March Council minutes

RESOLVEN COMMUNITY COUNCIL

The Monthly Meeting of the Council was held on Thursday 3rd March 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, Mr K. Sims, J. Llewellyn, P. Thomas, N. Place

County Member/Aelod o’r Cyngor Sir  

Cllr Dean Lewis

Councillor Lewis updated the members on the A465 upgrade which the Community Council has been lobbying the Welsh Government for many years, and also the current situation with the Muirhall Energy Company wind farm which has also been an ongoing concern for many years.

Issues raised

Pot holes in the Resolven AFC club area, 

Clerk/Clerc

Mrs. C. Payne.

17/22 Apologies for Absence/Ymddiheuriadau am absenoldeb

All members present

18/22 Declarations of Interest/Datganiad o ddiddordeb personol

Cllr K. Sims item 22/22

19/22 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. 

20/22 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 

21/22   Leylandii trees in the park

The fallen tree in the park has been removed, and the rest of the trees were discussed. Following discussion 3 options were considered:-

1. To cut and remove the trees
2. To cut the trees and leave to form a nature habitat
3. To cut and remove the trees and form a disabled car park for park users use.

The Option considered at present is to cut and remove the trees now, and make a decision for the area later in the year. 

22/22   Upgrade of electric supply in the park 

The Resolven events group have asked the Community Council to upgrade the electrics in the park to accommodate the carnival.  It was agreed to look into this request. 

Hanging basket competition awards 

The hanging basket competition will go ahead this year for the Resolven Community and the awards for 1st,2nd,& 3rd will be £50, £30, £20.  Judging will take place at the end of June, and the presentation will take place at the carnival. 

23/22   Correspondence

High Sheriff’s Award – Members agreed to nominate the Resolven Events Committee

14/22   Sub-Committee Reports   

Parks/Environment/Hall committee. – No meeting in February 22

Finance Committee. – No meeting in February

24/22   Chairman’s Report. 

The Chair will attend St Cawtg’s Church, Cadoxton for a special service to inaugurate the setting up of the new Ministry for the Dulais and Neath Valley. 

The Chair proposed that the members issue a Declaration of Solidarity for the people in Ukraine

This was agreed

Members received their nomination packs for the coming election and the Chair wished them well.

25/22  Councillors Reports 

The bowling green will be open at the beginning of April and it was agreed to place a baby changing unit to put in the disabled toilet. 

A Report on the NPT Regional Committee of One Voice Wales held remotely on 2/3/22

The meeting was better attended than the last, though once again too many councils failed to attend.

1. Funding for multi location meetings – these will become statutory under Welsh legislation in future however funding is unlikely to be provided for larger councils. It is unclear in which category Resolven falls?
2. Training Courses free places – these remain available until the end of March.
3. Lack of qualified clerks – it appears that since the pandemic and working from home, less people are not willing to leave home to attend meetings and this may have contributed to a dearth of suitable candidates even for posts paying as highly as £46,000 per annum. Very few have undertaken the CILCA qualification.
4. Purdah period – this extends from the 21^st March until the 9^th May (election on 5^th). The Council can operate as before but no activity construed as “electioneering” can take place in the Council’s name for instance a newsletter. An online Good Councillor Guide is about to appear for guidance and for the benefit of new councillors.
5. Local Government Act 2021 – under this legislation, new statutory duties will appear including an annual report (which may be published online) and the access of public to meetings via remote communications and the days needed of notice. The document should be studied closely by both councillors and Clerks. A status of general power of confidence may be gained by those councils which are at least 2/3 elected (including unopposed) or where the Clerk is fully CILCA qualified. This would open the door to a range of new responsibilities e.g. running a community pub or shop.
6. Upper Neath Valley Cluster – Paul Egan mentioned this radical development as an example of good practice which should be followed in other areas.
7. Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Grants – examples were given of planned events in other parts of Wales which had received generous grant funding. Concern was raised as to the election period making this difficult.
8. Future Meetings of Regional Committee – providing all Covid regulations have disappeared the next meeting will be in Neath on the 8^th of June. It was also decided that in future, the spring summer and autumn meetings would be in person and the winter meeting held online.

Trefor Jones