CYNGOR CYMUNED DINAS POWYS COMMUNITY
COUNCIL
MINUTES of the Monthly Meeting of Dinas Powys Community Council held in
the Lee Hall, Dinas Powys, on Thursday, 11th March 2010.
PRESENT: Cllrs. Mrs. M. R. Hayley (Chairman), Mrs. C.
Mirza-Davies, V. Driscoll, P.
J. Evans, Mrs.
N. A. Foxwell, R. A. Foxwell, R. R. Grigg, K.
Hatton, M. Hartrey, Mrs.
V. M. Hartrey,
Mrs. R. Reeves,
S. T. Thomas, Mrs. G. Smith, C. J. Williams and J.
H. Williams.
105. APOLOGIES FOR
ABSENCE - Cllr. Mrs. J. Jones.
MR.
J. S. FISHER
The Chairman advised the
Meeting of the death of Mr. J. S. Fisher who served a four years term as a
Community Councillor from 1987. As a
mark of respect and in memory of Mr. Fisher the Meeting observed one minute’s
silence.
106. CONFIRMATION
OF MINUTES – The Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday, 11th February 2010 having
been previously circulated
were taken as read, and
on the Motion
of Cllr. R. A. Foxwell and seconded by
Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey it was RESOLVED – THAT such Minutes
be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman
after incorporating the following amendments:
-
Para.
95 - date should be 21st January 2010
-
Para.
96 - the words “ Barrister - Dorothy Turner” to be replaced with “Solicitor-Yvonne
Hossack”
-
Para.
97 -the word “ Welshman” to read “ Welchman”
-
Para.
98 - “and K. Hatton” to be deleted.
Mrs. M. Farbrace joined
the Meeting to report the successful challenge to the Vale of Glamorgan’s decision
to close the Home, which was achieved with the help of the Solicitor, Yvonne
Hossack. Mrs. Farbrace advised the Meeting
that existing residents had a contractual right to stay in the Bryneithin Home
for the rest of their life.
Mrs. Farbrace invited
Community Councillors to remain involved in an effort to keep the Home open in
the longer term, as it will be less viable if not used to its full capacity. Mrs. Farbrace expressed the opinion that
dementia should be a general election issue due to the increasing incidence of
dementia problems within the community and also appealed to the Community Council
to keep fighting for Bryneithin and thanked the Community Council for its
support.
Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey
asked Mrs. Farbrace as to the costs of using a Solicitor in the campaign. Mrs. Farbrace advised that costs had not yet
been advised but it was understood that the Solicitor tended to undertake such
activities on her own account. No
litigation had been undertaken and therefore costs should not, in any event, be
substantial.
Cllr. C. J. Williams
enquired as to when a Community Council representative might be required
to assist with the campaign to keep Brynethin open. Mrs. Farbrace advised that
more than one Councillor would be welcomed in the very near future as a number
of activities were being planned including the possibility of fund raising for
a dedicated minibus.
Cllr. Mrs. G. Smith
referred to stress on carers who she felt needed more support. Cllr. Mrs. Smith
also referred to the lack of a proper lift at Bryneithin, which the Vale had
been able to avoid installing. Cllr.
Mrs. Smith felt that perhaps Councils were being asked to do too much and a
series of local fund raising events might be appropriate.
Mrs. Farbrace thanked
the Community Council for its support and then left the Meeting.
108. MATTERS
ARISING FROM MINUTES:
PACT
Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey
advised that she would contact the Vale of Glamorgan Council in order to
resolve the Cross Common Road hedge problem. The landlord would be required to
pay the Vale’s costs.
Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey
advised that the Three Horse Shoes had removed the offending posters.
Cllr. C. J. Williams
advised that he had drafted a letter to the Vale and which he had sent to the
Clerk via e-mail. The Clerk could not recall receiving the e-mail. Cllr.
Williams agreed to re-send the e-mail.
The Clerk advised that a
further quote had now been received for undertaking restoration work and that
an application for a grant would now be progressed once the COSAC Committee had
agreed the extent of works to be undertaken.
The Clerk advised that
he had contacted the headmaster concerning the proposed redevelopment of St. Cyres School with the
result that the Clerk had been invited to arrange a meeting with Mr. Lightman
(Headteacher) and Dr. Hicks (Senior Deputy Headteacher). The Committee AGREED - THAT
the Clerk should invite the aforementioned to the next Meeting of the
Council for discussions on the development proposals.
The Clerk advised that
mole traps had now been set and in response to a query from Cllr. Mrs. V. M.
Hartrey the Clerk also confirmed that the traps had been set at a sufficient
depth to avoid the risk of injury to Cemetery visitors.
Parish Hall - Gentleman’s Toilet Floor.
The Clerk advised that
the floor had been repaired and that new floor covering had been laid.
TO
RECEIVE COMMITTEE REPORTS:
On the Motion of Cllr.
C. J. Williams and
seconded by Cllr. R. R. Grigg it was RESOLVED
- THAT the
report of the
Meeting held on
Monday, 8th March 2010 be accepted.
Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey
and K. Hatton left the Meeting and took no part in planning matters.
110. TO RECEIVE REPORT FROM
COUNTY COUNCILLORS
Cllr. C. J. Williams
presented a report from the County Councillors:
Bryneithin
The following was sent
to all Vale Members this week.
BRYNEITHIN
RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME
Statement by Councillor
Sophie Williams, Chair of Scrutiny
“I am aware that there
is growing speculation about the Council’s position with regard to
Bryneithin. Because the legal challenge
to the Council and the potential judicial review have not gone away, Officers
will not be in a position this evening to deal with any questions.
However, there are
elected Members who have received a copy of correspondence sent by the
Council’s Legal Department to the solicitor acting for some of the residents of
Bryneithin. It is unfortunate that this
letter has been shared with third parties and the press prematurely. This has frustrated the Leader and the
Director’s intentions of updating Members and key stakeholders on the matter in
a timely and appropriate way.
However, the Director of
Social Services will now read a statement updating members of the current
position.”
Statement by the
Director of Social Services
“Upon legal advice
regarding a potential challenge to the Council on a contractual issue, the
Council has confirmed that Bryneithin Residential Care Home will remain open
for the current permanent residents, should they wish to remain there. Ty Dyfan will continue to be an option to the
current residents and will remain available to them unless Ty Dyfan is fully
occupied or unable to meet their needs.
However, the Council will close Bryneithin to and not admit any new
residents, including temporary or respite.”
It is my intention and
that of the Leader and Cabinet Member to brief the Group Leaders and in turn
members of this Authority on the Council’s position and the legal challenge.”
Cross Common Road Bridge
Cllr. C. Williams asked
questions at Full Council on 03/03/10 but work will not start, as funding will
not be reprioritised, against the wishes of the cross-party Corporate Resources
Scrutiny Committee following Cllr. Hatton’s proposal. The full answers cannot be given yet due to
minutes not yet passed as accurate. We
shall pass to Clerk once received.
Council Tax Increase 2010/2011
Last Wednesday, 3rd
March the Vale of Glamorgan Council approved an increase in Council Tax of
3.9%. This was an additional 1% over
what was necessary to provide an increase in the Schools Budget of 470K.
PACT
Cllr Mrs. V. M. Hartrey
and Cllr. K. Hatton were present at a well attended meeting last Monday, 8th
March in the Bethesda Hall. Most were
concerned about
·
The
return of youth annoyance around Sunnycroft Lane and Murchfield Hall
·
Litter
around the Castle Oak and various gulleys and pathways.
·
The
overgrown hedge on the corner of Cross Common Road and Longmeadow
Safe Routes in Communities – Dinas Powys Travel Plan
The following was
received by us from the Cabinet Member, Jeff James, on 08/03/10.
Transport Grant/Safe
Routes in Communities Grant 2010-2011
Further to the recent
bid submitted to the Welsh Assembly Government for funding for various road
safety improvements within your area, I regret to inform you that the bid has
been unsuccessful this time. However,
subject to the Welsh Assembly Government inviting bids next year, and following
on from feedback as to why the bid was unsuccessful, the Council will endeavour
to resubmit the bid for the next financial year.
The Council will also
search for alternative funding streams where possible to undertake the works,
however, this cannot guarantee that any will come forward, but could result in
some elements being implemented.
I would like to thank
you for all your input into putting the bid together through the submission of
your travel plan, and the Road Safety Department will be in contact in due
course should there be any further development with your aspirations.
Safe Cycle Path
Cllr. C. J. Williams
asked again for provision of an East-West safe cycle path. Again the answer was the standard,
ubiquitous, ‘lack of funding’. The full
answers cannot be given yet due to minutes not yet passed as accurate. We shall pass to Clerk once received.
Cllr. K. Hatton advised
that works to create a bus lane to the Merrie Harrier junction approach road
had commenced. The works were scheduled to last for 30 weeks. Cllr. C. J.
Williams welcomed the new cycle path, which was being established as part of
the works. Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey referred to a letter from a Mr. Samuel
Jackson who had expressed concern about the loss of a hedge, which the Vale had
advised, could not be saved.
Vale
Councillors:
C.
J. Williams, Mrs. V. M. Hartrey, Mrs. M. Randall, and K. Hatton.
111. MATTERS
WHICH THE CHAIRMAN AND OTHER MEMBERS MAY WISH TO BRING BEFORE COUNCIL
Road
Safety
Cllr. Mrs. G. Smith referred to the
dangers at the Merrie Harrier junction and the fact that drivers were sometimes
ignoring traffic lights. Cllr. Mrs.
Smith advised that she had discussed the matter with the Vale Highways
Department concerning the phasing of the traffic lights. Cllr. Mrs. Smith also referred to problems with confusing
traffic lights by
the Infants School on Cardiff Road, which
she hoped might
be resolved by the Vale’s plans to fit
new continental style traffic lights. Cllr.
K. Hatton supported Cllr. Mrs. Smith’s concerns.
Depend
Cllr. Mrs. G. Smith advised that the
next issue of the Depend magazine would be distributed towards the end of
March/early April. Cllr. Mrs. Smith expressed the view that there was a lack of
awareness of the DPVC organisation and would welcome views on how the awareness
could be improved. Cllr. Mrs. Smith also advised that Mrs. Christine Holder was
a volunteer in the DPVC office and had developed into an invaluable volunteer.
Cllr. Mrs. Smith also advised that a lot of work had gone into the fund raising
for the new minibus, which would soon be delivered.
Dinas
Powys Music Festival
The Clerk referred to an
e-mail recently received from Mr. P. Elias-Jones who had queried the decision
of the Community Council to reduce its donation for 2009 and to request further information prior to considering a
donation for 2010. The Clerk was
instructed to write a
letter of explanation to Mr. Elias-Jones in terms proposed by Cllr.
Mrs. N. A. Foxwell which were that the Community Council remained very
supportive of the Music Festival, the Community Council recognised the
tremendous amount of hard work undertaken by the Music Festival organisers and
that the Community Council would try to continue with donations but which would
have to take account of the Council’s need to address a number of high priority
projects which required capital expenditure to be committed.
Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey declared an
interest in the Music Festival and took no part in the above decision.
New
Kitchens
Cllr. Mrs. M. R. Hayley thanked the
Clerk for his efforts in achieving installation of the new Parish Hall and Lee
Hall kitchens. Cllr. Mrs. Hayley
referred to the need for decoration of the kitchens to be undertaken and the
Meeting AGREED - THAT the Clerk could employ Mr. Adam Farmer on a
temporary basis to assist in completing the works.
Horse
Riding on the Common
Cllr. Mrs. V. M. Hartrey
referred to a complaint from a local resident about a failure of horse riders
to observe the signpost request to only ride around the common parameter. The Clerk also referred to similar written
complaints received from the Rugby and Cricket Clubs. After discussion the Meeting AGREED to refer the matter to the next meeting of the
COSAC Committee.
112. PAYMENT
OF ACCOUNTS
Cllr. K. Hatton proposed and Cllr.
Mrs. V. M. Hartrey seconded the approval of payment of accounts as submitted to
the Meeting and the Meeting duly approved the payments.
113. DATE
OF NEXT MEETING - Thursday,
8th April 2010 at 7.30pm
The Meeting closed at 8.45pm