RESOLVEN COMMUNITY COUNCIL
The Monthly Meeting of the Council was held on Thursday 3rd November 2022 at 6pm at the Community Centre
Present/ Presennol
Mr. T. Jones – Chair/Cadeirydd
Councillors/Cynghorwyr
Mr A. Jones, Mr N. Place, Mr R. Coulter, Mr K. Sims, Mr I Ace, Mr P. Thomas
Clerk/Clerc
Mrs. C. Payne.
County Member/Aelod o’r Cyngor Sir
86/22 Apologies for Absence/Ymddiheuriadau am absenoldeb
Cllr D. Lewis, Mr N. Francis, Mr P. Martin, Mrs R. Parfitt, Mrs J. Llewellyn
87/22 Declarations of Interest/Datganiad o ddiddordeb personol – None
88/22 Minutes of the previous Meeting/Cofnodion y Cyfarfod Diwethaf
The Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday 6th October 2022 were accepted as a true record.
89/22 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 – A quote has been obtained to replace the light at the entrance to the bridge with the Community Council paying for the replacement and the Owners of Fairways Adventures managing the installation. The option of further solar lighting along the path is being discussed.
90/22 Precept for next financial year
Members agreed to hold a precept meeting to discuss future projects and the required precept for the next financial year.
91/22 Library meeting
A request by the Library Trustees to meet with all Trustees to discuss the future of the library
was agreed, due to the current situation not being viable due to the lack of volunteers and visitors to the premises. This will take place in due course.
82/22. Correspondence
Welsh Government Fuel Support Scheme
One Voice Wales News Bulletin
Welsh Government: Here to help with the cost of living
Avian Flu Briefing Note – Trading Standards & Animal Health
Lisa Ball Volunteer Development Officer NPTCVS
We are involved in the “Kindness at Christmas Campaign” and will be helping to share information about what’s going on for Residents in Neath Port Talbot, so if you are aware of anything, please can you let me know.
South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Annual Community Survey
Boundary Commission for Wales – Revised Proposals
83/22 Sub-Committee Reports
Parks/Environment/Hall committee. – No meeting in October
Planning Application P2022/0825 – Former TRW Car Park, Resolven – Retrospective permission for retention of café and decking area and proposed extension with associated ancillary development.
No Objections recorded
Finance Committee. – No meeting in October
84/22 Chairman’s Report.
It has been a quiet month, however on October 26th 2022 there was one very important joint meeting of the Public Service Board of NPT and Swansea.
The meeting had 32 attendees and included both Police Commissioner Alun Michael and Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the worsening problem with “County Lines” and opiate drug abuse in the area.
The below report is a brief summary, owing to the sensitivity of the content
The meeting was Chaired by Rob Stewart of Swansea, and included Chief Officers of most of the main partners of the PSB. In 2019, a task force has been set up to combat the scourge of drugs in the area. Probably owing to the pandemic when resources were understandably stretched the amount of drug deaths had actually increased by a third in the intervening period and Swansea/NPT now had probably the worst record in the UK for drug deaths.
Alun Michael explained that strategies involving behavioural change had proved ineffective. The question of resources was raised, yet since the combined authorities including the Health Board had an income of £1.3 billion, this was viewed as a question of priorities, as against lack of finance.
The appearance of “online pharmacies” had worsened the problem and the Police maintained that strategies were needed to prevent the problem in the first instance, vigorous law enforcement against the drug gangs (which was happening) and breaking the cycle of addiction.
In order that information is transmitted between partners a Senior Reference Group was to be set up and to report back within a matter of weeks to an in-person conference including the voluntary organisations treating drug abuse.
85/22 Councillors Reports
Concern was expressed for enterprise in the village where there are no shops other than food and hairdressing.
There is flooding at the side of the Resolven hall and gravel will be purchases to alleviate the problem.
To prevent any of the large conifer trees at the bottom of the park falling over and causing any potential damage they will be removed in the near future.
