A Meeting of Aberhafesp Community Council was held on Wednesday
11th April 2018 at the Community Centre.
1. Welcome.
2. Apologies.
3. Minutes of previous meeting.
4. Matters arising.
5. Co-option of new councillors.
6. Planning – Removal of section 52 agreement at 7 Tan y Bwlch, Bwlch y Ffridd
7. Other issues.
Present: Councillors. N Hamer (Chair), R Jones, G Green, J Hopkins, Clerk R Hamer, County Councillor H Hulme
Also present: Mr A Nutting, Mr R Amy, 3 members of the public
1. Welcome – The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. Apologies - No apologies received.
3. The minutes – Minutes of previous meeting had been sent to each Councillor prior to meeting. Proposed by Councillor G Green, Seconded by Councillor J Hopkins, all in agreement minutes to be adopted. Chairman signed accordingly.
4. Matters arising – Appointment of new clerk - Mrs R Hamer was introduced and welcomed to the meeting. Councillors were informed that Councillor G Green and Councillor N Hamer had signed documents to enable the clerk to update the bank with her new details.
A Thank you card had been received from Mrs Jean Morgan and was passed around for all to read.
Roadside parking Bwlch y Ffridd – Police had been out to visit and reported back that as there was no traffic regulation order to the area they were unable to deal with unless there was an actual obstruction, in which case they urged residents to call 101 for the police to deal with.
30mph speed limit extension in Aberhafesp – PCC would not support this as it is only just compliant with the Welsh Government Speed Limit document, because of the low level of development along the frontage of the B4568 through the village.
Replacement 40mph sign Aberhafesp – PCC informed that the sign would not be replaced as it was no longer a legal requirement to have signs on both sides of the road, due to recent relaxations in the regulations.
Land at Bwlch Y Ffridd – Clerk had contacted the solicitors for an update – they regretted that they were still unable to find the original deeds, but were still searching. They were going to chase up a response from the letter they has sent to the Charity Commission, to obtain an order to overcome the issue of the misplaced deeds.
Old Rectory – Consent had been given with connection to the main sewerage.
Lynwood – No decision had been made, but highways were advising to refuse.
Bwlch Cae Haidd – Conditional consent.
Beechcroft – No decision – Highways issues outstanding.
Village Green Aberhafesp – County Councillor H Hulme and Mr Amy updated that the meeting would now be held on October 10th and 11th, possibly in Aberhafesp Community Centre.
5. Co-option of new councillors –
Mr Alwyn Nutting - Proposed by Councillor J Hopkins, Seconded by Councillor G Green. All in agreement.
Mr Richard Amy – Proposed by Councillor R Jones, Seconded by Councillor J Hopkins. All in agreement.
Both gentlemen filled in and signed ‘Register of Interest’ and ‘Declaration of acceptance’. They were both then issued with a copy of ‘Code of Conduct and ‘Standing Orders’. Clerk to inform PCC Electoral Department.
A bank mandate was then given for all councillors to fill out and sign.
Photographs and updates to the Community Council website will be done in the near future.
6. Planning – Removal of section 52 agreement – 7 Tan y Bwlch, Bwlch y Ffridd. VAR/2018/0016 – All councillors objected, and were in agreement that there would be no ‘local needs housing’ left, as other houses in this area had already had the agreement lifted. Councillors also agreed to object to any other planning applications that were received with the removal of section 52 agreement. Proposed by Councillor R Jones, Seconded by Councillor J Hopkins, all in agreement. Clerk to inform planning department of decision.
7. Other Issues –
Speed Sign Information – Information had been received from two companies regarding this, and on first look at the information the signs did not seem too expensive. County Councillor Hulme informed the meeting that the speed signs have to be authorised by PCC Highways Department and that they will tell you which company to use and where the signs can be positioned, as they have to be up to standard to be installed on the highway. The company that Tregynon used was Westcotec. Councillors asked what had happened to the mobile speed signs as they had not been in Aberhafesp for 5 years or more. Clerk to write to Chris Lloyd, Highways PCC.
Go Safe speed camera training- Clerk had written to PCSO Liann Richards for an update, the response was that only trained officers could train up volunteers. The nearest officer was in Aberystwyth and he had been sick for the last 4 months with no return date, leaving no trainers at present. Volunteers need to be police vetted annually to do this and due to the length of time taken new forms would need to be sent out to volunteers and filled in again.
Cheques were signed for £61.00 for membership to One Voice Wales which was agreed at the last meeting and £800.00 wages for Jean Morgan.
Internal Audit – Someone suitable but did not need to be qualified to audit the accounts was needed, as the previous person did this as a favour to Jean Morgan. Councillor Green suggested Barrie or Jo Thompson from Rose Chapel Bwlch y Ffridd or Mr Edward Parry, all in agreement that £25.00 could be offered as payment for this. Clerk to ask Barrie or Jo Thompson.
Contract of Employment for Clerk – A contract of employment had been emailed to clerk from One Voice Wales and filled in with relevant details, Councillors checked the document, and this was then signed. Proposed by Councillor R Jones, Seconded by Councillor G Green, all in agreement.
Laptop – It had been discussed in previous meetings about a purchase of a laptop for the use by the clerk so that all Community Council information was stored on this, it was also suggested that it could have a projector so that planning applications could be projected onto a blank wall during meetings. The laptop would also need virus protection. County Councillor Hulme advised that Tregynon CC had bought their laptop through PCQ in Llanidloes. A cost of £500.00 was allocated for this. Councillor J Hopkins also noted that the VAT could be claimed for this. Proposed by Councillor A Nutting, Seconded by Councillor R Amy. All in agreement. Clerk to contact PCQ and get some information.
Donations to Community Centre – Chairman pointed out that £250 too much had been donated to the Community Centre. It was read from previous minutes dated 7th June 2017 that a further £500 be donated in July. Minutes dated 9th August 2017 it was noted that the clerk had issued a cheque for £500 in one payment instead of two payments of an extra £250 each payment, and that the next payment would be £1000 and the following payments at £1250. Minutes dated 21st February 2018 a payment of £1250 had been donated to centre. It was agreed that the next payment would be reduced by £250. All in agreement.
Drains broken on Bwlch bank – Clerk had emailed Clive Jones and Aled Jones PCC to inform them on this.
Flood by Disqwilfa Lane – County Councillor Hulme had been in touch with PCC, after this had been brought to her attention, since then flood signs had been put up and the ditches opened to allow some of the water to run off, the culvert was yet to be unblocked.
Update from County Councillor Hulme
Data Protection changes and Local Development Plan (LDP) changes were issued to the meeting in a more manageable and easier reading document.
LDP – Aberhafesp comes under a ‘Rural Settlement’, documents are available on line from next Tuesday and also in the library a week on Friday.
PCC had surveyed the road repairs, additional welsh office funding was being requested to help with these costs.
A high volume of sickness had been reported in the PCC refuse department in Newtown depot. If there would be any delays to collection County Councillor Hulme would put a message on the local community Facebook pages.
County Councillor Hulme gave a report on RSH and PRH (Shrewsbury and Telford hospital) funding was awaiting signing off and would be out for public consultation. County Councillor Hulme to advise when this would be.
County Councillor Hulme that there should now be less lorries traveling through Bwlch y Ffridd as the weight limit restriction had been removed on the Carno road.
It was discussed at great length if the signs for Aberhafesp should read Aberhafesp or Aberhafesb. All were in agreement that is should be Aberhafesp Proposed by Councillor J Hopkins, Seconded by Councillor G Green, all in agreement, County Councillor Hulme to inform Highways.
When the Newtown by pass is open the signage will change to point lorries to the by-pass and not through Aberhafesp.
Chairman noted that as the council vehicles must travel along the majority of the roads in Powys could they not report the potholes?
Community Council Website – Councillor R Amy pointed out that the website was out of date apart from the council section and presented the meeting with information on other Community Council websites, chairman advised that they did have issues getting the existing website updated regularly. Chairman was going to speak to Mr Curnow, about this as all councils had received £500 towards the cost of setting up, and did not feel that they could just set up a new website. Councillor R Amy was willing to help to update the existing website if and when the matter could be resolved. Councillor R Amy also suggested that maybe a Facebook page could be set up, as more people seemed to use this, to get more information out to the community. The meeting was informed that a new group had already been set up called ‘Aberhafesp Community Centre’.
Potholes were reported on the road below Garregllwyd, that has been reported many times and on the road towards Newtown above the crossroads opposite Bank Farm. Clerk to report to PCC.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.32pm
