52 Minutes of the meeting of Hay Town Council held in the Council Chamber at 7.30 p.m. on 2nd July 2007

Present: Cllr. G. Ratcliffe (GR) Cllr. P.Lloyd (PL) Cllr. D. Gittins (DG) Cllr. N. Birch (NB) Cllr. M. Fellowes (MF) Cllr. S. Like (SL) Cllr. J. Freeman Cllr. R. Golesworthy (RG) Cllr. G. Jones (GJ) Cllr. S. Campbell County Cllr. J. Gibson-Watt (JGW)

Apologies: there were none.

Prior to the Council meeting a meeting was held with Alistair Bray (Senior Licensing Officer, Brecknockshire & Radnorshire) and Mark Brown (Powys County Council Waste Management Section) gave short talk and took questions. Also, PC Thomas provided a Police update to Councillors. For a summary of these meetings and talks please see the annex to these minutes.

The Minutes of the meeting of 14th May were agreed as a true record.

149. Matters arising from the Minutes (a) Newsletter: the newsletter is being printed and will be distributed shortly. (b) Anti-social behaviour: this item was discussed at length during the presentation from Alistair Bray (Powys County Council Licensing Office) and the update from PC Thomas. (c) Hay Council Offices: GR and JGW had met with Mr Penny, Head of Property Services in Powys County Council. GR proposed to Mr Penny that Hay Town Council take on the running of the Council Offices. Mr Penny had agreed to GR’s proposal provided the Town Council pay a peppercorn rent, allow Powys County Council to continue to use 2 offices in the building and take on the liabilities involved in running the building. Mr Penny will provide GR with the current costs involved so that the Town Council can make an informed decision before taking on the building. Councillors thanked GR for proposing this approach and for taking it forward. (d) Any other matters arising: there were no other matters arising.

150. Traffic management: Councillors could not remember why they had asked for this to be put on the agenda (see item 148 of June’s minutes) and asked for it to be carried forward to the next meeting.

151. County Councillor’s report: following concerns that the Hay Festival is no longer being held in the Town there have been suggestions that a 3 day food festival be held in Town on the second weekend of next year’s Festival. (GR declared an interest). JGW informed the Council that WAG and BBNP would be in support of such a move. A number of concerns were raised including the effect on food sellers in the Town, the proposed length of the food festival and the loss of the current food festival which is held outside of the Literary Festival week (to attract visitors to the Town at a ‘quieter’ time of the year). It was agreed that DG, MF, JF, PL and JGW should meet with other bodies (Powys County Council, the Chamber of Commerce) and then, depending upon the outcome of this meeting, a further meeting might be held with Festival representatives to agree a way forward. JGW informed the Council that discussions were ongoing between traders who use the Cheese Market and the County Council; Hay Town Council will be kept informed.

152. Chairman’s report: the Chairman’s recent work was discussed under other agenda items i.e. items 149 (b), 149 (c) and 154 (c).

53 153. Questions from members of the public: This item followed.

154. Sub-committees a) Finance: no meeting. b) Fishing & Estates: SL tabled a quote of £920.77 for work to repair and erect a disabled jetty underneath Hay bridge; the quote was agreed by the Council. SL wished it minuted that BT have, once again, threaded the cable for Warren Cottage through the trees. c) Christmas Lights: GR met with Blachere Lighting who will offer advice on possible lighting schemes for Hay. Blachere advised that wire is available at £1.50/m rather than the £7.50/m that is currently paid. Blachere also advised that putting up many trees would be problematic due to (a) the hardwiring that would be necessary and (b) the need for a licence to dispose of them. d) Christmas party: no meeting. e) Recycling: Councillors voted to provide a grant of £500 to Hay School Jumping Jacks club and of £500 to Hay Juniors Football Club. Councillors voted not to provide a grant to Hay Juniors Golf Club.

155. Reports from representatives: a) Affordable Housing: no meeting. b) Dyfed/Powys police: no meeting. c) Community Support: Betty Maura-Cooper gave an outline of PAVO and how it was financed. The possible relocation of Community Support to the Council Offices was discussed. d) Gwynne’s Almshouses: no meeting. e) Dial-a-Ride: no meeting. It was reported that funds are ‘very tight’. f) Hay Youth Club: no report. g) Hay School Governors: the next meeting will take place on 17th July. The School Fete is due to take place on Saturday 7th July. h) Community Centre Committee: RG reported that the Topographic Survey had been completed; contact had been made with the Surgery owners about a potential land swap for car parking; the architects were developing the plan; Powys CC had not been in contact about the proposed new school; the planning application should be with trustees in early September. MF informed the Council that Powys CC would not be looking at the cluster of schools that includes Hay Primary School until next year. i) Gwernyfed Sports Centre: no meeting. j) One Voice Wales: GJ informed the meeting that 7 more Councils had joined, including some large urban Councils. k) Timbuktu: JF gave a summary of progress to date.

156. Planning: there were no comments on any applications.

157. Correspondence: a letter had been received from Hay Fringe; GR will meet with them for a ‘de-brief’. One-voice Wales have written seeking representatives at the forth coming annual meeting; Councillors agreed that the Clerk should book a place for GJ at a cost of £50. A letter had been received from a little girl asking if anything could be done about the poor state of the Skateboard Park behind the Hay Dental Practice. Councillors believed the area to be owned by Annie Day and asked the Clerk to forward the letter to her and send a letter to the correspondent informing her of this action.

158. Report of the Clerk/Financial officer: Cheques issued: Cb927 P Cronin £405.73 Clerk’s salary & allowance Cb928 P Cronin £405.73 Clerk’s salary & allowance 54 Cb930 D Brown £100.00 Clock winding Cb931 Flower shop £25.00 Flowers for 100th birthday Cb932 ‘no fit state’ £857.75 Workshops for Hay Fringe Cb933 One voice Wales £50.00 Delegate fee Cb935 Hay Junior Football £500.00 Recycling grant Cb936 Jumping Jacks School Club £500.00 Recycling grant

159. Any other business: the current Clerk is standing down. Councillors agreed that the candidate who came a close second at the recent interviews should be appointed. Councillors also agreed that the Clerk’s hours should increase to 12 hours per week; this will be reviewed after 4 months.

Chairman:……………………….Date:…………..

Annex

Alistair Bray (AB) - Senior Licensing Officer, Brecknockshire & Radnorshire AB explained that the Licensing Act 2003 governs licensing and outlined how the Act works in relation to Hay. AB pointed out that the recent smoking ban had effected the situation. The police can enforce a ‘Premises Closure Order’; this is an order that can be put in place by an Inspector to close a premises. Use of this order would automatically lead to a review of the premises’ license. AB explained that when a premises applies, or reapplies, for a license many bodies are involved in the process e.g. Police, Fire, Trade and Commerce, Environmental Health. Councillors asked AB what might constitute ‘significant disturbance’. AB said that this was not clear as there was little case law to test this gray area of the Act. AB informed Councillors that the Police have the power, but perhaps not the resources, to hand out Fixed Penalty Notices. AB told Councillors that a resident can request a license review, as can the police.

Mark Brown (MB) - Powys County Council Waste Management Section MB informed Councillors that the plastic recycling container is back in the car park and that the Council will not lose out as payment will be made anyway based on previous payments. MB gave Councillors an overview of plastic recycling including what can and cannot be recycled and why. MB stressed the importance of giving due importance to paper and food recycling, not just plastics. Business recycling was discussed as was using the Council Newsletter for advertising home composting. MB told Councillors that Powys was likely to meet its’ 2010 recycling targets 3 years early.

PC Thomas : Police update A Police Community Support Officer is now in place, shared with Crickhowell and Talgarth; the PCSO has limited powers but is very useful as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the regular officers. A recent operation at Clyro Court has been successful with arrests of drug dealers and confiscation of many knives. The Hay Festival went well from a policing viewpoint; there were few problems at the Festival Site but there were incidents to deal with in Town. There have been a number of arrests recently for property damage and anti-social behaviour. The police have been handing out notices to ‘speeders’ around Town but it is not easy to deal with offenders when people who complain will not then provide statements. PC Thomas asked Councillors what they consider to be priorities; Councillors said anti-social behaviour, inappropriate driving and parking.