ROGERSTONE COMMUNITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL HELD AT: TYDU COMMUNITY HALL, WELFARE GROUNDS, ROGERSTONE, NEWPORT, ON WEDNESDAY THE 7TH MARCH 2018
Members present: - Chairperson: Councillor S. Mlewa Councillors: S. Bowen, Y. Forsey, C. Larcombe, M. Hoidn, S. Jones, N. Ireland, K. Hopkins, C. Evans, A. Collingbourne.
Apologies were received from: - Councillors: Mrs A. Bailey, Mrs V. Dudley, L. Hearn, Mrs J. Toleman.
Prior to the meeting members received two presentations from persons who had submitted tenders to run a café from the golf hut. (Appendix 1). The press and public were excluded from the meeting due to the confidentiality of the tenders.
It was agreed to take item 10.1 Living Levels Project before other matters.
10.1 Living Levels Project
The Chairperson, Councillor S. Mlewa welcomed Mr Gavin Jones from the RSPB to the meeting. Mr Jones is a Living Levels Community Engagement Officer. Members introduced themselves to Mr Jones and he gave a very interesting and informative talk on the Living Levels. (Appendix 2).
Members discussed the following with Mr Jones: - ● The Gwent Living Levels and their uniqueness. ● The extent of the Living Levels. ● Partnerships. ● Funding. ● Community involvement and local stories. ● History, artefacts, and buried archaeology, of national and international importance. ● Flooding and the importance of reens, ditches and sewers. ● The setting up of the drainage board. ● Tidal lagoons and the unknown future impact on the Living Levels. ● Local ‘lingo’. ● Pylons. ● Tiny Rebel and proposals for an apple orchard. ● Newport Wetlands ● Salt marshes. ● Newport Museum. ● Art projects. ● Gwent archives and maps from 1830, copies of which were passed around for members to view. (Also available to view online). ● Website links and the newsletter, (which will be forwarded to members).
The Chairperson, Councillor S. Mlewa thanked Mr Jones for his presentation.
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1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
2. PUBLIC QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION
There were no questions submitted.
3. MINUTES
The following minutes were approved: - Council Meeting 7th February 2018 Leisure & Finance Committee Meeting 21st February 2018.
4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
4.1 Telephone Boxes
Staff will continue painting the telephone boxes as soon as the weather permits; the Clerk will update members at the next meeting.
4.2 Rogerstone Village Festival Committee
The Rogerstone Village Festival meeting on the 15th February 2018 was not well attended, however a further meeting has been arranged for the 15th of March 2018.
4.3 Chartist Memorial Project
The Deputy Chairman, Councillor S. Bowen advised that he has received a lot of positive feedback regarding the above project.
4.4 Special Meeting 24th January 2018
It was agreed that the council tax increase (50p per annum for band D properties) should be put on the website.
4.5 Role of the Community Council (Rogerstone Directory) – Councillor S. Bowen
Following discussion, it was agreed to defer placing an advert in the Rogerstone Directory and to consider promoting the Community Council later in the year. Members felt that it may not be necessary to spend money on an advert, as there is already information about the Council on the website.
4.6 Schools Competition
The Deputy Chairperson, Councillor S. Bowen advised members that the four coin cover prizes have been purchased.
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4.7 Burial Board
It was confirmed that the Clerk has written to the Chairman of the Burial Board (copied to the Deputy Chairman of the Burial Board and the Burial Board Clerk); there has been no response to the correspondence.
Members discussed the running of the Burial Board and the issues they have with certain procedures.
It was agreed to defer the precept payment (2017/18) until the next meeting of Council, which will be after the next Burial Board meeting, which is being held at Tydu Community Hall on the 19th of March 2018.
4.8 DBS
Following advice from the Clerk and Gareth Price at Newport City Council, it was agreed not to proceed with DBS checks for Community Councillors.
4.9 Leisure & Finance Meeting 21st February 2018
The following recommendations were approved: -
Ty Du House Rent Review
Press and public excluded
Facility Fees
Tydu Community Hall
OFF PEAK (per hour) HALL 4.60 ROOM 3.40 KITCHEN 2.35 HALL,KITCHEN, ROOM 7.95
PEAK (per hour) HALL 9.05 ROOM 6.70 KITCHEN 2.95 HALL,KITCHEN, ROOM 15.90
Sports Pitches and Changing Rooms
Adult Sports Pitches & Changing Facilities Football 8.30 Changing facilities 15.90 Grass wicket 15.90 Artificial wicket 15.90 Children’s Sports Pitches (includes changing facilities if required) Football 7.45 Artificial wicket 7.45
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Tennis Courts
Adult – Tennis Court Hire Per Hour 3.15 Child – Tennis Court Hire Per Hour 1.60 Mixed – Tennis Court Hire Per Hour 2.60 Racquet Hire (per hour) 1.10 Racquet Hire Deposit (Refundable when returned in original condition) 2.10 Ball Purchase (Hire not available) 1.10
Garage Spaces & Allotments – Per Annum
Garage Space (Cefn Rd) 85.95 88.25 Allotment (Cefn Rd & Bethesda) (per perch) 2.30 2.35 Allotment O.A.P (per perch) 1.55 1.60
Section 137
JUBILEE PARK PTA £200
BOWLS CLUB £100
ROGERSTONE ROUTES £200
HCPT £200
NEWPORT TECH CLUB £200
RWCC £300
RWCC NIL
TENOVUS NIL
ROGERSTONE GUIDES £300
Total £1500
5. POLICE REPORT
The Police Report has been circulated to members and is on the Clerks Report.
6. CLERKS REPORT
Members noted the contents of the Clerks Report.
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7. CORRESPONDENCE
Members considered correspondence from a resident, which highlighted a pedestrian/cyclist problem crossing Pontymason Lane, and requested the Community Council fund a convex mirror on a post.
Members considered the request however, as the land does not belong to the Community Council they cannot erect a mirror in the location as requested. Newport City Council has already given reasons for not consenting to providing a mirror and members discussed this further.
The resident also complained about the state of the footpath through High Cross Open Space and suggested a drainage ditch.
Following discussion, it was agreed that:- ● The Head Groundsman be asked if he could recommend possible remedies to alleviate the problem. ● The state of the path be monitored for 6 months, as there has been exceptionally bad weather recently, which will have had an adverse effect on the path. ● Consideration for improving the path using a contractor could be considered following results from the monitoring of the path.
8. ACCOUNTS
Members approved the accounts on the Clerks Report: -
SOUTH WALES LOCKSMITHS Keys £ 28.20
SCREWFIX Grounds supplies £ 72.66
UTILITY WAREHOUSE Gas & electric £ 861.31
AVIVA INSURANCE Council’s van insurance £ 720.00
NEWPORT CITY COUNCIL Planning application £ 50.00
TESCO Refreshments & cleaning sundries £ 33.70
CA Trees Tree work School Terrace £ 150.00
TALKTALK Line, fibre, calls £ 62.34
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FUEL GENIE Fuel £ 121.00
SW DIRECTORIES Advert £ 100.00
J. PARKERS Bulbs £ 232.74
S. BOWEN Competition coins £ 70.00
9. PLANNING
Members of the Planning Committee were in receipt of planning applications from Newport City Council.
10. OTHER MATTERS
10.1 Living Levels Project
Discussed earlier.
10.2 Recycling
This item was requested by Councillor C. Lacey who was not at the meeting.
Members discussed the current recycling facilities at the Welfare Grounds; there is a large recycling container in the grounds and new recycling bins have been purchased for Tydu Community Hall.
It was agreed that when the supply of plastic water bottles etc. (left over from previous public events) have been used up, no more will be purchased for Council meetings.
10.3 Seasonal Staff
It was agreed to invite the previous three temporary staff to take up the seasonal vacant grounds positions, on the same contracts as last year.
10.4 City Council feedback forum. (Ward Members)
Members discussed: - ● Newport City Councils budget and council tax increase. ● The recent Ward Meeting. ● The MUGA at Afon Village
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11. URGENT MATTERS
New Tourist Sign
The new brown tourist sign at the top of the entrance to the Welfare Grounds is obscured by the old ‘new road layout sign’ when travelling from Risca, therefore it was suggested that Newport City Council be contacted to either remove the ‘new road layout sign’ as it is no longer relevant or move the tourist sign to a more visible position.
Councillor C. Larcombe – Disability Forum
Councillor C. Larcombe updated members on the disability forum he has on Facebook. This is in the early stages and Councillor Larcombe will prepare an A4 document for members at a later date.
Members discussed dropped kerbs.
12. MEETINGS
The next meeting of Council was agreed as follows: - Council Meeting 4th April 2018 at 7pm
A Youth Committee Meeting will be in the Council Chambers on 22nd March at 7pm and everyone is welcome to attend.
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APPENDIX 1
Members were provided with the tender information from the two applicants prior to the meeting.
Sue and Paul Chedzoy gave a presentation to Council at 6.30pm and Shane Cairns at 6.45pm.
Following careful consideration of the two proposals/tenders, and taking into account the presentations and responses to questions from members, it was agreed that Shane Cairns be offered the tenancy of the hut, subject to the Clerk drawing up a suitable service agreement and Mr Cairns providing hygiene rating information and copies of the relevant insurances.
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