Among matters considered and discussed at last month’s meeting of Amroth Community Council, which was again held online via Zoom, were the following:

Matters Arising from the minutes

• ACC was successful in the bid to Local Places for Nature and has been awarded a starter Wildlife Garden Package. The bid was made in conjunction with Llanteg Gardening Group and Partners who will carry out the work in the Old School Garden and Clay Pits.

• The owner of land in Church View, Summerhill, (that had become very overgrown) had responded to say he would carry out the work to clear the land as soon as he could legally travel to do so.

• 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 01834 855808 or email [email protected]s and The Hub can be contacted on 01437 776301 or email on [email protected]

• Clr. Harvey reported that some road signs were becoming overgrown, dirty, and difficult to read especially between Summerhill and Wisemans Bridge. This had been reported to PCC’s highway maintenance team. The clearance of vegetation would be added to the jobs list. The signs were in poor repair and PCC had indicated they would probably need replacing.

• The tap by the toilets in Amroth had been upgraded to a bottle refill station by Pembrokeshire Coast National park Authority although it was not operational at this time.

• Amroth car parks have reopened as have the toilets.

County

Councillor’s Report

Resumption of PCC committee meetings: Pembrokeshire County Council has started regular overview and scrutiny meetings using remote technology. The big test will come on July 16 with a remote full council meeting with over 70 participants, including councillors and officers

Heritage Park: I have continued to raise residents’ concerns about Heritage Park with the leader, other cabinet members and the chief executive along with other senior officers. Concerns expressed by residents of Stepaside/Pleasant Valley have been exacerbated by the decision taken on June 2 by delegated authority to approve 19/1342/DC varying a planning condition relating to 11/0585/PA.

As a result of all the representations made by residents, the council is undertaking a full review of all its dealings concerning Heritage Park and it has undertaken to communicate its finding by the end of June.

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. There seems little doubt that any decision on assigning the car park will have to be taken by the cabinet.

Play area by Stepaside Bridge: PCC is considering the closure of the play area located adjacent to the Stepaside Bridge. The play area is small in scale, has limited equipment and is viewed as being little used. Unfortunately, it is also reported to be a periodic gathering spot for youths with associated anti-social behaviour.

Assuming the closure process proceeds, then the land will be surplus to PCC requirements and is likely to be sold.  However, as it is held for the purposes of providing open space, before advancing to disposal, the intention to do so will be advertised in a local newspaper. This is to comply with the requirements of S123 of the Local Government 1972.  Any objection that arises as a result of the advertisement will be considered by PCC before advancing.

Councillors discussed this issue. For the area to be attractive to children and their parents, the equipment needs to be upgraded and the area cleaned up. There are health and safety issues currently which are the responsibility of PCC.

Planning

Jolly Haven, Starre Gorse, Pleasant Valley - single storey rear extension and roof alterations to create a part first floor. Councillors had no objection to this application.

Great Merrixton Bungalow, Stepaside - first floor extension to existing bungalow. Councillers had no objection to this application.

Former Craft Village Car Park, Heritage Park, Pleasant Valley - discharge of conditions 3 (layout and landscaping), 4 (caravan anchoring), 5 (emergency plan) and 6 (surface water drainage) of planning permission 11/0585/PA. This application had been conditionally Approved

A discussion took place regarding the current arrangements where delegated planning decisions were being made during the Covid-19 crisis. The officer’s report was being published after a decision was made, rather than before, and councillors queried this procedure.

As part of the democratic process, the officer’s report should be available for public view seven days before a delegated decision iwas made, as was the case with decisions made by the full planning committee.

It was agreed that Clr. Baron would make representation on behalf of ACC to PCC to ask that planning officer reports are published publicly at least one week before the decision date of any planning application.

Correspondence

• Pembrokeshire Young Farmers had written requesting a donation. ACC follows a policy of supporting charitable causes located within the council area and so the request is declined.

• A resident had written asking if she could set up a Hedgehog Haven in the Old School Gardens following a sighting of hedgehogs there. Councillors agreed to this request.

• Grow Fresh is an initiative to connect the community (of Summerhill and neighbouring hamlets) through the growing of food and flowers and to build a culture of sharing and exchange. Sharing seeds, plants, advice and tips and any excess produce through the growing season. The idea is to leave any surplus seeds and labelled plants in the bus shelter on the shelf provided. People can check each day and take what they need.

• Age Cymru had sent out a leaflet on financial support and benefits information for individuals including contact information for:

Citizens Advice Cymru - 03444 772020 or www.citizensadvice.org.uk; Age Cymru Advice - 08000 223 444 or email [email protected]; Care and Repair - 0300 111 333 or www.careandrepair.org.uk

The Amroth clerk also has contact information.

• Publication of Inspector’s Report. On May 13, the authority received the Inspector’s Report on the Examination into the Replacement Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Local Development Plan (LDP). The appointed inspector found that subject to the recommended changes, the Replacement LDP was sound.

If you require further information regarding the publication and adoption of the Replacement LDP, please email [email protected] or phone 01646 624800 and ask to speak to someone dealing with the Local Development Plan.

• Precis of letter from resident of Pleasant Valley to PCC - copied to ACC - regarding the proposal to remove the covenant on the lease relating to the use of the smaller car park at Heritage Park. The covenant was placed on the lease to ensure that the land would have to still be, in part, for community use as well as the public.

‘Although still in lockdown, some restrictions have been lifted and people can now enjoy the area by exercising more. The car park is currently closed, because of lockdown and so a number of cars are parked on the left hand side of the road causing danger on a road which is already narrow, used by cyclists, has no footpath and - in ‘normal’ times is a bus route.

‘Amroth Community Council, Stepaside and Pleasant Valley Residents Group and individual residents have highlighted on numerous occasions the situation along this stretch of road. Several applications have been made to the police for the whole stretch to be made (a maximum) of 30 mph zone. The road is busy as is without the added hazard of cars parked along it.  

‘This also highlights what will happen if the car park is unavailable for public use.  I would also ask that this be used to push the case for improvements to the road and a change in the speed limit.’

PCC had responded to say that the key point of access to the car park was with the property team to consider. Regarding the comments about speed limit, the senior traffic engineer would provide a summary of any previous review work concerning the road and also pick up on the concern about wanting the speed limit put in.

There was an ongoing review of the council’s files and consultation with Welsh Government in relation to the issue of the public car park and, as soon as practicable, the community council and others would be provided with a full response on the findings.

• A resident had written to report diseased trees at Heritage Park. Community councillor Roger Harries walked the site last year with a tree surgeon and informed Heritage Park of the issues noted. PCC’s department responsible for overseeing tree health and maintenance were aware.

Clr. Baron had written to PCC to say that any trees removed because of disease should be replaced. The clerk would contact PCC regarding the placing of tree preservation orders on native species not affected by disease.

• PLANED had written to ask if ACC would like to take part in a video about how councils were supporting their communities during the crisis. It was agreed that the clerk would send information about Amroth Good Neighbours and how it was supporting the community.

• Welsh Blood service. A letter of thanks was received from the Welsh Blood Service for the council’s help in publicising their recent donation hub in Tenby. They were delighted with the response and had 48 first time donors attend, with a total of 272 coming forward to donate.

OTHER?

MATTERS

New computer: Due to ongoing technical difficulties with the old computer, councillors agreed via email to the purchase of a new one.

Financial support for Village Halls in the ward: The chairman and clerk had written to both Llanteg Village Hall and Amroth Parish Hall regarding loss of income due to closure during the crisis. Both halls responded to say they were successful in their bids for financial support from PCC. Councillors agreed that both halls needed to be supported equally regardless of need. This issue would be discussed again at next month’s meeting.

Facebook page: ACC discussed the need for an Amroth Facebook page to enable communication with residents and visitors to Amroth. It wold be an information page only.

Report By Amroth and District Community Association: The hall was closed at this time, but the inside had been painted during lockdown.

Report by Llanteg Village Hall Committee: The hall was closed, but maintenance work was ongoing. The tree saplings from the Woodland Trust had been planted in the Old School Gardens. The clerk was asked to write to request that minutes of the monthly Community Police meetings be sent to ACC when meetings resumed, as they would take place at the same time as the monthly community council meetings.

Project

updates

Amroth Good Neighbours: Few requests for help were being received as many residents now had a regular arrangement with neighbours, friends, and family.

Exercise Jantzen: No activity had taken place during the month.

Road names: Clr. Phillips has held detailed email conversations with PCC. There had been agreement on the signs needed and Clr. Phillips was now waiting for a quote on costings. Once the quote was obtained, ACC would then review whether to apply for grant funding.

Amroth free Wifi: Now the toilets were open in Amroth, Clr. Cormack would contact PCC to ask for permission to place a WIFI antenna on the roof of the toilet building and enquire if ACC could use the electricity connection in the building, assuming it was suitable to connect to.

Urgent Business not on the Agenda

Filling of dog waste bag dispensers: ACC agreed to keep the dispensers filled. One had jammed and would need maintenance. Clr. Harries offered to look at it.

Waste bins: The waste bins in Summerhill had not been emptied. The clerk would contact PCC to make sure they were on the council’s list.

The Educational Charity of David Rees: The clerk would contact the local primary schools to ascertain how many children were eligible to receive a small educational gift. Children must be resident in the Amroth CC area and be moving to secondary education in September - or when schools reopen.

NEXT?

MEETING

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, July 23, at 7 pm. This will be via Zoom unless informed otherwise. Anyone wishing to observe online, please send your email address to [email protected]