Minutes of regular Council Meeting held on 25th May 2018

Port Eynon Community Council

 

Minutes of monthly Council meeting held on 21st May 2018 at Knelston Primary School.

 

Present                  Councillors: Gareth Evans, Robert Fisher, Sheila Fisher, Steve Young.

 

In attendance       Mr.Barry Stubbings – Clerk;

 

Chair                       Councillor Robert Fisher took the Chair.

 

  1. Apologies              Cllrs. Martin Cox and Gareth Jones

 

  1. Minutes                 Clerk confirmed that the minutes of the last meeting held on 16th April 2018 had been circulated to all      Councillors, displayed on the Council notice boards and posted on the web site. Omission of a minute concerning drainage at Berry lane and some typographical errors were noted and corrected. It was proposed by Councillor Gareth Evans, and seconded by Councillor Sheila Fisher that the minutes, as corrected, be accepted; and agreed by all.

 

  1. Declarations of Interest      – Cllr. Robert Fisher declared a professional interest with respect to planning application 2018/0267.

 

  1. Matters Arising

VILLAGE GREENS – Clerk advised that the installation of timber posts at Port Eynon Green was in progress. He understood that work at Scurlage Green would then follow.

 

SCURLAGE GREEN – Chair tabled sketch details of a memorial stone and all agreed that purchase and engraving should proceed.

 

NOTICE BOARDS –Clerk advised that the supplier of the boards, Green Barnes, had not responded on the question of additional locks. All agreed that Clerk should proceed to install simple hasps and padlocks.

 

LANE TO YOUTH HOSTEL – Noted that no work had been undertaken to regrade the lane. Clerk to follow up with Mr. Peter Beynon.

 

PORT EYNON CAR PARK – Clerk advised that he understood that tenders for the contract for management of the car parks at Port Eynon and Horton was currently being assessed.

 

KNELSTON SCHOOL – Cllr Sheila Fisher advised that the head teacher was proceeding with purchase of the tree seats and would forward bill for payment in due course.

 

DEFIBRILLATORS – Council requested Clerk to follow up with Mr. Andrew Hughes (Gower First Responders) to require the defib at Knelston Garage to be relocated to the garage forecourt, or if this was not possible to repossess the unit and possibly install it in the disused telephone box at Scurlage. Cllr. Steve Young suggested that consideration be given to obtaining solar powered units for installation at both Knelston and Overton where access to electricity supply had proven difficult.

 

  1. Finance

Clerk advised that since the last meeting, Council had been in receipt of the first tranche of the Precept and had paid £210 to City & County of Swansea in settlement of incurred election expenses.

 

Committed expenditure was presently:

Port Eynon Village Green works- £2,000

Scurlage Village Green works – £8,000

Knelston School benches to play areas – £2,000

Scurlage village awarewness signs – £3,000

 

  1. Planning

Clerk provided a resume of applications recently considered.

 

 

2017/2448 Field 7000, Burry – New detached dwelling house.

Council noted that the application was for a relatively large house set in open fields and remote from the adjacent highway. The proposed property would be served by Trumpet Lane which was at present a rural bridleway/footpath. Council considered the planning statement and noted that the house was described as an ‘Essential Agricultural Workers Dwelling’ required to support a relatively new farm holding. Whilst sympathetic to the establishment of a new agricultural business Council were of the opinion that the size of the dwelling was not in keeping with the area and that the location represented unnecessary intrusion into the countryside.

Decision pending.

 

2018/0556 Val Cottage, Port Eynon – Two storey side Extension.

Council considered the application and were in agreement that the extension would enhance the property and would not detract from the neighbourhood. It was agreed to support the application. APPLICATION GRANTED 16TH MAY 2018

 

2018/0776 Scurlage Farm, Berry lane, Scurlage – Use of field for polytunnel cultivation, conversion of farm buildings to a café and shop.

Council considered the application in two parts.

Firstly use of the field for polytunnel cultivation of soft fruit. Council had no objection to the proposal.

Secondly, conversion of the existing farm buildings and yard to a shop, café and associated parking. Council in general supported the proposed conversion of the existing farm building to a retail use and provision of a café.

Council however noted that conversion of the existing yards to public car parking may require re-grading and res-surfacing which could lead to additional surface water run-off and/or additional positive drainage discharging to the adjacent ditch and piped drainage. The area and adjacent private housing had been subject to recent severe flooding and any development should include positive measures to reduce run-off. Council also noted that the creation of a shop and café would lead to an increase in traffic movements through the present junction of Berry lane with the A4118 Port Eynon Road. This junction has a very sub-standard arrangement with limited visibility and any development of the proposed nature should include for improvement of the road junction for both vehicles and pedestrians. DECISION PENDING.

 

NEW APPLICATIONS

 

2018/0852 Bank Farm, Scurlage – Permit for Marquee and Camping in June 2018. Council noted that this was an annual event and had caused no problems or adverse reaction in the past. Agreed to recommend that permit be granted.

 

2018/0844 Gower Holiday village Permit for 64 units of touring caravans from April to September. Council noted that there was no material difference between this application and previous applications which had been refused both initially and confirmed by Appeal. Council confirmed there opinion that this would represent a significant expansion of the Gower Holiday Village into agricultural land that was clearly beyond the natural village perimeter. Council noted that there was no reported shortage of sites for touring caravans and that a substantial site such as this would provide no additional contribution to the Gower Aonb in general. Council agreed to recommend that the application be refused.

 

2018/0267 2 Frogmoor Cottages – Use of adjacent land for a holiday cottage. Clerk referred to Council an e-mail communication from the owners of 2 Frogmoor Cottages advising of their objection to this application to convert a garage/store on adjacent land into a holiday cottage. Council noted that the application was refused on 11th April 2018, and whilst the concern of the owners as to a possible appeal against the refusal was appreciated, The Coucnil could not take any action until an Appeal is lodged.

 

  • Highways and Footpaths

 

 

Cllr. Robert Fisher advised that there had still been no action by City council to rectify the road surface of Monksland Road and that the extent of potholes now rendered the road dangerous to both pedestrians and motorists.

 

 

  • Correspondence

 

Clerk advised that he had received a number of communications as follows;

C&CS Electoral Dept– Notice of revised procedures for filling casual vacancies.

Various appeals for donations.

 

  • Communications

 

Clerk had nothing to report.

 

  • Village Halls

 

Cllr. Robert Fisher advised that he had attended the May meeting of the Port Eynon Village Hall Committee.

On the subject of VHMC claim to the WPD wayleave payments, Clerk advised that he had been in communication with WPD and had received copies of the original documentation. It was clear from this that only a portion of the money received could be allocated to the land occupied by the Village Hall, however due to the different categories of compensation and the build up in terms of poles, stay wires and cables it was not possible to readily arrive at the apportionment. Clerk further advised that a claim for historical payments would be further complicated as payment details were not retained by PECC after audit processes were completed.

There were no new issues.

 

Clerk/Chair advised that there had been no further communications with the Llanddewi Village Hall Trustees.

 

  1. Knelston Burial Ground.

Clerk advised that there was nothing to report.

 

  • Any Other Business

 

 

Council noted recent communications on ‘social media’ concerning re-occurrence of severe malodours arising from fertiliser application over the Bank holiday weekend.

 

 

Next meeting – 18th June 2018 at 7 pm following the Annual General Meeting.

 

There being no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 9: 15 pm.

 

 

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Barry Stubbings (Clerk)                                                                                                       Robert Fisher (Chair)