October 1979

Minutes of the Meeting of Llangunnor Community Council held at Llangunnor CP School on Thursday 18th October 1979 at 7.30pm

Present: Councillors G Bowyer (Chair), Mrs E Jones, Mrs G Jones, Mrs M Lloyd, Mrs B Morgan, Mrs ML Morris, Mr EJ Dalis-Davies, WDV Evans, RO Griffiths, THM Jones, JDJ Morgan and D Williams.

In Attendance: County Councillor ET Davies and District Councillor EJ Thomas

The Chairman was absent during the early part of the Meeting and during this time the Vice Chairman, Councillor RO Griffiths occupied the Chair. Upon the Chairman's arrival Councillor Griffiths vacated the Chair.

It was RESOLVED to confirm the Minutes of the Meetings of the Council and of it Planning Committee held on 20th September 1979 copies of which had been circulated to members.

Councillors JDJ Morgan and THM Jones reported orally on the joint meeting of local Councils which they had attended at the County Hall, Carmarthen on 24th September 1979. The meeting had been convened by the County Council to discuss the proposal by British Rail to relocate the Station on a new site at the Junction at Pensarn. The suggested move would cost approximately £2 million and would cut about 12 minutes off the London to Milford Haven journey time. The British Rail representative at the meeting had indicated that the move could not take place without the support, and considerable financial assistance of the local authorities, and detailed planning would not take place until this was forthcoming, he pointed out that the land on which the existing Station stood was extremely valuable and could become available for industrial development if the move took place. Any loss of employment would be met by natural wastage.

The meeting had been a long one with the local authority representatives present endeavouring to obtain further details of the proposal from the British Rail representative but unfortunately these had not been forthcoming. In the circumstances members present felt that all they could do at this stage was to seek a decision in principle as to whether to support the proposal from their respective Councils and to convene a further joint meeting at which it was hoped that some additional information would be forthcoming from British Rail. The Clerk referred to the Minutes of the Joint Meeting which he had received from the County Council and a brief discussion ensued. It was RESOLVED
(i) To thank Councillors Morgan and Jones for their full reports of the meeting
(ii) To request them to attend the further joint meeting which would be called in due course to discuss this proposal.

The Clerk reported that all three of the Council motions had been accepted for debate at the Annual Conference of the Welsh Association of Community and Town Councils to be held at Aberystwyth on November 3rd 1979 and handed copies of the Agendas which he had received to Councillors Dalis-Davies and WDV Evans who would speak to these motions, members extended their best wishes to the two Councillors involved.

It was RESOLVED to note the contents of the two publications which had been circulated with the Agenda, namely, the Autumn 1979 edition of the Local Council Review and Bulletin no 15 issued by the Dyfed Association of Local Councils.

The Council was informed that a new National Salary Scale had been agreed for full time and part time Clerks of Community Councils. In the case of Llangunnor the calculation of one third of the penny rate product (the lower of the two methods of calculation prescribed) resulted in a salary of £715.66 per annum. It was RESOLVED that the annual salary of the Clerk as from 1st July 1979 (the operative date of the National Agreement) should be the above mentioned £715.66 an increase of £50.40 over the present figure. (The Clerk withdrew from the Meeting for the entire discussion and voting of this item).

The Clerk read out a letter from the Chairman of the District Council informing members of an Appeal which he was launching to raise funds to purchase (at a cost of £11,000) a vehicle for the transport of disabled persons in the locality. A public meeting was to be held in Carmarthen on 1st November 1979, to formally launch the Appeal and it was RESOLVED that Councillor David Morgan should represent the Council at this meeting and to present to the Chairman on the Council's behalf a cheque for £100 as its contribution towards this very worthwhile cause.

The Clerk read out an application for financial assistance received from the publishers of "Cwlwm", the neighbourhood Welsh language newspaper circulating in the area. After a lengthy discussion it was RESOLVED not to make any contribution towards the operating costs of this publication.

It was RESOLVED to pay a £2 annual subscription towards the expenses of the Carmarthen District Branch of the Welsh Association of Community and Town Councils.

It was RESOLVED not to participate in a Society of Clerks which the Association proposed to establish at its Annual Conference.

The Clerk reported that the Area Surveyor at Pensarn accepted that the provision of a footpath between the Playing Field, and Llygad yr Haul (which the Council had requested) was desirable and that, if funds were available, he would try to provide for one in next year's estimates. It was RESOLVED to note the position.

Members considered the terms of a Notice from the solicitors acting for the owners of the proposed Ty Penbryn Motel, Llangunnor informing the Council that it was intended to apply for the final grant of a Justices Licence in respect of these premises at the Transfer Sessions to be held at Carmarthen on 13th November 1979. It was RESOLVED to offer no objection to this application.

It was RESOLVED to note that the annual Autumn Rally run by the Carmarthen Motor Club was to be held on Saturday 27th/28th October 1979.

It was RESOLVED to instruct the Clerk to investigate the following complaints submitted by members
(i) The non completion of the recent fencing work near Towy Cottage
(ii) The overhanging roadside hedge along the Swansea Road which was the responsibility of the owners of Tygwyn Farm
(iii) The collapse of the pavement opposite Brynglas Estate
(iv) The relocation of the four reflecting lamps recently erected at Nantycaws to a location outside "Pennant", Nantycaws Hill where it was felt they would be more beneficial.

It was RESOLVED to request the District Council to arrange a site meeting with the Contractors working on Phase IV of the Penymorfa Estate to discuss the use by heavy lorries of the temporary access created into the Tregynnwr Estate and to nominate the Chairman and Councillors Mrs B Morgan and Mrs M Lloyd to represent the Council at the said meeting.

It was RESOLVED
(i) That the sum of £2,000 be transferred from the Council's Deposit to its Current Account
(ii) That the under mentioned accounts be passed for payment

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