The July meeting of Amroth Community Council was again held online via Zoom, with the following matters being among those considered and discussed:
Chair’s
Welcome
The chair welcomed all councillors to the meeting. He expressed sympathy on behalf of ACC to the family of retired councillor Bernard Lawrence who passed away earlier in the month following illness. Bernard was a very popular member of the council and served the community for nearly 40 years.
New councillor Alan Evans was co-opted onto the council and welcomed to his first meeting as a councillor.
Matters
Arising from the minutes
• The land in Church View, Summerhill has been cleared.
• Amroth and District Good Neighbours and The Community Hub is also still offering help and support to Pembrokeshire residents during the crisis. AGN can be contacted on 0 1834 855 808 or email [email protected]s and The Hub can be contacted on 01 437 776 301 or email on [email protected]
• A dog waste dispenser has been repaired. Another one needs to be removed for repair.
• The Modus has been removed from in front of the entrance to the Clay Pits
• Litter bins Summerhill and Amroth. PCC have employed extra capacity in the bin emptying and litter picking teams both north and south of the county and the street litter bins are being emptied each afternoon by the beach cleaning team. Councillors queried if the damaged bin that was removed by PCC from Amroth would be replaced. The clerk will investigate.
• Educational Charity of David Rees - two qualifying children have been identified through Stepaside School and one in Templeton School. A scientific calculator was given to each in memory of David Rees.
• The final and largest diseased Ash tree has now been safely removed from the Old School Garden
• Street signage – Quotes have been received for six signs and the fitting of them. The cost will be around £900. The village signs have yet to be agreed. ACC will apply to the Enhancing Pembrokeshire Grants Scheme to cover 80 per cent of costs incurred.
• Three holes had appeared on the road between New Inn and Amroth over the past four weeks, the last one of significant size and depth. Quick action by a PCC employee and local residents made the area safe. Contractors repaired all holes promptly. The clerk has written to the coastal engineer asking if there is any way to survey the road to anticipate any future failing. He is currently on annual leave and will respond on his return.
County
Councillor’s Report
PCC remote meetings: Pembrokeshire County Council’s programme of remote meetings using video technology is going well. On July 16, a remote full council meeting with over 70 participants including councillors and officers was held successfully. Remote meetings are likely to be held for a sustained period, but the possibility of hybrid meetings with some present in County Hall and the rest connecting remotely is being explored.
Heritage Park: I am continuing to raise residents’ concerns about Heritage Park with the leader, other cabinet members and the chief executive along with other senior officers.
As a result of all the representations made by residents, the council has been undertaking a full review of all its dealings concerning Heritage Park. Originally it undertook to communicate its finding by the end of June. However, PCC has yet to fully respond to the letter sent by Mr. Alec Cormack on behalf of SPVRG on May 11. I believe he may have a response by the end of July.
I have argued that consideration of 19/1340/PA by the planning committee should be delayed to give time for a meeting to be held with ACC and SPVRG representatives and the developers. This request was refused
I will continue to argue that any decision to grant an assignment of the north car park should not be taken until there has been a full public consultation, given that the Heritage Park development was partly undertaken with public money and that the covenant on the north car park in the Heritage Park lease was granted to the public for 999 years. The decision on whether or not to assign the car park is likely to be taken by the cabinet in September.
Amroth: I have emailed Marc Owen at PCC twice regarding the protection of the road along the sea-front in Amroth, but have received no reply yet (like other officers he has extended duties due to the pandemic). Delay may be due to the fact that Welsh Government is about to issue its updated policy re. coastal protection. However, our clerk has managed to obtain an agreement from Darren Thomas to organise a meeting re. the Amroth’s sea defence, but it is unlikely to take place before September.
PCC has allocated one person to meet and greet visitors in Amroth and remind them of the need to maintain social distancing. Amroth has not been allocated a lifeguard this year as it has been deemed to have less risk than other beaches in the county.
Bus services: Clr. Harvey queried why a reduced bus service schedule was being maintained as lockdown eased and suggested that the service be returned to the normal schedule as this would make social distancing easier. With businesses and holiday accommodation opening and a noticeable increase in visitors to the area, the need will be for more buses not less. Amroth especially has car parking issues, with cars often causing obstruction in front of the shops, something ACC has been working with PCC to solve. Less buses will mean more cars. Walkers of the coast path will need two cars if a bus is not available to transport them back to their starting location.
Clr. Davies reported that in the 15 years she has been resident in Amroth the regular bus service from Tenby to Pendine in pre-Covid times often only had three or four passengers in the height of the season, and suggested that as the service is not used to capacity, that ACC should not be requesting more.
A discussion took place. A number of passengers exit in Summerhill, so the bus does look empty passing through Amroth. If the service cannot be resumed to a pre-Covid schedule due to cost, maybe a coastal shuttle bus could be used across the summer months.
There was currently no public information available on the PCC bus timetable section or the Welsh Travel Line website to indicate what the revised timetable would be from Monday, July 27. The online notes said that a regular Mon - Fri service would be back on, albeit at a reduced level. This means that there are potentially some services missing between Monday - Friday and no service on a Saturday.
Tony Baron agreed to write to PCC to express the view that by reducing services, less people would use the bus and so services would be reduced further. People should be encouraged to use public transport to ease parking problems. He will also request more service information to be added to the PCC website making it easier for passengers to find out about bus services.
Planning
20/0269/PA Jolly Haven, Starre Gorse, Pleasant Valley - proposed single storey rear extension and roof alterations to create a part first floor. No objection to this application
Siting of caravans on land next to Stepaside Coachwork. This has been reported to PCC to query if planning is required. PCC are investigating.
NP/20/0303/FUL Jakar, Wisemans Bridge - part demolition, alterations and extensions to residential property to create a total of four holiday letting apartments. Construction of new retaining wall on boundary adjoining public highway. No objection to this application.
Correspondence
Welsh Hearts Cymru, a charitable organisation has written to ask if ACC require more defibrillators in the area. They can offer a financial contribution of up to £200, plus training for councillors and community members. It was agreed that the clerk write enquiring about an additional unit for Stepaside.
Western Power - utility service companies are required to maintain a register to help identify ‘vulnerable’ people. For power companies, this includes households with children under five, pensioners and people with various medical needs including keeping refrigerated medicines. They use this list to help provide advance notice of planned power outage, offer help where needed and to prioritise restoring of power in unplanned outages. To sign up see https://www.westernpower.co.uk/customers-and-the-community/priority-services/priority-services-register
Dyfed Powys Community Policing team have just re-launched their community messaging system in Pembrokeshire that local neighbourhood police teams are using to share important messages with residents.
People are encouraged to register their details on the system, called Dyfed Powys Community Messages, or DPCM for short, and indicate the type of messages they would like to receive. They could be about watch schemes, incidents in particular areas, or information about events and initiatives.
They would like to get as many people living in our communities to register on the system as possible. You can sign up by visiting
From Stepaside and Pleasant Valley Residents Group re. public access to land at Heritage Park, Pleasant Valley, Stepaside:
We are writing to ask Amroth Community Council to consider taking the following actions-
1) Ask the Highways Authority (PCC) to record as public rights of way the following as being deemed as dedicated to the public through more than 20 years of uninterrupted use:
? The south car park and access road at the Heritage Park
? The north car park and access road at the Heritage Park
? Various footpaths around the Heritage Park site identified in the 2007 lease Plan 2 and coloured brown
2) Ask the Highways Authority (PCC) to prevent the unlawful stopping up or obstruction of any of the public rights of way on the Heritage Park which are threatened imminently due to recent planning applications.
SPVRG respectfully (also) ask that Amroth Community Council:
1. Notify PCC that there is prima facie evidence that at least some of these previously unrecorded public rights conflict with planning applications recently applied for by the Heritage Park.
2. Agree to lead a concerted community effort (with assistance from SPVRG) to collect and document evidence from local residents as to which parts of the Heritage Park have been continuously used by the public for at least 20 years, as either footpaths or access and parking space for cars.
3. Request that PCC hold a moratorium on the granting of planning permission for the Heritage Park allowing time for the evidence gathering process above to complete and to be considered by PCC as highways authority.
4. Ensure that PCC updates the Consolidated Definitive Map to accurately show the public rights as described above.
5. Once PCC confirms the additional public rights of way, we request that ACC as community council, monitor closely, and if necessary, request that PCC as highways authority, act to prevent the unlawful stopping up or obstruction of those rights.
Full letter and maps are with the clerk.
Ben Morris, representative of SPVRG was invited to address the meeting on the issues set out in the letter.
Clrs. Cormack and Evans left the meeting before any discussion took place.
A discussion took place. It was unanimously agreed to support this request and for a letter to be drafted and sent to PCC.
From PAVS - Round two of the Supporting Community Action Fund is now open for applications. To date, grants of £57,910 have been distributed through the Micro and Main grant scheme.
The focus is on ‘Planning for the Future’, and this round of funding is about encouraging organisations to take those first steps towards regenerating community action, confidence and enjoyment, while observing health and safety guidelines. It is also about encouraging organisations to pilot innovative ways of supporting members and beneficiaries, building on lessons learned during the crisis.
The fund is open to constituted voluntary and community groups and social enterprises with established governance structures.
The deadline for applications is August 14, with decisions being made at the beginning of September.
For further information or to request an application pack email [email protected]
Zoom funding update (2 - 3.30 pm, August 12): Caroline Marmara will also provide an update on the current funding opportunities available to the sector.
At a time when groups are beginning to make plans to restart activities, may be in different formats, this session will highlight what funds are available on a local, regional and national level. Plus an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas.
Email development@pavs,org.uk to book a place, an invitation will then sent to you
The Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs has formally laid the National Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management in Wales in the Senedd for a 40-day period, prior to full publication. Once adopted, this strategy will replace the 2011 document and progress will be reported every two years.
The new National Strategy sets out an ambitious approach to reducing the risks of flooding and coastal erosion and links with new flood data, mapping and planning advice to ensure decisions do not store up problems for future generations. It has a strong focus on catchments approaches and natural flood management and is accompanied by the recent improvements to the Welsh flood and coastal programmes and the extra support being provided to Local Authorities and NRW to accelerate delivery and help at-risk communities, including those who flooded earlier this year
The National Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management in Wales National Strategy;
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA); https://senedd.wales/laid%20documents/gen-ld13344/gen-ld13344-e.pdf
Report by
Llanteg Village Hall Committee
The hall is closed, but maintenance work is ongoing. Information has been received on safe reopening measures, but no official date has been set. The oil tank has been replaced and the audio and hearing loop are working well. The new lighting is in hand.
Items from ‘Keep Wales Tidy’ to build a wildlife garden on community land have been received.
Reminder about widening the gate entrance to the Old Chapel to enable the mower to access easily.
Now the Modus has been removed from the entrance to the Clay Pits, can removable bollards be placed across the entrance to prevent this reoccurring. Clr. Harries suggested that the groundwork for the bollards and the widening of the gateway be combined to reduce cost. He will source quotes which will be circulated to councillors by email for agreement to proceed. Ideally the work can then be carried out during the drier summer months.
Clr. James reported that it is doubtful that the monthly community police meetings will be resumed, and the new Community Messaging scheme will be the source of community information.
Project Updates
Amroth free Wifi – Clr. Cormack has been in touch with PCC regarding the plan to use the toilet block to host an antenna. He is waiting for a response.
Urgent
Business not
on the Agenda
• Micro plastics and Trommel device – Anna Strzelecki has been in touch to inform councillors that a Trommel device is available in the county to clean micro plastics from beaches. While a very small amount of micro plastic has been seen at Wisemans Bridge it does not warrant use of the trommel at this time. Amroth is not affected.
• District Enforcement has recommenced. They will be patrolling open spaces which the public have access to - including streets and parks - and anyone seen littering or failing to pick up after their dog will be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £150 (reduced to £75 if paid within 10 days).
• It has been reported that a number of fines have been issued in Amroth for illegal parking and dogs on restricted areas of the beach.
The District Enforcement officers will also be operating on the county’s beaches to ensure that by-laws are being followed. Cars parked illegally have already been ticketed in Wisemans Bridge.
• Changes to voting age in Wales. By registering to vote, anyone aged 16 or over, including foreign Citizens can now take part in Senedd Elections. Register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
• On footpath SP10/10 which passes through Legerland Farm, Llanteg, a gate has been left open, on several occasions by walkers, allowing cattle to roam. This has been reported to PCC who have instructed contractors to contact the farmer to discuss a solution.
• The bus shelter in Summerhill needs redecorating. The clerk will contact PCC regarding this.
• The damaged fence around the play park has still not been repaired and play parks are reopening soon. The clerk will contact PCC again and copy in Clr. Baron.
• Cars are travelling at inappropriate speed through Amroth and additional traffic calming measures are required, especially between Mole End and the New Inn. A discussion took place about what measures would be appropriate. The clerk will contact the police to carry out speed checks and request a visit from the Road Safety Partnership.
• Funds are being raised locally to purchase a Gator for a local resident to help her mobility and allow her to resume her hobbies. Councillors agreed this was a worthy local cause to support and instructed the clerk to donate £250.
Date of next meeting is Thursday, September 17, at 7 pm. This will be via Zoom unless informed otherwise. Anyone wishing to observe online, please send your email address to [email protected]