Councillor C Shone, (Chairman) and Councillors Mrs SL Davies, Mrs L Griffiths
Minutes of the Meeting of the Hope Community Council held at the Community Centre, Heulwen Close, Hope on
Tuesday 3 June 2014.
Present:
Councillor C Shone, (Chairman) and Councillors Mrs SL Davies, Mrs L Griffiths,
B Hughes,Mrs S Jones, EA Parsonage,PR Pemberton, P Smithand Mrs MD Williams.
Also present Mr AF Rushton, Clerk and Financial Officer
34. Apologies for Absence.
Apologies for absence were received fromCouncillors C Cunnah,P Evans, Mrs J Lucy,
A Parry and IR Sumpter.
35. Visitor to the Meeting.
(i) Mr Graham Hughes Headteacher of Castell Alun High School attended the meeting to provide an update on his ongoing plans for the future of the school. He referred to the last time he had attended when he had outlined his vision for enhanced community sports facilities at the school, which unfortunately proved unaffordable. Flintshire County Council was currently carrying out a feasibility study into replacing the existing temporary classrooms with a new accommodation block costing in the region of £2 million.
Mr Hughes would be meeting the County Councillor for Hope later in the week to discuss the possible future development of the farm unit area and confirmed that his objective would be to ensure that any community facilities were targeted at as wide a section of the community as possible, as he was keen that the school maintained an involvement with the local community.
Future development was still unclear but Mr Hughes was keen to maintain an open mind and look at all options.
Mr Hughes also referred to a project called ‘futures first’ whereby ex-students were encouraged to link up with current students for mutual benefit purposes. He also mention the Urdd Eisteddfod which was to be hosted in Flintshire in 2016 in respect of which his school had been asked to raise £15000. Councillors suggested that a grant application be submitted later in the year.
Finally Mr Hughes stated that he would inform the Governors of the Council’s suggestion that some form of informal contact be arranged between them and the Community Council.
The Chairman thanked Mr Hughes for attending the meeting and stated that he would be most welcome to attend a future meeting.
(ii) PCSO Andrea Ellis attended the meeting and gave an updated report of police activity in the area.
36. Chairman’s Announcements.
There were no Chairman’s announcements.
37. Minutes of Council.
Resolved:
that the Minutes of theAnnual Meeting of the Council held on 7 May 2014, be approved as a correct record and signed, by the Chairman.
38. Matters Arising.
(i) Community Generation of Hydro Electricity –Councillor P Smith reported on a recent meeting he had attended in Carno where great interest had been shown in renewable energy initiatives within the social housing sector in North Wales. This type of initiative appeared not to be happening in South Wales. The meeting was also informed of funding opportunities for feasibility studies into renewable projects. The meeting had been a useful opportunity for an exchange of views between delegates from all over Wales.
(ii) Wrexham-Birkenhead Railway Line – The Clerk reported a letter from Lord Barry Jones confirming his continuing support for improved services along this line with the ultimate objective of electrification.
(iii) Hope Cemetery – The Clerk reported that Flintshire Count Council had confirmed that the new cemetery (Bryn y Grog) Fagl Lane Hope is currently estimated to have capacity for approximately 12 years.
39. Minutes of Committees.
Resolved:
that the minutes of the following standing committees be approved and adopted and confirmed as a correct record.
(i) Planning and Highways – 7 May 2014.
(ii) Leisure and Environment –7 May 2014.
(iii) Finance –7 May 2014.
40. Internal and External Audits and Annual Return for the Year Ended 31 March 2014.
The Clerk reported progress on the arrangements for audit and processing the annual return for the year ended 31 March 2014. The annual return had been completed by the internal auditor JDH Business Services Ltd and certified prior to external audit by the Responsible Financial Officer. The internal audit report was also available for inspection by Councillors. The Council was now required to approve the return in draft prior to external audit and authorise the Chairman and Clerk /RFO to sign to that effect. The Clerk also drew attention to the supplementary audit information requests received from the external auditor UHY Hacker Young seeking assurances from the Council that the accounts had been prepared in accordance with proper practices and controls.
Resolved:
(i) that the annual return for the year ended 31 March 2014 as submitted be approved in draft prior to external audit and that the Chairman and Clerk/RFO be authorised to sign the return to that effectand that the responses to each statement of assurance to section 2 of the return are accurate complete and represent the Council’s final responses.
(ii) that the completed internal audit report be received, approved and recommended action noted for attention.
(iii) that the Chairman and Clerk be authorised to sign the supplementary audit information requests received from the external auditor UHY Hacker Young confirming that the Council is satisfied that the accounts have been prepared in accordance with proper practices and controls.
41. Community Review.
The Clerk reported receipt of a communication from Flintshire County Council confirming that following approval by the County Council, proposals for changes to the external boundary and ward boundaries of the Community Council were to be referred to the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales. These changes were in line with those agreed by this Council at its meeting on 5 February 2014 (minute no. 226). To summarise, the boundary between Penyffordd and Hope was to be realigned to transfer 8 properties to Penyffordd and the ward boundary between Hope and Caergwrle was to be realigned along the line of the River Alyn in an effort to equalise the ratio of Councillors to electorate across the two wards.
A notice to this effect would be published shortly by the County Council following which there would be a 6 week period during which representations could be made to the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales.
Resolved:
that the above report be received and noted.
42. Devolution of Services.
Councillors will recall that at the April meeting minute no. 275(iii) it was agreed to support a training session on the above topic, to be held at Mold Town Hall at a cost of £20 per delegate. The session had now been arranged for Thursday 3 July 2014 at 6.30pm and the Council was asked to nominate a delegate.
Resolved:
that Councillor P Smith be nominated to attend the above session.
43. Future Items for Consideration.
No items were submitted.
Minutes of a Meeting of the Planning and Highways Committee held at the Community Centre, Heulwen Close, Hope on Tuesday 3 June 2014.
Present:
Councillor Mrs SL Davies, (Chairman) and Councillors Mrs L Griffiths, B Hughes, Mrs S Jones, EA Parsonage, PR Pemberton, C Shone, P Smith and Mrs MD Williams.
Also present Mr AF Rushton, Clerk and Financial Officer.
44. Apologies for Absence.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs C Cunnah, P Evans,
Mrs J Lucy, A Parry and IR Sumpter.
45. Minutes.
Resolved:
that the Chairman be authorised to sign the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 7 May 2014.
46. Matters Arising.
(i) Pedestrian Crossing Hawarden Road Hope – The Clerk reported that Flintshire County Council had obtained funding to upgrade the pedestrian crossing outside Ysgol Estyn Hawarden Road Hope to a Pelican crossing. It was hoped that the new crossing would be in place by the start of the autumn term in September 2014. It was also reported that the system installed would identify speeding vehicles and change the lights to red accordingly.
Resolved:
that the above report be received and noted.
47. Planning Applications.
(a) The Committee considered planning applications received as follows:
(i) Application APW/051998 – Retrospective creation of an access into an agricultural field at land opposite 51-53 Wrexham Road Caergwrle.
(ii) Application PXR/052071 – Erection of a single storey rear extension to provide open plan kitchen, dining room and snug with utility and porch at Ael y Bryn Kiln Lane Hope.
(iii) Application PXR/052115 – Erection of a single storey lounge, bedroom utility and porch at Woodcroft Kiln Lane Hope.
(iv) Application DGJ/052102 – Variation of condition 14 attached to planning permission 047214 – at Rhyddyn Hill Bridge End Caergwrle.
Resolved:
(i) that in respect of application APW/051998 above the Council is opposed on the grounds of highway safety and is particularly concerned that a gate at this location if not closed could lead to cattle straying onto the highway. The Council was also concerned that this was one of an ever increasing number of retrospective applications which it considers should be discouraged.
(ii) that applications PXR/052071, PXR/052115 and DGJ/052102 be supported.
Councillor EA Parsonage declared an interest in respect of application PXR/052071 above and withdrew from the meeting taking no part in the discussion or vote thereon
(b) Applications which had been determined by Flintshire County Council were reported as follows:
(i) Change of use of highway to residential garden at West Bank Wrexham Road Penyffordd – approved.
(ii) Change of use of two commercial units to ancillary residential use at 2 Hawarden Road Hope – approved.
(iii) Erection of a first floor extension to form bedroom and en-suite at 30 Llwyn Eglwys Hope – approved.
(iv) Retrospective application to retain timber stabling and storage, additional storeroom and hardstanding on land rear of 25 Rhyddyn Hill Caergwrle – refused.
48. Street lighting Meeting with County Council.
The Chairman, Councillor Smith and the Clerk reported the outcome of a meeting with the County Council held on13 May 2014. The purpose of the meeting was to ascertain how many town and community councils would be interested in participating with the County Council in upgrading all town and community council footway lighting by means of a prudential borrowing arrangement, combining to procure energy through economies of scale with the longer term objective of transferring all lighting stock to the County Council for adoption subject to an appropriate commuted sum for initial future maintenance.
Mr Steve Jones Head of Streetscene at the County Council had convened the meeting and he indicated that his staff would prepare and forward costings for these proposals to each town and community council.
Further details would be reported to the Committee when available.
Resolved:
that the above report be noted.
Minutes of a Meeting of the Leisure and Environment Committee held at the Community Centre, Heulwen Close, Hope on Tuesday
3 June 2014.
Present:
Councillor Mrs L Griffiths (Chairman) and Councillors Mrs SL Davies, B Hughes, Mrs S Jones, EA Parsonage, PR Pemberton, C Shone, P Smith and
Mrs MD Williams.
Also present Mr AF Rushton, Clerk and Financial Officer.
49. Apologies for Absence.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs C Cunnah, P Evans,
Mrs J Lucy, A Parry, and IR Sumpter.
50. Minutes.
Resolved:
that the Chairman be authorised to sign the minutes of the previous meeting of the committee held on 7 May 2014.
51.Matters Arising.
There were no matters arising
52. Willow Playingfield.
The Clerk reported that the planning application in respect of the skateramp facility was still in the process of being prepared and would be submitted as soon as possible. Councillor Parsonage reported that he had obtained some top soil and had started to fill in some of the holes on the Willow. The County was now aware of this.
Resolved:
that the above report be noted.
53. Match Funding Scheme Improvements to Children’s Play Areas 2014/2015.
The Clerk reported that in respect of the above scheme the County Council had allocated £8000 towards the Willow playingfield project for 2014/2015.
Resolved:
that the above report be received and noted.
Minutes of a Meeting of the Finance Committee held at the Community Centre, Heulwen Close, Hope on Tuesday
3 June 2014
Present:
Councillor PR Pemberton, (Chairman) and Councillors Mrs SL Davies,
Mrs L Griffiths, B Hughes, Mrs S Jones, EA Parsonage C Shone, P Smith
and Mrs MD Williams.
Also present Mr AF Rushton, Clerk and Financial Officer.
54. Apologies for Absence.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs C Cunnah, P Evans,
Mrs J Lucy, A Parry and IR Sumpter.
55. Minutes.
Resolved:
that the Chairman be authorised to sign the minutes of the previous meeting of the committee held on 7 May 2014.
56. Matters Arising.
There were no matters arising.
57.Payments.
Resolved:
that the payments up to and including 3 June 2014, as attached to these minutes and in the total sum of £1290.96 be approved.
58. Duration of Meetings.
The meetings began at 6.30pm and ended at 7.45pm.