MINUTES OF LLANGWM COMMUNITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY 16th JULY 2019 AT THE PARISH HALL, LLANGWM
COUNCILLORS PRESENT: Cllr Malcolm Hatfield (Chair), Cllr Colin Evans, Cllr Peter Gough, Cllr Bob Trigg, Cllr David Williams, Cllr Gwyn Rowlands
IN ATTENDANCE: John Newall, County Councillor Bob Greenland (part-time) and Shirley Hughes, Clerk
1. OPEN SESSION
O2 Mobile Phone Signal - Mr Newall attended the meeting to share his recent correspondence with various companies, trying to find out why the Vodafone and O2 signal had stopped working in and around Llangwm?
Eventually he spoke to a company called Cornerstone, and a Dr Clark called him back.
Dr Clark had investigated the upgrade and explained the loss of service. Apparently two antenna were originally fitted to the mast at the base station. These pointed roughly north and south along the route of the A449. The southerly pointing antenna gave coverage for much of Llangwm.
When the upgrade to 4G was carried out by Cornerstone, they were instructed by O2 to only utilise the north facing antenna. Dr Clark could not offer any explanation for this.
Since the loss of coverage is directly attributable to O2, it seems an explanation is in order. OFCOM still insist that Llangwm is served by O2, Vodafone and EE with voice, data and advanced data. This also merits explanation or correction.
The following comments were made:
- Had this been done for economic reasons?
- Smart meters do not work in the area due to lack of mobile signal
- Was the decision made because of the change in the way farmers are now paid for new antennas?
- Tetra mast is still in situ but no longer in use, should it be used to improve mobile phone coverage?
The Chair thanked Mr Newall for attending the meeting and sharing this information, and it was AGREED that the Clerk will pass this information onto David Davies MP & Nick Ramsay AM.
Mr Newall left the meeting at this point.
POLICE REPORT
CSO Andy Jones had sent an email stating that there had been no crimes reported for the Ward, but recently an out-building in Shirenewton was targeted and garden equipment stolen.
2. APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were received from 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 18th June 2019 were agreed and signed as a true and correct
record.
5. MATTERS ARISING
5a) Road Signs
The Clerk has not ordered the Road Signs as yet, but wanted to confirm they are as follows:
Llanynant Road, Chapel Road, Millbrook, The Duffryn (on wall at Ivy Ctg)
AGREED and these would now be ordered with Mark Watkins from MCC.
5b) Update on Broadband and Mobile Phone Signal
The Clerk reported that Mike Powell from MCC had told her that Broadway are doing a Survey of the Llangwm & Llansoy area in the very near future.
AGREED to ask Mike Powell how they intend to survey the area
6. HIGHWAYS
a) Update on Matters Reported
i) B4235 Mill House Jnt Sign - Rectified 18/6/19
ii) B4235 Jnt Sign opposite Village Hall - Hedge Notice served as requested by Martyn Evans
iii) Large pothole between the Bush Farm and the Old Lane towards Raglan - Pothole made safe on 4/7/2019
iv) Hogweed on B4235 - Completed 1/7/19
Councillors reported that the Hogweed seed heads are still there and invading the grass verge.
Pothole near Llanynant Cottage has now been done.
b) New Highway Issues raised by Councillors
i) Cllr Hatfield reported that Route 64.3 (Trevella Lane) between the B4235 and the rear entrance to the Curlews, there are 2 large Potholes
ii) B4235 between Mill House and Yew Tree Cottage - footpath has been patched up, but not finished? Cllr Gough asked that Highways be thanked for the work that has been done, but it's not been finished off and it's now a safety issue?
7. FINANCE
Barclays Bank
Balance at the Bank as of 28th June 2019 was £2,470.37
Monmouthshire Building Society
Balance as of 31st March 2019 - £1,783.53
INVOICES FOR PAYMENT
i) Green Grafter - £47.00 for grass cutting on 2nd June - Chq no 760
ii) Shirley Hughes £177.95 - Salary for July - Chq no 761
iii) S Hughes £67.55 - Clerk's Expenses for June/July - Chq no 762
AGREED that the above invoices are paid.
The Monthly Finance Reconciliation for July was:
Receipts: £3,513.30
Payments: £1,408.10 (Net)
This was signed by the Chair, and will be circulated to the Cllrs in the near future.
7a) REPORT FROM THE INTERNAL AUDITOR
Copies of the Report prepared by the Internal Auditor were circulated, as Mr Ted Royds was unable to be present at the meeting.
There were no issues reported and Mr Royds stated:
'I have spent time with the Council Clerk, Miss Shirley Hughes, going through the documentation used by her to produce the year end accounts for the Community Council, and have verified the figures used. As a result, it is my considered opinion that she is presently carrying out the duties of RFO for this Council with the necessary competence. Last year the external auditors raised two concerns of a technical nature which I believe the Clerk has taken consideration of in this year's submission. I was pleased to note that last year's requirement by the external auditor, for corroborating paperwork to be submitted involving six appendices containing twenty-five separate statements, has this year been substantially reduced'.
7b) TO CONFIRM ANNUAL RETURN FOR AUDITORS
The Clerk read through the Annual Return for the Year Ended 31st March 2019 from the Annual Governance Statement (Part 1 & Part 2) and they were approved and signed as a true and correct record.
7c) CLERK'S HOURS
The Clerk reported that she had worked 49 hours since the last meeting, but this had been due to the Audit.
Councillors queried the amount of hours the Clerk needed to work to do the role of Llangwm Clerk, and she was asked to look back over the last twelve months and bring her total hours to the next meeting.
8. CORRESPONDENCE
From MCC
a) Agendas for various MCC Select Meetings
b) Council News
c) June Enforcement Cases - nothing for Llangwm or Llansoy
d) Road Works Schedule (plus events) - sent to Cllrs
e) MCC Replacement Local Development Plan
One Voice Wales
a) OVW Conference - 5th Oct
b) Role of the Ombudsman
c) Details of the Area Meeting on Thursday 18th
Business
a) Your Local Health News
b) Details of Health Community Engagement events
c) Patients Voice News Bulletin
General
a) Details of a 100 Challenge Walk around Monmouthshire in May 2020
9. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
a) PLANNING APPLICATION NO. DM/2019/00452
Conversion of stables to holiday let. Building footprint to remain as existing at Mill Meadow Stables, Llanynant Road, Llangwm.
Councillors discussed the application and were generally in agreement with the proposal. Concern was raised that there are 2 horses at the property, and will the applicant be wanting to add a 3rd building to the site for stabling in the near future?
AGREED that Llangwm Community Council have no objection to this Planning Application.
b) PLANNING UPDATES
a) Land north of the Bridge Inn Llangwm - Planning Permission refused on 2/7/2019.
b) Land adjacent to Oakfield Farm, Llangwm - the following email had been received from the Enforcement Officer:
Visited site and met with the applicants, the site has been cleared off all rubble and wood and the earth has been levelled out. Access is as per the consent that was granted and therefore in accordance with approved plans. I explained that the site should not be used for tipping of inert materials and they said that it won't be an issue again.
They have however mentioned about maybe removing some hedgerow and replacing with fencing just to improve the vision splays when leaving the site, but I explained that they need to apply for a non-material amendment and they needed to speak to Liz Bennett.
Councillors expressed that they were not in favour of the hedge being taken out and replaced with fencing, as it was important to maintain hedgerows as much as possible. Planning had already declared the entrance was safe, so there is no justification to take out additional hedgerow.
If the site was fenced, the Shed and Stable Block would be visible from the B4235, and also to Ty Coch and Kiln Cottage.
AGREED to write to the Planning Officer with the Council's concerns.
10. COUNTY COUNCILLOR'S REPORT
County Councillor Bob Greenland gave the following report.
MCC are at the beginning of the process to adopt a new Local Development Plan to cover the next 13 years, and landowners have put in candidate sites for new housing developments, and some parcels of land for new settlements. CC Greenland stated that MCC will have to provide a Gypsy/Traveller site in this LDP.
The informal consultation that is on at the moment is to gauge reaction from residents. 5,000 houses are required as there are over 2,000 on the waiting list for small affordable housing, but developers are keen to build market housing, that is why there are parcels of land not built on from the last LDP.
Local people can't afford to buy in Monmouthshire, so there is a need to get younger people to live here and all ages should live together.
It will be 2021/22 before the final LDP is passed for planning sites.
Councillors were concerned that when planning new developments, local services are not adequate, but CC Greenland stated that they speak to Health Board/Education/Highways etc. prior to passing new sites, and in the South of the County, they have an Active Travel Plan.
CC Greenland spoke about the Compact Semi-Conductors that are to be found in every mobile phone are made in St Mellons, and they take young people leaving school, train them then start on £20k a year. Showing there are work opportunities locally for young people.
CC Greenland expressed disappointment that the Welsh Government had pulled the plug on the M4 new route, and one possible thought, to avoid the Newport Tunnels, could Monmouthshire be the place to build your new company?
Costs for a new road have increased and WG have put £12 billion fund available to find a solution to the traffic chaos around Newport.
Cllr Peter Gough thought that more investment should go into Public Transport, and this would ease the congestion on the M4.
11. WARD REPORTS
Clerks Council - The Clerk reported she had attended the Clerks Council in County Hall on 26th June that Head of Law & Monitoring Matthew Phillips had organised. Presentation were made by Wales Audit Office, One Voice Wales, Welsh Local Government, Ombudsman for Wales and MCC IT talking about My Mon app. Very good session.
12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
a) Welsh Water - Cllr Trigg reported that they had installed traffic lights once again on the B4235 when it wasn't necessary, and on 16/7/19 they had not been working between 7.30am - 11.45am, causing traffic build up. CC Greenland reported that Welsh Water have to do repairs as quickly as possible, but seem to be very difficult to work with.
b) Skittles Match - Cllr Evans stated that there will be a fundraiser for the Parish Hall which will take the form of a Skittles Match and Social on 16th November.
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday 17th September 2019, and the Chair wished the Councillors a good Summer Break.
Meeting closed 9.25pm