NOTES ON THE MEETING OF LLANGYBI FAWR COMMUNITY COUNCIL HELD AT LLANGYBI VILLAGE HALL ON TUESDAY 20th OCTOBER 2009.

 

MATTERS ARISING

a.       Rural Forum Meeting Thursday 1st October 2009 – Cllr. Davey reported that the incoming Chief Executive of MCC, Paul Matthews, was present at the Meeting and seemed to be of a pleasant, forthright character. He was pleased to meet everyone and explained the policies that he intends to introduce. He was amazed that there wasn’t more connection between MCC and Rural Communities. Cllr. Love mentioned Tidy Towns. Clerk to Agenda for next Meeting.

b.      Update on signs for play area – Not received yet. Clerk to contact Tim Bradfield.

c.       E-mail from Cheryl Swanson – Licence for Llangybi Playing Field –

1.      It is normal practice for the Licensee to undertake the maintenance of land. The land’s status is confirmed as open space and therefore play equipment, benches, tables etc. can be placed on the land.

2.      It is also acceptable for the Village Hall Committee to hold their Annual Hog Roast and to erect a small stage and gazebos providing they have adequate insurance and do not damage the land. No building is allowed on the land in any event.

3.      The footpath must also be maintained by the CC as the CC originally paid for its construction.

The CC decided to monitor 1. and accept 2. & 3. Clerk to e-mail CS.

d.      HGV sign hidden by hedge – Should be cut soon as all hedges are cut at this time of the year. CC to monitor.

e.       Bus timetables – Clerk to contact Damien Weeks as bus timetable still missing from wooden bus shelter on the PO side of the road in Llangybi.

f.       Update on work to be carried out on bus shelters and notice boards – All the work has been carried out to a high standard and an invoice has been presented. Cllr. Watts to enquire about excess board for Coed-y-Paen.

g.       Grass verge opposite hall – E-mail from Mark Watkins explaining that Highways is unable to help with the funding of a parking area. There are also issues regarding who owns the land. Clerk to check with MHA. County Cllr. Clarke will enquire.

h.      E-mail from Anthony Davies re: land adjacent to play area – AD visited the land but didn’t find anything to encourage vermin. Clerk to forward e-mail to Paula Clarke.

i.        One Voice Wales Response to the – Consultation – Proposed Local Government Order – Clerk to contact David Davies MP and OVW confirming the CC’s support.

j.        Highways’ Pro forma – On file

k.      Wales Audit Office – Cllr. Rogers’ Summary - The Wales Audit Office has produced a report on good governance for community councils.  The report warns of the dangers of poor financial monitoring with specific examples of failures and suggests that councils can improve their governance and reduce risks by understanding their legal responsibilities, having effective financial management, and having effective scrutiny of their financial affairs through internal and external audit.  A copy of the report is in the correspondence folder for circulation.

l.        E-mail from Barrie O’Keefe re: Early Day Motion 1545 – DD will sign if EDA is introduced during this sitting of Parliament.

m.    MCC – BT ‘adopt your communities’ red telephone kiosk scheme – Both Llandegfedd and Coed-y-Paen would like to adopt their red telephone kiosks with the telephony removed and the power remaining. Clerk to complete forms for Western Power Distribution.

n.      Trees on Ton Road – Clerk to contact Kath Rees of MHA.

o.      E-mail from Kevin Rees-Davies re: footpath across play area – Clerk to contact and ask for a price for the repair of the footpath.

 

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

DC/2009/00705 – Conservatory to rear elevation – Ty Bach, Llandegfedd - Approve

DC/2009/00621 – Remove two railway carriages, form level ground, enclose by fence and cover in bark for use as a loafing pad for ponies; new stable building – The Field, Fox’s Lane, off Ton Road, Llangybi – Approve

DC/2009/00783 – Proposed extension to farmhouse and residential conversion of 4 barns – Clawdd-y-Parc, Llangybi – Refuse – There are severe implications for the traffic usage of Parc Road, which is for most of its length a single track route with few passing points. The demands the development will make upon the road from firstly the developers’ vehicles and then followed by those of the residents will make this route even more dangerous than it already is. Existing farm traffic and local residents already find the road impassable at times. The potential for serious accidents is also great with large numbers of schoolchildren walking along the lower end of this unpavemented country lane to and from school buses. Parc Road is already crumbling in places therefore a significant rise in vehicular traffic can only increase its worsening condition (ENV1 (e) MCC UDP).

Llangybi Fawr Community Council also has some suggestions:-

  1. The site plan could include some “Parkland” planting to break the building complex viewed from the east and south. This could be done by planting occasional trees or groups of trees to the west side where the future canopies would be above the buildings and break any lines.
  2. There are only three passing places between Parc Farm and Clawdd-y-Parc. Could a condition be attached that the applicant funded the provision of lay byes en route to the properties ideally before any building commenced.

DC/2009/00886 – Erect relocated Usk Campus – with associated access, parking and engineering works – Land at Existing Equestrian Centre, Coleg Gwent, The Rhadyr, Usk – See Chairman’s Statement

DC/2009/00887 – Redevelopment for County Council strategic headquarter purposes etc. – Coleg Gwent, The Rhadyr, Usk – See Chairman’s Statement

Appeal

E6840/A 09/2112504/WF – DC/2009/00044 – Proposed conversion of existing cowshed into 2 no. dwellings – Llandowlais Farmhouse

E6840/A 09/2112647/WF – DC/2009/00045 – Proposed conversion of existing cowshed/agricultural building into 2 no. dwellings – Llandowlais Farmhouse

Llangybi Fawr Community Council has the following objections:-

1.      Buildings of a modern construction and materials such as concrete block work or portal framed buildings clad in metal sheeting will not be considered favourably for residential conversion (H7 Monmouthshire County Council Unitary Development Plan).

2.      There are already significant problems regarding access to the site - Have regard to the additional traffic generated by the development in relation to the capacity of the existing road network and provide a safe and easy access without causing harm to the safety and convenience of road users (ENV1 (e) Monmouthshire County Council Unitary Development Plan).

3.      There are concerns about the disposal of foul water with the increase in residential buildings  - ensure that adequate infrastructure and services, including water, sewerage, sewage treatment, transport, electricity and gas exist or can be readily and economically provided (ENV (i) & ENV 13 2.14.3 Monmouthshire County Council Unitary Development Plan).

4.      This Planning Application is one of three submitted for the same site, altogether proposing approximately seven residences - over development of the site in a rural setting.

Clerk to forward objections to The Planning Inspectorate.

 

.LOCAL MATTERS

  1. Cllr. Watts asked that Highways should again be asked to install a dropped kerb at the bottom of Parc Road. Also young people are sliding down the bank. CC to monitor.
  2. Cllr. Davey proposed that Roger Joy is congratulated on the new lights as he has received several compliments from residents.
  3. Cllr. Dale asked that Tidy Towns is on the Agenda for the next meeting. Also that Highways is informed that the sign post for Llandegfedd at the Llangybi end of Treharbour Road has been taken away and not replaced.
  4. Clerk to report that Footpath 110 from Little Penyglog to Graigwith via Dale’s Wood has been developed as a track way with hardcore.