Minutes of the meeting of the Penrice Community Council held on ~

Tuesday 16th September 08

at the Oxwich and Penrice Youth Hall

 

 

Members Present:                Councillor G Roberts – Chairman

Councillor J Bowen

                                                Councillor M Barnett 

                                                Councillor A Oliver

                                                Councillor A Glass

                                                Councillor T Methuen-Campbell  

 

Approximately 9 members of the public were also present.

 

56/08               Apologies for Absence.

 

Councillor B Richards

 

The Chairman welcomed Cllr A Oliver back to the Council.

 

 

57/08               Declarations of Interest.

 

Cllr T Methuen-Campbell declared a personal interest in Item Planning Application no 2008/1803 due to a personal unresolved issue.

Cllr G Roberts declared a personal interest in item  Planning Application no 2008/1561 due to being a direct neighbour.

 

 

58/08               To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 9th July 2008.

 

The Minutes were a true and accurate record.

Proposed:  Cllr J Bowen                     seconded: Cllr A Glass

Carried unanimously.

 

 

59/08               Matters arising from the minutes.

 

Item 40/08

The Gower Ranger – A letter had been received from Cllr B Richards to advise the PCC that there was a field available, which was outside the Parish of Penrice for campers who did not have bookings.  This was being provided to try and deter illegal camping on the dunes.

 

Item 53/08

PACT meeting 6th October 08 Reynoldston.

 

Item 47/08

Cllr M Barnett had attended OVW training launch and gave a verbal update.  Cllr Burnett thought this was a good idea, but was made too complicated. 

 

 

60/08               County Councillor R. Lewis.

 

None

 

 

 

 

61/08               Community Councils.

 

  • One Voice Wales Area meeting -report from representative, Cllr J Bowen.

 

The adoption of the New Code of Conduct needs to be advertised in the public domain.  £25 to advertise via OVW area committee.  Clerk to contact Sue Jones Gowerton CC to action

Proposed: Cllr A Glass                       seconded:  Cllr J Bowen                                                         SC

 

All Clerks to be fully qualified within the next 4 years.

 

Audits have been disbanded in some areas, due to being improperly completed.

 

Stationary can be purchased through One Voice Wales at discounted rates.

 

Casualty hours -  A meeting was being held tonight and letter requesting hours to be cut was being submitted.

 

Planning – Councillors who sat on the Planning Committee were withdrawing from the Community Council meetings during Planning Items.  Council decided to Agenda next meeting.                        SC

Council considered whether this item should be held in camera, some Councillors were opposed to this so it was decided to hold the discussion in open forum at the next meeting.

 

  • One Voice Wales  -Area Committee Agenda and minutes of meetings.                   Noted
  • One Voice Wales  - AGM motions decided.                                                               Noted              

 

62/08               Correspondence.

 

  1. Welsh Water  - Reply to the letter submitted from Cllr A Glass.                               Noted
  2. Gower Website meeting June minutes.                                                                     Noted
  3. Kingston Parish Council letter regarding the problems of dredging  off the South West Coast written to the Crown Estates.  Clerk had replied to letter offering support.
  4. Air Ambulance – Financial request                                                                             Noted
  5. Edwina Hart – Post Office Development Fund.                                                         Noted
  6. The City and County of Swansea – Reply letters received regarding the problems raised

by Councillor A Oliver re drainage and hedge cutting.

Cllr A Oliver explained the problems of inadequate hedge cutting and drain clearing.

Following a discussion Council decided to send a letter to request new drain covers to be replace in the problem areas, requesting the timescale for this to be actioned.  Also to request that the rocks and gravel are cleared from the drains in Oxwich Cross and what are the planned maintenance arrangements in these persistent problem areas.                               SC

  1. The City and County of Swansea – Planning Department letters of decisions of all recent planning applications were read to the meeting. 

It was questioned when the decking was to be removed from the Greenways Leisure Park that permission had been refused.   Mr Mead from the floor advised that this would now go to appeal.

 

63/08               Financial.

 

Details                                                                                     chq no                         amount

The City and County of Swansea  

Cost of election                                                                       356                                891.11

The District Valuer

Valuation Report (to be reimbursed by J Ellis)                       357                               716.75

Clerk salary and expenses                                                     information protected by the Data Protection Act.

 

Proposed to pay all payments as presented:  Cllr J Bowen 

seconded: Cllr T Methuen-Campbell  Carried unanimously.

Cash at bank 29th August 08     £7393.12

63/08               Financial. Cont…

Annual Statement of Accounts /Year end figures 2007-08

 

Copies of the Accounts and Annual Statement of Accounts were circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting.

 

Council carefully considered all sections in Section 2 of the Annual Statement of Accounts and answered each box 1 –8- Yes and box 9 – N/A.  Council resolved to approve the Annual Governance Statement, unanimously.

 

Council resolved that the Statement of Accounts contained in the Annual Return, reflect the financial position of the Council, unanimous.

 

64/08               Planning.

 

 

A          Application no 2008/1725 , Mr B Mitchel, Rock Cottage, Horton.

Council decided to object based on the scale of the development and that the proposed plans were out of character with other properties in the area.  The wording on the proposal does not properly reflect what is actually being planned.

 

B          Application no 2008/1731        Neville Golding-Hann - Field no 8600, Bank Farm, Horton

C         Application no 2008/1682        Mr & Mrs Richards - The Old Post Office, Oxwich

D         Application no 2008/1481        Mr & Mrs Littlejohns -   1, Underhill Lane, Horton

 

Council decided that there were no objections on the above applications B,C and D.

 

E          Application no 2008/1561        Mr Grove -  The Hayes, Horton

Cllr G Roberts declared a personal interest in this item due to being a direct neighbour and withdrew from the meeting.  Cllr J Bowen took the Chair for this item.

Council wished to query if there was a provision for adequate parking to service two properties?

 

F + G   Application no  2008/1576 and application no  2008/1548

Greenstar Developments ltd  -Castle Hill Cottage, Horton

Council decided to object based on the scale of the development and that the proposed plans were out of character with other properties in the area. 

 

 

 

H          Application no 2008/1721  The Caravan & camping Club   Field no 7700  Bank Farm, Horton Council were concerned with the large number of caravans proposed to attend this rally.

 

I           Application no 2008/1728 Again Council were concerned with the large numbers of caravans that were proposed to attend this caravan rally and wished to raise the question how the City and County of Swansea monitor the total numbers of rallies in each week of the year in this camp site – Bank Farm and also in Gower as a whole?

 

 

J          Application no 2008/1812  There was no objection to this application.

 

K          Application no 2008/1803  - Mr M and Mrs Mead, Greenways Leisure Park, Oxwich

           

            Cllr T Methuen-Campbell declared a personal interest in this item due to a personal dispute and withdrew from the meeting.

 

            Various points were raised during a discussion:

The Scale of the plans were larger than all the houses in the village

 

64/08               Planning cont….

 

  • Mr P Davies from the floor stated that all the neighbours overlooking this application site were happy with the plans.
  • Mr M Mead stated from the floor that he would consider closing the clubhouse if this application was supported.
  • Tents are a dying trade and are not 52 weeks of the year.
  • If a developer wished to build 51 homes this would not be allowed.
  • Concern on the scale.
  • There is no screen from Oxwich Point and planting would take a long time to establish.
  • Concerns on the precedent and sewage system.
  • Local people are not happy with all year occupancy as the winter is now not a quiet time as in the past.
  • Mr Mead from the floor stated that due to the lifespan of the log cabins being indefinite the problems that residents have been raising with traffic on Oxwich Hill, this would then cancel that problem.

 

Council decided that there was a concern and therefore an objection on the scale of the development and that the numbers proposed were too many. 

Concern was also raised that there would be a loss of amenities for the local residents.

Concern was raised about the sewage system.

Council commented that from a highways point of view, the idea would be better than touring units.

Proposed planting would take a long time to become established.

Council also were concerned with the precedent that this would set for Gower as a whole as an AONB.

 

65/08               Greenways.

Dealt with earlier in the meeting.

 

66/08               Public notification of the adoption of the new Code of Conduct by the PCC.

Dealt with earlier in the meeting

 

67/08               Horton Village Green.

A Letter of concern had been received from a resident regarding the protection of the village green.

J Ellis from the floor advised the Council that there is now the opportunity to register the village green.

All agreed that the best status to ensure the most protection was to register as a village green.

 

Decided:  the pros and cons to be circulated by the next meeting.  Agenda next meeting.  SC

 

 

68/08               Illegal parking at Slade

 

Deferred following PACT meeting and meeting Cllr J Hague.

 

69/08               Matters Outstanding.

 

Signatories -  to be completed by new signatories.

 

Flooding at The Oxwich Bay Hotel – Carl Humphries promised work to be completed before Whitsun- Decided: Letter to Carl Humphries.                                                                                           SC

 

Coastal Path blocked again and fenced off at Horton no access.  Due to surface water erosion.  Large stones needed.

A meeting with the Council was considered.

WAG committed to ‘Around Wales Coastal Footpath’  so money may be available.

Decided Letter to Chris Dale site meeting.                                                                            SC

 

Horton Village Green Sycamores very large should they be cut back/replaced Agenda next meeting.  SC

69/08               Matters Outstanding cont…

 

Cllr A Oliver declared an interest in a property in Slade – High Kiln Bank, Slade  but wished  to highlight a development in the garden of this property for Councillors to view.  Agenda next meeting.        SC

 

Oxwich Village Green is not currently registered as a village green.                         Noted.

 

 

70/08               Date and venue of next meeting.

 

8/10/08                        Horton Village Hall

 

71/08               Possible sale of land adjoining Shore Cottage, Horton.

The District Valuer’s Report.

 

Council called this part of the meeting to be held in camera therefore the public and press were excluded.

 

 

Meeting ended 9.50pm

 

 

Date _____________________________    Chairman__________________________