CHEPSTOW TOWN COUNCIL

Draft Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Chepstow Town Council

held in The Gatehouse, High Street, Chepstow

on Wednesday 24th July 2013 at 7.00pm

Present:

Chairman: Cllr Mrs S Dovey (Town Mayor)

Councillors: Ms H Beach, D Dovey, P Farley, Mrs Y Havard,

P Hobson, Mrs J Robbins, D Rooke, G Rowe,

P Rutter, B Smith, A Watts

Apologies: Cllr N Heywood

In Attendance: Ms S Bushell (Town Clerk)

Mrs L Allen (Administrative Officer)

Prior to the commencement of the business of the meeting Members received a presentation from representatives of Transition Chepstow Food Group in respect of their “Eat Local Campaign” which included the challenge to eat only produce produced within a 30 mile radius for the month of September. The Group briefly outlined their request for grant funding by the Town Council to facilitate the purchase of notice boards, the publication of a local producers guide and a competition prize.

The meeting then received a short presentation from the Manager of Monmouthshire Women’s Aid, who outlined the organizations work with women and their children. Monmouthshire Women’s Aid were seeking accommodation for drop in sessions and for women’s and children’s groups within the Chepstow area and would be seeking grant funding from the Town Council to help support these activities.

47. / DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
Cllr P Hobson declared an interest under the Code of Conduct in a late item of correspondence reported to the meeting for information in respect of car parking workshops to be held by Monmouthshire County Council.
48. / MAYORAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Town Mayor reported attendance at the following events:-
Monday 1st July – AGM of Homestart at The Bridges Centre, Monmouth
Friday 5th July – Chepstow Library’s “National Bookstart” Week Celebration
Friday 5th July – Tesco Chepstow – Foodbank collection
Friday 5th July – Open Air Theatre “Mikado”
Saturday 6th July – St John’s on the Hill – Speech Day and prize giving
Saturday 6th July – Welsh School of Architecture Exhibition at Chepstow Museum
Sunday 7th July – Caldicot Town Council Civic Service
Wednesday 10th July – Funeral of Colin White former Chairman of MCC
Saturday 13th July – Widders welcome to Italian performers
Saturday 13th July – Tesco Chepstow – Presentation of prizes for Diabeties UK
Sunday 21st July – Usk Town Council Civic Service.
49. / MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 26th June 2013 were confirmed as correct and signed as a true record.
50. / MATTERS ARISING
Presentation by Inspector Pope – The Inspector had not provided feedback on the number of incidents of domestic violence but had proposed that the “Domestic violence team” attend the September meeting of Council.
Item 36. Community and Town Council Communal Web Portal – The Clerk advised that she had written to One Voice Wales expressing concern at the way in which CMC2 were administering the funding from the Welsh Government intended for community and town councils. The Clerk further advised that she had submitted a business plan in support of the Council’s application for £500 funding and had responded to the follow up issues raised by CMC2.
Item 42 (a) Monmouthshire County Council Air Quality Management – The meeting was advised that the next meeting of the Lower Wye Area Committee would take place on the evening of Wednesday 18th September and would be followed by public consultation on Air Quality Management. This meeting would clash with the Town Council’s scheduled Personnel Committee meeting and the Chair of the Personnel Committee therefore suggested that the Personnel Committee meeting be rescheduled
Item 44. Maters relating to the Public and Urgent Information Exchange: Farmers Market. The Clerk advised that she was working closely with the organiser of Chepstow Farmers Market with a view to a major re-launch of the market in September to coincide with Transition Chepstow’s “Eat Local Challenge”.
51. / COMMITTEES
(a) / Planning and Administration Committee
The minutes of the Planning and Administration Committee meetings held on 26h June and 10th July 2013.
RESOLVED:
To receive the minutes of the Planning and Administration Committee meetings held on 26h June and 10th July 2013.
(b) / Financial Policy and Audit Committee
The minutes of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee meeting held on 19th June 2013.
RESOLVED:
To receive the minutes of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee meeting held on 19th June 2013.
(c) / Consultative Committee
The meeting received a brief report on the arrangements made to progress business following the inquorate meeting of the Consultative Committee on 10th July 2013.
The Chairman of the Consultative Committee and Clerk had agreed to respond welcoming positively the consultative document in respect of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 Part 7: Communities and Community Councils – Guidance, including Statutory Guidance to Principal Councils and Community and Town Councils in Wales by Friday 23rd August 2013.
With regard to the correspondence seeking evidence in respect of the Welsh Government – Public Service Governance and Delivery, it had been noted that the correspondence had been reported to Full Council and that the call for evidence required personal rather than Council experience, and thus Members might wish to respond individually.
52. / Town meeting – monday 15th july 2013
The meeting received a brief report of the Town Meeting which took place at 7.00pm at the Palmer Centre on Monday 15th July 2013 on the themes of Health and Community Safety. The meeting had been very well attended and well received. Representatives from the Aneurin Bevan Health Board had noted that it had been the best attended of their consultative meetings.
53. / DRAFT ANNUAL NEWSLETTER
The meeting considered and agreede the draft Chepstow Town Council newsletter to local residents subject to the substitution of the word “majority” for the word “control” in the first paragraph and verification of members contact details.
54. / TOwn Council Annual Meeting and Election of mayor
The meeting noted the Clerk’s report clarifying the procedure for the election of Town Mayor at the Annual Meeting.
55. / TOWN COUNCIL REPRESENTATION – ONE VOICE WALES
Members considered representation on the Area Committee and Larger Councils Committee of One Voice Wales. No Members were able to commit to representing the Council on One Voice Committee and the Clerk therefore undertook to attend meetings, subject to work commitments.
56. / ONE VOICE WALES LARGER COUNCILS CONFERENCE 10th JULY 2013
The Clerk gave a brief report on the One Voice Wales Larger Councils Conference which took place on Wednesday 10th July 2013.
57. / SOCIETY OF LOCAL COUNCIL CLERKS/UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE SUMMER SYMPOSIUM
The Clerk gave a brief report on the Society of Local Council Clerks/University of Gloucestershire Summer Symposium which took place on 17th and 18th July 2013.
In response to a Members request the Clerk undertook to arrange for copies of the presentations at this symposium to be emailed to members.
58. / ONE VOICE WALES – TRAINING PROGRAMME
Members noted the One Voice Wales Training Programme which will run from September to December 2013.
RESOLVED:
Cllr Ms H Beach to attend Module 5 – The Council Meeting on Tuesday 3rd December at The Council house, Cwmbran at a cost of £30.00. (Local Government Act 1972 s111)
59. / REQUEST FOR DOG WASTE BIN
The meeting considered the request for the Town Council to fund the purchase of additional dog waste bins in Welsh Street, adjacent to the entrance of Piercefield Woods and, at Warren Slade Woods, Thornwell.
The Clerk advised the meeting that in recent weeks following the change in Monmouthshire County Council refuse collection arrangements there had been a considerable increase in fly tipping around dog waste bins. The fly tipping was being reported to Monmouthshire County Council.
RESOLVED:
To fund the purchase of additional dog waste bins in Welsh Street, adjacent to the entrance of Piercefield Woods and, at Warren Slade Woods, Thornwell at an estimated cost of £250 per bin plus £155 per annum for emptying, subject to Monmouthshire County Council authorising the installation. (Litter Act 1983 ss 5,6)
60. / DRAFT CHEPSTOW BENCHMARKING REPORT
Members welcomed the Draft Chepstow Benchmarking Report and noted that a special meeting of Chepstow Marketing Group would be held on 10th September 2013 to consider the report in detail prior to arranging a public presentation of the report findings and recommendations for action.
61. / CHEPSTOW AGRICULTURAL SHOW
The meeting noted that the Town Council was to have a stand at Chepstow Agricultural Show on Saturday 10th August 2013 and considered attendance/staffing of the stand in order that the correct number of admission/car parking passes can be ordered.
Cllrs Ms H Beach, P Farley, P Hobson and A Watts would not be available on 10th August. The remaining Members undertook to advise the Clerk of their availability to staff the Town Councils stand.
62. / FINANCE
(a) / Bank Reconciliation
The reconciliation of the Council’s bank Accounts at 30th April, 31st May and 30th June 2013 was confirmed.
(b) / Accounts
Adoption was agreed for the monthly accounts for April, May and June 2013.
April May June
Total Payments (CB1) £ 89,204.56 £ 70,433.47 £ 40.20
Total Payments (CB2) £ 69,388.09 £ 32,355.31
£ 89,204.56 £139,821.56 £ 32,395.51
Total Receipts (CB1) £108,348.82 £ 774.68 £ 2,500.00
Total Receipts (CB2) £ 51,554.36 £ 775.65
£108,348.82 £ 52,329.04 £ 3,275.65
(c) / Community Grant Funding
The meeting considered the Community Grant Funding application from Garden City Community Group in respect of their planned activity day in August.
The Clerk advised Members that she was in receipt of a Community Grant Funding Application for £610 in respect of Transition Chepstow’s “Local Food Challenge” and had been advised that Women’s Aid Monmouthshire proposed to submit a Community Grant Funding Application for approximately £500 in respect of women and childrens’ groups to be held in Bulwark and Thornwell. These later two applications would need to be dealt with under delegated powers during the Summer recess.
Members indicated overwhelming support for the Womens’ Aid project and raised a number of concerns in respect of the Transition Chepstow Food Group Project.
RESOLVED:
(a) To contribute £500 to Garden City Community Group in respect of their planned activity day in August. (Local Government Act 1972 s137)
(b) The Community Grant Funding Applications in respect of Transition Chepstow’s “Local Food Challenge” and Women’s Aid Monmouthshire to be determined under delegated powers by the Clerk, in consultation with the Town Mayor and Chairman of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee.
63. / REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES
(a) / Chepstow and District Citizens Advice Bureau
The meeting noted correspondence dated 27th June 2013 from the Interim Chair regarding the merger of the Monmouthshire Citizens Advice Bureaus and the commissioning process.
(b) / Chepstow Amalgamated Charities
The Town Council’s representative on the committee of Chepstow Amalgamated Charities advised that the body had met and had undertaken the annual allocation of funds.
(c) / Lower Wye Area Committee
The Town Council’s representative had attended the meeting held earlier in the day and had been concerned to by a report that Policing presence in the town after 12.00 noon was limited to an officer on call and that there were no routine Police patrols.
64. / MATTERS FOR INFORMATION
Members noted the following items reported for information:-
(a) / Chepstow Marketing Committee
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 11th June 2013
(b) / Monmouthshire Youth Service
Monmouthshire Youth E- Newsletter – July 2013.
(c) / One Voice Wales – The Voice
Copies of Issue 23 Summer 2013 The Voice were available at the meeting.
(d) / Monmouthshire County Council - Improvement Plan 2013 -2016
Monmouthshire County Council’s Improvement Plan 2013 -2016.
(e) / Monmouthshire Action Plans for Sustainability
“Expression of Interest Forms” for funding under the Monmouthshire Action Plans for Sustainability had been submitted by Transition Chepstow and Garden City Community Group.
65. / CORRESPONDENCE
Members received and considered correspondence set out in the schedule circulated with the agenda.
With the consent of the Chairman the Clerk reported the following late items of correspondence for Members information:-
(a) Welsh Government – Appointment of Members to the Wales Programme Monitoring Committee for European Structural and Investment Funds 2014 -2020.
(b) Welsh Government – Appointment of Members to Advisory Panel to Welsh Ministers about Public Policy Institute
(c) Welsh Government – Appointment of Chair of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
(d) Monmouthshire County Council – Invitation for Chepstow Town Council to send three representatives to a car parking workshop at Chepstow Leisure Centre on Monday 12th August at 6.00pm.
Cllrs Mrs Y Havard, P Farley and D Rooke indicated that they wished to attend the car parking workshop.
(e) Historic Towns Forum – Invitation to send delegates to a Tourism and Neighbourhood Planning Event in Hereford on 31st July and 1st August at a cost of £50 per delegate.
66. / MATTERS RELATING TO THE PUBLIC AND URGENT INFORMATION EXCHANGE
Several Members reported that residents had complained about some of the recent changes in Monmouthshire County Council’s refuse collection services, most complaints related to the new charge of £8 for green waste bags and the “yellow bag” service for “Clinical Waste”. It was also suggested that the new semi transparent grey bags were attracting sea gulls.
It was reported that changes to the bus timetable were to be introduced and that hopefully the service would improve.
The meeting was advised that Arriva Trains had agreed an addition train to service Chepstow and that further improvements were being sought for Severn Tunnel Junction.
It was noted that the Chepstow Library reading Garden had unfortunately been vandalized.
A Member reported that there had been an increase in “creep burglaries” as a consequence of residents leaving ground floor windows open at night during the recent spell of hot weather.
The Town Mayor concluded by thanking the Town Amenities Committee and the two Administrative Officers for their hard work towards the towns entry in the Wales in Bloom Competition and for the excellent appearance of the towns floral and plant displays.
67. /

ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING

68. / SUMMER RECESS
The meeting considered arrangements for dealing with urgent business arising over the Summer recess.
RESOLVED:
To delegate authority to the Clerk, in consultation with the Town Mayor and/or Deputy Town Mayor, to deal with urgent business arising over the Summer recess.
69. / DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next ORDINARY MEETING will be held on WEDNESDAY 25th September 2013 at 7.00pm in the Council Chamber, The Gatehouse, High Street, Chepstow.

CLOSE: This completed the business of the meeting at 9.30pm