MINUTES OF LLANGWM COMMUNITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY 21st JANUARY 2020 AT THE PARISH HALL, LLANGWM
COUNCILLORS PRESENT: Cllr John Watkins (Chair), Cllr Colin Evans, Cllr Malcolm Hatfield,
Cllr Peter Gough, Cllr Bob Trigg, Cllr David Williams, Cllr Gwyn Rowlands
IN ATTENDANCE: Shirley Hughes, Clerk
1. OPEN SESSION
a) POLICE REPORT
There were no Police present, but CSO Andy Jones had sent correspondence stating that thankfully there is very little to report for the area since the last meeting apart from the following points to note:
14/1/2020 - Report of what the caller believed to be gunshots fired in the early morning from 7 am in the Trevella Farm area of Llangwm. The shots seemed quite close to a residential property this went on for a couple of hours at different times. An area search was made of the area by officers with a negative result. Not sure if any local residents are aware of this or know what or whom were carrying this practise in the early morning?
11/1/2020 a garage/outbuilding was broken into at a property on the outskirts of Devauden. Locks were cut off the door to gain entry but at this time nothing seems to have been taken. Also a search of the resident's car was made but nothing taken and no damage to gain entry.
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 19th November 2019 were agreed and signed as a true and correct record, with one amendment:
12a) Best Kept Village: 'Council thanked all members of the village who took part in keeping the village looking so good'.
5. MATTERS ARISING
a) Update from Broadband Sub-Group
Cllr Gough reported that the sub-group had not met, but John Lawrence, Cllr John Watkins, Richard Williams, Cllr Malcolm Hatfield and himself would meet prior to the next Community Council meeting.
Cllr Watkins and Cllr Hatfield both reported that their Broadband speed had increased slightly in the last month or so.
Cllr Trigg also asked about lack of Mobile Phone signal in the village. He had an issue over the Xmas period when the Fire Brigade were required. Due to lack of signal, they went to the wrong address, and Cllr Trigg could not use his mobile phone to tell them where the incident was.
AGREED to write to David Davies MP and Nick Ramsay's Office saying that Llangwm has lack of both broadband and mobile phone signal.
6. HIGHWAYS
a) Update on Matters Reported
i) Overgrown Trees on Llanynant Road - COMPLETE
ii) Potholes throughout the whole length of 60.2 between Llansoy and Nant-y-Gelli crossroads - UNDER REVIEW
iii) Gullies covered over and blocked on the B4235 (Usk bound) at the bottom of Jnt. 60.9 and Belmont Farm - WITH SUPERVISOR
b) New Highway Issues raised by Councillors
i) Cllr Trigg - Flooding on B4235 by Bridge Inn - Clerk has reported this via Highways - WITH SUPERVISOR
ii) Cllr Trigg - Blocked Gully between Pwll Farm & Coed-y-Ferm - Clerk has reported this via MonApp - WITH SUPERVISOR
iii) Cllr Williams - Blocked drains and potholes on Route 60.2 between Llansoy and Porth-y-greddig Farm
iv) Cllr Evans - Trees on the right hand side as you climb up Ty-Fry (opposite the recent tree felling on the B4235) are leaning precariously over the carriageway and look very dangerous.
v) Cllr Gough - enquired if the Speed Limits for both Llansoy and Llangwm had been finalised? AGREED the Clerk will make enquiries.
c) New Highway Issues raised by others
There were none
7. FINANCE
Barclays Bank
Balance at the Bank as of 27th December 2019 was £2,599.37
Monmouthshire Building Society
Balance as of 31st March 2019 - £1,783.53
INVOICES FOR PAYMENT
i) Beverley & Williams Accountants £39.36 Payroll & Admin - Chq no 777
ii) Shirley Hughes £231.95 Salary for January 2020 - Chq no778
iii) Sylvia Fowles £35.36 Website Domain Renewal - Chq no 779
iv) S Hughes £40.69 Clerk's Expenses for Nov-Jan - Chq no 776
AGREED that the above invoices are paid.
The Monthly Finance Reconciliation for January was:
Receipts: £5,346.30
Payments: £3,391.83 (Net)
This was signed by the Chair, and will be circulated to the Cllrs in the near future.
7a) To Discuss and Finalise Budget for 2020/21
A copy of the last 2 year's Budget, plus actual Finances in January 2020 were distributed and the Clerk compared our payments for this financial year, which will increase slightly for the forthcoming year,
For example:
- Salary - Due to increase in hours = £3,000
- Admin - This is the cost of the Payroll from Beverley & Williams = £130
- Grass Cutting - anticipate it will be = £240
- Hall Hire - approx.= £200
- Audit - approx. = £300
- Insurance - Slight increase = £320
- Grants to Churches/Best Kept Village = £500
- Street Furniture to include purchase of additional road signs = £1,500
Along with the Clerk's Salary, expenses and other costs, these payments roughly add up to £7,760.00, which would be minus £500 of the Precept and the Councils savings.
A query was raised as to why the Building Society Account was shown as Income? The Clerk stated that the External Auditor had stated that this was the case, and had been shown like this for the last few years.
AGREED It was proposed by Cllr Peter Gough and Seconded by Cllr Malcolm Hadfield that the 2020 - 2021 Budget be approved.
7b) To Set Precept for 2020/2021
Following the full discussions regarding the Budget, it was AGREED that the 2020/2021 Precept be set at £6,500, which will take into consideration of the increased hours of work by the Clerk, and a provision of additional road signs for Llangwm.
Proposed by Cllr Peter Gough and seconded by Cllr Malcolm Hadfield
7c) To Discuss Internal Auditor for 2019/2020
Following the last meeting, Mr Bennett was approached, but on this occasion he declined, and following a proposal, it was AGREED that Cllr Gough approach Mr Smith from Usk (who is a retired Accountant)
7d) Clerk's Hours
The Clerk reported that she has not done her hours since the last meeting, but will bring them to the February Meeting
8. CORRESPONDENCE
From MCC
a) Agendas for various MCC Select Meetings
b) Press Releases including the launch of MonLife and a tribute to the little boy who was killed last week by a school bus
c) Council News
d) Nov & Dec Enforcement Cases (Nothing for Llangwm or Llansoy)
e) Register of Electors
f) Draft Licensing Policy Consultation
g) Copy of Abergavenny Town Council Training on Finance
h) MCC - Foster Carers Required Posters
i) 2nd Call for Candidate Site
One Voice Wales
a) OVW Innovative Practice & National Awards Conference - 26th March
b) News about the Wales & VE Day 8th-10th May 2020
c) Dates for Training Sessions
Welsh Government
a) Details of the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation
Business
a) AB Health Board Meeting
b) Local Health News
c) Patients Voice News Bulletin
9. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
a) Planning Application No: DM/2019/01699
Demolition of dwelling and construction of replacement dwelling, double garage/garden store and installation of sewage treatment plant - Lynbrook, Church Farm Road, Llangwm, Usk
Although the Applicant had previously asked if he could attend a Community Council meeting to answer any queries, the Clerk had furnished him with the date, but he was not in attendance.
A full discussion took place regarding this application and it was AGREED as there were 6 Cllrs who wished to make no comments, and one Cllr who was against this application, that the Community Council would not make any representation to the Local Planning Department.
10. COUNTY COUNCILLOR'S REPORT
There was no report due to County Councillor Bob Greenland not being present at the meeting.
11. WARD REPORTS
a) Electoral Arrangements for Monmouthshire
Cllr Peter Gough attended this meeting on 16th January where the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales gave a presentation, which was geared around the County Council Ward Boundaries, and not the Community Council Boundaries, as was thought. It seems as if the CC Ward boundaries will ensure that Members will have approximately the same amount of electors, and some of the changes have been drawn up in line with major roads as boundaries.
Cllr Gough
reported that 21 Community Councillors had turned up under the same impression
that the evening was to discuss Community Council changes, only to be told that
the Minister had signed off the Community Council changes the day before!!
All were disappointed that
the Commission/Monmouthshire CC had not taken into consideration the
representations that had come from the Community Councils in the past.
The Chair thanked Cllr Gough for attending.
12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
a) To Adopt Standing Orders
Councillors had been sent the previous Edition, and further copies were circulated.
Proposed by Cllr Peter Gough and Seconded by Cllr David Williams, that the Llangwm Standing Orders be adopted with no amendments.
b) Usk Cluster Group
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 28th January, at 6pm at County Hall, and Cllr Malcolm Hatfield volunteered to attend.
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday 18th February 2020
Meeting closed 9.07pm