Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 8th November 2005

 

Attendance:          Steve Walmsley (SW), Christopher Beynon (CB), Pauline Bevan (PB), Anne Morse-Jones (AMJ), Roger Button (RB), Selina Taylor (ST) (Clerk)

Apologies:            Rob Dyer (RD) (Chair)

Declaration of interests:  PB re. planning application 2005/2260

1.       Minutes of the last meeting: Approved

2.       Matters arising: MW spoke to ST about organising the Police meeting on Gower.  Suggest date 1st/4th February in Rhossili.

3.       Gower Buses: John Davies addressed the meeting to ascertain current problems with the Gower Explorer Service.  Timetable illegible and format is going to be altered.  Buses can’t carry surf boards/bicycles and would cost £3K per vehicle to make this possible.  98%of connections are currently made with drivers always in contact with each other.  RB mentioned that in summer, people arriving in Swansea after 6pm are stuck – suggested running an 8:20pm service to Rhossili and one for North Gower.  SW said there were complaints about size of buses with vehicles being forced off the road and the continuing speeding problem.  Need to give evidence, either time of service or reg. no.  CB suggested having a  “well driven?” phone number on the back of buses.
4.       National Trust: Nothing to report
5.       Footpaths:   Confirmation order of the diversion of footpath 3.  ST emailed spreadsheet of map payments to SW.  Ramsgrove path has been cleared.

6.       Highways:  ST reported that RD had phoned Stuart Goulden re. the hole that has appeared opposite Cefneithin.  It is 6-8” deep and has now been cordoned off.  Pitton Tip flooded again and has happened twice since last contact with Environment Agency.  Letter to EA.  Water at Newton Lodge was over 1 foot deep and Llandewi impassable again.  Write to SCC cc. Richard Lewis and mention continuing problems.  Ask if investigate as Rhossili is marooned unnecessarily.  Also drain always blocked at side of bus shelter, near post box in Middleton.  Is it being cleared?

7.       Newsletter: ongoing
8.       Village Hall: Low risk asbestos has been removed.  Portaloo outside now that toilets have been blocked off.
9.       Traffic Regulation Order: No action as does not fall within RCC boundaries
10.    50 years as an AONB: Ask for suggestions in the newsletter
11.    WA Review of local service delivery in Wales: respond by 03/02/06 – passed to AMJ
12.    Swansea Unitary Development Plan -  Deposit Draft: not changed dramatically.  SW to continue to scan and comment on any changes

13.    Planning applications: 2005/0757 Ship Farm, 2005/1918 Broad Park, 2005/1697 Outdoor Pursuits centre have been  APPROVED
2005/0397 Field 0058 agricultural building has been recommended for refusal
2005/2260 Middleton Hall Farm – Conversion of existing barn, with single storey side extension to form holiday let. RCC no objections
SW checked with SCC to verify whether or not buildings need planning permission to install new velux windows.  SCC said that in the conservation area, planning must always be sought.  Elsewhere in Rhossili, velux windows are exempt from planning with the exception being where they are added in a build that had an approved application, but from which they were absent.

14.    Finance:  Cheques issued to OB £20 and for expenses to clerk £69.68.  Need to count all footpath maps that have not been sold.  Agreed to store them with ST.

15.    Correspondence:  Vacancy on Community Councils Standards Sub Committee.  Agenda of meeting 18/10/05 Community Councils Forum.   Copy of presentations given at that meeting.  Society of Local Council Clerks conference.   Annual report from the public services ombudsman.  Clerk & Councils Direct.  Swansea Local Health Board Annual Report. Swansea in Bloom. Safer Swansea Partnership.  Countryside Access Plan – respond by 06/01/06 passed to SW (cycling), RD & ST (walking).  Restructuring of the Police, 16/11/05.  SCC Draft Strategy for over 50’s passed to CB.  SCC Code of Conduct.
Phillips Electrical services.  Macmillan Cancer Relief.  ICM Forresters.  CoastWatch manning lookout – no action

16.    Items for the next meeting:  RCC Planning policy for dealing with items that don’t conform.  CAP.  SCC Draft Strategy for over 50’s

17.    Date of next meeting:  13th December 2005