Draft to be approved June 14th
MATHERN COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of the Council meeting held on Monday 17th May 2021
Present: Cllrs David Harris, (Chairman) , James Anderson, Matt Sidwell, Gareth Page. Sylvia Stephens, Dave Merrett.
Also in attendance:
Clerk – Mrs J Kelley
Members of the public–None
Police representatives – None
01/21 PROCEDURAL ITEMS
(i) Public Comment
None
ii)Report from Community Police.
“Here is the report for Mathern, Pwllmeyric and Mounton for between the above dates :
There is very little crime to report thankfully but that does not mean we can be complacent, apart from the following the incidents:
12/4/2021 – Report of a 2 vehicle RTC (road traffic collision) on Pwllmeyric Hill. The driver of the one vehicle was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The other driver was reported for due care offences. The road was closed whilst the incident was dealt with.
17/4/2021 – Report of a vehicle found abandoned on Pwllmeyric Hill in the early hours of the morning. The driver was later dealt with by officers for driving offences.
22/4/2021 – Report of the theft of a 4 iron golf club taken from the golf course whilst the caller was playing golf at St. Pierre.”
Please remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity/ crime at the time via either 101 or 999 if you deem it an emergency. If it is low level you can also report via email on contact@gwent.police.uk
Cllr C Morton reported that a number of cars are still leaving St Pierre using a right turn when this is now not allowed.
Clerk to contact police to ask them to speak to St Pierre so that they advise their clients of the changed road layout.
iii) Apologies
Cllr C Ovenden – Cllr J Harris – County Councillor Louise Brown
(v) Declarations of Personal or Pecuniary Interest:
None
vi) Minutes of the previous meeting
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Mathern Community Council meeting held on Monday 12thApril 2021 as a true and accurate record.
02/2021 Finance – April– May
a) to consider approval of payments as per below;
b) to approve appointment of Internal Auditor for 2021/2022 accounts;
Resolved to appoint Andrea Fry for a further year.
c) to approve advertising of grant availability from 2021/22 budget.
Clerk to advertise these on noticeboards and website.
d) Adopt Annual Governance Statement Part 1 and 2.
Chairman and Clerk signed this.
All approved.
Receipt of £1112.51.00 from Community Benefit, Rhewl Solar Farm noted.
Grant Application from MMPVB was circulated. Total grant available for the year is £1500.00. £600.00 was agreed for this application.
Payments and Receipts
Payments April – May 2021
Clerk Training SLCC/OVW £54.00 23 04 2021 Bacs Invoice 04/21
Stock It – Website update £150.00 23 04 2021 Bacs Invoice 05/21
Zurich – Insurance £546.21 17 05 2021 Bacs Invoice 06/21
Clerk – Internet Phone £56.41 17 05 2021 Bacs Invoice 07/21
Stock It via SO £56.40 06 04 2021 Via S O
Merlin Waste £43.33 06 04 2021 Via S O
Smart Pensions £129.82 12 04 2021 Via DD
Stock it invoice 08/21 £40.00 18 05 2021 Bacs
Wales in bloom Grant 09/21 £600.00 18.05 2021Bacs
Receipts April – May 2021
M C C Precept 7334.00 30 04 2021 Bacs
Rhewl Solar Benefit 1112.51 28 04 2021 Bacs
Monthly Bank Reconciliation authorisation by Cllr J Harris – Clerk delivered this to home address.
The annual insurance was paid. However the Clerk agreed to obtain another quote before next year’s renewal to check that it is still value for money.
03/21 PROGRESS REPORT ON ACTIONS FROM LAST MEETING
Responses to queries raised at previous meetings
a)Response from Welsh Water re. sewerage issues Pwllmeyric /Mounton
Virtual meeting agreed for Thursday 20th May. Cllr G Page and County Cllr L Brown to attend to represent Mathern C C. Cllrs D Harris and C Ovenden may also attend.
b) Road Closure Mounton Road
After one month this road is now open. However Cllrs believe this is only a temporary fix.
c) Drain clearance 3 villages/mud on roads from local tractors
All drains have still not been cleaned. Both Mounton and Pwllmeyric have not been visited and Baileys Hay is still blocked.
Cllrs were very concerned at the state of the roads from tractors leaving recently ploughed fields. This is not helping the problem as it causes run-off from roads into the drains so that silt builds up.
Cllrs were advised that, should they see such an issue, please report via My Monmouthshire App – and ring 101 to report dangerous mud on highways.
MCC intend to write to local farmers explaining that enforcement action will be taken if they take no action themselves to keep the highways clean.
04/21Highways/Footpaths
Oak Tree Chapel Lane –
Clerk to write to MCC as Cllrs still feel that the splay of this tree is to low and dangerous to high vehicles. Clerk to also ask where highway boundary ends.
Update re. untidy land, rear of Birdwood Gardens and corner of Barn Lane.
MCC have advised that Contractor will start on this shortly. No time scale given.
Pot holes Mounton Village – all parts need attention and visual inspection.
Road sweeper needed Mounton village
05/21 COUNCILLOR’S REPORTS/CLERKS REPORT
a) OVW. – Next meeting1st July 7pm remotely
b) Defibrillator monthly checking
Clerk checked Mounton Brook Lodge – all working
Cllr C Morton checked Millers Arms – all working.
Defibrillator at the Millers Arms was used, then taken away for cleaning and new pads. Now reinstated. A sign was positioned on the machine indicating nearest alternative machine.
c) County Councillors Report
COUNTYCOUNCILLORREPORT – May – None due to elections
d) Risk assessments – Mathern
Cllr D Harris– All completed. Clerk to assess these and arrange for any works to be carried out.
e) Best Kept Garden Competition 2021
Cllr C Morton advised that due to Covid restrictions, it was felt that the competition should be postponed for another year.
All Cllsr agreed.
06/21 PLANNING MATTERS – To include any received after Agenda is circulated
a) New applications – None
b) Decisions and appeals – None
c) Enforcement-
MCC have advised on the area adjacent to Barn Lane – landowners agents are aware that land need clearing and are arranging for the works to commence,
MCC have advised on the area of land behind Birdwood Gardens that the landowners agents will shortly be carrying out ditch clearance here.
A public member has contacted a Cllr regarding a business which has been opened at Laburnam Cottage, Pwllmeyric. Clerk to email MCC to check that all appropriate permissions have been obtained.
Footpath 57(part) – Comments – Councillors queried why properties are able to be built blocking the footpaths? Surely MCC Planning should have been aware of footpaths on this land.
Mathern C C noted that no provision was made to relocate the path at the time of the buildings’ construction. It was obstructed as a consequence and therefore is now deemed unwalkable.
07/21 CORRESPONDENCE AND FORTHCOMING MEETINGS
12.05.2021 Clerks joint training SLCC/OVW
28 04 2021 Safe Speed Demonstration 23 06 2021 – 6.30
29 04 2021 Chepstow Future – Place Plan
30 04 2021 Update work to war memorial C Wheeler agreed 2019 2020
30 04 2021 MCC Planning re Palace Farm Application
01 05 2021 Cllr G Page – Letters re open sewerage Pwllmeryic
02 05 2021 Public Health Wales – Covid 19. Help us to learn lessons from the community led response in Wales
Meetings
Clerk Training 13th May OVW – SLCC
Welsh Water 20th May
Chepstow Future Plan 17th May
Remuneration Panel 29th April – apologies sent
8/21 OTHER MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION
A Appointment of representatives on going
Charity of Charles Pratt Mathern Cllr Jayne Harris term 21 09 20 –20 09 25
B To adopt the following new and updated policies.
Grants Policy
Health and Safety policy
Equality and Diversity Policy
General Data protection Regulation
Freedom of information publications of documents
Risk assessment and management procedure
Retention and disposal of document policy
Social media policy
The following were adopted. Clerk to make amendments as agreed.
Grants Policy
Health and Safety policy
Equality and Diversity Policy
Freedom of information publications of documents
Social Media Policy
The following were carried over until the next meeting:
General Data Protection Regulations
Risk assessment and management procedure
Retention and disposal of documents policy.
Unadopted
Welsh Language policy
Clerk to contact One Voice Wales to seek assistance with this.
Clerk to contact The Dell School to confirm which Community Council is currently represented on the Board of Governors and when the next term of this office commences. Currently representated by St Arvans Mathern Nomination will be required from 13th July 2022
Clerk to arrange for Annual DSE to be completed and returned to Chairman or Vice Chairman.
C Traffic Issues Pwllmeyric – see two accidents on police report.
It was agreed that a data incident collection process would be started. This to be used to collect traffic incidents in the Community. The data would then back up evidence from the speed watch groups. The purpose of collecting the information is to improve the road safety within our Community.
Cllr M Sidwell to produce the system.
D Future Coffee Morning – Community engagement.
The next coffee morning is scheduled for October 2021 – Cllrs to check government guidelines re. Covid before booking a date.
E Progress – speed watch group
All applications are with GO Safe and awaiting Clerk to ask County Councillor Brown to contact Mr Kinsella and ask for the data strips to be installed in Mathern
An email has been received from Chepstow Community Council asking if Mathern C C would support the REINSTATEMENT OF MINOR INJURIES UNIT CHEPSTOW.
Cllrs unanimously supported this clerk to email response.
09.21 PROJECTS AWAITING COMPLETION
• Paper archives re. Mathern School to County Records Office, Ebbw Vale.
• Archive records of school to be input Website
• Registration of land assets by 2025
• Internal Audit
Cllr J Anderson to assist the clerk with the website by uploading the school records to the website.
10/21 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Next Meeting–Monday 14thJune 2021small room Village Hall.
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting closed at 8.50 pm.
Signed …………………………….. CHAIRMAN Date……………….