Minutes of the Meeting of Broughton Community Council
on Wednesday 10 January 2024
Members
Councillor S Feely (Chair)*
Cllr. K. Jones (Vice Chair)
Councillor C Lovett* Councillor Mrs B Parry-Jones
Councillor N Davies Councillor T Alan Edwards*
Councillor Mrs S Williams Councillor Mrs E Jones
Councillor C Williams Councillor A Lovett
Councillor T Williams* Cllr. J. Pettigrew
Cllr. J. Williams Cllr. N. Williams
Cllr. K. Robinson* Cllr. F Derbyshire
*Absent
In the absence of the Chair it was agreed that Cllr. K. Jones chair the meeting.
- APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllrs. S. Feely, C. Lovett, K. Robinson, A. Edwards and T. Williams.
All apologies were accepted.
- DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST
There were no Declarations of Personal Interest.
As there were a number of members of the public in attendance to hear the debate regarding a planning application it was agreed to bring this item forward.
- PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P2033 /0865 – Land at Stryt y Bydden, New Broughton
A member of the public was given permission to speak on the subject but was told that her time was limited to five minutes.
Following the expiration of the five minutes Members agreed to defer the item and arrange an additional council meeting on Tuesday 16 January 2024 at 6 pm at the Memorial Hall , Brynteg.
It was further agreed that the meeting be advertised on the Council’s website and on the village notice boards. Any member of the public wishing to speak should notify the Clerk by 4 pm on Monay 15 January 2024.
- PCSO REPORT
Despite assurances that a representative of North Wales Police would attend, no one had turned up.
Members had previously received a PCSO report covering the period 1 December 2023 to 31 December 2023 inclusive.
The following points were raised :
- Members were aware of a number of incidents that had occurred which were not included in the report.
- If a representative of North Wales Police failed to attend the February 2024 meeting a letter would be sent to the Chief Constable and Police Commissioner expressing the community council’s concerns and frustrations.
- MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 13 DECEMBER 2023.
The minutes were accepted as a true and accurate record.
Matters Arising
Page 2 -Cemetery
- Concerns were yet again expressed about dog fouling. The Clerk informed Members that he needed photographic evidence. He therefore asked Members to supply him with such if they observe it whilst they are at the cemetery.
- The Clerk informed Members that the new section would be required in the very near future. A deed would be issued to plot purchasers for this section only. The Clerk was authorised to purchase a Deeds Register
It was agreed that the Cemetery Policy be reviewed and updated to specify that this section would be open plan and that any objects, surrounds etc place on the grave as opposed to the plinth would be prohibited.
In instances where the policy was not complied with the Clerk would write to the grave owner, informing him or her that if they were not removed within 28 days they would be removed and possibly destroyed.
Page 3 – Xmas Lighting
The Clerk informed Members that a lamppost motif had fallen down and been damaged beyond repair in bad weather.
It was agreed to purchase a replacement.
Page 6 – Carol Service
Members were informed that the carol service went off well and had been well attended. £100 had been raised, which was split equally between Southsea Church and the Southsea Environment Fund.
Page 2 – Remembrance Sunday
Members felt that the Remembrance Day Service had gone off well.
Page 2
- FINANCE
Members agreed income and payments amounting to £ £67,560.09 and £22,071.78 respectively.
SUMMARY OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE – DECEMBER 2023
(Payments inc. VAT where Applicable)
Income –
| Date | Payee | Method of Payment
|
Amount
|
| 1 Dec 2023 | Wrexham CBC – Precept | BACS | 52,292.00 |
| 1 Dec 2023 | Post Office – Potage for VAT Return | Visa | 3.45 |
| 5 Dec 2023 | S. Price – Burial Fee | BACS | 600.00 |
| 5 Dec 2023 | S. Price – Headstone Fees | BACS | 500.00 |
| 12 Dec 2023 | HMRC – 20222-23 Vat Repayment | CR | 14,164.64 |
| TOTAL £67,560.09 | |||
Expenditure
| Date | Payer | Method of Payment
|
Amount
£ |
| 4 Dec 2023 | AVOW – December Salaries | BACS | 2,574.84 |
| 14 Dec 2023 | Wrexham CAB -Outreach Service | BACS | 2,250.00 |
| 14 Dec 2023 | Digital Issue – Annual Website Maintenance | BACS | 1,560.00 |
| 14 Dec 2023 | Audit Wales – Audit Fee 2020/21 | BACS | 485.00 |
| 14 Dec 2021 | Mega Electrical – Install RCD units for new Xmas lights, Testing & Reseating one column | BACS | 10,845.00 |
| 14 Dec 2023 | Allington Hughes – Legal Fees | BACS | 420.00 |
| 14 Dec 2023 | Broughton Church – Donation towards Cemetery Grasscutting | BACS | 500.00 |
| 14 Dec 2023 | Greenbarnes Ltd. – Notice Boards Keys and Magnets | BACS | 83.03 |
| 14 Dec 2023 | Mr Lee Dunmer – Cemetery Grasscutting, level new area of cemetery and spray weedkiller | BACS | 1,445.00 |
| 14 Dec 2023 | B & Q – Batteries & Xmas Tree Decorations | Visa | 42.00 |
| 15 Dec 2023 | Nightingale House – Donation | BACS | 500.00 |
| 15 Dec 2023 | Premier Decorations – Xmas Lights | Visa | 53.50 |
| 19 Dec 2023 | Morrisons – Refreshments for Carol Service | Visa | 111.89 |
| 19 Dec 2023 | Morrisons – Refreshments for Carol Service | Visa | 9.55 |
| 25 Dec 2023 | HSBC – Bank Charges | CHG | 5.00 |
| 27 Dec 2023 | SSE -Nov Energy Costs | DD | 1,171.38 |
| 27 Dec 2023 | Zoom – Monthly Webcasting Subscription | Visa | 15.59 |
| TOTAL £22,071.78 | |||
Bank Balances at 31 December 2023 :
Business Account : £ 201,940.52
Deposit Account : £ 114,586.51
Total : £ 316,527.03
Members also authorised the Clerk to make payments amounting to £ 9,184.63
INVOICES FOR AUTHORISATION
JANUARY 2024 MEETING
(Copies Available for Inspection)
15 Dec 2023 Audit Wales – 2021/22 Audit Fee £1,550.00
4 Jan 2024 Wrexham CBC -Inspection & Maintenance
of Playgrounds – Oct 2023 to March 2024 £7,406.63
5 Jan 2024 Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC)
-2024/25 Renewal Fee £188.00
9 Jan 2024 Data Protection – Annual Fee £40.00
TOTAL £ 9,184.63
- POLICIES
The Clerk informed Members that they had a responsibility to review the Council’s Standing Orders periodically.
He went through the changes and amendments, which were basically cosmetic in terms of grammar, typing and numbering errors.
Members agreed the revised document.
- PROJECTS
Defibrillators
The Clerk had spoken to Mega Electrical to discuss fitting of the defibrillator at Cllr. Derbyshire’s house.
However he was still awaiting details of the exact location of the one at Gatewen Village.
Speed Signs
The Clerk informed Members that there were currently 4 speed signs at the following locations :
- Broughton Road , Lodge – Solar
- High Street, Pentre Broughton – Solar
- Wrexham Road, Brynteg – Solar
- Bersham Road, New Broughton – Solar
In addition there were four currently stored with Mega Electrical, our street lighting contractor.
Members agreed the following locations for these four plus it was agreed to purchase four additional ones from TWM, the only type of speed sign which Wrexham County Borough Council allow on its lighting columns :
- Broughton Road, Lodge – Change from solar to mains
- High Street, Pentre Broughton (By Roberts Bros) – Retain as solar
- Black Lane School – Solar, transfer the one from Wrexham Road, Brynteg
- Wrexham Road, Brynteg – Mains supply
- Darby Road, Brynteg – Transfer the solar one at Lodge to Darby Road
- Wrexham Road, Coed Efa (By Bus Stop) – Mains supply
- Bersham Road, New Broughton (By Football Fields) – Retain as solar
- Bersham Road, New Broughton (By Bus Stop) – Mains supply
- Berse Road, New Broughton – Mains supply
- Southsea Road, Southsea – Mains supply
- Gardner’s Hill, Southsea – Mains
- Bryn Hedd Southsea – Mains supply
Additional Lighting Columns
Members agreed that they should notify the Clerk of potential sites for additional lighting columns which would be assessed using the set of scoring criteria agreed at the December 2023 meeting.
- CORRESPONDENCE
- A letter from Wrexham CBC’s Chief Housing Officer notifying the community council of proposals to increase the cost of maintaining CCTV cameras. The Clerk informed Members that he had responded with a number of questions but, as yet, had not received a reply.
Members agreed that they no longer wished to pay for the one at the junction of Quarry Road/ Rockwood Road.
- A letter from Nightingale House thanking the council for its donation.
- MEMBER REPORTS
- Community House – The monies available after all outstanding bills had been paid had been transferred to AVOW prior to distribution to local organisations.
- Wrexham CBC had agreed to replace the missing village sign in New Broughton.
- Patrols had taken place on the old Moss Valley railway line in terms of fires being started.
- A complaint that a car was constantly causing an obstruction on Dale Road but was not in contravention of any traffic regulations.
- Yellow lines being introduced on Wrexham Road.
- A member of the public had cleared an area of trees behind the Memorial Hall and had requested whether the community council could hire a woodchipper for him to use. It was explained to him that he would need insurance to operate such equipment and if anything happened in terms of injury to himself or anyone else then the community council may be liable.
- Staff Performance / Pay Review (Confidential Item)
The Council has decided that this item should be considered under Paragraph 12 of Schedule 12A, Part 4 of the Local Government Act 1972, with the press and public excluded.
Members undertook a performance and pay review of the Clerk / Responsible Finance Officer and Cemetery Assistant.
Minutes of the Meeting of Broughton Community Council
on Tuesday 16 January 2024
Members
Councillor S Feely (Chair)*
Cllr. K. Jones (Vice Chair)
Councillor C Lovett Councillor Mrs B Parry-Jones
Councillor N Davies* Councillor T Alan Edwards*
Councillor Mrs S Williams Councillor Mrs E Jones
Councillor C Williams Councillor A Lovett
Councillor T Williams* Cllr. J. Pettigrew
Cllr. J. Williams Cllr. N. Williams
Cllr. K. Robinson Cllr. F Derbyshire
*Absent
- APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from A. Edwards, N. Davies and T. Williams.
All apologies were accepted.
- DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST
There were no Declarations of Personal Interest.
As there were a number of members of the public in attendance to hear the debate regarding a planning application it was agreed to bring this item forward.
- PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P2023 /0865 – Land at Stryt y Bydden, New Broughton
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. She emphasised that whilst the community council could forward its views, the final decision rested with Wrexham CBC. She also stated that only two applications to speak had been received and each would be limited to five minutes.
A member of the public acting on behalf of the applicant outlined a number of issues relating to the application :
- There was a genuine lack of communication and understanding of the needs of gypsies and travellers.
- He emphasised the particular lifestyle of such groups.
- He stated that there was good and bad across all areas of society.
- The site was now classified as open countryside, not green barrier since the recent adoption of the Local Development Plan.
- He emphasised that the application was for one family only and no others would be allowed to reside there.
- There would not be vehicles coming and going day and night as the applicant had a separate location for storing vehicles and equipment.
- Gypsies and travellers have protected characteristics under British law for protection of their rights.
The speaker was thanked for his input.
The applicant himself then spoke. He stated that he had lived in Wrexham all his life and all he wished for was a permanent residence for his family and himself. He wanted to work with and become part of the community.
The applicant was thanked for his input.
Members made a number of points :
- A couple stated that they could see no reason to oppose the application.
- Additional information had been received that the land could be contaminated.
- A site of that size appears to be over developed, with four chalets and two amenity blocks.
- There is a definition in law as to what constitutes a traveller’s site.
- Concerns about accessibility to and from a narrow road with no pavements and currently a 60 mph speed limit.
- Concern for the safety of children in particular.
- Expansion beyond defined boundaries
The community council agreed to lodge an objection to the application on the grounds of overdevelopment, safety and potential contamination issues.
