Minutes of a Council Hybrid Meeting held in Llangynidr Hall and via electronic media on Tuesday 18th January 2022 at 7.30pm.
Public participation. None
Present: Mr Mark Brian (Chairperson), Mr Alan James, Mr David Williams, Mr David Filsell, Mr David Mantle, Mrs Margaret Price, Mrs Jane Dawkins.
In attendance: County Councillor Rosemarie Harris, S.Dale (Clerk).
1. Apologies: EG, PL and GT
2. Declaration of interest in items of business listed below: None
3. Signing of the minutes; 30th November 2021: Approved, proposed DW and seconded JD.
Finance Committee meeting minutes; 11th January 2022: Approved, proposed MB seconded AJ.
4. Correspondence:
a) Boundary Commission have put together new dates for consulting with electors. The nearest one to us is at Mercure Holland House, Cardiff CF24 ODD, on the 17/2/22.
b) Email about the Beacons Broadband connection timetable, still unknown. However, we do know that they are rolling out connections to the community.
c) Powys County Council have had problems with driver availability and so are late picking up the cardboard in the car park. Although this has now been done.
d) Concerns from a resident in Mill Road about the safety of the repairs made to the embankment have been raised.
e) Crickhowell Civic Society request that Councillors consider assisting their cause against the Co-op development in Crickhowell, even though it has been given planning permission. There is a wide variety of views about this issue, council did not wish to record strong views and is not committed at this stage.
f) The Dyffryn Kiosk now belongs to Llangynidr Community Council. The Dyffryn Community are planning to refurbish the kiosk and decide on it's new function(s). It is insured for all risks.
g) Blaenau Gwent Council have acknowledged council's comments regarding the proposed recycled glass factory in Rassau.
5. Clerk’s Report
The telephone kiosk up the Dyffryn Road has been acquired by Llangynidr Community Council it is insured for “all risks”. The Dyffryn community are discussing how they will maintain it and put it to use.
We have had a verbal report from Dwr Cymru that the public toilets' sewer 'lines are clear” but for us to call them if there is a problem in the future.
Toilets and car park. Talybont's clerk, who also Chair of the Henderson Hall Committee, has been very helpful: The Henderson Hall honesty boxes are key operated and less than £30 each, they are glued to the wall. The signs accompanying the car park honesty boxes suggest £3 for a half day and £5 for a full day. Boxes are emptied every week by a councillor. The boxes more than cover the expenses of running the toilets and car park. Their signs stress that the donations are totally voluntary, no clamping or fines. Car park and public toilets are to be on the agenda for 22nd February 2022.
Powys County Councils Llangynidr parking review requested an update again. To be on the agenda for 22nd February 2022.
Minutes of the One Voice Wales (OVW) meeting attended by RH are not in circulation yet (February). RH kindly offered to answer any queries.
Usk pollution has been reported by Natural Resources Wales in https://naturalresources.wales/media/679394/2016_updated_usk_catchment_summary_nrw.pdf . Several sources of pollution are reported, including those of unknown origin which was one of the largest sources of pollution.
Due to the spread of the omicron variant, Powys Teaching Health Board have opened another testing station in Brecon at the promenade. It will be bookable by the public but is meant, first and foremost, for NHS and care workers.
6. Finance:
a) Statement of accounts and bank reconciliation for the financial year to December 2021. The bank reconciliation balanced, the calculations indicate the Council may wish to consider a payment from reserves to support spending in the final stages of the year. Donations to charities that have appealed to the Community Council and disclosed their audited accounts. Dial-a-ride, the Agricultural Show, the Jubilee Committee (who are planning a BBQ at the Red Lion and a Beacon on Llangynidr Mountain), Wales Air Ambulance and the defibrillator all receive £100. Brecon Advice Centre receive £50.
The Burial Ground Trust did not appeal this year. The Young Persons awards (£250 total) should be advertised in “Contact” by the Clerk. The village hall will receive £3000 in 2022-23 to support their activities.
b) Cheques to be approved at the January 2022 meeting.
Cleaning the car park (Jan) £40.00
Clerk’s wages and stationery allowance (Dec so) £471.00
Clerk’s wages and stationery allowance (Jan so) £471.00
Cleaning the public conveniences (Jan) £280.00 Grass cutting £675.00
Viking Toilet Supplies £53.74
Dial-a-ride £100.00
Llangynidr Agricultural Show Society £100.00
Llangynidr Celebration and Jubilee Committee £100.00
Brecon Advice Centre £50.00
Wales Air Ambulance £100.00
Crickhowell Volunteer Bureau (defibrillator) £100.00
Village Hall Charge (£21/meeting) £63.00
c) Cheques to be approved in November 2021. Approved.
British Gas (elect. For the public toilets) Nov & Dec £40.00
Cleaning the car park (Nov & Dec) £80.00
Cleaning the public conveniences (Nov & Dec) £560.00
Clerks wages and stationery allowance (Nov so) £471.00
Clerks wages and stationery allowance (Dec so) £471.00
Viking toilets supplies £74.72
Royal British Legion (wreath) £17.00
Insurance £404.82
7. Report from the County Councillor.
The County Councillor has suggested our community for 20 mile an hour limit pilot scheme by Welsh Government, but none of the villages in Powys will be used. RH is aware of the pot holes on the agenda tonight and will speak to the highways authority about them. Resident can report them directly to Powys County Council.
Broadband continues to roll out, some hard to reach properties may be entitled to a grant to help become connected. If you have one of those properties please let RH know.
Powys County Council tax is to increase by 3.9%. This is thanks to a better settlement than usual from Welsh Government £302 million. Also the Treasury has allowed a 3 yr settlement to Welsh Government which will enable Powys County Council to forecast more confidently over the period.
Powys County Councils Llangynidr Parking Review is taking place.
RH was a speaker at the One Voice Wales Area meeting at the end of last year. Mostly related to Radnorshire. Phosphates are massive issue for the Usk and Wye. RH can provide a brief on phosphates (councillors were keen to take up the offer).
Second homes consultation will end on the 22nd February.
RH will chase up the ambulance service who were to visit a community council meeting.
Some rubbish collections were missed on a crew changeover – some of the little lanes were missed out. This has now been rectified.
RH will explore on the Community Council's behalf, about a capital grant for the public toilets.
The Chairperson thanked the County Councillor for her report.
8. Planning Applications: None
9. The current Community Council appointed Primary School Governor has resigned, so another from the remaining Councillors needs to be appointed for the remainder of the term (to May 2022). DW reported that he had enjoyed his time with the school but that it was best to retire now. DW was thanked for his service. JD was elected to the role, proposed by DM and seconded by MB.
10. To consider the village hall contribution for next budget 2023-24. Due to changes in their committee membership, planned discussions have been unable to take place. Council considered that the contribution should be split into grounds maintenance and insurance on one hand and other funding separately. RH has managed to acquire another grant for the village hall, this one for £10,000 for the recreation ground.
Planning permission will be required for some of the plans, which will involve the Community Council as owners of the land. MB commented that there was a template that could be used as its legal status is similar – the Burial Ground! The tennis courts have been given over to the tennis club for management.
11. To consider and agree the donations for 2021-22. See item 6 a.
12. To consider and confirm the budget for 2022-23 at £25,000. Four years ago the community council was criticised by the external auditor for having too much in the way of reserves. So the precept was reduced for the following 4 years. Now the budget equals the precept and reserves are kept at about £12,500. In the meantime the Community Council has been obliged to take on significant responsibilities: tree management and public toilet management. The forthcoming elections pose a difficulty; an election for community councillors has not been needed for a long time but there is always a chance that it will be contested, in which case the budgeted £2000 will be needed. It is known that AJ, MP and DW will not be standing at the elections in May.
13. To consider and confirm the precept for 2022-23 at 25,000.
This precept will amount to about £42.00/annum for a band D property.
14. The reserves risk analysis for approval. Adjourned to February 2022.
15. Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has created a document “Future Beacons” which has been looked at by the Councillors and it is time to give the Authority some feedback. To be discussed and action agreed.
Not every one had seen and/or read the 15 page executive summary so the item was adjourned to 22nd February. The closing date is 4/3/2022.
16. Tree management update and consideration of the quotes for the remaining tree work. No quotes have been received so the item must be adjourned to February 2022.
17. Two cycles of rubbish removal were missed from Orchard Lane and Mardy Lane. See item 7.
18. 5 Council's meeting is scheduled for the 27th January 2022, 6.30pm in Clarence Hall Crickhowell.
19. Complaints have been received from residents about camper vans staying repeatedly in the car park. Last year there was one and now there are two although only one seems to be occupied. MB will talk to those involved. There is a similar problem on Llangynidr Mountain. Signage, forbidding such arrangements, should be designed. SD. RH will look into the matter.
20. There have been complaints about the hall care taking. Temperature and janitorial standards were specified. Clerk to inform the village hall secretary.SD
21. Two large pot holes have been reported around the entrance to Orchard Lane, two more at Mardy Lane (near the bridge) pot holes, drainage problems and degraded road surface along Cyffredin Lane. Also a nasty one on the Beaufort Road, about ½ way between Tyr William Richard and the top end of Glaister Road. These can be reported direct to the County Councillor by residents (see also item 7).
22. A Councillor's suggestion to extend the 30 mile an hour limit to the Dyfnant barn on the B4558. No councillors offered an opinion.
23. The danger represented by the stretch of Forge Road from the bridge (over the canal) to the service station, it being a blind brow, has been raised by a resident. As has the central white line which is very faint in places. The central white line can be repainted. Some time ago RH also requested a pavement to be installed there but Powys County Council would not. It may be that these dangers are part of country living; pedestrians and and drivers must be aware. RH.
24. The owner of Captain Brown's Pizza trailer has requested that he be allowed to continue to ply his trade in the car park. Approved, the community council looks forward to a donation for this financial year. The Community Council are in the process of regulating the car park.SD
25. Dog fouling can be harmful to people, pets and livestock. Recent posters from Caru Cymru are clear. Some 12 lots of fouling were seen along Cwm Crawnon Road, a councillor speculates that it is the same dog and the same owner making this mess. Dog owners can be prosecuted by environmental health for fouling. A councillor observed “there is no such thing as a pooh fairy!”.
26. The storage containers behind the hall need reviewing, particularly the Community Council's storage. They belong to the Agricultural Show Society.
27. Reports from meetings attended:
Brecon Beacons National Park Authority (BBNPA) – MB attended a remote meeting with the new CEO of BBNPA.
Village Hall and Recreation Ground Meeting – MP announced that she is stepping down.
28. Any agenda items for the next meeting?
Funding for eco-friendly home assessments in Powys.
Project to improveTransport in the Crickhowell area.
Note: Unfortunately, DM and AJ experienced difficulties with the connection being used to participate in the meeting. MB summarised proceedings and then, there being no further business to discuss, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.50pm.
Date of next meeting:
Tuesday, 1st February 2022 – Extraordinary meeting
Tuesday, 22th February 2022 – Full meeting
Dated
