RESOLVEN COMMUNITY COUNCIL
The Monthly Meeting of the Council was held on Thursday 7th April 2022 at 6pm at the Community Centre
Present/ Presennol
Mr. N. Francis – Chairman/Cadeirydd
Councillors/Cynghorwyr
Mr. T. Jones, Mr. A Jones, Mr I Ace, J. Llewellyn, P. Thomas, N. Place
County Member/Aelod o’r Cyngor Sir
Not present
Clerk/Clerc
Mrs. C. Payne.
26/22 Apologies for Absence/Ymddiheuriadau am absenoldeb
Mr K. Sims
27/22 Declarations of Interest/Datganiad o ddiddordeb personol
None declared
28/22 Minutes of the previous Meeting/Cofnodion y Cyfarfod Diwethaf
The Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday 3rd February 2022 were accepted as a true record.
29/22 Clerk’s report and Council Matters Arising/Materion yn codi o’r cofnodion ac adroddiad y Clerc.
The Clerk’s report was presented and approved.
Matters arising.
116/21 Lighting at school camp – It was agreed to ask a contractor to install low level solar lighting on the pathway – ongoing
30/22 Clerk’s Salary
At the Finance budget forecast meeting for the next financial year the Clerk’s salary was discussed and there being no review since 2018 an increase of 3.5% was agreed and ratified by the full Council.
Resolved to increase Clerks salary by 3.5%
31/22 External auditors report
The external audit report for year 2020/2021 has been received, presented, and approved by the full Council.
Resolved to approve the Annual Return
32/22 Placement of Jubilee trees
9 Rowan and Hazel trees have been received to plant for the Queens Jubilee, several locations were considered, the recreation field, the school and Ty Banc. A decision will be made in due course
33/22 The Ukraine vigil
A vigil to stand in solidarity for Ukraine will be held on Saturday 23rd April at 11am at the Ynysfach Primary school. Notices are on our web site.
34/22 Correspondence
Pen Y Cymoedd newsletter
Elan City Road Safety Solutions
Welsh Government – Smarter working: A remote working strategy for Wales.
35/22 Sub-Committee Reports
Parks/Environment/Hall committee. – No meeting in March 22
Planning App P2022/0276 – 3 Woodland Terrace, Resolven. SA11 4NG –
2 storey side extension, conversion of attic in main dwelling to include front and rear dormers
No objections recorded
Planning App P2022/0216 – Melin Court Wind farm – Variation of Condition of planning permission P2014/0883 granted 16/5/2018 to amend the maximum heights of the turbines
from 145m to tip to 149.9m to tip
No objections recorded and further letter of support for this application will be sent to planning at NPT.
Finance Committee. – No meeting in March
36/22 Chairman’s Report.
The Chair attended the Inauguration of the ministry area of Bro Naddfa Newydd on 6th March at St Catwg’s church led by the Bishop of Llandaff Bishop June Osborne.
This new ministry area covers Resolven, Tonna, Aberpergwm, Cadaxton, Banwen, Alltwen, Cilybebyll, Crynant, Blaengwrach and Dyffryn.
Also at the service he met the new vicar for St David’s Church Rev Jane Shaw.
The Chair also reminded the members about the Ukraine Vigil on 23rd April and requested as many attends as possible.
There will be a village Easter egg hunt on Saturday 15th May at the canal, members agreed to donate £20 for Easter eggs.
37/22 Councillors Reports
A report of birds nesting in the hedge at the bowling green which will affect the cutting of the hedge. It was agreed to make sure the nests were not disturbed when the hedge is being cut.
Cllr A. Jones who is a Governor at Llangatwg School reported that some pupils with mental health issues were reluctant to attend school, and a proposal was put forward by the school, for some affected pupils to be seen in their local area. Our community centre has been offered for such use if needed.
Members would like to congratulate Daniel Jervis on his recent and ongoing success at the British Swimming Championships 2022. Well Done Dan another bumper crop of medals.
A Report on the NPT PSB meeting held via Teams on 21/3/22.
The meeting was well attended, and the Teams format resulted in a fairly short meeting, but in a mechanical manner that would cure an insomniac!!
LDP consultation – the labyrinthine process of producing a new plan for 2021 – 36 was explained. This rather soviet style process would seem to be fit and ready to take the officers up to their retirement date. In the style of George Orwell, for development read “reasons to stop it”, and no client schemes seem to include an invitation to heavy industrial investment.
NPT Well Being Assessment (draft) – a 224-page document was presented to the meeting.
Partner update:
a) NRW – this tree hugging organization has another “new” framework for something, and a scheme called “Antur a Ni”, it is quickly morphing into a branch of Extinction Rebellion rather than a successor to the Forestry Commission in Wales.
b) Police – gave a report on why they are really a branch of social services. Though there was some good news on the number of county lines gangs closed down.
c) Tai Tarian – they have purchased the Big Cam and the Skewen Snooker Club to be turned into social housing. Fifteen homes have also been set aside for Ukrainian refugees.
d) CVS – the third sector is under enormous pressure and many organizations have not survived the pandemic. The problem of loneliness and isolation is to the fore.
e) Swansea Bay H.B – the pandemic is still with us, with some increase in cases among both staff and patients. It is unclear what the relaxation of regulations will have on the situation if this happens after March 28th.
f) Neath College – the exciting news of a new £60m campus by 2026 was announced.
g) NPT – the purdah period will be starting in a week’s time.A new graduate scheme was unveiled.
One may detect a degree of cynicism, in some of this report, however the Teams format seems to be destined to be a permanent feature and the robustness of the early years of the PSB seems to have gone. It now appears to have lost direction and purpose, in a world where we are all indeed a little worried that a future generation could well be an aspiration rather than a certainty.
Trefor Jones.
