MINUTES OF A COUNCIL MEETING TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY 27th JUNE 2023 AT 7.30PM PM VIA ELECTRONIC MEDIA AND AT THE VILLAGE HALL.
Public participation: Mr Tom Fox, Chairman of the School Governors at Llangynidr Primary.
Mr Fox stated that the school is ambitious to move forward. The governors and school recognise the importance of the community to the school and the importance of the school to the community. It is an exciting time to be in the village with so many initiatives and projects taking place. The school would be delighted to take part in any collaborative effort to raise funds for projects within the village.
Next summer the school may have a stall at the Green Man Festival.
Since the changes in catchment area the school is concerned about numbers of pupils in the long term, also the fabric of the building needs attention
Aviva have a net zero community plan that may be able to help the whole community, particularly with Active Travel in mind. With advice and guidance from Powys Councty Council.
Present: Mrs Jane Dawkins (Chair), Mr Mark Brian, Mr D Williams, Mr Gene Talyor, Mr David Mantle, Mr David Filsell and Mrs Beth Carpenter.
In Attendance: County Councillor Jackie Charlton, Tom Fox (Chairman of the School Governors) & S Dale (Clerk).
Report from the County Councillor.
i. Cattle Grid – Liaising with Powys now as there is a problem with the depth of the cattle grids, both Llangynidr and Llangattock side. It is going to take some time to get this sorted as there will be a need for engineering works and road closures, but I have been assured this will be done.
ii. Yellow Lines – There still seems to be some issues with yellow lines and recently been asked by two residents whether the lines can be extended further up Forge Road. Will need to address with yourselves about where the yellow lines should be placed along the length of Forge Road. One concern is they don’t extend far enough beyond the canal bridge and another that they should reach around the junction with Pencommin.
iii. Litter Bins – Made a further request for this two weeks ago at the Climate and Nature Emergency Conference with the Clerk present and will follow up in writing to confirm but I think we can get this done.
iv. Bus Service – Not getting very far with this but will continue to press for the afternoon service to resume. Had a meeting at my Llangattock Surgery last Saturday with a Llangynidr resident.
v. Speed Watch –Speed Watch has reported for CONTACT and for the Community Council several times now and was presented to the Parish Meeting two weeks ago. All information is forwarded to GoSafe CSW - Community Speed Watch in Your Area (gosafe.org). We don’t appear on the map yet, but we are gathering some important data for the Police & Crime Commissioner and GoSafe. Am about to request that the GoSafe van is taken up to the Mountain road for a couple of sessions too.
vi. Declare a Climate & Nature Emergency – On the 14th July the Clerk along with two residents attended the conference. Llangynidr Community Council will have to present a Section 6 Biodiversity Plan as part of your Statutory purposes. Very happy to help here and give some guidance on declaring a climate and nature emergency. It might be the theme for the Autumn Village Conversation. Llangattock have declared the Climate & Nature Emergency, Llangynidr may wish to follow suit.
vii. Kept Sue Dale Updated - With funding opportunities and council business.
viii. County Councillor Surgery Llangynidr – Next Surgery planned for July. This now a well-established regular monthly event sharing between Llangattock and Llangynidr community halls. I also write updates for CONTACT, and you can catch up with information there every other month. Very grateful to Nigel Ballantyne and CONTACT for enabling that to happen.
Powys Wide Issues:-
a. Get Ready for 20 mph – Progressing well, and you will see updates coming out on social media and elsewhere. Report from Lee Waters MS Deputy Minister went out today. Consultation is about to start on those sites which will not be 20 mph. Maps have been sent to the Clerk for sharing.
b. Climate & Nature Emergency Conference 14th June – Was excellent. Three delegates came from Llangynidr area with one delegate from Llangattock.
Addtional points raised:
The Parish Meeting notes, at the end of the segment by Councillor Charlton, should have read “ NOT 2.7 Degrees C.” The corrected version can be found online at www.llangynidrcouncil.org.uk.
Camera on the bridge (Llangynidr side) – where does the footage go?
Green man traffic plan – not openly available.
Village Conversation in October on Climate and Nature emergency.
Glan Usk side of the river bridge is a bit overgrown.
July 22nd is the day for the next surgery, 10-12 in the village hall.
20Mph – community council may wish to consider an extra meeting for public consultation.
Apologies:
JS, DF and HD
Declaration of interest in items of business listed below:
None
Signing of the minutes;
30th May 2023.
Finance
Budget v Actuals and bank reconciliations.
Bank reconciliations balance. The budget v actuals comparision shows that no cost centres are over spent.
Cheques to be approved June 2023.
Cleaning the car park (Jun ) £40.00
Clerk’s wages and stationery allowance (Jun) £478.60
Cleaning the public conveniences (Jun) £280.00
British gas (elec. for the public toilets Jun) £50.00
Village Hall room hire (Jun) £24.00
Bench anchors £47.94
Cheques approved May 2023.
Cleaning the car park (May) £40.00
Clerk’s wages and stationery allowance (May so) £478.60
Cleaning the public conveniences (May) £280.00
British gas (elec. for the public toilets May) £50.00
Village Hall room hire £24.00
Approval of the Internal Audit 2022-23.
Approved
Approval and signing of the Annual Return 2022-23.
Approved and signed.
Planning Applications: None
Correspondence:
-Thank you for the letter of appreciation from BBNPA. 20/6/23. Circulated
-On the Verge, 1 meter matters for the environment appeal 16/6. Circulated
-Annual Report of the Burial Ground Trust 8/6/23. Circulated
-Ramp at Forge Road gate 9/6/23 . Circulated.
-Crickhowell Assembly, changing climate 28/6/23. Cleshes with 5 Councils.
Consideration of tenders for the car park flowerbed contract.
A Councillor offered to tender for the work in the absence of any other interest. Adjourned to July 25th.
Consideration of the electricity supply for the public toilets. An offer from Utility Aid (via one voice wales) for finding the best contract for the community council or to stay with British Gas on a fixed net carbon zero tariff contract (approx £30/month).
British Gas was chosen as supplier of the net carbon zero contract.
How are planning applications processed by the Community Council and what exactly is it's role in this?
The Clerk has detailed the process and Councillors have had the chance to examine it. They have decided to re-instate the Planning Committee to advise Council. LS-W, GT and JD will serve. They will investigate the applications and advise Council of their findings.
The website does not have many photographs of councillors, could Councillors consider supplying theirs?
GT, LS-W and HD. Please provide a short biography also.
There is a fencing tender for Persondy field for Council to consider.
The outstanding tender was for £926.20 from a local person. 2 other tenders were more expensive.
The new gate at the Forge Road canal parking place may exacerbate parking problems on Forge Road. Is there any news on the parking restrictions?
Waiting for further information from Powys County Council.
Invasive non-native species found on the riverbank, Himalayan balsam and Japanese Knotweed requiring different methods of control. A session to pull up the Himalayan balsam is suggested with light refreshments at the Red Lion.
A 1 hour session to pull up Himalayan Balsam on the Community Council's riverbank is arranged for 30/6/2023, meeting at the Walnut Tree Stores at 6pm. All welcome (children under supervision).
Powys County Council are consulting on local housing need closes 10/7/2023. There are 3 empty houses currently, how close are they to being rented out to local people in housing need?
These family houses seem closer to being rented out and yet remain empty. Clerk to request an update on the three houses on Groesfford.
The river bridge still poses problems for travellers: larger vehicles attempting to cross from Bwlch and holding up traffic, queue jumping particularly but not exclusively from the Llangynidr side. It is suggested that 2 give way signs are deployed either side of the river bridge.
Unfortunately there does not appear to be room (5.5m) for the signs. There is now a camera on the bridge, clerk to find out what it is for and who owns it.
Would councillors provide a short biography for the website?
See item 11.
Adjourned items from 2022-23 have been listed and tracked to conclusion, would council like to see the information summarised for the annual report?
Councillors are content that the many adjournments last year have been dealt with for the most part.
Dates for litter picks to October, the first being 12/7 6pm in the car park with light refreshments in the Red Lion.
Wednesday 12/7 6pm before the Summer Sounds Festival, so that the village looks at it's best.
Saturday 26/8 before the Annual Show, 10.45pm, likewise.
Saturday 14/10, 10.45am.
All starting off in the car park, pleasse bring sturdy gloves.
Pencommin entrance is often congested cutting visibility for drivers coming out of the road and turning right on to Forge Road. Comments have been made suggesting double yellow lines for one car space of Forge Road, does council support the idea or not?
The parking review is on-going, if residents have comments they would like to make about parking please let a councillor or the clerk know.
The 20mph speed limit consultation appears to have begun, to be discussed and action agreed.
See item 1.
The plan for the memorial bench for Coed-yr-Ynys Road has changed, the family would now like to buy a new wooden bench for the spot, the old bench being redundant until a new home can be found. Picture of the bench supplied.
Councillors approved the plan from the family. The wrought iron bench could be homed in the recreation ground, by the wild flowers and out of the way of the grass cutters.
Llangynidr Village Hall Committee requests access to the drinking water supply in the public toilets. A push button tap would be fitted to the recreation ground side of the building and isolated.
Approved, the Village Hall Committee are to make the installation.
An experienced grants officer offers their services to the village, they apply to be appointed and to have a wish list for the community.
Approved. Clerk to introduce the two officers.
Reports from other meetings.
MB attended an open meeting by James Evans MS. Welsh Government, Bannau Brecheiniog National Park and Powys County Council were invited but did not attend. Someone who owns the sporting rights in the area of Gilestone Farm was present and wondered how the proposed conveyance would accommodate his rights. The planning process has not yet begun. MB proposed that the proposed development be raised in the 5 Councils' September meeting.
Crickhowell High School is consulting widely on their plan to become a school of religious character. To be raised at the next 5 councils meeting 28/6/2023.
Any agenda items for the next meeting.
Flooding in Cyffredin Lane / Cut back of hedges in Cyffredin Lane request/ Pot holes on Cyffredin Lane (near Worcester Cottage / Update on Village Hall Lease etc / Castle Road hedge cut back request.
Date of next meeting; Tuesday July 25th, 2023.
There being no further business to discuss the Chairperson closed
the meeting at 9.30pm