items.
- If it were to close then it would require a round-trip of more than 20 miles to the nearest recycling centre
- the incidence of fly-tipping in our rural area would probably increase
- the local shops in Usk would suffer reduced visits as these are currently combined with visits to the HWRC
A lengthy discussion took place and several Councillors stated that they had made it difficult to deposit items at the site now that you have to carry them.
A vote took place, and the results were as follows:
For supporting Mr Bennett's letter - 3 votes
Against supporting Mr Bennett's letter - 2 votes
Abstention - 1 vote
AGREED - the Clerk will write a letter in support of keeping the Usk Household Waste Recycling Centre open.
6. HIGHWAYS
a) Update on Matters Reported
i) Gullies required emptying throughout the Ward of Llangwm & Llansoy - 17 gullies had been vac emptied
The Clerk has now been advised to add the Highways issues that the Council have onto the My Monmouthshire App
b) New Highway Issues raised by Councillors
i) Cllr Trigg reported the following:
Route 81 - Jnt. B4235 to Camp Farm - Potholes
ii) Cllr Rowlands reported the following:
'Route 60.2 - Llansoy to Nantygelli Crossroads was full of bumps, potholes and was falling to bits'. It was dangerous to drive unless you were in a 4 x 4 or truck.
c) New Highway Issues raised by others
There were none
7. FINANCE
Barclays Bank
Balance at the Bank as of 28th December 2018 was £3,341.07
Monmouthshire Building Society
Balance as of 31st March 2018 - £1,771.20
INVOICES FOR PAYMENT
i) Shirley Hughes £136.01 - Salary for Jan - Chq no 730
ii) Sylvia Fowles - £34.95 - Website Domain Fee - Chq no 731
iii Wales Audit Office - £168.15 - Audit Fee - Chq no 732
iv) Beverley & Williams Acc. - £39.36 - Payroll. Admin & Postage Oct/Dec - Chq no 733
v) Shirley Hughes £53.26 - Expenses for Nov/Dec/Jan - Chq no 734
AGREED that the above invoices are paid.
The Monthly Finance Reconciliation for January was:
Receipts: £6,271.10
Payments: £3,429.40 (Net)
This was signed by the Chair, and will be circulated to the Cllrs in the near future.
7a) TO DISCUSS 2019/2020 BUDGET
A copy of the last 2 year's Budget, plus the previous year's Actual Finances were distributed and the Clerk compared to this financial year, plus some of the recommendations from the Internal Auditor that our 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 Beverley & Williams = £120
- Grass Cutting - anticipate it will be = £240
- Hall Hire - approx.= £200
- Audit - approx. = £220
- Insurance - Slight increase = £320
- Grants to Churches/Best Kept Village = £500
- Street Furniture to include purchase of Street Signs = £2,000
Along with the Clerk's Salary, expenses and other costs, these payments roughly add up to £7,300.00, which would be equal to the Precept and the Councils savings.
AGREED It was proposed by Cllr Bob Trigg and Seconded by Cllr Malcolm Hadfield that the 2019 - 2020 Budget be approved.
7b) TO SET PRECEPT FOR 2019/2020
It was noted that the last time the Precept was raised was in 2016/2017 and it had been suggested at the November meeting that there should be a rise of £1,000, so if Road Signs need to be purchased, LCC have the capital there to do so.
Proposed by Cllr John Watkins and Second by Cllr Bob Trigg that the Precept for 2019/2020 be £5,500.00.
7c) TO CONFIRM INTERNAL AUDITOR
Mr Ted Royds has agreed to be appointed as Internal Auditor for 2018/19, but he was unsure for the second year, as he was possibly moving out of the area.
7d) CLERK'S HOURS
The Clerk reported that she had worked 37.75 hours since the last meeting (which was 8 weeks ago)
8. CORRESPONDENCE
From MCC
a) Agendas for various MCC Select Meetings
b) Numerous Press Releases: Looking for members to sit on the Standards Committee, Dates for consulting on the Budget, Celebrations for 5 years of Livestock Centre
c) Audit of Villages in preparation of the new Local Development Plan - this was completed at the meeting
d) Dates of Budget Engagement Events and message from MCC Leader
e) Email asking if Cllrs would like a New Electoral Roll emailed or posted to them? - Clerk will respond
f) Dates of Chairman's Fundraisers
g) Details of Night Out Scheme Public Events
One Voice Wales
a) Agenda for Area Committee Meeting on 17th January - Clerk aiming to attend
b) South Wales Training Dates
Welsh Government
a) SE Wales RET Newsletter
b) Community & Town Council Update - Dec 2018 (emailed to Cllrs)
c) Connecting Communities in Wales Newsletter
Business
a) Older People's Commissioner for Wales Newsletter
General
a) Engagement Team from St Cadoc's Hospital in Caerleon are looking to come out as a Speaker
9. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
a) DM/2018/01902 - IMPROVEMENT OF EXISTING ACCESS & TRACK, ERECTION OF EQUINE STABLE BLOCK & CHANGE OF USE OF LAND FOR EQUINE ANY COMMENTS?
It was noted that this had been approved on the 10th January, and Councillors were surprised that it had been passed as the Highways had objected on the grounds of the poor access.
b) DM/2018/02009 - ERECTION OF CONSERVATORY AT WERN FARM, LLANSOY, USK NP15 1DT
The Council recommends Approval of this application
c) DC/2017/01192 - Proposed recreation and play area for village and construction of 2 detached dwellings and garages. Site to the North of the Bridge Inn Llangwm Usk NP15 1HG
Councillors viewed the plans that had come forward and had a lengthy discussion, and made the following comments:
- The plot was outside the village boundary
- consideration should have been made for a mixed development consisting of affordable homes for young people from the area
The discussions concluded with a vote:
Against Approval - 3
Abstained - 3
10. COUNTY COUNCILLOR'S REPORT
As County Councillor Bob Greenland was not in attendance, there was no report.
11. WARD REPORTS
There were no Ward Reports
12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
a) To Update and Adopt Standing Orders
Copies of the LCC Standing Orders were distributed and Councillors felt no amendments were required, so it was:
Proposed by Cllr John Watkins and Seconded by Cllr Malcolm Hadfield
That the LCC Standing Orders be adopted as of 15th January 2019
b) Glass on Road
Cllr Watkins reported that quote a bit of glass had been smashed on the road when the recycling bags had been collected - AGREED Clerk will report this to Waste Department
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday 19th February 2019
Meeting closed 9.44pm