CHIRK TOWN COUNCIL
CYNGOR TREF Y WAUN
MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING HELD 27th June 2007
Present
Mr Michael Williams (Chairman), Mr G Roberts, Mr Barry Evans, Mr M Fennell, Mrs H J Spragg,
Mr D Evans, Mr F Hemmings, Miss C Ashford, Mr R Jones, Mr J Pierce, Mr R Smith, Mr D Richards.
Mr S A Hughes, Clerk to the Council.
Mr Ian Roberts and Mr Terry Evans, Local Councillors Wrexham CBC.
The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting and proposed that items 3 and 4 on the agenda be taken first and this was agreed.
10. WREXHAM COUNTY BOOROUGH COUNCIL – STREETSCENE/HIGWAYS ISSUES.
The Chairman welcomed Mr Paul Fairclough, Operational Manager and Mr Merfyn Lloyd Area Coordinator, Wrexham CBC Streetscene and Highways Department. Mr Fairclough informed the meeting that his authority had developed a Corporate Strategy that will be launched in the County Borough area from next September to improve the delivery of services. A list of over 30 issues that have an environmental impact including fly tipping, littering, vandalism, graffiti and other matters of concern has been drawn up – copies of the list were handed to members. Standards will be applied to each service included in the strategy and there will be a number of Streetscene/Highways coordinators dedicated to specific areas in the county. Mr Lloyd being the one dedicated to Chirk and the Ceiriog Valley and he will have a team to carry out the services and deal with local complaints. Additional equipment is to be obtained including a mobile street sweeper for each area.
A Call Centre is being set up and staff will collate all calls from the public – a special telephone number will be available in September but until then while the service is now on trial the number to ring is
01978 292040.
Core services such as road sweeping, gully emptying, winter gritting, grass cutting etc will de dealt with by central managers and teams.
Members were pleased to hear of the new service provisions and look forward to the improvements anticipated and thanked the Streetscene/Highways team for the initiative. Members all mentioned their concerns about fly tipping, grass cutting, hedge trimming and general litter that occur around the area.
Mr Fairclough said that Mr Lloyd would be proactive as well as dealing with complaints and would be able to keep matters under control and up to the standards that will be set.
Up until the launch of the scheme Environment Staff will be visiting local schools and leaflets will be given to each householder in the area in a bid to involve the community with the clean up scheme.
The Chairman thanked Mr Fairclough and Mr Lloyd for attending the council meeting and explaining the welcome new Streetscene/Highways Strategy.
11. COMMUNITY POLICING.
PC Cullen, Community Beat manager together with two of Chirk’s PCSO’s attended the meeting.
PC Cullen said that crime figures were down with 4 thefts, 3 criminal damage, 1 burglary and 11 anti social incidents being reported since the last meeting. One mini moto had been seized and dealt with too.
PC Cullen mentioned the recent Neighbourhood Policing Forum meeting when the current plans were left in place for further attention as well as speeding issues at Lodgevale Park.
PC Cullen said that a Virtual Responses and Information Scheme had been introduced for members of the community who wished to be contacted via email could sign up. Members were pleased to hear the report and mentioned problems at the Millennium Garden behind the bus shelter for attention of the officers.
The PCSO’s reported that£500.00 had been obtained to fund an environmental day activities for children during the holidays and this was welcomed by members as was seeing officers patrolling the streets in the area.
1
12. MINUTES.
The minutes of the Council meetings held the 30th May and the 25th June 2007 were confirmed as a correct record.
13. MATTERS ARISING.
6/141. Gardd Cae’r Groes – Millennium Garden. The Clerk informed the Council that further information had been received from the Charity Commission and that a meeting of the sub-committee with the two nominated members of the Council to the Trust would be held in the near future.
10. Chirk Housing Estate Office. It was agreed to set up a sub-committee with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Cllrs Hilary Spragg and Barry Evans being nominated and Christine Ashford as the representative of the Council on the Chirk Community Forum. It was also agreed to invite the Chirk Community Forum to join with the Council in this matter and to nominate four of their members to attend the sub-committee. Also the two local members of Wrexham CBC.
14. REPORTS – LOCAL MEMBERS WREXHAM CBC.
Cllr Mr Terry Evans said that the authority were keeping up with complaints and he had been with Streetscene that day. It had been a busy time dealing with blocked drains after the storms and clearing sites of fly tipping at Chirk Green, Cefn y Wern. Cllr Evans mentioned that 10 new flower beds had been created in and around Chirk and hanging flower baskets put up to. In this connection Cllr Ian Roberts pointed to the vast amount of work carried out by volunteers on environmental projects for the Chirk in Bloom competition and a vote of thanks was extended to all from the Council.
Cllr Evans said Paul Fairclough was dealing with the temporary repairs to the road surface through Church Street and that re-surfacing there was now included in the programme. With regard to the installation of a pelican crossing Cllr Evans said this would cost £50,000.00 and was not in the budget. It was re-iterated that full consultations took place before the town centre improvement scheme was carried out and there was no objection to the replacement of the crossing by the one in place now. The Council however decided to ask for the crossing to be re-instated as before and to write to the Welsh assembly Government, Wrexham County Borough Council and to Karen Sinclair AM.
The Chairman thanked the Local Council members for the reports.
15. APPEALS.
An appeal for financial aid was received from Shelter Cymru but it was agreed to let the matter lie on the table.
16. WREXHAM CBC – OWAIN GLYNDWR SCHEME.
The Clerk informed the Council that this scheme is an initiative introduced by the Playing Field Association and intended to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Welsh Statesman and to protect land for recreational use in perpetuity for the benefit of local communities. The Town Council and members are being asked if there are any sites that could be put forward for consideration. After short discussion it was agreed to put forward the Chapel Lane Recreation Ground for consideration.
17. CLWYD COMMUNITY HEALTH COUNCIL.
The Clerk reported receipt of information from the Clwyd Health Council concerning the recruitment of new members. Cllr Barry Evans expressed a wish to apply for an appointment and this was agreed by the Council.
18. CORRESPONDENCE.
a. One Voice Wales.
The Clerk reported receipt of an invitation for the Council to send two representatives to the Annual AGM and Conference of the association. It was agreed that Cllrs Frank Hemmings and Raymond Smith should attend and represent the Council. The Clerk mentioned the fees for this would be £100.00 and this was agreed for payment.
b. ROSPA.
The Clerk reported receipt of the Royal Society’s inspection reports on the Council’s four recreation grounds. It was agreed that the Recreation Ground Committee should consider the report and report to the Council in due course.
c. Wrexham Rural Access Forum.
The Clerk reported receipt of letter from the Acting Chair of the Forum with regard to the Leader+ project. This is a European Community Initiative for assisting rural communities in improving the quality of life and economic prosperity in their local area. It is funded through the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and matched by the Welsh Assembly Government.
A current Bid is being made and a Business Plan is in preparation to carry forward the programme to 2013.
Northern Marches Cymru are seeking suitable projects that enable the development of tourism through access to the countryside. This information was noted.
d. Wrexham County Borough Council Accommodation Bedstock Survey.
The Clerk reported receipt of letter from the Tourism Officer informing the Council that the survey is to be carried out during the peak holiday period July/August. The survey is part of a wider Wales Accommodation bedstock Survey the object being to assess the number of bedspaces in each type of visitor accommodation sector in each community area. This information was noted.
e. Royal Air force Presentation Team.
The Clerk reported receipt of request for the names and addresses of Council members so that they can be receive invitations to the Royal Air Force Board Presentation Evening to be held at the Bryn Howel Hotel on Wednesday 10th October 2007. The Clerk said he had sent the information details and this was noted.
f. Proludic Educational Seminar.
The Clerk reported receipt of an invitation for two representatives to attend the seminar to be held at Stoke on Trent. It was agreed that the Chairman and Clerk should attend.
g. Landmark Wales.
The Clerk informed the Council that the winning entry for Chirk bid for a Landmark to be sited at Chirk called “Event Horizon” had not been successful.
h. Dreamshed Theatre.
The Clerk informed the Council that the managing Director of Dreamshed Theatre had contacted him with information about their new travelling production of Shakepeare’s play “The Comedy of Errors”
The Clerk said that he had invited the company to perform at the Parish Hall and Tuesday 24th July was the date agreed. There would be no cost to the Council accept providing the venue. Members agreed that this was a good opportunity to bring live theatre to the community and thanked the Clerk for making the arrangements.
20. PLANNING MATTERS.
The Clerk gave a verbal report on the meeting of the sub-committee held prior to the Council meeting on the applications received from the Chief Planning Officer, Wrexham CBC in accordance with consultation procedures and dealt with as follows: -
P/2007/0665 Co-op, 16 Church Street, Chirk - 1 No. Fascia Sign and 2 No. Car Park signs.
No objection.
P/2007/0691 Variation of condition No 2 re: Development of former site of Plas Y Waun Inn, Chapel Lane Chirk – No objection.
P/2007/734 Application for Certificate of lawfulness for use of garage and part of ground floor of dwelling as offices for security company – New Cottage, Pentre. No objection.
P/2007/0771 Parking and operation of 1No. private hire vehicle (previously granted under code No. P/2006/0655) – 7 Ash Grove, Chirk. No objection.
P/2007/0775 Single storey hall/cloakroom extension – 50 Maesywaun, Chirk. No objection.
2. Certificates of Decision.
He following details of decisions on applications for planning permission were received from the Chief Planning Officer: -
P/2007/0475 Permission granted for an extension to side and rear – 1 Sycamore Drive, Chirk.
P/2007/0213 Application for an extension to car park at Home farm, Chirk Castle. Withdrawn.
P/2007/0449 Permission refused for erection of ground floor games room – 9 The Parklands Shepherds Lane, Chirk.
P/2007/0453 Permission granted for construction of pitched roof structure to public car park to form designated smoking area – Hand Hotel, Chirk.
21. ACCOUNTS.
1. Payments.
A list of invoices and payments amounting to £2839.89 were given to the Council and were passed for payment. (See addendum).
2. Accounts.
The Clerk presented members with a report showing the amount of income and expenditure to the 30th June 2007 together with details of Bank Reconciliation. This showed expenditure of £48114.39 and income of £43799.60.
Graphs were also provided showing the amount of expenditure under the various headings compared to the budget estimates for the financial year.
The reports were noted and accepted by the Council with the Chairman thanking the Clerk.
3. Statement of Accounts.
The Clerk referred to the Notice of Audit given to the Council at the last meeting and had prepared a statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st March 2007 as required for the audit. The Clerk also confirmed that the Council also needed to give a statement of Annual Governance and read out the eight parts of the statement. Following this the Council agreed to give the Annual Governance Statement and agreed that this and the statement of accounts to be signed by both the Chairman and Clerk.
Signed Michael C Williams Chairman 25th July 2007.