Minutes of the Meeting of Broughton Community Council

Held at the Brynteg Memorial Hall on Wednesday 13 October 2021

 

Members

Councillor N Williams (Chair)

Councillor A Lovett (Vice Chair)

 

Councillor A Humphreys                               Cllr N Davies

Councillor G Davies                                        *Councillor L O’Donnell                               

Councillor B Parry-Jones                               Councillor F Prince

*Councillor T Alan Edwards                           Councillor S Williams

Councillor B Roxburgh                                   Councillor S Feely

Councillor D Jarvis                                         Councillor  C Williams

*Councillor E Jones                                        Councillor C Lovett

 

*Absent

 

  1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE / PERSONAL MATTERS

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs. A. Edwards, L. O’Donnell and E. Jones. All three apologies were accepted.

  1. DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST

There were no Declarations of Personal Interest.

  1. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 15 SEPTEMBER 2021

The minutes were accepted as a true and accurate record.

Matters Arising

Page 3 -Defibrillators

Orders had been placed for defibrillators for Black Lane School , Pentre Broughton and Ysgol Penrhyn, New Broughton. Brynteg School had already purchased a defibrillator. It was agreed that they would be reimbursed to a level comparable with the cost of the ones for the other two schools. In addition the one for Black Lane School would be wired to a lamp column near  the school.

  1. FINANCE

Payments made and Income received (SEPTEMBER 2021)

Members agreed the payments made and income received for September 2021, most of which were Visa Card payments relating to the delegated Environmental Budgets.

In addition Members authorised the outstanding invoice payments as detailed in the agenda papers including one from TDP for planters, which had been omitted from the original list.

  1. REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

Concern was expressed by Cllr. B. Parry-Jones that the community council had moved too far away from the content of previous services and the proposed changes had not been well received by certain members of the community.

It was therefore agreed to add a hymn to the Order of Service. Cllr Parry-Jones volunteered to play the organ.

In addition Cllr. Parry-Jones would contact a supplier for the use of a sound system, to a maximum budget of £60 exc. VAT.

It was further agreed that quotes be agreed for repainting the Memorial Gates, with the 100th anniversary of them next year.

A further meeting of the Remembrance Working Group would be held on Monday 1st November at 6pm at Community House to finalise details.

  1. GWALIA PLACE, PENTRE BROUGHTON – POTENTIAL LEASE AGREEMENT

Details of a draft agreement had been attached as part of the agenda papers.

Cllr. Parry-Jones presented a petition, signed by local people, supporting the transfer of the land to the community council. One of the residents spoke on behalf of the signatories. It was felt that a transfer under a lease agreement would protect the land in the foreseeable future from building development.

However there were also a number of concerns  :

  • Some Members were concerned that, a number of years ago, a potential developer had withdrawn because of potential contamination of the land. Members felt that they required further information as to the type / level of contamination and any measures that had been put in place in terms of containment.
  • There would be a costs involved in relation to legal agreements and insurance implications.
  • The implications of the statement in the lease in relation Business Rates
  • The state of the car parking area and the cost of resurfacing it.

The Clerk would contact Wrexham Council for further clarification and obtain quotes to resurface the car park.

  1. STREET LIGHTING – NEW ROAD, LODGE.

The Chair and Clerk had undertaken a site visit with a representative of Mega Electrical , the community council’s street lighting contractor.

It was felt that a minimum of four solar powered columns would be required, costing somewhere in the region of £10,000 to £12,000.

However, due to the density of trees along that stretch of road Mega Electrical stated that they didn’t think that solar powered or wind powered street lighting was a viable option as the solar panels would only charge enough for two to three hours of illumination per day.

Cllr. B. Parry-Jones would speak to other community councils who had installed solar/wind powered lighting columns with a view to obtaining alternative quotes.

  1. XMAS LIGHTS / TREES

Members were informed that the additional lights had been ordered and structural assessments arranged for the lamp columns on the Gatewen Road Roundabout, New Broughton.

As previously agreed the lights would hopefully be ready for switch on during week commencing 15 November 2021.

 

  1. SPEED SIGNS

The Chair and Clerk had undertaken a site visit with a representative of Mega Electrical , the community council’s street lighting contractor.

Mega Electrical felt that Westminster Road was an unsuitable site for a solar powered speed sign, due to the density of trees.

It was agreed that an additional lamp column be erected near to Black Lane School and the sign be put on this column.

It was agreed that a similar arrangement be implemented for an additional column outside Community House on Darby Road, Brynteg.

  1. YOUTH PROVISION

This to be discussed in greater detail at a future meeting.

 

  1. CEMETERY

The Cemetery Working Group fed back following their visit to the cemetery.

It was agreed :

(i)   The Clerk to obtain quotes for the repainting of the cemetery gates.

(ii)  Further quotes to be obtained for resurfacing of the cemetery car park.

(iii) Quotes to be obtained for a handrail for the sloping footpath near the cremated remains section.

(iv) More signage to be obtained highlighting no dogs and no dog fouling.

(v) Quotes to be obtained for the stone pillars at the entrance to the cemetery to be  repaired,  the damaged plaque to be repaired and an additional plaque highlighting current council membership to be erected.

(vi) Quotes to be obtained for an additional water supply neared the new cemetery section.

A date for the consecration of the new burial area at the cemetery had been agreed as 31 March 2021 (pm). More detailed timings would be developed.

58.PLANNING APPLICATIONS

 (i) Chapel at Rear of 3-4 High Street, Pentre Broughton – Agreed.

A further planning application had been received since the agenda papers were distributed , details of which had been emailed to Members i.e. :

(ii) P/2021/0955 – Reserved Matters Pursuant to Outline Planning Permission P/2018/0674 (Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale) – Land North of Gatewen Road, New Broughton, Wrexham.

Members expressed concern about the application in relation to the following :

  1. The council has major concerns about drainage and sewerage issues which do not seem to have been addressed in the current proposals. The village already had sewerage issues, which were promised to be adequately addressed in the former Gatewen Village development but never were.
  2. It is felt that the current proposals in terms of access and exit  to and from the site onto  Gatewen Road are unsafe.
  3. Members would wish clarification as to whether the A483 junction improvements are going ahead, and if so, the timescales involved. This was seen as a key issue when the original proposals were put forward.
  4. Are there Tree Preservation Orders on any of the trees which would appear to have to be removed for the proposals to go ahead ?
  5. There are a number of Industrial Heritage Buildings on the site , relating to the former Gatewen Colliery. Members feel that it is vitally important that all these need to be preserved and protected.
  6. Members have major concerns about the development in terms of the impact upon the infrastructure of the New Broughton and neighbouring communities, especially in relation to the impact on schools, doctors’ surgeries, flooding and, as previously mentioned, drainage and sewerage issues.
  7. Concern was expressed about the lack of adequate green space shown in the proposals.
  8. The plans show a proposal for a number of apartments. Members felt that this is not the type of accommodation required in the area and that it is just an attempt to increase the number of properties for commercial gain. It was felt that, given the elderly population, bungalows would be far more relevant for the community.

The Clerk would pass on these concerns to Wrexham County Borough Council Planning Department.

                                    Signed ………………………………..

 

                                               

                                    Date …………………………………….