Meeting: Monday 13th July 2015

Dear Councillor

You are summoned to attend a meeting of the St Brides Minor Community Council, which will take place at the Life Long Learning Centre Sarn on Monday 13th July at 6.00 pm.

Meeting Agenda

  1. Chair’s opening’s remarks and to receive apologies for absence-
  2. To note declarations of interest by members, in any agenda items.
  3. To adopt the minutes of the Council Meeting held on Monday 8th June 2015 and deal with any matters arising, not covered elsewhere on the agenda
  4. BCBC Report
  5. Finance
    i) Bank Statements
    ii) Receipts
    iii) Payments for Approval :
  6. Report by the Clerk
  7. Events
    i) Report on the Armed Services Flag Raising Ceremony Friday 26th June
    ii) Heol Y Mynydd Community Garden Open Day 19th July from 10.30
  8. Reports from External Bodies
    i) Coity Walia:
    ii) Sarn Centre Association
    iii) Friends of Tyn Y Coed Surgery
    iv) V2C
    v) PACT Sarn & Bryncoch,, Bryncethin
  9. Members Reports/ A.O.B
  10. Planning & Development

Date and time of next meeting – 6.00 pm on Monday 14th September 2015, at the Life Long Learning Centre, Sarn

Agenda Notes for the meeting to be held on Monday 13th July 2015

Item 5  FINANCE
i)Bank Statements
Cooperative Community Directplus Account balance at the 30th June £ 56,080.33
ii) Receipts
None
iii)Payments for Approval
Brian G Rees Clerk salary payment July £622.48
Brian G Rees Expenses, Post, Print cartridges Additional Keys Community Gardens £ 103.29
HMRC Employee Tax & Employer NI, (by bank transfer) July £169.69

Item 6  REPORT BY CLERK
Correspondence Received
For Decision
* Letter dated 6th July from Jan Phillips -Chair of the Sarn & Bryncoch PACT – thanking the Council for its continued support and requesting future support with room hire costs for the year September 15 – August 16. This would amount to £120, payable to the Sarn Centre Association.
*Letter from BCBC dated 10th June to consult on a re-consideration of the Blue Badge Scheme for Disabled Drivers &.Passengers.
*E mail dated 18th June from BCBC advising of the approval by the WG of the Bridgend Local Transport Plan and containing an invitation to this Council to put in place “a programme of community engagements for the development of safe routes in your Community e.g. dropped kerbs, road safety measures, environmental treatment of local streets, i.e. local communities to advising local schemes for such improvements”.
* E mail from a resident in Leyshon Close concerning safety issues on the A 4061  and  A4065 children going to and from Bryncethin School, also involving exchanges with a BCBC Officer.
* E Mail dated 4th July from the Organisers of Street Games inviting nomination of young people 12-19 to attend a Free Street Games Multi Sport Festival on the 13th August at the Cardiff City Stadium.
* An e mail dated 8th June has been received from Newcastle Higher CC, addressed to St Brides Minor and Ynysawdre CCs, asking if they  would like to be jointly engaged in promoting and funding  a summer play scheme at Pandy Park. The Clerk has approached Groundwork and requested that it draw up and price such a scheme which could be given consideration. It should also be noted that Communities First has engaged Groundwork to run four Wednesday sessions of  “Sustainable Play” for younger children at the Sarn Life Long Learning Centre in August.

For Noting/Information
* Letter dated 17th June received from Rt Hon Alun Michael,  Police & Crime Commisioner South Wales, responding to the Councils letter concerning further Cuts in the Policing Budget. He stated a top priority of himself and the Chief Constable was to maintain Police  numbers and to protect the roles of other staff.
*Ombudsman Annual Report  2014-15.He reports that the number of complaints about public service providers continue to rise, 6% on the previous year and July 2014,saw the highest number of enquiries and complaints, ever.
*E Mail dated 7th July from BCBC advising of the setting up of a Citizens’ Panels, to provide views to help improve council services.
Letter dated 25th June from BCBC – advising Town & Community Councils who have help fund  a number of cultural facilities and individual projects for the benefit of their local communities – of the setting up of the Awen Cultural Trust, “to take over the management and development of a significant portfolio of arts and cultural facilities and services owned ( and currently operated ) by BCBC including – Community Arts activities, Blaengarw Workmens Hall, Bryngarw House & County Park, Coity,Awel Y Mor & Bettws Life Centre, Grand Pavilion Porthcawl, Library Services, Maesteg Town Hall, Wood-B and B –Leaf.
Matters for Report
Heol Y Mynydd Community Gardens
The four additional raised beds and associated paths were completed and inspected by the Chair & Vice Chair and the Garden Committee and were found to have been completed to a very high standard and on time. The Chair & Vice Chair agreed that the fee of £3650 be paid, as conditionally  agreed at the June Council Meeting. V2C kindly agreed to meet most of the cost of this project and the Clerk has submitted an invoice for £2200.
Car Parking Extension at the Memorial Hall.
At the end of June, the Council was delighted to be advised that its funding application for £20,000 from the BCBC Capital Programme, for Community Council Projects had been successful. To progress the project with the minimum of delay, a meeting was convened on the 30th June attended by the Chair, the Vice Chair and the Clerk, Em Griffiths (Chair of the Bryncethin Memorial Hall), with the designated project designer & manager- Geoff Whittaker.
The budget was confirmed and the scheduled programme noted, the planning application discussed and progressed. This will be prepared by the Project Manager (in discussion with Highways)  and submitted by the Community Council.
Meeting with BCBC Officer Kwako Opoku and Councilor Gary Thomas to discuss ways funding could be found for completing in complete footpath on a stretch of footpath, mainly outside the former Dunraven Hotel on Bridgend Road,Bryncethin.
Item 7. Events –                                                                                                                                                       Armed Forces Tribute at the Life Long Learning Centre, Friday 26th June
The Chair & Vice Chair raised the Union Jack, honouring our armed forces, surrounded by two squadrons of the ATC, arranged for us once again, by their commanding officer Gerry Lewis. Russ White accompanied the ceremony, on his bagpipes, playing the national anthem. Afterwards the cadets enjoyed light refreshments, provided by the Council.                                                             Heol Y Mynydd Comunity Garden Open Day, Sunday 19th July from 10.00 – 15.00                                   The MP & AM have been invited, the Mayor of BCBC, Newcastle Higher and Llangynwyd Lower CCs and V2C.The Garden Extension will be official opened by the Chair at 12.30.

Item 8 Report from External Bodies
i)Coity Walia
The Clerk has spoken to Mr Doug John, Clerk Coity Wallia and he will suggest  some Saturday dates for a tour of the Common, shortly.
v) Sarn & Bryncoch PACT Meeting 6th July.
Attendance was sixteen, including Councillors Dobbs, David & Janice Lewis and the Clerk. The new PCSO –Dean Hamilton – was present and appears to be quickly engaging with the  Community and its issues.
Crime Statistics
Slight rise over previous months but there appears to be a higher detection rate
Bryncoch, Crimes 8 –  Three Violence against the person, Three Burglaries, One Damage to Property, One Theft and Handling..
Anti-Social Behaviour 3 – Off Roads Bikes, Youths with Laser Pens, Youth Annoyance.
Sarn – Crime 3  Two Violence against the Person,One Theft & Handling..
Anti Social Behaviour 1 Youth on skateboard and kicking balls at windows
Highways & Traffic
Considerable amount of concern about speeding and “racing” down Heol Cwrdy, from Filco, often making sharp right hand turns into Close Tyn Y Coed. General concern through to Ynysawdre, where police speed checks have registered speeds in excess of 20 mph, in the restricted areas by thirty- four vehicles.
A collision between two cars was recently witnessed by a resident outside the Sure Start premises  on Heol Canola, leaving one driver injured, with the other motorist  who caused the collision  leaving the scene of the accident. The car registration number reported to the Police who allegedly failed to attend. Commercial vehicles parked on Heol Pentyla causing obstruction, were reported. Similar at the top of Eustace Drive.
A resident of Morse Row expressed great concerns about parent parking at Bryncethin School – echoed by several others – and once again requesting yellow lines.  Councillor Janice Lewis advised that enforcement action had been taken against a number of vehicles, considered to be obstructing the highway. The Resident was also dissatisfied with the Child drop off point in the School which is evidently unused and considered unfit for purpose  The Clerk reported that the scheme for increasing parking at the Memorial Hall was now underway and will hopefully take some pressure off on the road parking along Heol Canola and adjacent roads.
A car owned by someone with no road tax, licence and no insurance was seized from Jubilee Crescent and scrapped.
An aggressive dog is allowed to roam around Queen’s Ave and Jubilee Cres, BCBC has been informed and addressing the same – catching it is apparently no easy task !.
Environment
It was reported that V2C had taken action to improve the fencing on the stream at Clos Tyn Y
Coed, to ensure young people do not have easy access. It was reported that a number of dead trees adjacent to the River and the Railway Line, at Lower Llansantffraid were going to be removed by Network Rail, leaving a number of others still to be dealt with. probably a job for BCBC
It was reported (and subsequently checked by the Clerk) that half of the grass on Heol Canola is not being cut by the BCBC Contractors. The Clerk has reported the omission to the BCBC Park Management which was aware of and was addressing the problem.
Cuppa With a Copper, Mondays,20th July, 17th August,14th September, from  2 pm to 3 pm.
NEXT SARN & BRYNCOCH PACT 7.00 Monday 3rd August.

Item 10 Planning & Development

Applications for Development:
*Units (94 & 95Designer Outlet Village
Change of Use from A1 to A3,with external seating area for dining.
*17 Ffordd Priordy Sarn
Single storey extension and ramped level access to front entrance with associated drainage and external works.
* Bron Y Dri Pant Hirwaun Bryncethin
Extension to garage( allegedly affecting footpath 39)
*Field Off Cefn Carfan Road Bryncethin
Change use of area of land to an all weather area, including levelling ground. Drainage, laying stones  & fencing ( no information on proposed use)
For Noting
Decided Applications –consents given
36 Highland Court Bryncethin
Remove existing conservatory & construct single storey hip end roof sitting room.

BGR 09/07/15