MINUTES OF A COUNCIL MEETING TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY 30th MAY 2023 AT 7.30PM PM VIA ELECTRONIC MEDIA AND AT THE VILLAGE HALL.


 

Present: Mr Mark Brian (out-going Chairperson), Mr David Williams, Mr Harry Duff, Mrs Jane Dawkins (Chair), Mr David Mantle, Mrs Beth Carpenter Mr David Filsell and Mrs Jan Sharpless, Mr Gene Taylor, Mrs Lisa Spencer-Weiss

In Attendance: S Dale (Clerk).

Public Participation:

 

  1. Election of a Chairperson
    MB stepped down. JD was elected. Prop. DW, Sec. HD.

  2. Election of a Vice Chairperson
    HD was elected. Prop. DM, Sec. JS.

  3. Appointment to the committees.

Rights of way Committee: DM, DW, LS-W.

Planning Committee : now whole council.

Finance Committee: HD, JD, MB.

Human Resources: HD, JD, MB. Clerk to find an acceptable date to meet.

  1. Appointment to outside bodies.
    Village Hall Committee: JS, GT.
    One Voice Wales: HD.
    Primary School Governor: BC. With thanks to JD and DW.
    Health Focus: Clerk to find out more.

Burial Ground Trust: JD, DM.

  1. Report from the County Councillor.

Report on the last 12 months in addition to the Monthly County Councillor Report

The last twelve months have been incredibly busy for me personally but also for Llangynidr Community Council. This is a very hard working and effective council with so much to show for all the hard work. I feel I must congratulate the Community Councilors for the last year’s work and thank them for all they have done. Thank you to Sue Dale too, who has attended the County Councillor Surgery and shared the work load on all issues for the Community Council.

My work this year has been a bit of a split between taking on a new village in the extended Ward so getting to know Llangynidr and taking on a Cabinet role, which I had not anticipated and it has been a huge honour to take on both and link with the previous 5 years work in Llangattock.

The two Village Conversations were set up to look at the issues which came back to me during the election campaign and from the associated questionnaire. Lots of work came out of the Village Conversation and we are working through the issues of:-

 

  1. Speeding

  2. Parking

  3. The Bridge

  4. Active Travel

  5. Transport

We now have a Speed Watch team regularly checking out the speed of cars approaching the Village Hall. Powys County Council also put down several speed strips too. Results of the Speed Watch reflect the findings of the speed strips.

The next stage of the Yellow Lines consultation will be coming soon. Powys Highways now have the plans and consultation will take place as soon as the work on 20 mph is complete later in the summer.

The Bridge has been checked out, new lines painted by Oaklands, the engineer has checked out the signs and confirmed they are now sequencing as designed. A couple more things we requested still need to be undertaken. Note from the Clerk: The road layout at Oaklands and standing objections from CADW mean that traffic light on the bridge are unlikely.

The Community Council have agreed to look at putting in some very minor measures to help out in Forge Road, more needs to be done on this.

Transport is a hard one to crack, but I have asked if the afternoon bus from Brecon can be reinstated.

  1. Cattle Grid – The sheep can walk across the cattle grid and causing great concern for farmers. The cattle grid has been cleaned out, the problem is the depth of the grid. Powys are looking into this. It is quite a job to overcome this problem but checking on whether the original depth was correct.

  2. Litter Picking – We now have a good working relationship with Llangattock Litter Pickers and bags will be going to recycling now.

  3. Litter Bins – Negotiated with Waste & Recycling to get a recycling bin for the Car Park added to the list for funding. Have requested a replacement for the Dog Bin which is too small for the increased use. Also waiting for an update on whether the bin by the school can be moved.

  4. Bus Service – Not getting very far with this but will continue to press for the afternoon service to resume.

  5. Speed Watch – Gail Jones doing a great job in getting volunteers out for Speed Watch and has reported for CONTACT and for the Community Council. 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.

  6. Kept Sue Dale Updated - With funding opportunities and council business.

  7. 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:-

  1. Get Ready for 20 mph – This is now progressing well, and you will see updates coming out on social media and elsewhere. Consultation is about to start on those sites which will not be 20 mph.

  2. Climate & Nature Emergency Conference 14th June – Please do sign up for this. Very happy to take a Community Councillor or two to the event so no driving needed. Llangattock Community Councillors Kate Inglis and Gail Jones are also attending. Would be good to have a contingent from Llangynidr.

  1. Apologies:None

  2. Declaration of interest in items of business listed below: None

  3. Signing of the minutes; 25th April 2023 and 3rd May 2023.

  4. Clerks Report:

A litter pick was held on the 20th May, 5 volunteers picked 1 large bag of litter and half bag of recyclables. The rubbish and recyclables were dealt with locally.

A letter about the democratic health of Town and Community Councils from Welsh Government. (circulated)

Weatherman walking – Usk Valley was on TV 22nd May, also i-player.

Wyn Richards has asked the legal department at PCC about parking charges byelaws.

Blood donation session at Brecon.

No quotes yet for the fencing at Persondy Field, one contractor came to see but did not quote. The residents on either side have been contacted and will meet with the Clerk.

Student survey OVW completed

Internal audit scheduled for June with the final approval for 27th June 2023.

Pen march wind farm grid connection is underground to the sub station and yet to be established thereafter.

 

Japanese knotweed has been identified on the river walk. BBNPA are conducting an eradication programme currently and have said that they will look out of it in the course of the programme.

A resident has been in touch with PCC about the state of the river bridge. It is being monitored for further deterioration by PCC.

Approximately £152 was banked recently from the donation boxes.

A further £18.73 from the original donation box.

HR meeting date to be settled

  1. Finance:

    1. a. Budget v actuals report for April 2023 and bank reconciliation. - Approved- it is hoped that Audit fees will be less next year.

    2. b. Cheques to be 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 (1*£24) £24.00

    3. c. Cheques to be approved April 2023
      Cleaning the car park (Apr) £40.00
      Clerk’s wages and stationery allowance (Apr so) £478.60
      Cleaning the public conveniences (Apr ) £280.00
      British gas (elec. for the public toilets Apr) £50.00

  2. Planning Applications: 23/21986/FUL Hope Cottage, air source heat pump. No objections.
    23/21958/FUL Can Y Gwynt – extensions. No objections but one councillor felt the property would be over developed if the application was approved.

  3. Correspondence: Please see Clerks Report.

  4. Contact” has requested financial support.

  5. Letter of appreciation for the outgoing Assistant Area Warden.

  6. A small group of residents have been trained in testing the water of the Usk in conjunction with Cardiff University. They are now testing. They ask for help with funding as the testing kits are expensive (£150) and they have self funded so far. Also, the group who helped residents during covid were awarded £500. It was not needed at the time so the Community Council has looked after it for them until now. The covid volunteers want to use the money to fund testing the river.

Approved £150 for river testing activity.

  1. Approval of the qualified External Audit for 2021-22, 4 qualifications and 2 assertions, a further note and a response.

Total cash and Investments figure does not reconcile with the Council's own bank reconciliation. (£1 rounding).

Lack of adequate record keeping. (explained above plus £1.05 interest on the reserve account).

Stationary allowance (Grant Thornton insisted that the sum should not be included in salary. Asked for clarification)

The form was completed incorrectly, leaving out the asset total. (An error which may have been rectifiable if the lack was clearly identified).

Assertion 1. Lack of formal written contracts. (No requirement in SO or Financial regulations to have formal written contracts).

Assertion 4. (unknown reason for mis-numbering). Exercise of electors rights not complete. (Due to presenting the audit to council later than planned the notice could not fulfilled).

Approved subject to a response from Audit Wales.

  1. The 22-23 audit is due on the 30/6/2023:

-Approval of the asset register.

-Approval of arrangements for the Internal Audit.

- Approval of the risk management document.

All approved.

 

  1. Bench dedication application and bench acquisition for the car park.

The application to put a dedication on the bench in Coed-yr-ynys Road was approved. A Councillor remembered the family.

The benches to replace those on Erw Bant and in the Car Park are to be simple seat-only benches of Welsh Oak, locally made. The budget is (£2-300 each).

Hygiene in the car park was also discussed, the feeling being that if the boxes

were removed there may not be a problem anymore.

  1. Freedom of information request on dates of BBNPA management consultation; dates of logo consultation and dates of naming of the organisation consultation.
    Four dates were identified and sent to the County Councillor concerned.

    Approved.

  2. To remove the remaining 2 recycling boxes (not the cardboard ones) in the car park to discourage fly tipping?

    Approved

  3. Fixings for the new bench and picnic table in the car park.

Councillors have decided where to locate the furniture, hard ground fixings will be required.

  1. If council could charge for parking in the car park, would it?

     

No, parking is already a problem in the village, charging would worsen the situation. Overnight parking seems to have stopped. Clerk to write to the owners of the persistent truck - to desist or make a voluntary contribution. More notices might help, to be put on the agenda for June.

  1. Update and folllow-up on the multi-council meeting 17/5/23.

There is a meeting for residents in Henderson Hall, Talybont, called by James
Evans MS, about the lack of information from Welsh Government concerning
development plans for Gilestone Farm. Traffic management should be raised.
Clerk to put Gilestone Farm on the agenda for the June meeting.

  1. Sheep are walking over a shallow stock grid near Penrhiwgarn causing a serious hazard to vehicles travelling on Beaufort Road and themselves.

The depth of the stock grid is generally less than 25cm which is regarded as the standard depth. Powys County Council are engaged with the constructors. Sheep are being killed on the lower portion of the Beaufort Road because they can cross the stock grid. The risk to drivers is acute. There were calls for a 40 mph limit on the road.

  1. 5 Councils meeting is 28/6/23 and Cwmdu are asking for agenda items.

Crickhowell Volunteer Bureau wish to discuss their funding, has been suggested.

  1. Reports from other meetings.

Covered during the agenda.

  1. Any agenda items for the next meeting.

Pot holes on the back road from Crickhowell.
Planning procedure review. Clerk to look up a planning application from 18 month-2 years ago.

20mph limit – options rather than speed limits, perhaps chicanes/
refuges in the centre of Cwm Crawnon Road?

Date of next meeting; Tuesday June 27th, 2023.

There being no further business to discuss the Chairperson closed

the meeting at 9.10pm