Minutes of the Pontarddulais Town Council Meeting Held on the 7Th November 2013

MINUTES OF THE PONTARDDULAIS TOWN COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 7TH NOVEMBER 2013

PRESENT:Cllr D. Beynon (Mayor)Cllr K. Griffiths

Cllr G. JohnCllr H. Roberts

Cllr P. DowningCllr J. Miles

Cllr D. Howard-WillisCllr C. Mathias

Cllr K. HarrisCllr P. J. Waterhouse

Cllr R. WaterhouseCllr J. Harris

Cllr C. DaviesCllr G. Thomas

Prior to commencement of business members of the public were invited to ask questions. Mr R. Jenkins, Glasfryn Road, Pontarddulais raised the following issues:

• Traffic lights on the junction of St Teilo Street and Alltiago Road. Cllr Downing clarified the current position;
• Parking on the corner of Glasfryn Road and St Teilo Street. Advised to raise the matter at the next PACT meeting.
• Matters relating to the town centre enhancement scheme.

68.APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors E. Davies and G. Williams.

69.TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST FROM MEMBERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNCIL’S CODE OF CONDUCT:

There were no declarations of personal interest received.

70.TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER THE MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 3RD OCTOBER 2013:

The above minutes were accepted as a true record.

71.TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER THE MINUTES OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON THE 16TH OCTOBER 2013:

Cllr Downing, Chairman of the Committee reported on the above minutes. It was agreed to accept the following recommendations:

(a)That all monies in the Grant Account be transferred to the Reserve Account and the Grant Account then closed;

(b)The Clerk undertakes a comparison of various deposit accounts to ascertain the best interest rate available with a possibility of transferring monies from the Reserve Account into a new higher interest account.

The Chairman also went on to advice Members to consider any projects/works they would wish undertaken in the next financial year and report to the Clerk prior to consideration of next year’s precept.

72.TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM COUNTY WARD MEMBERS:

County Ward Members reported on the following:

• County decision on gipsy sites;
• County requirement to save £25 million this year and £45 million over the next three years;
• Town centre regeneration – due to complete the second week of December;
• County recommendation to restrict households to three black bags per refuse collection;
• Grant money for improvements to Bryniago;
• County to be more proactive in lopping trees;
• Dropped kerb to be provided in Station Road;
• Awaiting information on routes of major culverts in the area;
• Officers investigating drainage system at new development off Alltiago Road;
• Still investigating right of way between Siding Fach and Goppa Road;
• Awaiting information from Hyder concerning road proposals;
• County will be investigating drainage problems in Coedbach Park.

73.TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS (3 CLEAR DAYS NOTICE OF ANY QUESTION HAVING BEEN GIVEN TO THE PERSON TO WHOM IT IS ADDRESSED):

Questions had been discussed by County Ward Members under the previous agenda item.

74.TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER REPORTS FROM THE CLERK:

1. CORRESPONDENCE:

The following correspondence was received and noted:

(a)City & County of Swansea – Tree Preservation Order, Llysgwyn Nursing Home, Caecerrig Road, Pontarddulais;

(b)Welsh Government – Mobile Infrastructure Project – information for planning services;

(c)E-mail from S. Bagley re need for bypass in Pontarddulais;

(d)National Assembly for Wales – Housing (Wales) Bill;

(e)One Voice Wales – areas of weak or non-existent signal;

(f)Welsh Government – The 5th report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and its implications for Wales;

(g)Welsh Government – Natural Resource Management Bulletin;

(h)Welsh Government – Framework Programme for Wales’s Commemoration of the First World War;

(i)South Wales Fire & Rescue Service – Improvement Plan (Stage 2);

(j)City & County of Swansea – hanging basket brackets to be removed to allow painting of columns. Assessed and replaced with new as necessary;

(k)Wales Audit Office – Improving Financial Management and Governance: Issues from the Audit of Community Council Accounts 2011-12;

(l)Welsh Government – Welsh Government Nature Funding;

(m)Welsh Government – Review of the Regional Technical Statements of the North and South Wales Regional Aggregates Working Parties;

(n)City & County of Swansea – e-mail indicating that trees in Water Street have been inspected and found to be safe;

(o)Mynydd y Gwair Wind Farm:

The Clerk presented a letter from RWE npower renewables stating their intention to submit applications under Section 38 and 16 of the Commons Act 2006 in relation to the development of a wind farm at Mynydd y Gwair to the Planning Inspectorate Wales on the 14th October 2013. The Clerk also presented copies of the following information which Members had before them on the night:

• Commons Act 2006 – Section 16 CL74 – application to deregister an area of land forming part of Mynydd Pysgodlyn and part Graig y Bedw, Pentwyn Mawr, Banc Myddfai, Garn Fach and Banc Darren Mawr Common to provide replacement land in exchange for the land to be deregistered;
• Commons Act 2006 – Section 16 CL77 – application to deregister an area of land forming part of Mynydd y Gwair Common and to provide replacement land in exchange for the land to be deregistered;
• Commons Act 2006 – Section 38 – Restricted Works on Goppa Hill Common, Mynydd y Gwair CL68 – application for consent to improve and widen (including resurfacing and strengthening) of the existing road known as Bolgoed Road and the provision of 0.525km of new access track;
• Commons Act 2006 – Section 38 – Restricted Works on Mynydd y Gwair Common CL74 – application for consent to erect temporary fencing alongside the archaeological feature consisting of the earthwork Scheduled Ancient Monument GM202 at Penller Bebyll Cairn at Mynydd Pysgodlyn and part Graig y Bedw, Pentwyn Mawr, Banc Myddfai, Garn Fach and Banc Darren Mawr Common, for the protection of the feature;
• Commons Act 2006 – Section 38 – Restricted Works on Mynydd y Gwair Common CL77 – Application for consent to erect temporary fencing alongside the archaeological feature consisting of a circular mound located approximately 550 metres to the north of Upper LLiw Reservoir at Mynydd y Gwair, for the protection of the feature;
• Extract from RWE npower renewables’s Environmental Statement;
• E-mail from Cllr C. Davies concerning the wind farm application.

After considerable discussion it was agreed to call a Special Council meeting on Monday 18th November to discuss the above proposals.

(p)Financial Regulations:

The Clerk reported an e-mail from One Voice Wales concerning the new updated Financial Regulations. Members had before them a copy of the update regulations and the Clerk had annotated the changes to the Council’s existing regulations. It was RESOLVED to adopt the new updated Financial Regulations which would be produced in English and Welsh.

(q)Pontarddulais & Hendy Festival Committee:

The Clerk reported a letter from the above committee concerning this year’s Christmas Parade. It was agreed to advise the committee of the following:

• The Mayor would be prepared to judge the Christmas Window Dressing Competition;
• A possible consideration for future parades may be hot food stalls such as hot chestnuts/hot dogs in the Dulais Gardens;
• The Town Council has already made a contribution of £850 (eight hundred and fifty pounds) towards the parade.

75.TO CONSIDER REPORTS FROM THE MAYOR:

The Mayor reported on his civic duties during the past month. He reminded Members that the next PACT meeting would be held in the Institute on the 20th November 2013. He also informed Members that Tesco were seeking volunteers to assist with bag packing for their food bank on the 29th and 30th November.

76.TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES:

Cllr G. John gave a written report on the One Voice Wales Annual Conference which she had attended on the 5th October 2013. She stated that some local councils were holding art/craft exhibitions and suggested it may be a possibility on the second floor of the Institute. Members agreed to the suggestion. She reminded Members that the Local Produce Market would be held in the Institute on Wednesday 13th November and the Children’s pantomime on Friday 13th December.

77.TO AUTHORISE AND APPROVE THE EXPENDITURE FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2013:

The above expenditure was authorised and approved.

See Appendix “A”.

78.TO RECEIVE PLANNING APPLICATIONS PREVIOUSLY CIRCULATED TO ALL MEMBERS:

(i)Hollis House, Highland Terrace, Pontarddulais – proposed two storey side extension and single storey front extension and associated works of alteration;

(ii)St Michael’s Church, St Teilo Street, Pontarddulais – change of use of land for use ancillary to the Church;

(iii)Waste land between 58 and 76 Goppa Road, Pontarddulais – removal of soil/quarry waste/sub strata from site as a preparation for future development. Construction of retaining walls;

(iv)Bont Elim Church, Alltiago Road, Pontarddulais – Oakfield Street elevation banner 5m x 1.5m. Alltiago Road elevation banner 1.5m x 1.2m.

There were no adverse observations with regard to the above applications.

79.TO CONSIDER AND DETERMINE TENDERS RECEIVED FOR THIS YEAR’S CHRISTMAS ILLUMINATIONS:

Four contractors had been invited to tender. Two tenders were received as follows:

Contractor “A”£3,221.68

Contractor “B”£3,672.18

Members considered both tenders and having regard to the quality of service received from the existing contractor it was RESOLVED to accept the tender from Contractor “B”.

80.TO CONSIDER AND DETERMINE QUOTATIONS RECEIVED FOR THE PROVISION OF STORAGE FACILITIES IN THE INSTITUTE:

Prior to consideration of the quotations Cllr .J. Waterhouse stated her opposition to the construction of storage cupboards in the alcove in Room 1

Three contractors had been invited to submit quotes which were returned as follows:

Contractor “A”£1,630.00 (excl. VAT)

Contractor “B”£1,722.00 (incl. VAT) (£1,435 ex VAT)

Contractor “C”£1480.00 (excl. VAT)

RESOLVED to accept the quotation from Contractor “B”

Date:Signed:

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