Minutes of meeting of council – 19 January 2023

Minutes of meeting of council – 19 January 2023

Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Laleston Community Council held at Bryntirion & Laleston Community Centre on 19 January 2023 commencing at 7.00pm.

Present:. Cllr’s ABerrow, JP Blundell, Z Blundell, J Cook, C Davies, D Harrison, V James, P King, S Philpin, S Richmond, C Smith. I Spiller and C Webster.

In attendance:  Gail Jewell

  1. 19.1163  Council undertook a period of silent reflection.
  • 19.1164  Apologies for absence. None

3.   19.1165   Representation from members of the public.  None

4.  19.1166   Items of business that the Chair deems urgent. 

4.1      Laleston Village Well

Prior to the start of the Council meeting, a presentation was received by Phil Cope, outlining a work schedule, budget and contract for the development work of Laleston Village Well.  Since an urgent health and safety issue was raised with the door to the well, the Chair added this item to the agenda for a resolution.

Resolved:    Council agreed that the door to the well be replaced with a lockable steel door as a matter of urgency.  Members further agreed that the Finance Committee look to allocate funds for the outlined work schedule to be carried out and that the Community Engagement Committee investigate the introduction of a working group to oversee the project.

  • 19.1167  Declarations of Interest. 

Cllr JP Blundell – Item 9 – Prejudicial Interest as the Cabinet Member responsible for the Youth Justice Service

Cllr D Harrison and Cllr A Berrow – Item 17 – Prejudicial Interest as a Member of Bridgend County Borough Council Planning Committee.

  • 19.1168  Approval of Minutes.

ResolvedThat the minutes of the meeting of Council that took place on 15 December 2022 be approved as a true and accurate record.  Proposed by Cllr JP Blundell and seconded by Cllr S Richmond.

Matters Arising from minutes:

Item 8 19.1155 To receive any recommendations and resolutions from Committees.

a)     Recommendation received from the Finance Committee:

In relation to the accepted recommendation to raise the precept for 2023/24 to £262,000, a Member queried when the statement would be prepared.

Resolved:  Council instructed the Clerk to draft a statement for approval by all Members prior to publication.

7.   19.1169  Notice has been received from Cllr D Harrison for a motion that Laleston Community Council undertake a costed feasibility exercise to put a skate park facility into the centre of Bryntirion Playing fields, as a much-needed play provision for the wider community.  Furthermore, he proposes that the community development officer looks for funding opportunities to support this project financially.

Following discussions, Cllr D Harrison agreed to amend his motion to read ‘Laleston Community Council develops a design for a skatepark facility into the centre of Bryntirion Playing Fields as a much-needed play provision for the wider community.  Furthermore, that the community development officer looks for funding opportunities to support this project financially’.

Resolved:  The amended motion was approved by Council.  In addition, Council agreed to investigate other uses for the field and that the Clerk adds ‘The masterplan for Bryntirion Playing Fields’ to the Council agenda in February.

8.   19.1170  To receive any recommendations and resolutions from Committees.

a)     Information from the HR & Personnel Committee:

This item is of a confidential nature and therefore not open to the public.  The minute for this item can be found in the confidential minutes.

  • 19.1171  To receive quotations, if any. 
 Quotations Received Comment
1Site Security   Quote received from Youth Justice Service for a timber fence.    £1492.00 including VATResolved:  Council agreed to progress with the quotation received.

10. 19.1172 To review Council’s Grant and Donation Policy.

The Clerk presented a report which outlined what process other community and town councils take in relation to grants and donations and asked Council to agree on a set process for applications and ensure that budgetary limits are taken into account.

Resolved:  Council agreed to the following criteria for all grants and donations:

Local and national charities – Max £250           No application required.

Local groups/clubs – Between £250 – £500        Application required.

Any requests exceeding £500                           Application required and referred to the Finance Committee.

Only one application per charity/group/organisation to be submitted in any one financial year.

11. 19.1173  To receive any updates relating to the Warm Café.

Resolved:  Following a brief discussion relating to the Warm Care, Council agreed that the Community Development Officer should undertake a short survey to gauge what activities members of the public would like to see be offered alongside the Warm Café and seek to obtain specific funding to carry this out.

12. 19.1174 To agree on placement for additional Christmas Lighting for 2023/24

Resolved:  Council agreed to defer this item to the next meeting of Council.

  1.  19.1175  To appoint Members to the Biodiversity Committee.

Resolved:  Following discussions, Council agreed that the proposal to separate Project Management from Community Wellbeing and Biodiversity Committee prior to allocating Membership to both Committees.

14. 19.1176 Following the approval for the installation of a commemorative bench in Broadlands and on Llangewydd Road, Members are asked to also consider placement of a tiered planter at both sites, with placement of a bin by the bench in Broadlands.

Resolved:    All Members approved the proposal. 

15. 19.1177   Cylch Meithrin Gwdihw

The Clerk explained that at a recent meeting with Cylch Meithrin Gwdihw, they had queried whether a lockable filing cabinet could be purchased to house documentation that is required to be on site every day.  In addition, they asked if they were able to store items in the children’s cubicle, especially during adverse weather.

Resolved:  Council agreed that Cylch Meithrin Gwdihw could purchase and store a filing cabinet in the hall but due to hygiene and health and safety reasons, they could not store items in the children’s toilet cubicle.

  1.  19.1178 To receive correspondence, if any.
Correspondence ReceivedComment
Email received from Cardiff Conservation volunteers enquiring whether they could assist with any outdoor projects that would enhance or protect our local natural environment.  They undertake scrub clearance, litter picking, bridge and boardwalk construction, hedge laying and pond clearance.  Volunteering would take place on a Sunday, collection of between 12/14 volunteers at 9am from Cardiff city centre and normally aim to leave site around 4pm.  They charge £150 which covers the minibus, public and volunteer liability insurance, tools and other equipment.  Email circulated prior to meeting.Resolved:   Council agreed that the Cardiff Conservation volunteers could be utilised to assist with footpath clearance, litter picking and even with our biodiversity projects.
Email relating to the proposed upgrade at the existing telecommunications base station, outlining their keenness to receive comments on the proposed development.  Email circulated prior to meeting.Resolved:  Council noted the correspondence and stated that no objections were presented when the planning application was submitted to Council at a previous meeting.
Email outlining a vacancy for an Independent Member (Co-optee) to sit on its Standards Committee. Email circulated prior to meeting.Resolved:  Council noted the update.
Email from Sarah Murphy MS, asking to arrange a visit of our Community Pantry.  The 2 March 2023 has been penciled in.Resolved:  Council noted the update.
Email explaining that BCBC has been awarded a £250,000 grant from the Local Places for Nature project to create ‘nature on your doorstep’.  Two sites within our ward areas have been selected – Broad Oak Way and Barnes Park. Email circulated prior to meeting outlining consultation event timings.Resolved:  Members who attended the consultation sites were very impressed with theschemeand provided their own local knowledge and ideas that were fed into the final proposals.  
Steve Richmond – Community Council should introduce recognition of members of the public who hit 100 – thoughts/ideas.  Will add for formal approval at the next Council meeting.Resolved:  Council agreed to add this item to next Council agenda
Email outlining the outcome of the informal engagement regarding the removal of the remaining 2 speed humps on Banc Yr Allt. The outcome being only 9 representations were made of which 4 either objected or provided representation that if the existing cushions were removed, they would like something similar to replace them. Therefore, the Highway authority would not support the complete removal of the existing speed humps.Resolved:  Due to the lack of representations received from the informal engagement process, Council agreed that the Community Council could not fund both the feasibility study and the works to remove and reinstate the remaining two speed hump.  The Community Council advised that the issue be referred back to Bridgend County Borough Council.  
  1. 19.1179 To consider Planning Applications.

Cllr’s A Berrow and D Harrison left the meeting for discussion on this item.

Planning Application  Comment
Planning Application No.: P/22/852/FUL Applicant: Mr T Hicks Location: 29 Merlin Crescent Cefn Glas Bridgend CF31 4QW Proposal: Front & rear dormer extensions; front porch Date:  12 January 2023No objection.

There being no further business, the meeting ended at 8.34 pm.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 16 February 2023 and will commence at 7.00pm.

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