Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Penrice Community Council held
on Wednesday 20th February 2013 at Horton Village Hall at 7.30pm

 

 

Members Present:                    Councillor M Barnett  (Chairman)

Councillor  G Roberts

Councillor M Williams

Councillor A Glass

Councillor J Bowen

Councillor J Ellis

Councillor B Richards

Councillor R Lewis

                                                                                                                                                                               Action

 

One member of the public was also present. Mr I Williams

 
106/13                          Apologies for Absence.

 

Cllr T Methuen-Campbell

 

107/13                          Declarations of Interest

 

Cllr B Richards declared an interest in the Item relating to Bank Farm under Planning, due to being the owner of Bank Farm.

Cllr R Lewis declared an interest in all Items to be discussed under Planning due to sitting on the Area 2 Planning Committee with the CCS.

 

108/13                          To confirm the minutes of the Meeting held 16th January 2012.

 

Amendment:

Item 103/13

To read… Cllr M Williams reported that surfers were parking along the lane by the Oxwich Bay Hotel on the yellow lines when the surf was up in Oxwich. 

 

With the above amendment, Cllr A Glass proposed that the minutes were a true and accurate record of events, seconded Cllr G Roberts, carried unanimously.

 

109/13                          Matters arising from the minutes.

 

Item 100/13

The Rural Development News – This information can be accessed via the CCS website.  Decided Clerk to write to the Chief Executive to say that the PCC thinks this is a waste of money producing the printed documents that contain this information.                                                                                                                                                            SC

 

                                                                                               

110/13                          Community Councils.

 

1                      One Voice Wales Area Meeting – Cllr J Bowen reported: There was a Welsh Assembly Government Scheme with funding of up to £500 to help provide Website information, which would ensure that councils were able to meet their obligations to provide information to the public under the FOI Act.

Councillors felt that this was more for those councils who did not already have a website.

 

2                      Cllr J Bowen reported:   Also to put an item on the AGM Agenda – It was to be considered if Councillors should be able to claim for telephone bills, printing etc. The suggested amount was £100.                                                                                              

 

3                      Cllr J Bowen reported :  OVW has been involved with World War I, 100years memorial in Flanders.  Financial requests were due to be sent out.

 

 

 

4                      Cllr J Bowen queried if County Councillors received £1000 per year which was due to increase to £2000 per annum to donate to projects in the community?

 

Cllr  R Lewis said that County Councillors received money for equipment and received money for highways projects.

Cllr Lewis advised that he had funded a disabled bay in Llangenneth at a cost of £100.  This money was paid every four years.

 

Cllr Lewis advised that between 2004 and 2012 there had been a 20% pay cut for councillors.

 

Cllr J Ellis said that this is not personal money, but public money

 

Decided Cllr J Bowen to get more information on the finance.

 

 

5                      OVW minutes of the December meeting                                                                                     Noted

 

 

111/13                          Correspondence.

 

1              CCS  Notification on the Review of Licensing Policy including Draft Special Policy on the

Cumulative Impact of Licensed Premises.

Areas include Wind Street, The Kingsway and High Street.                                      Noted

2              A letter had been e mailed to Cllr R Lewis from Mr Noel Edwards and Cllr A Glass had been

copied in. Mr Edwards was complaining about the debris that was being washed into residents gardens and that the drainage system needed compete revision.  Mr Edwards was criticizing the Council for not acting.  He also complained about the website being out of date.

 

Cllr Glass reported:

Mr Edwards owns a property in the area, but has not lived here for 7/8years so is not affected on a daily basis.

The roads in Oxwich were a problem due to the water table being higher than ever before

due to the worst weather in living history.  The houses between the road and the Marsh

were lower lying and could be affected by flooding and the effect of excess water on the

roads.

Councillors agreed that the edges of the road had eroded due to the excess water, but this was a problem in all of Gower. 

Dwr Cymru had undertaken works in the village, but it had not been successful and a tanker was having to take the foul water away to alleviate the problem.

Councillors felt that the weather was extreme and debris on the road was everywhere not just in Oxwich.  It was agreed that there were sink holes appearing on fields all over Gower.

 

Resolved :  Clerk to contact the CCW to see if the water table could be reduced. 

Also a letter to Noel Edwards to explain that the PCC realize the problems that have been experienced in Oxwich but were due to abnormal conditions.  The PCC persued road maintenance on a regular basis.  No residents had come to the PCC to voice their concerns.

The website had a glitch which is currently being resolved.

 

Resolved : Agenda website next meeting.

 

3              An email had been received from Nigel Fitzgerald,Streetscene Area Manager CCS, advising

the Council that the Highways Department were dealing with the pot holes but were working within the current resources available. Cllr J Bowen reported: an inspector was being sent out to investigate the road that was collapsing in front of the bus stop.

 

4              The pot hole reports : resolved all Councillors to send the reports to Cllr J Bowen to send to

the inspector. A meeting was also considered to discuss the problems.

111/13                          Correspondence cont…..

 

5              CCS Planning Application no 2012/1657 Decking at Greenways Leisure Park, Approved.

 

6              The Gower Society – “Best Kept Village” Request to see if the Council thinks the scheme

would be appreciated by the community.

Cllr R Lewis declared a personal interest in this item and did not speak or vote on this item.

Following a discussion, a vote was taken, 3 voted in favour that it was a good decision, 2 against and 1 objection. Resolved: Clerk to advise that the Council considered it a good idea.     

                                                                                                                                    SC

7              CCS Planning Application no 2011/1484  Land adjacent to Coastlands, detached dwelling.

Approved.

 

8              Penrice Church - £300 donation was to be used as a contribution to providing access to the

top tower of the church. Thank you for donation.                                                      Noted

 

9              Reynoldston First Responder 99.99% available in January and February this year is an

excellent record.

 

 

112/13                          Financial.

 

1                      The Annual return had been submitted late for a few reasons, one of which was that there were not enough Councillors to be quorate a the September meeting.  Also the letter from the Auditors had been sent to the incorrect address, delaying the process even more.   Council considered the findings and would make sure that the Statement of Annual Return would in future be submitted on time.  The RFO and the Chairman signed the Annual Return Certification and approval Section 3.  Clerk to return to District Audit.

 

1              Clerks salary and expenses    chq no 531                

 

Cllr G Roberts proposed to pay, seconded Cllr J Bowen carried unanimously.

 

Cash @bank £10711.09

 

 

 

113/13                          Planning.

 

Cllr  R Lewis declared an interest in all items to be discussed under the Planning section of the meeting and withdrew for this Section due to sitting on the CCS Area 2 Planning Committee.

 

Cllr B Richards declared an interest in Items to be discussed in the Planning section of the meeting and withdrew for these items.

 

A          Application  no :2013/0127

Mr I Williams , The Oxwich Bay Hotel, Oxwich

Continue siting a serviced marquee building for use all year as a venue for weddings and other

functions; continue use of the car park extension in association with the hotel business construction

of a footpath and landscape planning.

 

Cllr A Glass had reviewed the application and reported the details to the Council.

The main point that needed consideration in the application was to retain the marquee all year around.

Mr P Atherton was the agent on this application.

 

 

 

113/13                          Planning cont……

 

Mr I Williams was present at the meeting and explained what the application was for exactly.  During the discussions the following points were highlighted and discussed;

 

a                      A 9 year plan has been given to the CCS from Mr Williams about the development of the Hotel.

b            The marquee has been up for the last year and the success of this part of the business, will make sure that future investment into the hotel will be able to continue.

c             The marquee will be upgraded further in the future.

d            Where currently there are caravans, future plans are for these to be chalets.(2/3 beds in each) Approx 5years.

e             Hotels in the area are finding it very difficult to survive and therefore are having to diversify.

f             Plans are to offer mixed room types, budget, deluxe and boutique rooms.

g            The proposal is for a white roof April – October, and green roof November to March. The Colour has been the biggest cause for concern especially during the winter when it is much more visible and therefore not acceptable.

h             Weddings are now the main source of income for the hotel.

I              Providing local employment.

j              Any windows requested to have non reflective glass.

k             A sound system had been invested in which cannot be heard past the car park therefore protecting residents from any noise disturbance.  There had been no complaints about music noise.

l              External lighting to be kept to a minimum, low-level, low wattage etc.

m            Security to ensure that wedding guests do not cause noise nuisance to local people late at night.

n             If the CCS were to consider passing the application to limit it to two years as a trial period.

o            The future plan approx 9 years was to have a permanent building instead of the marquee.  Possibly to be 2/3rds under ground and 1/3rd stone and glass.  It was felt that this would be more acceptable.

p            The hotel currently employs 44 staff.

q            Trial period for 3 years also considered.

r             There was the potential for the marquee to be in use 8am til 1.30 am the following morning every day.

s             Local businesses need support, but also the amenities of the local residents need to be respected also.

 

            Decided: that there was no objection, but subject to conditions and trial for 2/3yrs.

 

 

B          Application no :2013/0116

Mr R Carter  Bank Farm, Horton

Caravan rally 24th July to 13th Aug 2013

 

Decided: Normal comment.

 

C          Application no :2013/0107

Mr C Davies  Ocean Heights, Horton

New Dwelling

 

Council objected to the original application due to the overdevelopment of the area. Council considered this amended application but decided to object on the grounds that even though the building was changed slightly this was still overdevelopment of the location and also that the sewage system would be overloaded.

 

D          Application no: 2013/0055

Mrs R Grench,  Oxwich Leisure Park

To increase the occupancy of chalet 61 from 8months to 10months.

 

E          Application no :2013/0079

Mr J Treseder   Oxwich Leisure Park

Variation of planning permission to allow occupancy of the chalet for 10months.

 

Decided: No comment.

 

F                      Application no :2013/0129

Mr  J MillerGreenways Leisure Park

Caravan decking.

Decided: normal comment.

 

114/13                          Councillors’ reports/questions.

 

Cllr M Barnett reported:  the Horton steps were now completed and the work was to a very good standard.

 

Cllr A Glass reported:  the Broadband Project was now well underway, there had been tight time issues in Rhosilli but all getting there now.

 

115/13                         Public Questions relating to the agenda.  (limited to 10 minutes)

 

None

 

116/13                         Date and venue of next meeting.

 

Date of next meeting 20th March 2013 at Oxwich and Penrice Community Hall.

 

 

 

Date _________________Chairman_____________________