Draft Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on Thursday 18th January 2024, at the Welfare Hall, Heol Y Felin, Cwmgwrach, and via Zoom, commencing at 6.30 pm
Present: Cllr C Edwards (Chair), Cllr A Edwards, Cllr P Rudd, Cllr R Williams, Cllr J Bulman, Cllr M Mortimore, Cllr A Doherty and Cllr D Jones
Council Employees Present: Clerk/RFO Linda Evans
Members of the Public Present: Cllr H Davies
119/23 Apologies: Cllr R A Williams, Cllr A Hippsley
Due to the F&A Meeting overrunning apologies were given for the late starting of the Meeting.
The meeting is held as a multi-hybrid meeting in accordance with The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. Council Standing Order 3b(i)
120/23 Declarations of Interest: There were no declarations of interest at this meeting.
121/23 County Councillor`s Report: Cllr H Davies wished the Councillors a Happy New Year.
- Cllr H Davies updated the Meeting on the tree felling above the Village. This has now been completed. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will be starting the extraction of the wood as soon as the weather and ground conditions allow. RESOLVED and Council were pleased to hear the work had finished as it had been noisy and disruptive.
- Cllr H Davies had followed up the flooding and drainage issue at Heol Wenallt, Cwmgwrach (query from Mr W J Davies). Clerk read the email that had been received from NPTCBC Drainage Officer and Cllr H Davies has updated Mr. Davies of the outcome – Drainage Officer and NRW Representative met to inspect a series of areas that have flooded. NRW have cleansed the area and a plan for drainage has been agreed. RESOLVED Council thanked Cllr H Davies for following up on the initial concern received from Mr. Davies.
122/23 Public Observations on Matters Arising and Agenda Items Being Discussed at this Meeting: No public observations were received before or during the meeting.
123/23 Confirmation of the Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday 16th November 2023– RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 16th November 2023 be confirmed as a correct record thereof.
124/23 Matters Arising from the Meeting held on Thursday 16th November:
a) Matters arising Christmas Celebrations item 65/23 e) – C Baker (RFO now retired) prepared the cost analysis for the Christmas Panto – comparing costs out and costs in. With the Aberpergwm Christmas donation received the overall spend was £465.34 which is within budget. RESOLVED Councillors discussed reviewing the street lights options for next year and the possibility of reducing the cost by using the lights purchased previously. RESOLVED to review in July.
b)Matters arising Meeting with School item 66/23/ e) Chair reported that the school were discussing the hire costs further. RESOLVED Clerk to arrange to discuss hire agreement further.
c)To discuss and confirm Community Council Bank Signatories – Cllr M Mortimore and Cllr P Rudd to finalise the paperwork at the bank. RESOLVED
d) Matters arising 105/23 Correspondence – Councillor Allowances – Chair confirmed that councillor allowances are not taxable at source. Clerk attended OVW/IRPW webinar so aware how allowances are to be paid in the future. RESOLVED and noted
125/23 Agenda Items:
a)Wales Audit Completion Opinion 2022/23 received – The Councillors were pleased to receive the Audit opinion as Unqualified. RESOLVED Clerk to publish the full report onto the Council Website and display in the Council Notice Board. Clerk to complete the Audit Completion Notice with suitable dates and times for the required scrutiny. Clerk has received invoices from Audit Wales for the following dates: Audit fees 2021/22, Additional audit fees arising, 2020/21 Audit fees, totaling £ £3,890.00. Clerk requested an explanation of how the fees were calculated. Councillors discussed the impact these fees have on small community councils and the justification received (from the Audit Office) on how the fees were calculated. RESOLVED Clerk to contact OVW for further advice on the amount of fees received. Chair to raise this at the next OVW meeting so feedback can be given to the Wales Audit Office. Until this has been resolved authorisation to pay the invoices has not been given. Clerk to inform the Audit Office of the delay in payment. RESOLVED Council to await further advice from OVW.
Due to other commitments, Cllr P Rudd left the meeting.
126/23 Planning: There are no planning applications
127/23 Crime and Disorder: 10 crimes were reported here (Blaengwrach Area) in October 2023: 1 Antisocial Behaviour, 1 Other theft, 3 Public Order, 4 Violence and sexual offences, 1 Other crim. In the Villages of Cwmgwrach/Blaengwrach 5 of these crimes were reported 3 Violence and sexual offences, 1 Public order and 1 Other crime. 6 crimes were reported here (Blaengwrach Area) in November 2023, 1 Drugs, 2 Other theft, 2 Violence and sexual offences and 1 Other crime. In the Villages of Cwmgwrach/Blaengwrach 3 crimes were reported. 2 Other theft and 1 Other crime. RESOLVED and noted.
128/23 Finance: Clerk/RFO prepared an estimated expenditure (utility bills based on December usage) up to the end of April 2024. The report highlighted the possibility of the reserve account going below the amount set in the Financial Risk Assessment. Clerk will submit the VAT claim to date, this will boost reserves with estimated £2,000.00 to be claimed. Audit Office Wales invoices received, Clerk to hold payment until receiving advice from OVW (Agenda Item (a).
Clerk reported that the Friday morning Yoga class was resuming at the Hall.
It was proposed and agreed that the Hire Fees should be reviewed at the next meeting.
RESOLVED Clerk to send out the current fees to all Councillors.
The Quarterly Budget was not discussed at the earlier F&A Meeting due to Agenda Item (a) overrunning. It was RESOLVED to arrange another Committee Meeting for the Quarterly Budget to be discussed and brought to Full Council at the February Meeting.
The following payments were scrutinised and approved. RESOLVED
| Payments Made | 17/11/2023 to 18/01/2024 | Amounts |
| Staff Wages and
Pension |
2 Months 20/11/23 to 14/01/24 | £6,446.43 |
| HMRC | Tax & NI Due (6/11/23 to 05/01/24) | £1,201.28 |
| Utility Warehouse Ltd | Electricity @ Welfare Hall (Nov and Dec 23) | £491.68 |
| Welsh Water | Water Rates for Welfare Hall x 2 months | £250.00 |
| Welsh Water | Water Rates for Cemetery x 2 months | £60.00 |
| Zoom Business | Monthly Fee for Wi-Fi Platform for Meetings | £31.18 |
| EE Limited | Monthly Wi-Fi Rental @ Welfare Hall x 2 months | £101.56 |
| British Gas | Gas used at Welfare Hall usage 17/11/23 to 16/12/23 | £1,187.49 |
| NPTCBC | Monthly General Rates for Welfare Hall x 2 months | £750.00 |
| NPTCBC | Monthly General Rates for Cemetery x 2 months | £38.00 |
| Bookers Ltd (R A Williams) | Chocolates/crisps and drinks – Tuck shop for Panto | £39.29 |
| Sweet Box (R A Williams) | Sweets – Tuck shop for Panto | £50.00 |
| JL Sage (Wize Productions) | 2 x Panto’s @ Hall on the 25/11/23 | £1,200.00 |
| MACE Interiors | Stage Curtains @ Hall | £2,097.60 |
| Glynneath Town Council | Book purchase for donation to local school | £6.50 |
| Canon (C Baker) | 2 x Printer Cartridges | £40.48 |
| Viking Direct | Stationary and Cleaning Materials | £33.55 |
| Income Received | 17/11/2023 to 18/01/2024 | Amounts |
| SRCC Stores Ltd | Monthly Rental of Shed in the Park x 2 months | £60.00 |
| TSB Bank | Monthly Interest on “Reserve” Saver x 2 months | £26.36 |
| Cwmgwrach Judo Club | Hall Hire Fees – October and November | £96.00 |
| Sion-Lee Savage DanZfit | Hall Hire Fees – October and November | £60.00 |
| Celtic Archers | Hall Hire Fees – November and December | £216.00 |
| Friends of Blaengwrach School | Hall Hire (Table Top Sale) 18th November 2023 | £40.00 |
| NPTCBC Flying Start | Hall Hire – November and December | £120.00 |
| Singing for the Brain (Empower CIC) | Hall Hire – November and December | £168.00 |
| Engerybuild Aberpergwm | Grant Towards Christmas 2023 Celebrations | £500.00 |
| NPTCBC | 3rd Precept | £17,807.66 |
| Account Balances | As at (Date) | |
| General Account | 18th January 2024 | £2,430.66 |
| Reserve/Saver Account | 18th January 2024 | 16,864.03 |
| Total Account Balances as at 18/01/24 | £19,294.69 |
Invoices and Leases for 2023 totaling £280.00 have been issued and not yet paid. RESOLVED
129/23 Correspondence & Section 137 Request:
- Available Graves – email received from NPTCBC to review the available space for burials at the Cemetery. Clerk and Groundsperson have carried out a review at the beginning of January, and estimated 36 available plots, with a possible 10-year capacity. There is a possibility of expanding into the overgrown area if it was developed. RESOLVED Clerk to respond to NPTCBC with this information.
- Wales Air Ambulance – Thank you letter received for the donation of £67.00 that was collected at the Christmas Panto. RESOLVED and noted
130/23 Review Budget Items and “5 Year Plan”:
Clerk to research funding for Park/Hall paths.
Chair and Clerk have met with Cllr S Lane (Grassroots). Volunteers are available to replant the area next to the Witch, and place a planter on the concrete area at the entrance to the Villages. The development of the overgrown land in the Cemetery was also highlighted as an area to place a memorial garden. RESOLVED Clerk to investigate possible funding options. Clerk to email NPTCBC for permission to place a planter in the mentioned area.
131/23 Set Date, Time & Proposed Agenda Items for the next meeting; …
The next Ordinary Meeting of the Community Council will be held on Thursday 15th February 2024 at 6.30 pm The venue of the meeting will be the Welfare Hall, and available remotely on Zoom. The proposed agenda items are, at this time – None
Notices for the meetings will be posted at least three working days before they are due to take place.
Meeting closed at 7.43 pm
The Council resolved to enter Closed Session under Section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972 & the Council Standing Order 3c to Discuss Personnel Issues.