Minutes of the Meeting of Broughton Community Council
on Wednesday, 9 October 2024
Members
Cllr. K. Jones (Chair)*
Cllr. F. Derbyshire (Vice Chair)
Councillor C Lovett* Councillor Mrs B Parry-Jones
Councillor N Davies* Councillor T Alan Edwards
Councillor Mrs S Williams MBE 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. S. Feely
*Absent
In the absence of the Chair it was agreed that the Vice-Chair, Cllr. F. Derbyshire chair the meeting.
- APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE / DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST
Apologies were received from K. Robinson, T. Williams, C. Lovett, N. Davies and K.Jones. All apologies were accepted.
- DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST
None.
- PENTRE BROUGHTON BOWLING CLUB
The Chair welcomed representatives of the Bowling Club to the meeting. The Clerk reminded Members that they had been asked to attend to clarify a number of points prior to a decision being taken as to a potential donation.
The following points were raised:
- The Bowling Club had requested permission to remove a hedge around the bowling green. Members asked what would replace it and were told that it would not be replaced as there was a 6 foot palisade fence around it.
- One of the stipulations in giving last year’s donation was that the bowling green should be opened up for use by the public at certain times.
- The Club had five players who had represented Wales.
- The season ran from April to September.
Members agreed :
- That the green should be open to the public on Wednesdays between 2 pm and 4 pm and Sundays between 2 pm to 4 pm from April to September. This to be advertised on the community council’s notice boards.
- That the hedge should remain but be cut down to a more manageable height and then cut twice a year. The Clerk would obtain a quote.
- A donation be made to the Bowling Club of £1500.
- PCSO REPORT
The report had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting. The Clerk informed Members that he had emailed Inspector Subacchi but had been informed that he is presently not working. In addition the Inspector’s email inbox was found to be full.
The Clerk had been informed that another Inspector was currently responsible for the area.
He would contact him to express the community council’s concerns.
Members made the following points :
- The information was better than usual in identifying locations.
- However, the report was still not accurate as even reports made by councillors themselves did not appear to have been included.
The Clerk would contact other Clerks in the area to obtain their views on the current level of service from the police and their opinion on the quality of the reports.
- MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2024.
A member pointed out that it had been agreed at the September meeting that a speed sign be purchased for Solway Banks.
The Clerk stated that the minutes would be amended accordingly.
Other than that the minutes were accepted as a true and accurate record.
Matters Arising
Page 1 – Complaint
The Clerk informed Members that the complainant had confirmed that the matter is now closed.
Page 2 – Youth Provision
The main points of a meeting held with a member of the Wrexham CBC Youth Team were shared :
- The need for a longer term strategy to be developed. The WCBC Youth Team would provide a costed proposal.
- Concerns that so much preparation time is included in the costs.
- The need for the service to cover both terms time and holidays.
- The need to progress the siting of a mobile container at Solway Banks.
The Clerk would circulate the 2024-25 Service Level agreement to Members.
Page 2 – Cemetery
A Member raised concerns that she had received from grave owners about the fact that the community council were spending a large amount of public money on headstone repairs. The Clerk informed Members that he had received an email from a member of the public with similar concerns.
The Clerk reminded Members that a safety audit had been undertaken which identified 170 headstones in a “category RED” i.e. dangerous condition, which required the community council to act quickly to rectify the issues. He further stated
that most, as you would expect, where in the oldest part of the cemetery. The only information held in the cemetery registers was the name of the original purchaser , who was the legal owner of the grave. He pointed out that grave ownership does not legally automatically pass on to other members of the family.
Given the age of some of the graves it is likely that the most would have changed address or, sadly, passed away themselves.
Other Members pointed out it had been decided that it would be unfair to ask some people to pay for the repair and not others who could not be traced.
The Clerk informed Members that the Chair had met with the grasscutting contractor to request quotes for hedge cutting, seeding and strimming. However these had not yet been received
Page 3 – Southsea Play Area
The Clerk informed Members that work on the construction of the path had been delayed due to bad weather
In addition the Clerk reminded Members that a decision was still required for the relocation of village notice board in Southsea. It was agreed to relocate the sign onto Southsea Road, near to the flyover.
Page 2 – Retiring Road Sweeper
Thanks were passed on from the road sweeper for the generous donations Members had made.
Members were informed that it was hoped that a replacement would be in post in the near future.
Page 2 – Defibrillators
A quote from our electrical contractor had been received for the installation of a defibrillator at Broughton Road, Lodge at a cost of £1000 plus VAT.
Members accepted the quote.
The Clerk informed Members that he had identified hard case tourniquet kits but they would be too big to fit into the defibrillator cases.
Page 3 – Bellway Homes
Members were informed that flooding / slippage problems had occurred on the Gatewen Village footpath. Bellway Homes had attempted to rectify the problem but it appeared that it had not been completely successful.
Cllr. A Edwards made a comment that he felt that the Local Development Plan is corrupt.
Remembrance Sunday
The Clerk informed Members that he had been in touch with Roberts Bros. in terms of printing service programmes and broadcasting equipment and had contacted Black Lane CP School.
He was asked to invite the Brownies / Guides and Cadets. However Members were informed that the Cadets were attending the service in Wrexham.
Page 5 Planning Application P/2023/0221
Members were informed that the application had been granted, despite opposition from local councillors and residents.
- FINANCE
Members agreed income amounting to and payments amounting to £ £1,565.63 and £14,985.63 respectively
SUMMARY OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE – SEPTEMBER 2024
(Payments inc. VAT where Applicable)
Income –
| Date | Payee | Method of Payment
|
Amount
£ |
| 4 Sept 2024 | S. Price Memorials -Headstones | BACS | 1,000.00 |
| 6 Sept 2024 | HSBC – Interest | INT | 565.63 |
| Total £1,565.63 | |||
Expenditure
| Date | Payer | Method of Payment
|
Amount
£ |
| 4 Sept 2024 | AVOW – September Payroll | BACS | 2,729.34 |
| 23 Sept 2024 | SSE Energy – Sept Energy | DD | 1,255.57 |
| 25 Sept 2024 | HSBC – Bank Charges | CHG | 5.00 |
| 28 Sept 2024 | Memsafe – Headstone Repairs | BACS | 3,767.40 |
| 28 Sept 2024 | TWM – Speed Sign Batteries | BACS | 769.92 |
| 30 Sept 2024 | Memsafe – Headstone Repairs | BACS | 6,458.40 |
| TOTAL £ 14,985.63 | |||
Bank Balances at 30 September 2024 :
Business Account : £ 153,630.03
Deposit Account : £ 116,318.03
Total : £ 269,948.06
Members also authorised the Clerk to make payments amounting to £ 13,493.68
INVOICES FOR AUTHORISATION
OCTOBER 2024 MEETING
(Copies Available for Inspection)
16 Sept 2024 Memsafe – Repairs to 24 Headstones £ 4,305.60
18 Sept 2024 Hafren Dyfrdwy – Cemetery Water Rates £ 140.49
30 Sept 2024 Mega Electrical – Street Lighting Repairs –
April to Sept 2024 £ 208.39
3 Oct 2024 Landscapers That Care
– Cemetery Grasscutting £ 3,816.00
30 Sept 2024 Memsafe – Repairs to 28 Headstones £ 5,023.20
TOTAL £ 13,493.68
- CORRESPONDENCE.
- Email from Wrexham Sounds requesting a donation – Noted.
- Email from Mrs F. Suckley discussed under Cemetery om Page 3.
- MEMBER REPORTS
- A Member stated that she had receives a request for the purchase of a narrow strip of land at Broughton Cemetery.
It was agreed to await a formal request from the applicant.
- A Member stated that he had received a request to put a replacement bench on New Broughton Recreation Ground.
It was agreed to request the Clerk to obtain quotes
Signed …………………………………… (Chair)
Date …………………………
