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July 2019

Minutes of Monthly Meeting of Llangunnor Community Council held in 'Yr Aelwyd', Tregynnwr at 6.30pm on Thursday 11th July 2019

PRESENT: Councillor Robin Griffiths (Chair), Geraint Bevan, Dafydd Williams, Paul Totterdale, Sandra Thomas, Elwyn Williams, Lee Whatley, John Porter and Jennifer Slate (who arrived after Chair's Announcements)

APOLOGIES: Councillor Vivian Davies, Alun West and Alexandra Trowbridge-Mathews

Declaration of Interest

None

2. Police Report

No police report received

3. Chair's Announcements

The Chair reported

• Sugarcraft Exhibition and presented cheque to them
• Unveiling a plaque at the railway station in memory of local servicemen who had lost their lives in WW1, this included a service at St. Peter’s Church – all very well attended
• He had unfortunately been unable to attend the school sports

The Chair also wished to remind all members of the importance of adhering to the Code of Conduct, this of course included himself, any action deemed to be a breach of this Code would be viewed very seriously with action taken either through Carmarthenshire County Council’s Monitoring Officer or in more serious breaches by referral to the Ombudsman. The Chair also reminded members that all contact with outside bodies should be made through the Clerk

:: Cllr Slate joined the meeting ::

4. Public Questions

None

5. Minutes.

It was unanimously (minute 0719-5) and RESOLVED to approve as a correct record the minutes of the monthly Council meeting and Planning Committee held on 20th June 2019

6. The Park / Environment Committee

The Clerk reported on a couple of matters:
a) Cllr Slate had resigned from the Committee for personal reasons
b) he had met with Carmarthenshire County Council to discuss the Community Council taking over the maintenance of some of the paths in Tregynnwr – this to be referred to the Park & Environment Committee
c) Chair / Chair P & E / Clerk had met contractor at the park to discuss progress, he informed that the part they were waiting for was to be delivered in the coming days and that the equipment should be in use by end of next week (19th July). It was agreed that as the schools were about to break up that the rails to this area and the work to entrance be left until after the summer holidays. It was moved by Cllr Slate and seconded by Cllr Thomas that if the work was not completed by July 19th that the Council withhold 10% of the cost – this was defeated by 5 votes to 3
d) it was unanimously agreed that the Clerk make enquiries with regard having a sanitary bin placed in the toilet in the park (minute 0719–6d);
e) Cllr Whatley reported that he and other members of the P & E Committee had been through the Inspection Report on the park and their recommendations would be considered by that Committee, as Chair of the committee he wished it recorded his thanks for the work of Cllr Slate on the committee and hoped in time she could return to sit on it. Committee meeting arranged for 16th July 2019

7. Web / Media Committee

Committee meeting arranged for 24th July 2019

8. Finance Committee

Meeting will be arranged in Sept / Oct to review budget / spending

9. Christmas Decoration Committee

Meeting arranged for 16th July

10. Valero Monies

Meeting arranged for the 24th July 2019

11. Defibrillators

Awaiting updates of when they will be in position

12. Review by One Voice Wales - Council Policies

It was unanimously agreed (minute 0719–12) that the Clerk meet with 1VW to review its policies and documentation at a cost of £442.50

13. Extend Path at Login Road

Cllr Elwyn Williams reported that he had met Carmarthenshire County Council on site but they had not been particularly enthusiastic due to the costs, he did however have a meeting with the new Chief Executive and would be bringing it to her attention

14. Community Lighting Project

The members considered the document (Appendix 1)[1]: Following a discussion it was unanimously agreed (minute 0719–13) that the Clerk confirm to Carmarthenshire County Council that it wished to part of the scheme at a cost of £1,529 for 8 years, the Clerk to also ask Carmarthenshire County Council to confirm the number of posts in their ownership and their location

15. Hanging Baskets

The Chair congratulated the P & E Committee on the excellent flowers around the community, he asked that they consider a further few posts around Tywi Garage roundabout

16. Reports from Members Representing Council on other Bodies

Riverside Association - Cllr Totterdale reported that the festival was being held this Saturday (13th), the Council decided that it would not have a table at the event but the Chair had been invited as a guest

One Voice Wales - Cllr Whatley reported that he had been unable to attend the recent monthly meeting. However he had attended the Conference at Builth Wells Key note speaker was Claire Germain from the Welsh Government regarding their response to the recommendations of the local council review panel – reminded to look at what they were going to look at first and for councils to look at what they could do to prepare presentation on Environment (Wales) Act 2016 an impact on community councils. A public authority must seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity in the exercise of functions in relation to Wales, and in so doing promote the resilience of ecosystems, so far as consistent with the proper exercise of those functions. The has a duty to prepare and publish a plan setting out what they propose doing to comply with the duty and a duty to report by the end of 2019 then every three years. Attended a workshop on managing playground maintenance and safety and this is something that the council needs to be considering

School Governors - No meeting

Training - It was reported that Councillors Whatley, Totterdale and Davies had attended Code of Conduct Training given by Carmarthenshire County Council

Other - Cllr Bevan had attended a seminar on Managing green spaces for biodiversity, people and financial sustainability – report to be circulated to members

17. County Councillor's Report

Cllr Elwyn Williams reported that Wendy Walters had started in her new role as the new Chief Executive of Carmarthenshire County Council

18. Approve the Schedule of Accounts

It was unanimously Resolved (minute 0719-18) that the following payments be authorised:

A) Council is requested to consider and approve the following items of expenditure:

Payee	Info	(£) Amount
E Williams	Playing Field (30/06/19)	97.00
	Cleaning around basketball hoop and bridge	100.00
CJ Thomas	Salary - July 2019	673.97
	Office Allowance - July 2019	100.00
	IT Allowance - July 2019	40.00
Timpson	Cut extra keys for park padlocks	10.00
Charlies	Combination padlock for portable toilet	29.99
Dafydd Williams	Reinbursement: Lock for toilet roll holder & Tape	9.28
Carmarthen Town Council	Newsletter translation	98.80
Gwasg Gomer	Printing of newsletter (1225 copies)	752.00
City Loo Hire	Portable Toilet & bale of toilet paper (£167.95 + £33.59 VAT)	201.54
Lee Whatley	Travelling to Builth Wells (Conference)	47.25
Pwyllgor Apel Llangynnwr	Donation: Community Fund	250.00

B) Council to note receipt of income: None

19. Correspondence

The following correspondence be noted/action taken

No	Nature of Correspondence	Agreed Action
1	Hywel Dda Consultation: Operational Plan	Circulated
2	Hywel Dda: Report on diabetic outpatient clinic	Circulated
3	Hywel Dda: Report on ‘what is it like to be cared for on Cadog Ward	Circulated
4	Carmarthenshire County Council: Grass on LHS on way in to Nantycaws not cut as traffic control measures needed	Noted
5	Carmarthenshire County Council: Birds mess under bridge should have been cleaned	Done
6	Path at Penymorfa: Carmarthenshire County Council work to hopefully start 01/07/19	Done
7	Advertisment on Tywi Roundabout – update at meeting	Awaiting update from Carmarthenshire County Council
8	Developing Trauma Services: Re-arranged date 29th July from 3.00pm - 6.00pm at Bro Myrddin Bowls Club	Noted
9	Email received from Hywel Evans with regard to speeding traffic in Nantycaws- email trail enclosed	Clerk to make enquiries if such equipment exists

20. Councillor's Report

a. Clerk to bring the following to the attention of Carmarthenshire County Council:
i) The sign "Brynmeurig leading to Heol Blaengwastod" cannot be seen. The hedge belonging to the owner of 7 Mount Pleasant is hiding it;
ii) The hedge belonging to 1 Brithdir is growing out into the pavement, which is already very narrow, it is difficult walking there with children;
iii) The signage on the road outside Llangunnor School needs repainting. You cannot see any of the wording: School/Ysgol and Bus Stop/Safle Bws;
b. Helen Gibbon has been invited into Gorsedd y Beirdd with a Green Robe;•
c. P & E Committee to consider thinning out of trees at top of park;
d. next edition of newsletter out in October, committee Chairs to be reminded to give Cllr Slate updates, also please pass on any relevant news items a.s.a.p

21. Standing Orders

It was unanimously agreed (minute 0719–21) that Standing Orders be suspended to allow Chair / vice / Clerk to deal with any urgent business

22. Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 19th September 2019 at 6.30pm

Meeting closed 8.10pm

Appendix 1

Town & Community Council - Community Lighting Project

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Public Lighting Team have for a number of years maintained your community street lighting system at your expense and we have always been pleased to undertake this work for you. The community lighting system we manage for you consists largely of low pressure sodium lighting units which are quite an old technology which has been superseded by more energy efficient LED lighting units. The supplies of low pressure sodium replacement units are being phased out as the industry changes to LED lighting and there is currently only one supplier in the market, Philips. We have been informed by Philips that from July 2019 they will stop taking orders for the low pressure sodium units.

We understand that this will be a concern to Town and Community Councils and we have therefore been exploring solutions to this problem. We have put together a project proposal for Town and Community Councils to consider to change your community lights to LED units. By participating in a planned project to introduce LED lighting units on a bulk basis there are considerable economies of scale available. We have used this approach to change our own highway lighting stock and this also supports the County Council’s carbon reduction targets. The LED units also improve the quality of light being emitted and you may have noticed the ‘whiter’ lights from the LED units in contrast to the ‘yellow’ lighting of the sodium units

To fund the proposal we have secured access to a Welsh Government loan which is based on an ‘invest to save’ principle targeted at supporting energy reduction and reduced carbon emissions. The loan is over an eight-year period and is interest free. Provision has also been made by the County Council to supplement any financial shortfall from our own reserves which would also be on an interest free basis.

In order to present the project proposal to you we have also invited tenders for the supply and installation of the LED lighting units for the whole community lighting stock which amounts to approximately 4300 lighting units. This would accommodate participation by all 72 Town and Community Councils but the project can be scaled down should a Council not wish to participate

The tendered cost of replacing each low pressure sodium unit is £139 and each Town and Community Council has varying stocks of community lights. This replacement cost would be covered by the loan by which each Town or Community Council would repay over the eight year period starting in April 2020.

During the eight year payback period there will be energy cost savings for each Town and Community Council and these savings are likely to be significant. The estimate of energy savings is complex as each individual lighting unit has components which have unique energy ratings. The estimate is also based on predicted energy costs into the future so there is inevitably an element of uncertainty

In the case of Llangunnor Community Council you currently have 88 low pressure sodium lighting units to be changed and the capital cost of doing this would be: 88 x £139 = £12,232.00 This would equate to an annual loan repayment of £1,529.00 / year over the eight year period. Based on estimated energy costs advised by Welsh Government for the eight year period your predicted energy cost with the current low pressure sodium lighting would average £1,954.10 / year, but this is estimated to drop to £704.20 / year with the LED units. I should however emphasise that this is only an estimate based on Welsh Government figures and in the early years where energy costs are lower there will be less of a financial saving. Should you not wish to participate in the project we can continue to manage and maintain your community lights and we could replace individual units on an ad hoc basis when the units fail. However, this will incur a significantly higher cost due to individual traffic management arrangements, specific site visits and higher unit supply costs. In summary, to address the forthcoming problem of low pressure sodium lighting units being phased out we have put together a project which has the following benefits:

• replaces the obsolete lighting units with new LED lighting,
• improves the quality of your lighting,
• will result in reduced energy costs for your Council,
• reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions for your Council,
• has an interest free loan available

Our proposal is to roll forward the project to replace the community lights within the current 2019/20 financial year. In order to satisfy funding conditions and to take up the tender offer we will need to receive confirmation of participation from Town and Community Councils by the 19th July 2019. - Richard Waters Highways & Transportation Services Manager

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