Minutes of the meeting of the Penrice Community Council held
on ~
Tuesday 17th
March 09 at 7.30pm
at Horton
Village Hall
Members Present:
Councillor Gavin Roberts (Chair)
Councillor Jill Bowen
Councillor Mike Barnett
Councillor Alan Glass
Councillor Andrew Oliver
Councillor Richard Lewis
Councillor Thomas Methuen-Campbell
Councillor Brian Richards
Councillor Alex Lewis
Jan Ellis (minutes)
Members from the Oxwich and Penrice Youth Hall Management
Committee
Eddy Morgan in connection with Horton Village Hall and five
other members of the public.
153/09 Apologies
Mrs Sam Caswell (Clerk)
154/09 Declarations of Interest
None.
155/09 Oxwich
& Penrice Youth Hall
Standing orders were suspended
whilst Members of the Management Committee explained the
current issues with the hall and
their plans for the future.
The hall is in a poor state and
needs significant repairs and new facilities. The planned approach
would build on the location and the
importance of sustainability by significantly improving energy
efficiency, using natural and
recycled materials, making use of the outside area and giving a beach-
inspired feel.
To implement such an overhaul could
cost between £80k and £85k. The community has raised
approaching £24k. The Committee expects
to be able to obtain funds from the ANOB's Sustainability
Development Fund - £30k in 2009 with
the possibility of more in 2010. Other sources of funds are the
PCC, the Gower Society, and possibly
the Lottery.
The project could be phased with the
internal work and accessible toilets being in the first phase
(c£60k) and external work in the
second.
The Committee asked the PCC for: a
letter of support which would help them with other applications;
funding of £3740 in this fiscal year
to cover electrical work and more help if it were possible; a
commitment to significant funding in
the next fiscal year; and help from the PCC's Clerk with funding
applications.
RL and GR mentioned other sources of
funding. MB stated care should be taken because some
funding bodies will not contribute
if work has already started. Councillors supported the work the
Committee are doing and the use of
community funds to support the hall. AG asked whether parking
at the hall would be adversely
affected. Hannah Davies stated they would try to improve management
of the parking area.
GR confirmed the £3740 could be
allocated to this work and that there were sufficient funds available
whilst maintaining a good reserve.
He stated that consideration of SC's possible involvement should
be discussed with her first.
It was agreed that the Council would
give a letter of support and would allocate £3740 to works at
Oxwich and Penrice Youth Hall. It
was agreed to defer consideration of future funding.
Proposed: RL Seconded: JB Action:
SC
156/09 Minutes
The minutes were agreed to be a true
and accurate record of events.
Proposed: JB Seconded: AG
157/09 Matters
Arising
Item 147/09 Lighting at Oxwich Hotel
GR had spoken with Ian Williams who advised that the
lighting would be adjusted in the week.
Item 144/09 Maintenance of Benches & of Green at Oxwich Green
Both AG and GR advised of local interest in this work. SC
has prepared a notice and this is to be posted on the noticeboards. GR and AG
are to prepare a specification including a list of the benches and their
locations. The item is to include on the Agenda.
Action:
GR, AG & SC
Item 141/09 No 10 Sycamores
on Horton Green
MB met with Martin Appleby, CC Swansea's Tree Preservation Officer,
at the Green on the 15.03.09.
MA was not enthusiastic about any of the trees being
removed. Trees and saplings with a trunk diameter of under 75mm are not controlled. MA has not put a tree
preservation order on any of the trees. He has agreed that the clump of trees
at the Junction of Talbot Lodge and the Byway (in the north-west corner of the
Green) can be removed. He has agreed that the clump of trees further to the
south (in view of the RNLI Station) can the tidied and thinned.
MB suggested that the Council proceed with the trees
identified and with the saplings and the undergrowth opposite the boundary with
Serendipity. Other work could be considered at a later time. MA would be
sending a list of contractors. RL stated that the Council should use local
labour.
It was agreed the item should be included on the Agenda for
the next meeting so that quotes could be invited.
MB also proposed that consideration be given to the
telephone post on the edge of the Green which is secured with a cable extending
into the Green which is a possible hazard. He will look into this. This item
should also be included on the Agenda.
Action:
MB & SC
During the discussion AL arrived and
apologised for his late arrival.
Item 138/09 Work on Sewers in Oxwich
AG gave details of the work being undertaken. He reported
that although the work had been dragging on it appeared that progress was now
being made.
JB raised concerns about the impact on the roads. RL stated
that they would have to be reinstated and AG confirmed that there would also be
a two year bond on this work.
158/09 County
Councillor R Lewis
Action:
RL`
159/09 Planning
There were no applications to consider.
160/09 Community
Councils
The following items were received
and noted.
1.
Information
on eTrading for Community & Town Councils from One Voice Wales with
enclosure Your Guide to our Frameworks - Value Wales.
2.
Notice
of a Meeting of the Community/Town Councils Forum to be held on 17.03.09 from
CCS.
161/09 Correspondence
1 Letter
from E&J Beynon dated 17th March 09 and signed as pp by their
daughter-in-law Kate Beynon.
The letter concerned an inspection visit made by representatives of CCS on 28th October 2008 [as a result of complaints made by the PCC about illegal parking and the road collapsing in Slade.] The letter refers to actions and comments made by AO.
161/09 Correspondence cont…
higher up in Slade there was a problem of rainwater being
diverted to the road because of works carried out by another land owner.
c. RL queried whether
CCS had taken minutes. JB, who had also been present, believed not.
2 Letter
from E&J Beynon dated 17th March 2009.
a. The letter concerned an inspection visit made by representatives of CCS over 18 months ago as a result of concerns over the state of the public footpath. The letter refers to actions taken by AO & JB.
b. AO stated that he was invited to meet with the CCS representatives as a local landowner and that he is allowing part of the footpath to be redirected over his land.
c. AO
stated that the Beynons were his farming neighbours. That he had been given
little notice of the inspection visit, two years previously, but that he had
informed the Beynons on the day.
expressed concern at the state of the footpath and as a
result she had been invited to observe when the CCS representatives visited.
3 Response
to complaint that Community Council Clerks are having difficulty getting
replies from CSS. More/specific
details requested. Action: SC
4 Letter from Horton Village Hall asking permission to hold Easter activities on Horton
Village Green and advising that the Hall Committee now has insurance cover for events
away from the Hall.
AG advised that previously a PCC
member had to be on the Committee organising the event
to ensure the PCC insurance was
effective.
AG commented that this seemed a
positive use of the Green.
It was agreed that permission should
be given on the terms outlined in the letter.
Action:
SC
5 Acknowledgement from CCS of PCC Letter seeking clarification of Caravan Exemption Certificates.
6 Letter from Jane Davidson regarding Dredging and enclosing a copy of the original letter granting the dredging.
a. MB
summarised the matters which might be relevant to the local community. The
letter granted dredging for 7 years as long as specific conditions relating to
surveys, working and other procedures were followed. MB commented that if the
surveys were not already underway it would be difficult for the dredging
company to achieve the deadlines but the current status of the surveys is not
known. Unfortunately, a baseline survey on Port Eynon Beach now would reflect
the poor state it is in now.
b. RL
stated that if the dredging company failed to meet the conditions then the
conditions could well be changed.
161/09 Correspondence
cont…
It was agreed that MB should prepare
a letter querying the status of the surveys and that SC should
copy to AMs, Pt Eynon CC, and press.
Proposed: JB Seconded:
AG Action: MB & SC
At the end of this discussion RL
apologised for his early departure and left the meeting.
7 Response from Nick Edwards of CCW to
letter of complaint regarding litter received.
Nick Edwards would like to speak at
PCC meeting. It was agreed SC should make arrangements with
him for next available meeting. SC
should also confirm that original respondent had been kept
informed. Action:
SC
8 Response
from Sian Jones of National Trust to letter of complaint regarding litter
received.
Sian Jones explained situation and
invited PCC to work with National Trust. Noted.
9 Acknowledgement from CCS of PCC Letter seeking clarification of Exempt Caravan Clubs.
10 Invitation to Promotion of Welsh
Language Meeting from Welsh Assembly. Noted.
11 Information on proposed diversion of
footpaths 12 & 13 through Oxwich Woods.
This is a remapping so that the maps
reflect what is happening on the ground. There were no issues
with this.
162/09 Financial
1 Ongoing Membership of One Voice Wales
and payment of the £90 fee was agreed.
Proposed: JB Seconded: AO Action: SC
2 Details of payments due to Clerk were
circulated and payment agreed.
Proposed:
BR Seconded: RL
Action: SC
3 Statement
of finances was circulated. GR stated that finances were being managed with the
aim of keeping a reserve of £3500.
163/09 Greenways
Appeal
JB had prepared a statement of the
recent planning hearing which had been circulated. She had
been advised that a ruling should be
made by Easter.
164/09 Rural
Development Plan
This had been circulated but not
everyone had had a chance to read it. TMC has had difficulty
reading attachments circulated by
email.
JB felt it was an important item
which should therefore be deferred to the next meeting. GR agreed
that it should be put on the agenda
at an earlier slot. Action:
SC
165/09 Land at Shore Cottage
Nothing to report.
166/09 Matters
Outstanding
1 TMC
reported bad pot holes outside Pitt Farm on the road between Penrice &
Oxwich. It was agreed
SC should send a letter to Karl
Humphries about this. Action:
SC
2 TMC
reported a litter problem between Nicholston and Reynoldston Police Station.
The Litter Line was mentioned. It was agreed SC should enquire who manages the
Litter Line and what they do and also send a letter the Environment Department
about the problem.
Action: SC
167/09 Public Questions
Jill Bowen stated that she had
spoken to the authorities that day and that they were waiting for the
weather to improve before commencing
work on the roads.
4. Brian Richards asked who had surfaced the RNLI lane.
Gavin Roberts advised that the RNLI
had, as it had been a safety issue.
168/09 Next Meeting
This
will be at 7.30pm on 15th April 2009 at Horton Village Hall.
Meeting closed at 9.20 pm.