Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Penrice Community Council held
on Wednesday 18th September  2013 at Horton Village Hall at 7.30pm

 

Members Present                       Councillor M Barnett

                                                       Councillor M Williams

Councillor A Glass

Councillor J Ellis

Councillor G Roberts

Councillor J Bowen

Councillor T Methuen-Campbell

                                                                                                                                                                               Action

There were approximately 25 members of the public present.


68/13                            Apologies for Absence.

 

None

 

69/13                           Declarations of Interest.

 

Cllr T Methuen-Campbell declared an interest in item 9 on the Agenda relating to the Coalhouse on Oxwich Bay due to being the owner of the property.

 

70/13                           To confirm the minutes of the Meeting held 18th September 2013.

 

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

 

71/13                           Matters arising from the minutes.

 

None

 

72/13                           Community Councils

 

1                      One Voice Wales Notice of Area Committee Meeting 24th October 13 and also minutes of the

previous meeting.                                                                                           Noted

 

58/13                           Correspondence

 

1              CCS Public footpath  PR42 notification of alteration.  Noted.

2              The Tidal Lagoon – Environmental Impact Assessment open day -  Noted.

3              CCS Local Development Plan Planning meeting.  – Noted.

4              Rural Development News – Noted.

 

59/13                           Financial.                   £

1                      Clerk salary                             Information protected the Data Protection Act

 

Cllr B Richards proposed to pay, seconded Cllr G Roberts carried unanimously.

 

The Fireworks Display was due to be organized next month and a donation had been budgeted for.

Cllr M Williams proposed to pay this now in advance, seconded Cllr J Ellis, carried unanimously.

 

2                      Horton Fireworks Display                   250.00

 

The Clerk requested that the Council start considering the community project that they had previously decided to spend the money raised from the sale of land adjacent to Shore Cottage.  Cllr J Ellis to put forward ideas and Clerk to agenda next meeting.

 

A copy of the Annual Return had been sent to the District Audit and now had been returned.  The Council considered the comments and The Statement of Accounts and certified and approved the Finances for the financial year ending 31st March 13.  The Statement of Accounts was signed by the Chairman and the RFO.                               

60/13                           Planning.

 

Cllr  R Lewis declared an interest in all items to be discussed under Planning due to being a Member of the CCS Area 2 Planning Committee.  Cllr Lewis withdrew from the meeting during this section.

Cllr B Richards declared an interest in an item to be discussed under Planning relating to Bank Farm due to being the owner of Bank Farm. Cllr Richards withdrew from the meeting during this one item.

 

A          Application number 2013/1281  Caravan Rally Bank Farm  80  caravans.

Following a discussion, Council decided to submit their normal comment that there was no objection providing the CCS were monitoring the number of caravans in Gower at any one time and that this number was not detrimental to the area.

 

B          Application number 2013/1177  Oxwich Leisure Park

                        Following a discussion Council decided no comment as previous similar applications.

 

C         Application number 2013/1110  Dr A Fowkes,  Driftwood, Oxwich

Two storey extension and minor alterations to existing site.

                        Council decided to support.

 

D         2013/1196   P Jenkins   Greenways Leisure Park   Caravan decking

                        Council decided no objection.

 

E          2013/0491  Mr Dale Hall, Mayals   ‘Hill Top’ Oxwich Green

                        New dwelling  - Amended plans

                        Points that were raised during discussions

                        The Boundary is still not agreed.

The sewer location is currently situated under the proposed new dwelling and there is no evidence to advise what the situation is regarding this.

The plot is now narrower than the existing application so the development is more intense than the original.The Community Council suggest that the CCS hold a site visit.

The proposed new dwelling will be over bearing and not in keeping with the area.

 

61/13                           The Charter between  the CCS and local Community Councils.

 

Following a discussion the Council decided to sign the Charter, unanimous.

 

 

62/13                           The Community Council’s Website.

 

£500 was being donated by the Welsh Assembly Government to Community Councils to develop their own websites.

 

Cllr J Ellis had experience in this area so reported;

Options to consider were

1              To remain with Gower website and not have an individual website.

2              OVW had negotiated with Vision ICT who were offering to set up a website for a standard

contract at a charge of £500 +VAT for the first two years and then charge £260 per annum thereafter.

3              Others were also charging similar of £500 to set up followed by an annual charge.

4              To use the £500 and for Cllr J Ellis to set up a PCC Website and maintain for 5 years.

 

Other points that were considered by the Council were;

 

A            The payments to the Gower Website were £100, so in the first instance the minutes would be duplicated.

B          Pennard CC were intending to do their own website. 

C         The Gower CC Website was used by quite a few of the Councils now.

D         Could use links on the Gower Website to Councils own websites.

E            Could wait for the next invoice and decide then whether to continue to be involved with the Gower CC.

F            If the £500 not used then will have to be repaid, and would be a shame to waste this opportunity and donation. So this would be a phased transfer to the Council having their own website.

G           After the 5 years, Council could review the situation and possible future costs regardless of provider chosen, rights over any domain name should be retained and that a copy of any content should be kept so that transition to any future provider would be more straightforward and could be instigated by the Council should it so wish.

H            Cllr R Lewis said that there were many stories and historic records that would have a large public interest of Horton etc that could be included in the website.

I                       There would be no limit to the number of pages that could be uploaded.

J            The current Gower CC was not very user friendly and if there were problems then the Clerk has not received support.

 

Cllr A Glass proposed to appoint Cllr J Ellis to develop a website for and on behalf of the PCC at a cost of £500 for the set up and maintenance for 5 years, seconded Cllr R Lewis, carried unanimously. 

Cllrs wanted it recorded that in 5 years time the cost of future maintenance would not increase to the extreme.

 

 

63/13                           RNLI Lifeboat House Horton

 

Cllr G Roberts declared an interest and withdrew from the meeting due to being a member of the lifeboat crew.

 

The Council were updated on the details this was still ongoing.  Noted

 

64/13                           Atlantic Array

 

Cllr J Ellis was unable to register a view due to the Council not being to decide whether to support or oppose it.  This is because the Council did not feel they knew fully the Communities view on the situation and therefore could not make a representation.

 

A special meeting was considered.  There were a variety of opinions within the Council, some were in favour and some were against the size and location of the proposed wind farm.

 

 

64/13                           Atlantic Array cont…..

 

Cllr R Lewis reported that the Atlantic Array open day had a large public attendance and many were opposed to it.

Cllr A Glass pointed out that many who would have attended would have been opposed to it and those in favour probably would not have attended the meeting. This could not be a true reflection of the view of the public.

 

Cllr M Williams pointed out that in Denmark 20% of their power was from wind, but the wind farms were not so obtrusive.

 

Some members did not see the point of still discussing this as it had been on the agenda a few times and discussed on more than one occasion and the Council still had not made a decision whether to support or object, but had made the decision that due to not knowing the correct view of the public to abstain from making a representation. 

 

Cllr M Barnett proposed to put on the November agenda.  A vote was taken 3 against, 4 in favour and 1 abstained.  Clerk to put the Atlantic Array on the agenda in November.                                                 SC

 

65/13                           Cllrs Reports and Questions

 

The trees on Oxwich Green need to come down and there is a children’s swing which could result in an insurance claim if a child was hurt on the Green.  The CCS had to give permission to remove trees if they were dangerous.  Steve Luko CCS                                                                                                                     SC

 

The Council were advised that a planning application had been submitted to the CCS for three new dwellings on the Old Tennis Courts, land adjacent to the Haven in Horton.  This will probably be received for discussion in the October meeting.  Details are on the website.

 

66/13               Public Questions relating to the agenda.  (limited to 10 minutes)

 

None

 

67/13                           Date and venue of next meeting.

 

16th October 2013 Oxwich and Penrice Community Hall 

 

 

Date _________________Chairman_____________________