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MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING HELD 30th MARCH 2016
Present
Cllrs Mr Dewi Evans (DE), Mr Barry Evans (BE) Mr Michael Maxfield
(MM), Mrs B Humphreys (BH), Mr S Jones (SJ), Clerk to the Council.
Apologies Apologies for absence: Cllrs. Mrs Jackie Allen, Mrs Hilary Spragg, Mr Newman James, Mr Mark Roberts & WCBC Cllr. Mr Ian Roberts.
Declarations of Interest Declarations of Interest: No declarations of interest to note.
134. MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING HELD 24TH FEBRUARY 2016 The minutes of the Council Meeting was confirmed as a correct record. Proposed BH and seconded SN.
135. MATTERS ARISING Minute 127 – 24.02.2016 – A presentation event to be held to formally accept the poetry collection written by Sydney Roberts. Motion carried 128 – 24.02.2016 – CCTV Phase 1 – work undertaken by AAA Sports Club, originally quoted as £2,600 and now an additional £80 for anti-climb attachment to pole was agreed. Proposed FH, seconded BE and motion carried.
136. NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING PCSO Martin Griffiths went over his latest crime figures for Chirk that were distributed to Councillors beforehand. 8 counts of Anti Social Behaviour, 3 Criminal Damage & 4 Thefts/Thefts from Motor Vehicles were the uppermost. It was noted that the GoSafe vehicle made one visit, using the AAA car park but this was cut short after a request by a member of the committee to move on. The PCSO has also made a request to BT to use their car park opposite but this has not been granted. It was agreed that the Clerk would write to BT making an additional plea and also AAA will be contacted for clarification over what has gone on. The members thanked the PCSO for his attendance.
137. JO LANE – ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY – BUILDING DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES – PRESENTATION / Q&A Jo had written requesting the opportunity to meet the Council for 10 minutes to present the initiative for communities to become more dementia friendly. Arrangements were agreed to attend this evenings meeting but the agenda item was overlooked. The meeting approved this additional item on the agenda and the Clerk apologised for his omission. Over North Wales there are 13 communities working towards becoming accredited as dementia friendly. Currently it is understood that for Wales only 40% of those living with Dementia have been officially diagnosed. In Wrexham County Borough it is believed there are 2,000 cases. After receiving this information the Council were interested to see if Chirk might embark on the steps towards becoming a Dementia-Friendly Community especially in the knowledge that Chirk Court Care Home is expanding to become a specialist care facility for Dementia sufferers. Steps to see if there is interest in forming a Steering Group will be taken. This could be a topic covered at the forthcoming annual Town Hall Meeting – April 27th 2016.
138. REPORT OF STAFFING COMMITTEE MEETINGS HELD 9th & 23rd MARCH 2016 Proposed BE and seconded JV as a correct record.
139. REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING HELD 9th MARCH 2016 SJ acknowledged that Cllr. Mark Holmes was not present and will update accordingly. Attention drawn to the Playwork – Holiday Play Scheme and the recommendation to use the allocated budget of £4,700 for other ideas to benefit the children of Chirk. Proposed by SN and seconded BE that consideration be given to the older age group (10 – 18 years) where provision has fallen away. FH has knowledge of additional funds linked to the former Youth Club. There are youth committees in schools to consult. It is understood there is no building currently available/earmarked. Could the Parish Hall be offered ? It was proposed (BE) to take this matter to the next General Purposes Committee meeting – seconded (SN) – Motion carried. The report accepted as a correct record.
140. REPORT OF PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING HELD 23rd MARCH 2016
The report accepted as a correct record.
141. REPORTS FROM COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES
BH – reported on a meeting with WCBC officers – Darren Green and
David Hesketh to look at further warning signage to help reduce
traffic speeds approaching the 1st right hand corner from
Whitehurst towards Pentre. A suggestion was made for joint CTC/WCBC
funding of an illuminated SLOW sign. Council decided to discuss
this further at the next General Purposes Committee meeting.
BH, JA & SJ attended the WCBC “What is important to you” Consultation Event at the Guild Hall Wrexham – March 3rd 2016.
The Clerk attended the WCBC Town & Community Council Forum on March
17th 2016. Topics discussed, appointment of Grant
Thornton as external auditors for Community Councils in Wrexham
County, Local Development Plan Preferred Strategy, Social Services
and Well Being (Wales) Act 2014, deployment of Wrexham parking
wardens in rural areas and new Members Code of Conduct. A
presentation by Grant Thornton outlined changes to the Annual Return
and common errors that result in additional fees being charged. For
information WCBC have engaged a private contractor to add 5
additional wardens to spearhead a campaign against littering and dog
fouling. The updated Members Code of Conduct will be an agenda item
at the May AGM.
The Clerk attended the Society of Local Council Clerks – Clwyd Branch quarterly meeting – 18th March 2016 hosted by Prestatyn Town Council. The external audit company BDO gave an informative presentation – apart from Wrexham CBC they have been appointed to sign off North Wales Community Councils.
142. REPORTS – LOCAL MEMBERS WREXHAM CBC Cllr. Terry Evans advised of a grant application by WCBC of £1.9 million with £250,000 earmarked to install LED street lighting along the B5070 from Chirk to Johnstown. The circular seat outside the Spar on Church St is to be removed. Mention of the expected repairs to the Cenotaph paved area and lighting. The re-roofing and kitchen/bathroom projects for WCBC housing stock in Chirk continues, mention of Princess Ave and Coronation Drive. TE also advised that he has received a number of emails complaining of MDF dust. Likely linked to chips from Kronospan log yard – where damaged boards being processed.
143. CLERK’S REPORT SJ drew attention to the following:- · Phase 1 of CCTV installation now live using the Church St column on Holyhead Rd close to Chirk Recreation Ground. · From the Town Clerk’s Desk article in recent Chirk Newsletter. · Community Agent recruitment process live – short listed candidates to be invited for interview. · Queen’s Birthday Beacon – April 21st, progress update.
144. APPEALS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Macmillan Cancer Support in North Wales. Proposed BE and seconded
FH that a donation of £50 be made. Motion carried.
145. CORRESPONDENCE · Home Start. Letter of thanks for £50 donation. Noted. · Leighton Andrews AM – Shared Purpose: Shared Future. Statutory Guidance on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. Clearly wishes to encourage all Town/Community Councils to actively engage. Noted. · Chirk Community Newsletter. Letter of thanks for £500 donation. Noted. · Stephen Phipps – Local Government Democracy Division – Welsh Government – Revised Code of Conduct to be adopted by 26th July 2016. Noted – this will be put on the AGM agenda. · Joanne Williams – WCBC Business Support Unit – Requested comments over proposed new street names in Pentre. Noted – Cllr. Barbara Humphreys was immediately consulted upon receipt. · Shane Hughes – Keep Wales Tidy – Create Your Space scheme. Request letter of support. Councillors agreed and requested the Clerk to write. · Edwina Hart AM – Reply to request to join Shropshire MP for calls to make the A5/A483 dual carriageway, Ruabon to Nescliffe. Noted. · Mike Barclay – WCBC Play Development Coordinator – Letter to Parent/Carers of Chirk Holiday Play Scheme users – advising that the scheme will not run in the Easter holidays pending a decision of the funding by Chirk Town Council. Draft for approval. Noted. · Wendy Jones – CVSC – on behalf of AVOW – Thanks for nominating in recent Community Heroes Awards Results published online. Noted. · Karl Hughes – Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust – Community First Responder recruitment back in 2015 and plans to work with Chirk community and surrounding areas to establish a community first response team in Chirk. Confirmation that Halton roundabout is the current deployment point in this area. Noted. · Bryn Jones – Esclusham Community Council – Invitation to Town & Community Councillors and Clerks – Wrexham County Borough – Impact of the Draft Local Government (Wales) Bill on Community Councils. April 13th 2016 6:00pm. Cllr. JV and BE are possible and SJ will attend. · Emily Reddy – Senior Development Officer – Denbighshire Voluntary Service – Expressions of Interest sought for various grants under Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020. Noted.
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Simon Baynes – Welsh Conservative Candidate for Clwyd South – Survey response “Community Banking”
and update on HSBC Chirk and Ruabon branch closures.
Noted. 146. ACCOUNTS/PAYMENTS · Payments A list of invoices and payments (to 30.03.16) amounting to £19,274.72 & £5.53 (using pre-paid creditcard) was given to the Council and were passed for payment (see addendums).
·
Earmarked Reserves
·
Pay Scales
147.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF CHIRK TOWN COUNCIL FINANCIAL REGULATIONS INCLUDING
INTERNAL CONTROLS & RISK ASSESSMENT
148.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Meeting closed 8.45pm.
Signed Chairman 27th April 2016
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