TRELLECH UNITED COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING
held at
The Hall, Llanishen on Monday 7 December 2015 at 7pm
Councillor / Village / AttendanceJohn Gooding / Catbrook / Present
Michael Mason / Catbrook / Not present
Bob Dagger (Chair) / Llandogo / Present
Ashley Thomas / Llandogo / Present
Martin Blakebrough / Llanishen / Not present
George Weston / Llanishen / Present
Steve Coppell / The Narth / Present
Rosemary Decker-Thomas / The Narth / Present
John Baldwin / Penallt / Not present
Tessa Murray / Penallt / Not present
Alan Poulter / Trellech / Present
Iain Stokes / Whitebrook / Present
County Cllr Debby Blakebrough / MCC / Present
Clerk: Ann Davison
15255 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Cllrs J Baldwin, M Blakebrough, M Mason and T Murray
15256 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: None
15257 RESIGNATION OF COUNCILLOR
It was noted that Phil Chadwick had resigned as councillor for the Trellech ward. The vacancy has been officially advertised, and if no election is requested by 23 December then the council may co-opt. The clerk was asked to initiate this process early in the New Year if necessary.
Clerk
15258 TO RECEIVE REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR BLAKEBROUGH
· Natural Resources Wales is again wanting to erect barriers in the Maryland area, to prevent 4-wheel drive vehicles and motor cycles churning up the tracks. Local residents have opposed this in the past, as the tracks also offer access to some houses. A site meeting will be held.
· Mark Hand, head of MCC Planning, has toured the area with County Councillor Blakebrough, to familiarise himself with local issues.
15259 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 16 November
The minutes for 16 November were agreed and signed as a true record.
15260 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF 16 November
Item 15085: Bin shelters in The Narth
Cllr Coppell reported that the lids have now been replaced.
Item 15217 (15201, etc): Provision of Defibrillators
The application to the British Heart Foundation is under consideration by them.
Item 15241: Planning documents not on MCC website
Phil Thomas, MCC Planning, had explained that the documents had been on the website but not visible to the general public, due to human error. The issue was to be raised at their team meeting to try and ensure it did not recur. If the planning department is alerted that documents are "missing" it is very quick and easy to put right.
Item 15246: Fencing of Llandogo Play Area
A site meeting will be held later in December to further this project.
Clerk
15261 TO CONSIDER PLANNING APPLICATIONS:
· 2014/01533, Llandogo, site adjacent The Lion, detached dwelling, further amendments. Concerns over road safety remain. Cllrs Thomas and Dagger will attend the delegated panel meeting to explain these.
· 01430, Llandogo, Rosehurst, front porch, balcony, etc Recommend approval
Clerk
15262 FURTHER PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
· 01425, Trellech, Babington Close, variation of surface materials (condition 14) relating to 2008/001420. Recommend approval
· Notification to remove three trees in de Clere Way, Trellech. No objection
15263 PLANNING DECISIONS
· 00592, Whitebrook, Salmons Leap, single storey rear extension. Approved
· 00776, Whitebrook, Park Farm, convert redundant barn and stables to habitable accommodation. Approved
· 00834, Llandogo, The Sloop Inn, conversion of garages to residential use. Approved
15264 FURTHER PLANNING DECISIONS: None
15265 STANDING ORDER 6, RULES OF DEBATE
The rules of debate were drawn to the attention of councillors.
15266 ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT
Current bank balance (less uncashed cheques): £21,827.34
The following accounts were presented and payment agreed:
500435 / MCC, grass cutting 2014/15 and 2015/16 / £1170.75Clerk
15267 DRAFT BUDGET AND ALLOCATION OF RESERVES
Two councillors and the clerk had attended a meeting with MCC concerning possible cuts to the county council budget. It was noted that no concrete proposals had been put forward for ways in which services under threat could be funded through community council precepts. While councillors were amenable to the principle, the precept could not be increased to cover a nebulous proposal and without an opportunity to consult the electorate.
It was noted that in the draft budget the item "chair's expenses" had been deleted, and a new provision of £2,000 included for "councillor expenses". This was to allow for the outcome of a debate on the Annual Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, which should be published in February 2016.
It was resolved to accept the draft budget, a copy of which is appended to these minutes.
It was further resolved to allocate the forecast reserves at end-March 2016 of £26,450 as follows:
Handyman £7,000
Defibrillators £6,000
Llanishen pond £1,000
Signage £1,000
General reserve £11,450
Clerk
15268 PRECEPT FOR 2016/17
It was resolved that the precept should be set at £31,000
Clerk
15269 SIGNATORIES TO BANK ACCOUNT
TUCC Financial Regulations require three signatures on cheques, and historically all TUCC councillors have been bank signatories. Changes in banking regulations now require disclosure of personal financial information that several councillors were unwilling to accept. It was noted that the current list of signatories is out of date and needs to be amended. This item will be on a future agenda.
Clerk
15270 FIXED-RATE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT
The Finance Advisory Group had suggested the transfer of £10,000 from the current account to a 12-month fixed-rate deposit account, at an interest rate of 1.12%. In order to open a "new" account a full application form needs to be completed, including personal information for all councillors. A decision on this item therefore awaits the outcome of further discussion of item 15269.
15271 AUTO-ENROLMENT PROVISIONS FOR PENSIONS
It was noted that the clerk's salary falls below the level at which an employer is obliged to provide a pension scheme. The clerk is entitled to ask for a pension scheme to be provided (with no employer contributions); but the clerk has informed the council that she does not require such a scheme to be provided.
15272 MAINTENANCE OF BROADSTONE VILLAGE GREEN
The council's insurance broker has confirmed that the policy will automatically cover an employee cutting grass and hedges, although this should be included as an item in the council's risk assessment.
Mike Camp had proposed cutting both grass and hedges, and removing all the waste, for a sum of £500 (compared to £610 from the current contractor, with waste left on site). In addition he would carry out regular inspections of the play equipment, as required by the insurance company.
It was resolved to ask Mr Camp to take on the contract for 2016.
Clerk
15273 MAINTENANCE OF LLANISHEN POND
It was noted that the pond was cleared of an invasive weed, crassula helmsii, in 2008 with the help of a grant from the AONB's SDF fund. Chriss Knight, a resident of Llanishen and lecturer at Coleg Gwent in Usk, had agreed that his students would carry out maintenance work on the pond on a voluntary basis, as part of their training programme.
It was resolved that this offer be accepted.
Clerk
15274 NAMES FOR NEW ROADS IN TRELLECH
It was resolved to submit the following proposals to MCC: School Close for the road leading onto the B4293, and Parc Glas (Green Park) for the road leading off Greenway Lane.
Clerk
15275 CATBROOK FOOTBALL FIELD: Nothing to report
15276 BABINGTON MEADOW: no report
15277 OTHER REPORTS: none
15278 CORRESPONDENCE
MCC, annual improvement plan
MCC, chairman, invitation to charity quiz at Glen yr Afon House Hotel, Usk, 10 Jan, 7pm
MCC, A Jones, map of "white areas" supplied by AB Internet
MCC, J Keech, notification of proposed tree works in Trellech
MCC, S Lamrick, consultation on names for new roads in Trellech
MCC, W McLean, invitation to meeting on 2016/17 Budget, County Hall, Usk, 3 Dec, 6pm
MCC, M Moran, planned site visit to Llandogo playground, 15 Dec
MCC, J Pearson, notice of vacancy for Trellech ward
MCC, P Thomas, absence of planning documents on MCC website
Babington Meadow Committee, accounts and annual report + committee minutes
British Heart Foundation, application for defibrillators under consideration
Came & Co, clarification of insurance cover for council employees
Consortium of Wye Valley Councils, R Crighton, proposal to disband
S Coppell, confirmation that lids to bin shelters in The Narth replaced
P Chadwick, resignation as councillor representing Trellech ward
Citizens Advice Bureau, invitation to Monmouthshire County CAB's AGM
D James, Rural Housing Enabler, on developments in Trellech and Penallt
Llandogo School Governors, D Trippett, request for £250 towards new computer
WAG, draft Local Government (Wales) Bill, consultation open until 15 Feb 2016
WAG, Natural Resources Bulletin, issue 2
G Weston, copy of correspondence with ICT Vision over website hosting and domain name
G Weston, correspondence concerning Llanishen pond
15279 ITEMS FOR CONSORTIUM OF WYE VALLEY COUNCILS
The clerk of the Consortium had circulated a questionnaire about its future. Councillors agreed that:
(i) there are no current issues on which TUCC requires input from the Consortium
(ii) the Consortium should be 'put into hibernation', maintaining an information exchange, but only meeting if/when a major issue arises
(iii) TUCC is content to accept the majority view on (ii) as expressed by email, without a formal meeting.
Clerk
15280 ITEMS FOR THE PRESS/NEXT AGENDA
· request from Llandogo School for £250 grant
· attendance of David James, rural housing enabler - March in Penallt
Clerk
15281 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING: Monday, 18 January 2016 at Catbrook Memorial Hall
The meeting closed at 21.14
2014/15 / 2015/16 / 2015/16 / 2016/17Actual / Budget / Expected out-turn / Budget
Clerk's salary / 4262 / 5000 / 4820 / 5300
Employer's pension contribution / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Office expenses / 429 / 650 / 472 / 650
Councillor expenses / 350 / 450 / 350 / 2000
Training / 25 / 200 / 17 / 200
External audit / 205 / 205 / 205 / 250
Internal audit / 50 / 55 / 55 / 60
Subscriptions / 439 / 500 / 500 / 500
Insurance / 577 / 650 / 650 / 700
Hire of halls / 147 / 350 / 323 / 350
Tree work / 0 / 200 / 0 / 200
Churchyards / 1400 / 1800 / 1800 / 1800
Grass cutting MCC / 0 / 700 / 976 / 700
Grass cutting Broadstone/Catbrook / 350 / 850 / 850 / 850
Grass cutting Babington Meadow / 350 / 450 / 450 / 450
Playgrounds, repairs/inspection / 120 / 200 / 120 / 200
Dog waste collection / 103 / 200 / 111 / 200
Lease on Catbrook football field / 0 / 50 / 100 / 50
Citizens Advice Bureau / 2000 / 2500 / 2500 / 2500
S137 - charities etc / 500 / 500 / 500 / 500
Elections / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
MCC summer playscheme / 400 / 400 / 400 / 450
Archiving / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Website / 88 / 500 / 0 / 0
IT equipment / 0 / 0 / 108 / 150
Village halls & local projects / 4867 / 9000 / 8933 / 10000
Noticeboards / 176 / 1000 / 652 / 1000
Llanishen Pond/Whitelye/Kiln Tump / 0 / 1000 / 0 / 1000
Legal fees / 0 / 500 / 0 / 500
Miscellaneous, Contingency / 0 / 800 / 0 / 800
Handyman / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
TOTAL / £16,838 / £28,710 / £24,892 / £31,360
Precept / £25,000 / £31,000
Chairman: 18/1/2016 Page 1 of 5 TUCC meeting 7 December 2015