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Meeting on 14 January 2008
Carol Bryant co-opted as Councillor
Langstone Hall - plans for 60 bed care home

Cllr Lowndes

Cllr W Woods

Cllr Mrs Mogford

Cllr Mrs Bryant

Clerk

 

In attendance

Cllr D Atwell

1. Apologies:

Cllr Williams (illness); Cllr Jones (illness); Cllr Alan Henderson and Cllr A Rosser

2. Police Report

There was no police report. Cllr Hancock had been trying to contact with PC Lee Gray but had no response.

Clerk reported that the police PR section had contacted him. They were trying to arrange some publicity about the hand over of the donated police bike. When a date is fixed with PC Gray then the Clerk and Councillor Woods will attend, hopefully within the next two weeks.

4. New Councillor

Mrs Carol Bryant had attended the previous two meetings as an observer. She has now written to the Clerk offering herself to serve as a Councillor. Cllr Hancock proposed that she should be co-opted and Cllr Woods seconded this and the decision was unanimously agreed. Cllr Hancock advised Mrs Bryant that there would be some formal paperwork to be completed at later date.

4. Previous minutes

The minutes of the December meeting were approved and signed by the Chairman after a few minor handwritten amendments.

5. Planning Applications

Schedule of delegated decisions – Clerk informed the meeting that the application for the garage extension at The Old Smithy Llanmartin had been refused, reason s given being the height and scale not in keeping with the house and the surrounding area. It was agreed that Cllr Woods would contact the applicant and encourage him to appeal and that the Community Council could support any appeal.

Conex/07/1536 – Berrydown Chepstow Rd. – proposed dormer extension to front elevation. No objection.

Conex/07/1494 – 21 Tregarn Rd – removal of existing conservatory and erection of single storey rear extension. No objection

Conex/07/1483 – Roker Bungalow Upper Rd Llandevaud – construction of new higher roof and rear dormer and roof lights. No objection

Conex/07/1538 – Brook House Old Roman Rd Langstone – proposed retention of engineering works to divert stream, raise garden levels and entrance gates in excess of 2 metres affecting public right of way. Object to metal gates of this height. Public footpath access should be maintained. Clerk to write to planning, to the countryside officer and also Environment Agency (about stream diversion).

Conex/07/1480 – Cedar Cottage – Upper Rd Llandevaud- erection of two detached dwelling (outline) Object on the grounds given by Inspectorate recently for Myrtle Cottage. Poor vehicle access to village, few facilities and village becoming over developed. Design not in keeping with other properties and an overbearing impact.

Conex/07/1537 Langstone Hall Tregarn Rd Langstone –demolition of existing building and erection of a 60 bed care home (outline). Object for following reasons: Not clear what type of care home-needs clarification at early stage; under estimate of daily traffic accessing building; inadequate parking which could cause an overspill of parking on the road in Langstone Rise development. Exit onto Tregarn Rd inadequate for extra volume of traffic; foul and surface water disposal is critical, the Langstone Rise development had an underground attenuation tank built into road verge and this would not be adequate for this additional capacity. Could this be considered new build in the countryside as defined in UDP. Demolition of existing building would be an improvement.

 

Planning Sub Committee It was agreed that the sub committee system was now working well and as agreed previously its membership should progressively rotate. It was agreed that Cllr Mrs Mogford and Cllr Lowndes would step down and the membership consist of: Cllr Henderson (initial contact for papers); Cllr Mrs Bryant and Cllr Woods.

 

6. Matters Arising previous meeting

Ger-Y-Parc

Cllr Atwell reported on a meeting attended by Cllrs Woods, Mogford and Kennett to review the two designs, which had been prepared by Newport CC. Various comments and suggested changes have been made and it was felt that others should be consulted, eg police and Usk Agricultural College. Davis Morris from NCC is willing to attend a future Council meeting. Information had been gathered relating to funds and grants. Cllr Mrs Mogford is to apply for a grant for site clearance. Plans in pdf format will be obtained and Cllr Mrs Mogford will have these printed.

Cllr Atwell advised that £10k ‘106’ agreement monies from the Pencoed castle development would be assigned to this development. Cllr Hancock will develop an estimate for the engineering works required to compare with the NCC figures. Current estimate is £100k but this may be carried out in stages. The access from Catsash Rd and the land ownership is still an issue. It is hoped that Cllr Rosser may be able to establish the land ownership in the area where access is required.

Meeting agreed that this project should be progressed as quickly as possible, including seeking major sponsors, planning application and investigating grants and any other funding.

Village Hall Committee

Cllrs Haycock updated the meeting. The Chair and secretary/treasurer have confirmed they will both step down at the AGM in April, it is therefore urgent to try to find replacements. Advert could be placed on the website and place posters in the village hall and notice boards (Cllr Haycock will do this). He also confirmed that the Charities Commission has confirmed that changes can be made to the Constitution so long as the overall purpose of the Charity are not changed and that the changes are reported to the Commission at a later date. The next ordinary meeting at the end of January will be used to make the changes and have several LCC Councillors made Trustees and LCC to be listed as a user group. The working group has produced other documents such as Conditions of Hire.

 

7. Correspondence

Cheques signed - Clerk, 1 month’s salary for December and expense claim for renewal of Domain name of website and purchase of ink cartridges for printer.

Royal Mail – notice of consultation meeting re closures and other related matters at Parkway Cwmbran 7pm 17 Jan. Cllr Lowndes will attend.

One Voice Wales- next meeting of local area committee at Usk on 17 Jan. Cllr Woods will attend.

Newport CC –notice advising that Councillor from Rogerstone CC had been appointed to the NCC Standards committee. Cllr Atwell informed the meeting that this has since been revoked due to an error in procedure.

Newport CC/Local Health Board consultation document on Health Strategy. Cllr Hancock will read and return the questionnaire.

8. Budget Proposals for 2008-9

The Clerk indicated that the budget for 2008-9 had been agreed at the December meeting with the exception of the Clerk’s salary review. The Return to Newport CC indicating the Concurrent and Precept requirements had been submitted before the end of December as required.

The Chair proposed discussing the salary review as the first item of AOB

 

9. AOB

 

• Chairman explained that Cllr Henderson had developed a sheet, which was circulated, which showed a method of relating hours per month required to carry out the work based on population of the Community Council area. It also listed the latest hourly rates for a range of salary spinal points. Chairman also indicated that the Clerk had been on scale point 17 since appointment in 2000 and the salary had been fixed at £268/month since 2002. NJC recommend that salary progress up the spine should be every year. Clerk had proposed pt 19 rather that 21 which would be the case for annual progression. Using this point 19 current hourly rate, and using the original 8.5 hrs per week, this equates to a new monthly salary of £328. Cllr Hancock proposed this was the new salary from January 2008, Cllr Kennett seconded this and the meeting agreed to this.
• Cllr Hancock advised the meeting that Newport CC are consulting on a proposal to introduce a second welsh medium school in the west of the City. This is to take pressure of the only such school at Hartridge. It was agreed by the meeting that Langstone CC will support this proposal and requested the Clerk to write to Newport CC to advise them of this decision.
• Cllr Hancock advised the meeting that Cllr Williams has indicated that he will stand down at the May election time. Cllr Hancock asked for ideas from other Councillors on how his many years of service can be recognized.
• Cllr Woods has had contacts complaining of excessive on road parking in Priory Way, a result of many houses having garages converted to living accommodation. This should be bourne in mind when future planning application for this type of development are received.
• Cllr Woods also raised the issue of a resident in Pencoed Lane being issued with a letter from Newport CC indicating that if he did not tidy his garden they would take over ownership. Cllr Atwell queried the accuracy of this and asked Cllr Woods to obtain a copy of the letter and he would take up the issue if accurate.

 

Meeting ended 9.00 pm