02 .2014

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held at the Sir John Herbert Memorial Hall, Llanover on Monday 2 February 2015 at 7.30 p.m.

Present:- Mrs L Ball (in the Chair), Mrs M Shooter, Mrs A Letton, and Messrs A Nevill, G Thomas, I Tweddle, R Adam, R Evans, J Vater, J Tod and H Candler (Clerk)

Apologies:- Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor Mrs S Jones and C Brown OBE.

Photographs:- Before the meeting started Mr J Collin attended and took photographs of the head and shoulders of all present for the purposes of the proposed Community Council website. The Chairman thanked Mr Collin for attending and also for his continuing help with regard to the Community Safety Camera Unit in Llanfair Kilgeddin.

Neighbourhood Policing:- The Clerk reported that he had not heard from any member of the Neighbourhood Police. He was not even able to produce the usual Crime Report. This meant that no representative of the Neighbourhood Police Team had attended a Council meeting since July 2014 when Inspector Sarah Taylor and PC Bob Davies had attended. While it was accepted that there were a lot of changes taking place in the local Police force the current state of affairs was clearly not satisfactory.

Minutes:- Following a letter of complaint from a resident of The Bryn, the Minutes of the previous meeting held at Llanddewi Rhydderch Village Hall on 5 January 2015 were amended and approved by the meeting and signed by the Chair.

Matters Arising:- (i) Llan gattock -nigh -Usk Mr R Adam reported that the leaves have still not been cleared from the road opposite the Steel Horse Café.

Mr Adam reported that he had met Mr Andrew Welsh of Mon. CC’s Highways Department to discuss the problem of the culvert under the B4598 opposite Church Lane (C24.13) , opposite . Mr Welsh had proposed that a box culvert be installed under the B4598, which may involve the road being closed, at leas t partially, for several days. At the same time the Highways Department will clear the drainage ditch along Church Lane and strengthen the bank between the ditch and Glebe House.

72

The Clerk reported that he had received a letter from Edwina Hart, Minist er for Economy Science and Transport at the Welsh Government, stating that she was aware that the A4202 had been flooded at Llanellen during the recent wet weather . The Minister gave an assurance that “work is being carried out to address this issue as I am aware how serious it is for local communities”. The plan is apparently to install “improved diversion signing before the end of this financial year. Her department is also having ongoing discussions with landowners about a long term solution which she hopes will “reach a resolution very soon”. The Clerk will reply pointing out that the road was closed for two days whereas it was only flooded for two hours, so that the road could have been opened sooner if the condition of the road had been monitored lo cally. The Clerk will also ask what remedial work has been considered.

Mrs Shooter reported that only half a job had been done in connection with the flooding at the top of C10.1. The road drains had been cleared but a soakaway had not yet been dug on Hendre Glyn Farm to take the surface water away.

(ii) Llanover The Clerk reported that Mr Graham Horler had informed him that he was willing to continue to maintain St Bartholomew’s Churchyard, Llanover during the coming year for the same price as last year, i.e. a total of £1,400. The Clerk was asked to thank Mr Hor ler for his work and to mention that the Undertakers Ted Williams and Sons consider the churchyard at Llanover to be one of the best maintained in the area.

(iii) Llanddewi Rhydderch It was reported that the trees overhanging the Play Area at the Villa ge Green have still not been trimmed back. The Clerk will chase Mon. CC for this work to be carried out.

The Clerk reported that following flooding of the R40 200 yards west of Weir House as a result of the breach in the bank of Pant Brook he had contacted Martyn Evans, Mon. CC’s Land Drainage Officer who had referred him to the Wye Valley Drainage Board. Mr Evans had arranged for sandbags to be placed between the road and the brook pending a visit by a representative of the Wye Valley Drainage Board.

(iv ) General The meeting was delighted that Mon. CC had at last confirmed the decision of the Cabinet to impose a 50mph speed limit between and Usk (B4598) and the Steel Horse Café and Raglan (R64). The call-in by the Strong Communities Committee had failed because the imposition of the speed limit would be delayed a long time if additional 40mph limits were consulted upon in certain areas at the request of two 73

County Councillors. County Councillor Sara Jones and Graham Thomas were thanked for voicing this Council’s concerns at the recent meeting of the committee. Both had argued that the imposition of the 50mph limit should not be delayed by further consultation.

It was generally agreed that the Annua l Dinner held at The Hardwick had been very successful. The Clerk reported that he had received a VAT invoice from the Restaurant for the agreed amount.

The Clerk reported that he had heard from Mrs Melanie Mercer that the member of the public who had complained to the Ombudsman was unlikely to pursue his complaint against this Council which had been rejected by Mrs Merce r acting as an Independent Investigator.

Community items:- (i) Llanover Mr A Nevill reported that he had had a meeting with Rebecca Leach concerning the Velothon Cycling event which is to take place on 14 June. The event will involve the closure of the A4042 through Llanover for most of the day. Ms Leach will be attending the Sir John Herbert Memoria l Hall, Llanover on Wednesday 25 February to talk about this event. It is anticipated that over 10,000 cyclists will take part in the event which involves a 50km race and a 12 0km race going through Llanover and on to Llanellen, and Blaenavon before finishing at Cardiff. The elite cyclist s will do two circuits of the 120km course.

Mr Nevill also reported on progress with regard to the tree felling in Upper Llanover. He will copy the Clerk into email correspondence he has been having with Dale Clancy of NRW. Mr Nevill said that his current concern was the damage which might be done to local properties from run off of surface water and silt from the deforested site in very wet weather.

Mrs Shooter reported that the road from the junction of the C10.1 and C10.2 towards the junction of the C10.2 and the C10.4 was getting very rough. The surface of the road was breaking down at the edges and the whole road is getting pitted and full of potholes.

(ii) Llangattock -nigh -Usk Mr R Adam reported that the bracket on the road sign opposite the junction of the B4598 and C24.13 (Church Lane) had broken so that it was facing the wrong way.

(iii) Llanfair Kilgeddin

74

Mrs Letton reported that there was still a problem of flooding at Pantygoitre. During recent wet weather water had flooded the field in front of Pantygoitre House so that the surface water coming down the hill towards the junction had nowhere to go. The property Drws Nesa had been flooded much to the concern of the occu piers Mr and Mrs Gordon Davies. Mrs Letton had spoken to Gordon Davies about this problem. Andrew Welsh of Mon. CC’s Highways Department was aware of the problem. Another problem in the area was that water controlled by Open Reach was escaping from a br oken conduit holding Open Reach wires. Open Reach is aware of this problem.

Mrs Letton also reported that gullies going uphill on the C9.5 between the B4598 and Highmead had been cleared by Mon. CC. The Clerk was asked to thank the Highways Department for this work.

(iv) Llanddewi Rhydderch Mr J Vater reported that the road drain in the hedge of no. 8 St David’s Crescent, i.e. adjacent to the Village Hall, had still not been repaired. Mr Tod and Mr Vater pointed out the following highway problems which had been highlighted in the recent wet weather:-

• State of C25.2 on which a big puddle of water forms near the junction of the R40. • Gout blocked causing surface water to form large puddle in depressed part of road on north side of the B4233 between the junctions with the C34.2 and R40 west of the Old Plough. • Gouts need to be cleared where water builds up in wet weather on both sides of the B4233 by junction with C25.3 opposite Chwarelau. • Pothole inside the bend on south side of the B4233 west of junction with C25.3 opposite Fair View.

The Clerk was asked to request a 7. 5 tonne limit for HGVs on the C34.2 between Little Llandeilo F arm and the junction with the C34.3, and also between Hall Farm and Llanddewi Rhydderch village on the C24.2.

Correspondence:- (i) General The Clerk referred to the following letters/circulars which he had received:- (a) from County Council , - a letter on dog fouling (it was agreed not to get involved in Mon. CC’s Red Card campaign because there was no substantial problem from dog fouling in the area), 75

- a letter to members of the Bryn y Cwm Community Forum on Abergavenny Castle Time Banking Scheme, - Minutes of the last Access for All Forum which dealt with local transport problems, - a letter with poster advertising the forthcoming AGM and public meeting of the Bryn y Cwm Community Forum entitled “What the Hell is Going On?” which will tak e place at St Michael’s Centre, Pen y Pound, Abergavenny at 7.30pm on Monday 16 February 2015, - a link to a presentation given by Gareth Ellis of Green Valley Energy at the last Bryn y Cwm Area Committee meeting, - request from County Councillor John Prosser, Armed Forces Champion, for details o f War Memorials within the area, - an email and poster with regard to forthcoming meetings on the Eisteddfod which is to be organised by Monmouthshire in 2016;

(b) from National Assembly for , - consultation letter re: Inquiry into the Powers of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales;

(c) from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, - a copy of their Five Year Strategic Plan 2015 – 2020;

(d) from One Voice Wales, - invitation to join OVW/SLCC event on 14 May 2015, - a copy of OVW’s Response to Welsh Government Consultation on “Front Loading of the Development Management System”, - information with regard to forthcoming training courses, - copy of January Newsletter of FCFCG Wales.

Planning The Clerk distributed to the Llanover representatives a letter from Brecon Beacons National Park on Changes to the Public Speaking Scheme.

The Clerk reported that the following applications to Mon. CC for planning permission had been approved in sub-committee:-

Applicant Description Mr R Vaughan Ground floor extension at Parc Lettis Lodge, Coldbrook, Abergavenny, NP7 9AE.

Mr Phillip Bevan Fodder storage/housing for sheep during lambing at Great House Farm, , Abergavenny, NP7 9UY.

76

Mr Glen Chappelle New dormer and Juliette Balcony for loft conversion at Fisherman’s Cottage, The Bryn, Abergavenny, NP7 9AP.

Mr David Parry Listed building consent for (i) reroofing of Grade II listed barn and lean-to annexes with the inclusio n of four roof windows in east facing elevation, (ii) reroofing of single storey outbuilding at The Elms, Llantilio Pertholey, Abergavenny, NP7 8BH.

The Clerk reported that at the request of the local representatives the Clerk had written to Mon. CC’s Planning Department objecting to certain aspects of the following application which had been sent to this Council “for information only”, though inviting comments on siting and design considerations:-

Applicant Description Mr and Mrs S B Jones Erection of steel-portal grain store on land at Pont Kemeys Farm, Kemeys Road, Chainbridge, NP7 9DS (the Clerk read out the letter which he had written which in essence objected to the siting of the proposed grain store because the store was too big and the proposed site too visible).

The Clerk also confirmed that he had written to the Planning Enforcement Officer at Mon. CC objecting to the construction of a new access/exit off/on to the B4598 at Ty Pengam, Llanfair Kilgeddin.

Finances:- The Chair reported that she had examined all the Accounting books and papers produced to her by the Clerk prior to this meeting and was satisfied that they were in order. She also reported that she and the Clerk were in the course of drafting a Risk Assessment in respect of the Council’s activities and they would report on that at the next meeting.

The meeting approved payment of the following invoices:-

Mon. CC (repayment of Clerk’s salary) - £607.50 Webbs Glass and Glazing (fitting of polycarb windo ws to - £212.40 front of noticeboards at Coed Morgan and Llanfair Kilgeddin) Mazars LLP (fee for external audit) £246.00

The Clerk reported that he had received an apology from HMRC for the delay in payment of the claim for VAT. The excuse given was that there had been an “unexpected increase of claims received at this 77 time”. Although this was a weak excuse it was agreed not to pursue the complaint any further.

The meeting considered donations. It was agreed to delay consideration of donations until the next meeting. In the meantime the Clerk will obtain further information from the Monmouthshire CAB. The Clerk read out a list of charities to which donations had been given in the past.

The Clerk informed the meeting that this Council’s share of the costs of next summer’s Primary School Sports Festival will be £105 rather than the £150 which had been budgeted.

Finally, the Clerk reported that he had heard from Mon. CC’s Commercial and Green Spaces Manager that the cost of grounds maintenance for the financial year 2015/16 will be £206.67 (instead of the £200 budgeted) plus VAT inclusive of labour, material and plant costs. The Clerk was instructed to accept the contract on that basis.

Reports:- (i) The Clerk and the Chair reported that they had attended a meeting with Melin Homes (Melin) and the Police to discuss problems at The Bryn on 27 January. Since the meeting was confidential it was not possible to go into any detail. However, it had been sta ted that the foreman and workman employed by Monmouthshire Housing Association found the social cohesion in that area about the worst they had experienced. There was one resident cau sing particular problems though it was not the member of public about whom this Council had complained on behalf of local residents. It would appear that relations between him and his neighbours were not regarded as particularly bad. The meeting had agreed that the visit by representatives of Melin and the Police had been helpful. (ii) The Clerk reported that he had attended a meeting of the North Monmouthshire Liaison Committee on 28 January. There had been presentation s by the Pension Manager of Greater (Torfaen) Pensions Fund, whose advice will ha ve to be considered at a future meetin g of this Council, and also by Kathy Young, the new Advice Services Manager for North Monmouthshire.

AOB:- None

The next meeting of this Council will take place on 2 March 2015 at The Bryn Village Hall at 7.30 pm

78