PORT EYNON COMMUNITY COUNCIL
DRAFT – UNCONFIRMED
Minutes of Monthly Council Meeting held on
Monday 20th June 2016 at Port Eynon Village Hall.
The meeting commenced at 7:30 pm.
Present: Cllr. G.Evans, Cllr. R. Fisher, Cllr. Mrs. S. Fisher, Cllr. G. Jones,and Cllr. Mrs. L. Newland,
Apologies for Absence: Cllr. Mrs. Ann Scott and Cllr. A. Milligan
In attendance: Mr. B. Stubbings (clerk),
Chair person: Cllr. R. Fisher took the Chair.
Declarations of Interest: Cllr. Mrs. L. Newland re Gower Holiday Village
053/16 Minutes of Last Meeting (May 2016):
The minutes were proposed to be accepted as a true record by Cllr. Mrs S. Fisher, the proposal was seconded by Cllr. Mrs. L. Newland and agreed by all. The minutes were signed by the chairperson.
054/16. Matters Arising from previous Meeting:
Scurlage Green – The Chairman requested that the installation of timber posts should now be proceeded with. Cllr. G. Jones offered to obtain prices for suitable posts.
Commemorative Coins – Cllr. S. Fisher advised that she had requested the supplier to forward their invoice to the clerk. Cllr. S Fisher passed round a thank you card received from the school children and it was agreed to place a copy on the web site.
055/16. Finance:
Clerk tabled an updated Cash Book status. He advised that there had been no income or expenditure in the past month. The bank balances were presently as follows:
Current Account £9,460
Savings Account £5,255
Knelston Burial Ground Account £675
Payments were outstanding for installation of the Overton seat (£350); the bramble clearance at Port Eynon (£130) and for the commemorative coins (approx. £250) Cllr G Evans proposed that these paymnts be made, Cllr Mrs L Newland seconded the proposal and all were in agreement.
The following funding commitments have been made and are carried forward:
Scurlage Green Improvements – £2,000
Port Eynon Village Green improvements – £2,000.
056/16. Planning:
From Previous applications
2016/0514 Scurlage Farm – 4 new dwellings. Council noted that this was a revised application which superceded the previous. Council also noted that the changes were of a minimal nature, in that the width of the two ‘barn’ buildings was reduced and the windows had been limited to skylights; both in response to the proximity of the development to the neighbouring houses. It was noted that the application included a drainage report, however the report appeared to only substantiate the plan to dispose of surface water by soakaways and ground infiltration. Council noted that during most of the year the present usage of the site could not cope with such a drainage solution and that this was contributing to the flooding of Corner Cottage. The increase in built and paved area will most likely make the situation worse. Council noted that there had been no attempt to address the adequacy of the road junction of Berry Lane and Port Eynon Road. 18th May 2016 Permission refused as an unjustified residential development within the countryside.
2016/0524 Monksland Road Scurlage. Clerk advised that although this application had appeared on the weekly list of applications no papers had been received by the Council. He therefore could not advise on the details of the application. Cllr. R. Fisher advised that he understood that work was likely to commence within the next month. Access to the site would be via the lane adjacent to Ash Croft. He was of the opinion that problems still existed concerning drainage of the development which would rely on soakaways, even though rock existed within two metres of the surface. Also that inadequate parking was proposed. Application withdrawn
2015/1657 The Monksland Scurlage – Appeal for Permit for 64 units of Touring Caravans for three months. Council considered the grounds given for appeal and noted that the claims for a permit on the grounds of providing an overspill facility were not supported by local caravan site owners who had not experienced full occupancy in the past three years. Council also questioned the claims that the site would generate more than 20 full time jobs for the three months of operation, or that the continued viability of ‘The Monksland’ was dependent on this application being granted. Clerk was directed to respond to the Appeal document accordingly. Appeal decision pending.
2016/0471 Bank Farm, Castle Scurlage – Erection of marquee and permit for 125 units of camping both for 3 days of 10th to 12th June 2016 in conjunction with annual convention of West Wales Motor Cycle Club. Council noted that this event had been held for a number of years and had been well managed leading to no complaints or criticisms from local residents. It was agreed unanimously to reccommend approval. 20 April 2016 permission granted.
2016/0680 Adjacent to Hawthorn Cottage, Scurlage. – Outline planning permission for a single dwelling house. Council noted that there had been a previous application for outline permission over ten years ago which had been granted but had since lapsed. After discussion it was agreed that a number of changes had occurred in the vicinity of this site since the previous application. In particular Council considered that the proposed access would result in conflict with the bus lay by and was not to be recommended given the volume and speed of traffic using the A4118 at this location. It was considered that access should be taken from Monksland Road, as was required of the adjoining development. Concern should also again be raised of the unsatisfactory state of mains drainage serving this area and of flooding of this area. Decision pending.
New applications :
2016/1088 Berry Farm, Scurlage. – New agricultural barn. Council noted location and size of the new barn (approx. 18m by 12m.) and queried the height to eaves of only 3.7m. noting that whilst this rendered the barn more sympathetic to the surrounding buildings it would be of restricted use for access and storage. Council unanimously recommended approval.
057/16 Highways & Footpaths.
Councillors noted that there the void in the road surface between near to the entrance to Mr. John Mumby’s field was still present and required levelling. Clerk to action.
Also there was a large pothole in the vicinity of 18 and 20 Monksland Road. Clerk again to action.
Cllr Newland advised that shew as in receipt of complaints from residents regarding the overgrown verges in the Port Eynon area. Two way traffic on the Port Eynon road was no longer possible and vision at bends and junctions was severely impeded. Also all of the road signs were obscured.
After discussion it was again agreed to raise with the City council permission for the Community Council to carry out verge trimming subject to a cross funding arrangement.
Cllr. Jones advised that he had received a complaint from a resident concerning the overgrown hedges at the junction of Trumpet Lane in Knelston which obscured vision for traffic leaving Trumpet Lane.
Cllr Evans advised that the drainage to the disabled parking bays at Port Eynon had once again become blocked with sand and required thorough cleaning.
Cllr Fisher advised that the road signage for the site access to the housing development at Monksland Road was not in conformity with the submitted plans and traffic management statement resulting in large vehicles ‘missing’ the site access and trying to access the site via Monksland Road. He had taken the matter up with the City Council.
058/16 Correspondence:
- Council further discussed the Letter from South Gower Sports Club which questioned the action of the Community Council in issuing a notice to residents concerning the planning application for camping and the wording of the Council’s letter of objection to City Planning Dept. A draft response was agreed and Clerk was directed to finalise and respond to the Sports Club.
- Series of e-mail communications from a resident concerning the actions of the Council in the election and co-option of Councillors. Again a draft response was agreed and Clerk was directed to finalise and respond to the complainant.
059/16 Knelston Burial Ground. Nothing to report.
060/16 Village Halls –
Port Eynon – Clerk advised that he was waiting for pegging of the boundary to be completed.
Port Eynon Green – Council discussed measures to control parking on the green and agreed that a suitable solution would be to install timber posts similar to those at Scurlage Green. It was noted that access would need to be maintained to the electricity sub-station. It was agreed to proceed with drawing up an outline plan and obtaining quotations.
Llandewi Hall – nothing to report.
.
061/16 Communications – Cllr R Fisher would continue to liaise with Mr Tony Wright of AW Graphics concerning a newsletter.
062/16 Any Other Business:
After discussion it was agreed to look again at the registration of Port Eynon Green as a village green.
Councillors noted that the water supply pressure in the Port Eynon area had been very low. It was agreed to keep the matter under observation.
Cllr Evans advised that there had been foul odours in the area of Boarlands and Overton and on inquiry to Welsh Water they advised that there had been some difficulties in managing the water treatment plant at Overton.
Date of Next Meeting: Monday 18th July 2016 at 7:30 pm in the Port Eynon Village Hall.
Meeting closed at 9:30 pm. Chairman
- J. Stubbings, (Clerk) R. Fisher