Minutes of the Meeting of Broughton Community Council
on Wednesday 13 December 2023
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 Cllrs. A. Lovett, K. Robinson, N. Davies and T. Williams.
All apologies were accepted.
- DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST
Cllr. J. Williams declared an interest in relation to agenda item 8 (Planning Applications) – 3 Rhosrhedyn , Southsea as she was related to the applicant.
- YOUTH PROVISION
The Chair welcomed Mr. Gareth Stacey and Mr. Richard Thomas from Wrexham CBC Youth Provision Team to the meeting.
Mr. Stacey gave an update on the project in Broughton so far and referred to the report which had been previously supplied to Members, with the following points being raised :
- Thomas would be responsible for co-ordinating the project in the future.
- The attendance figures had exceeded expectations, given that we are at such an early stage, with attendances expected to increase.
- The busiest session had attracted 28 attendees, with an average of 17, and 89 different children attending at various times.
- A number of interventions had occurred in relation to the youth sessions, in terms of anti-social behaviour and drug use. There has also been one ongoing investigation, but incidents relating to this occurred outside of the youth sessions.
- Other than the above incidents behaviour had been reasonable.
- At least one member of staff attends both the play and youth sessions to ensure co-ordination and continuity.
- PCSOs were not attending as often as they should.
- A discussion took place relating the potential use of a storage unit. The unit could be supplied free of charge by Wrexham CBC, but ancillary costs such as the installation of a kitchen may have to met by the community council.
- Experience in other areas shows that youths take ownership of the container.
- How have the sessions impacted on anti-social behaviour generally ? – It is difficult to judge at this stage, due to a lack of meaningful information from PCSOs.
Mr Stacey and Mr. Thomas were thanked for their attendance.
It was agreed to renew the contact for 2024/2025 at a cost of £32,494.43 for two play sessions and two youth sessions per week, with the youth sessions being term time only.
- PCSO REPORT
The Clerk had circulated the report to Members prior to the meeting. It covered the period 1 November to 30 November 2023 inclusive.
- Once again no PCSO was able to attend the meeting. A promise had been made that a Sergeant would attend the January 2024 meeting.
- There was a need to identify in which ward incidents occurred.
- A request for a copy of the PCSO Mission Statement.
- Members stated that they used to have the offer of a monthly walkabout, but this had not happened recently.
Members noted the report.
- MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 8 NOVEMBER 2023.
The minutes were accepted as a true and accurate record.
Matters Arising
Page 2 -Cemetery
- The uneven area in the new section of the cemetery had been cut at a cost of £360.
- The Clerk had contacted a number of local stone masons to identifying a suitable contractor to undertake a risk assessment of headstones at the cemetery and was awaiting replies.
- Further information and options relating to a butterfly garden were to be progressed.
- Dog fouling was still an issue at the cemetery despite additional signage being put up.
It was suggested that a press release be considered to highlight the problem.
Page 2 – Xmas Lighting
The Clerk informed Members that, despite delivery delays, our electrical contractor had been able to install and switch on the new lights by the agreed date.
He also highlighted the fact that one on Darby Road, Brynteg was not working. The community council’s electrical contractor had inspected it but had informed the Clerk that it could not be rectified as the power to it had been disconnected, probably by contractors installing a 5G mast. He had reported it to Wrexham CBC but had not received a response.
Page 2 – Remembrance Sunday
Members felt that the Remembrance Day Service had gone off well.
The Clerk was asked to write to the Memorial Hall Manager, Roberts Bros, Funeral Directors, the Brownies and Guides, Brymbo Lodge Football Club, Pentre Broughton Bowling Club and Mr. Phil Coops to thanks them for their involvement and participation.
Page 4- Planning Applications
The Clerk informed Members that he had contacted Wrexham CBC to give reasons for their objection to the planning application P/2023/0719 at 13 Windsor Road, New Broughton.
- FINANCE
Members agreed the payments amounting to £ 19,990.25.
SUMMARY OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE – NOVEMBER 2023
(Payments inc. VAT where Applicable)
Income –
| Date | Payee | Method of Payment
|
Amount
|
| TOTAL NIL | |||
Expenditure
| Date | Payer | Method of Payment
|
Amount
£ |
| 8 Nov 2023 | Bellis Bros – Plants (Env. Budget) | Visa | 58.41 |
| 9 Nov 2023 | AVOW – November Salaries | BACS | 2,574.84 |
| 9 Nov 2023 | Lee Dunmer – Cemetery Grasscutting | BACS | 1,440.00 |
| 9 Nov 2023 | Hafren Dyfrwdwy -Cemetery Water Charge | BACS | 136.16 |
| 9 Nov 2023 | Mega Electrical – Fault Repairs – April to Sept 2023 | BACS | 1,463.24 |
| 9 Nov 2023 | Welsh Air Ambulance – Donation | BACS | 500.00 |
| 10 Nov 2023 | Mega Electrical – 3 yearly Inspection & Testing of Street Lights | BACS | 11,835.66 |
| 10 Nov 2023 | Grosvenor Garden Centre – Plants (Env. Budget) | Visa | 123.13 |
| 13 Nov 2023 | The Range – Compost (Env. Budget) | Visa | 52.00 |
| 13 Nov 2023 | ALDI – Refreshments (Env. Budget) | Visa | 13.80 |
| 16 Nov 2023 | SSE – Oct Energy Costs | DD | 1,331.62 |
| 25 Nov 2023 | HSBC – Bank Charges | DR | 5.00 |
| 27 Nov 2023 | North Hills Farm – Xmas Trees (Env. Budget) | Visa | 230.00 |
| 27 Nov 2023 | Screwfix – Batteries (Env. Budget) | Visa | 25.98 |
| 27 Nov 2023 | B & Q – Batteries & Cable Ties (Env. Budget) | Visa | 25.52 |
| 27 Nov 2023 | The Range – Xmas Tree Decorations (Env. Budget) | Visa | 14.99 |
| 27 Nov 2023 | B & M – Xmas Tree Decorations (Env. Budget) | Visa | 34.00 |
| 27 Nov 2023 | Zoom – Webcasting Subscription | Visa | 15.59 |
| 29 Nov 2023 | B & Q – Compost (Env. Budget) | Visa | 21.00 |
| 30 Nov 2023 | Bellis Bros – Plants (Env. Budget) | Visa | 37.35 |
| 30 Nov 2023 | Dobbies – Plants (Env. Budget) | Visa | 51.96 |
| TOTAL £ 19,990.25 | |||
Bank Balances at 30 November 2023 :
Business Account : £ 156,459.11
Deposit Account : £ 114,030.91
Total : £ 270,490.02
Members approved the following invoices for payment amounting to £ 17,005.00.
1 Oct 2023 Wrexham Citizen’s Advice – Outreach Service –
3rd Instalment £ 2,250.00
1 Dec 2023 Lee C Dunmer – Grasscutting 17 November &
Level New Section of Cemetery £ 1,080.00
9 Nov 2023 Digital Issue – Annual Website Maintenance £ 1,560.00
12 Dec 2023 Lee C Dunmer – Cut & spray with weedkiller new
Section of cemetery £ 365.00
13 Dec 2023 Audit Wales- Audit Fee 2020/21 £ 485.00
15 Nov 2023 Mega Electrical – Install RCD units for new Xmas lights,
Testing & Reseating one column £ 10,845.00
21 November Allington Hughes (Solicitors) – Legal advice re.
Defective Speed Signs £ 420.00
TOTAL £ 17,005.00
Precept Report
The Clerk presented the precept report, in relation to the financial year 2024/25. He reminded Members that, at the November meeting, they had received a six month monitoring report for the period 1 April 2023 to 30 September 2023.
He went through specific elements of the report, in particular highlighting those elements of expenditure which were covered by the precept but also potential issues which were not and would therefore have to be met from balances and reserves.
The report also included options for differing levels of precept. Members made the following points :
- Additional budget was likely to be required for youth provision and the play schemes.
- A number of proposed projects would require funding in one form or another.
- There was a risk that, given the County Borough Council’s financial situation , community councils may be asked to fund, or contribute to, additional services.
- Increases were required to fund inflation pressures.
It was agreed to set the precept for 2024/25 at a figure of £172,564, an increase of 10% on the previous year.
- FEEDBACK FROM THE STREET LIGHTING WORKING GROUP
The above group had met on 21 November 2023 and its recommendations were fed back to the meeting .
It was agreed :
- That a set of criteria and scoring system be established in order to agree prioritisation of any new street lighting columns i.e.
- Health & Safety, scored from 1 to 5
- Crime/ Anti-social behaviour issues, scored from 1 to 5.
- Maximising Community Benefit / Footfall scored from 1 to 5.
- Cost, scored from 1 to 3.
- It was further agreed that Members should bring any proposals to the January 2024 meeting.
- PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P/2023/0287 – 3 Rhosrhedyn, Southsea Road, Southsea
Notification of an Appeal against refusal by Wrexham CBC to grant planning permission for the erection of a ground floor extension – Noted.
P/2023/0782 – Salem Chapel, Pisgah Hill, Pentre Broughton
Application for time limits extension – Noted.
P/2023/0837 – 7 Hywelfa, Southsea
Application of a single storey front extension and porch – Noted.
- CORRESPONDENCE
- Request from UrddiBawb from a donation –
- Details of a 6.3% increase, in line with the RPI index link, to street lighting maintenance and repairs for 2024/25 – Members agreed the increase.
- Email from Wrexham CBC defining the Tax Base at a level of 2,825 for 2024/25 –
- Request from Nightingale House for a donation towards a new unit – It was agreed to make a donation of £500.
- Request from St. Paul’s Church for a donation towards cemetery grass cutting. – It was agreed to make a donation of £500.
- MEMBER REPORTS
- Donations had been made following the sale of refreshments at the Remembrance Day Service.
- Given the lack of a decision from the Church of Wales to allow a defibrillator to be located at Southsea Church Cllr. F. Derbyshire had kindly agreed for it to be located at his property adjacent to the church.
The Clerk was requested to purchase appropriate signage highlighting its location.
- A request that the community council revisits the issue of village signs in the New Year.
- Given to Shine – locations and volunteers were requested.
- Staff Performance / Salary Review to be put on the agenda for the January 2024 meeting.
- Southsea Carol Service – A budget of £150 was agreed.
Signed …………………………………… (Chair)
Date …………………………
