CYNGOR
CYMUNED DINAS POWYS COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES of a Meeting of the Commons, Open Spaces, Allotments, Cemetery
and Footpaths Committee (COSAC) held in the Committee Room, Parish Hall, Dinas
Powys, on Tuesday, 6th April 2010.
PRESENT: Cllrs. Mrs.
V.
M. Hartrey (Chairman), Mrs. C. Mirza-Davies,
V. Driscoll, Mrs.
N. A. Foxwell, R. R. Grigg, M.
Hartrey and K. Hatton.
ALSO PRESENT: Mr. A.
Sullivan (Footpaths Warden).
30. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Cllrs.
Mrs. M. R. Hayley and C. J. Williams.
31. DECLARATIONS
OF INTEREST – Cllrs. K. Hatton and Mrs. V. M. Hartrey declared an
interest in the allotments and took no part in any allotments decisions.
32. CONFIRMATION
OF MINUTES – The Minutes of the COSAC and Footpaths Committee Meeting
held on Tuesday, 26th January 2010 having been previously circulated
were taken as read, and on the Motion of Cllr. K. Hatton and seconded by Cllr.
M. Hartrey it was RESOLVED - THAT such Minutes be approved as a true record and
signed by the Chairman.
33. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES:
Handrails – The Twyn
The Clerk confirmed a
preferred supplier cost of £250 plus VAT for installing handrails adjacent to
the two steps leading down to the shops from the Twyn. The Committee AGREED - THAT the works should proceed and at the same time
the Clerk was asked to investigate the possibility of removing the step on the
opposite side of the Twyn and replacing with a ramp for disabled persons.
The Old Scout Field/Cross Common
It was noted that no Members
of the Committee had visited the Old Scout field since the last Meeting of the
Committee. Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey advised the Meeting that she had visited
Cross Common with Cllr. K. Hatton and the Clerk for the purposes of reviewing
the suitability of Cross Common for allotments. The Clerk confirmed that a
selected contractor would shortly be quoting for the required tree works at the
Old Scout field for the purposes of comparison to the quotation already
received from Acorn Tree Services. The Clerk was asked to instruct John Watts
of JDW Landscapers to provide an indication of likely land
clearance/preparation costs and to take soil samples at Cross Common which it
was felt may be suitable for allotments.
34. MATTERS RELATING TO FOOTPATHS
Mr. A. Sullivan,
Footpaths Warden, advised the Committee that there were no major issues
relating to footpaths. Cllr. M. Hartrey
advised that the Garn Hill entrance style was broken. Mr. A. Sullivan advised details of the summer
walks which would commence at 7.00pm on the 26th May, 2nd,
9th and 16th June 2010. The Meeting noted that the summer
walks would be advertised in the Gem and Penarth Times.
Cllr. Mrs. V. Hartrey
advised that the Pop Hill walk was being renovated and she also invited all Councillors
to walk all dedicated walks. Cllr. Mrs.
V. M. Hartrey also asked the Clerk to investigate the possibility of including
a walks section on the Council’s web site.
35. BURIAL BOARD REPORT
The Clerk advised that in the period since the previous COSAC Meeting five new graves have been allocated and two re-openings had occurred. The Committee discussed current Cemetery charges and as an interim measure, pending a further review at the next Committee Meeting, AGREED - THAT new grave charges should be increased to £200.00 and re-openings to £150.00 with double the charge for out of area. The Clerk was instructed to obtain details of Cemetery charges in other local areas of the Vale and to circulate details to Committee Members prior to the next Meeting.
The Clerk advised the Meeting of a recent problem with the re-opening of an old unmarked grave which had resulted in not being able to bury a deceased person with his spouse who had been buried in the plot over 30 years ago. The problem arose as adjacent graves had been excavated at an incorrect distance from the affected grave resulting in exposure of the coffins to each side of the re-opened grave. The deceased’s family had been extremely distressed over the matter but had in the alternative accepted a new grave at no cost. The Meeting AGREED - THAT in the light of this incident, the Clerk should investigate the potential costs of marking all future new graves with a standard grave identification marker.
Cllr. V. Driscoll referred to an unauthorised bench placed next to a gypsy grave. The Clerk advised that he was aware of the matter and that the bench was regularly moved back to the side boundary of the Cemetery by the Council’s groundsman and the matter would be continuously monitored and action taken if it caused problems for other Cemetery visitors. The Clerk also advised that the water supply to both the Cemetery and the allotments would be turned on permanently at the end of the week.
36.
ALLOTMENTS REPORT
The Clerk advised the Committee that all allotments had been allocated for the current year except for two, which would be allocated shortly. The Waiting List had reduced as a result of vacancies arising from the new allotments policy. However, the Clerk advised that no existing holders of larger allotments had formally agreed to give up some space albeit two allotment holders (including Cllr. K. Hatton) had verbally indicated that they would assist in due course. The Meeting also noted that Cllr. Mrs. V. H. Hartrey had received a request from two allotments holders to keep two allotments each following appeals by the individuals concerned on the grounds of inadequate notice.
The Meeting AGREED - THAT formal letters should be sent later in the summer to the individuals concerned advising of the one allotment only and no large allotments as from the commencement of the next 2011 allotment year.
The Meeting also AGREED - THAT a letter should be sent to all allotment holders advising that allotment fences and hedges should not exceed four feet in height.
37. HORSE
RIDERS ON DINAS POWYS COMMON
Councillor Mrs. V. M.
Hartrey read out a number of letters received by the Community Council relating
to concerns about damage caused by horse riders on the Common.
After discussion, Cllr. R.
R. Grigg proposed and Cllr. K. Hatton seconded a Motion that:
(i) Two additional notices to horse riders signs should be erected on the Common with the design in accordance with the last new sign erected.
(ii) The Rugby and Cricket Clubs should be required to contribute to the costs.
(iii) The Clerk to discuss the possibility of Roy Walters chain harrowing and rolling the damaged areas as well as cutting all grass on the Common including the area to the south which has previously been left as a wild area. The Meeting without dissent carried the Motion.
38. WAR MEMORIAL RENOVATION
The Clerk provided details of the revised quotation received from Mossfords to renovate the War Memorial on the Twyn, the planter and all of the Twyn boundary copings all for a sum of £6820.00 plus VAT. The Clerk advised that grants were potentially available from the War Memorials Trust (50% and £2,500 maximum) and CADW (25-30% of cost). Upon the Motion of Cllr. R. R. Grigg and seconded by Cllr. K. Hatton, the Meeting AGREED - THAT the Clerk should apply for the maximum grants and based on a full renovation of the whole site.
39. DINAS POWYS COMMON – BENCH REPLACEMENT
The Clerk advised that a
bench near the children’s playground on the Common had corroded to the point
where it was in danger of collapse. The Meeting AGREED - THAT a new bench should be fitted based on the same
bench as recently fitted to the Twyn and subject to inviting the Civic Society
to assist with funding and dedicating the bench in Memory of Mr. Doug Matthews,
past Chairman of the Civic Society.
Cllr. V. Driscoll raised the matter
of excessive dog fouling of the Murch Football Ground. Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey advised that this
area was to be the subject of enforcement targeting by the Vale.
41. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – TUESDAY,
22nd June at 6.30pm.