MINUTES of the MEETING of GORSEINON TOWN COUNCIL, held on Wed. 4th June 2008, at the INSTITUTE, Lime St., GORSEINON, commencing at 7pm

       Planning application 2008/1001 .          

       The Chairman welcomed Cllr Janet Curtice to her first meeting following

       cooption at  the Plenery meeting held on 28^th May.  Cllr Janet Curtice duly signed

       her letter of  acceptance of Office.

34.  APOLOGIES.   Apologies were received from Cllrs.A Seabourne, S Clayfield..

35.  MEETING WITH POLICE.   No Police representatives were present.

36.  PUBLIC FORUM.  No issues were raised by those present.

 Members discussed the Mayors schedule as supplied by the Clerk.  Cllrs D

 Thomas, J Williams and N M Rees all indicated that they did not want to be

 excluded from consideration as future Mayor, but would have preferred to be  

 selected as Deputy initially before becoming Mayor. Consequently it was agreed

 that all three Cllrs nomination would be deferred for consideration until next year.

 It was proposed by Cllr V Bruno, seconded by Cllr H Payne and unanimously 

 ageed by Council that  Cllr Janet Curtice be appointed Chairman / Mayor of the 

 Town Council for the ensuing municipal year 2008/9.  Cllr Curtice duly signed

 the Acceptance of  Office of  Mayor form. (Cllr J Curtice presiding from here on)

 a.   AGREED that the Minutes of the Meeting of Council, held on the 7th May 

   2008, be APPROVED and ADOPTED.

 b.   AGREED that the Minutes of the Plenery Meeting of Council, held on the 28th

       May 2008, be APPROVED and ADOPTED

    a.   NEWSLETTER. Clerk asked Members for any contributions to articles for

          this years Newsletter. Members would explore potential articles for publishing.

b.   Clerk reported details of  One Voice Wales AGM to be held in Ceredigion on Sat

      Oct 11 2008. Members agreed to send two delegates,Cllr Bruno and Cllr G Evans.

c.  Clerk reported letter from Community Health Council on proposals to change of

     Health structure in Wales for comment. Report was NOTED.

d   Clerk reported letter from Gorseinon. Development Trust advising Members of

     the move to the new Canolfen Centre and the vacating of the 12 West St. premises.

e.  Clerk advised of training seminar at University of Gloucester on 9^th  10^th July.

     Following discussion on the merits of the training Members agreed to send Cllrs V

     Bruno, D Thomas, A Jopling, C Freeman, S Cannon on the course.

f.   Clerk reported invite to Gowerton and District theatre for the Mayor / Consort on

     29 July 2008 at St Johns Church in  Gowerton.

g.  Clerk reported the next Community Council forum on June 17 at the Guildhall Swansea

     at 5pm.  Agreed that Cllrs J Curtice, K Jones and C Freeman attend.

h.  Clerk reported series of meetings from the Post Office on future consultation on

     PO closures.Members agreed to send the Clerk to the Swansea meeting to report back.

i.   Clerk reported tender received for the new Christmas lights from Blanchere.Ltd.

j.   Next PACT meeting was scheduled for 14 July.Cllr Jopling was asked to see if he

     could ensure a senior police officer was in attendance.( Cllr AJ subsequently

     reported that the Police would only be sending PCSOs to the meeting in future as it

     was meant to be a community led initiative.)

41. VARIOUS CORRESPONDENCE.  NOTED receipt of the following ;

b. Clerk advised that the Annual audit would take place on June 19th 2008.

c. E mail was received from Chair of Governors at Penyrheol junior school Frampton rd.

    requesting use of the Notice Board outside the school for school parents messages.

    Members discussed the issue in detail and authorised Clerk to respond declining the

    request. Members were concerned about the precedent created of using the Public

    Notice Board for School notices, and the lack of space available. It was suggested that

    the school ask for a contribution to help the PTA provide their own Notice Board

    within the school campus.

42. REPORT FROM COUNTY MEMBER Cllr Alan JOPLING

a.  AJ indicated he had been attending training courses over the last fortnight put on

     by the Council. The only issue he raised was that he had received a presentation

     from The Post office about the impending PO closures in Wales, although there

     were none in the Gorseinon area thankfully. The Clerk had been asked to attend

     the briefing to be held on June 5 in the Guildhall

43. REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES  

b.  Cllr G Evans summarised her final month as Mayor, attending the following;

• Ploermerl twinning visit to Brittany, 5 days at start of May.
• 7 May – Lions Club  invite to Glyn Clydach Hotel
• 13 -15 Asda Inquiry
• 16 May – Swansea Lord Mayors Inaugauration event and ball
• 31 May - Charity car wash
• 3 June - presentation of Cheque for £3510 to her nominated charity Walsingham Homes, Waunarlwydd
• 3 June - Army cadet cheque presentation.

      As Charity events organiser for the Lantern Christmas parade, she outlined the

      programme of Car boot and coffee morning events over the Summer period that

      had  been arranged.

c.   Cllr C Freeman had attended the Institute AGM on May 24.  She outlined the

     improvements to the  Institute building that had been done and those planned, the

     Institute constitution and elected Members for the coming year (David Ward had

     been re elected as Chairman).

d.  Cllr Bruno outlined the recent Gower web site AGM and special meeting held on 2^nd

     June to consider the proposed departure of the web site manager.

a.    AGREED that the following accounts be passed for payment

       J. Millard – salary                                                            £   675 38

      Inland Revenue (tax 181.32/NI 62.28/ Clk NI 53.52)      £   289.27

      Stamps /stationary/A4 paper/lights                                   £    51.06

      Clerks travelling 193ml @ 55.8ppm                                 £  107.69  

      New Lodge catering                                                          £  259.65

      Alan Richards photographer 2007                                     £ 105.00

 b.  Clerk reported  that the Council external Auditors were to spend the day with him

      on June 19 for the Annual audit. They had raised the matter that the review of the

      Clerks terms and conditions was overdue, since its inception in April 2004. It was

      agreed to agenda the review for a future Member meeting.

46. The Councils photographer recorded the handing over of the Mayors chain of

     Office to Cllr Janet Curtice, who  also received a copy of the Gideon bible from

     the local representatives of Gideons.

The meeting closed at 9.10pm

a.   Declaration of Interest received from Cllr D Thomas on application 2008/1001 .                

b.   Apologies.   Apologies were received from  Cllrs A Seabourne, S Clayfield.

c.   Minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on May 7th 2008  were agreed 

      as a true record. 

48.  No Objections were made to the following applications ;

• 2008/0890  Rear first floor extension, 25 Penmynydd, Gorseinon
  
• 2008/0908  Rear ground  and first floor extension, 23 Penmynydd Gorseinon
  

49.  Objections were made to the following applications ;

            Members objected to the intensification of residential development in the 

            area at the rear of retail premises in High Street. The amenity area is

            considered inadequate and car parking provision insufficient. Access for

            emergency vehicles off the rear lane is inadequate and the precedent for

            additional 3^rd storeys on these existing rear extensions is not supported.