TRELLECH UNITED COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING
held at
The Hall, Llanishen on Monday 7 December 2015 at 7pm
Councillor
Village
Attendance
John Gooding
Michael Mason
Bob Dagger (Chair)
Ashley Thomas
Martin Blakebrough
George Weston
Steve Coppell
Rosemary Decker-Thomas
John Baldwin
Tessa Murray
Alan Poulter
Iain Stokes
County Cllr Debby Blakebrough
Clerk: Ann Davison
Catbrook
Catbrook
Llandogo
Llandogo
Llanishen
Llanishen
The Narth
The Narth
Penallt
Penallt
Trellech
Whitebrook
MCC
Present
Not present
Present
Present
Not present
Present
Present
Present
Not present
Not present
Present
Present
Present
15255
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Cllrs J Baldwin, M Blakebrough, M Mason and T Murray
15256
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: None
15257
RESIGNATION OF COUNCILLOR
It was noted that Phil Chadwick had resigned as councillor for the Trellech ward. The vacancy has been
officially advertised, and if no election is requested by 23 December then the council may co-opt. The
clerk was asked to initiate this process early in the New Year if necessary.
15258
TO RECEIVE REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR BLAKEBROUGH
 Natural Resources Wales is again wanting to erect barriers in the Maryland area, to prevent 4-wheel drive
vehicles and motor cycles churning up the tracks. Local residents have opposed this in the past, as the
tracks also offer access to some houses. A site meeting will be held.
 Mark Hand, head of MCC Planning, has toured the area with County Councillor Blakebrough, to familiarise
himself with local issues.
15259
TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 16 November
The minutes for 16 November were agreed and signed as a true record.
15260
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF 16 November
Item 15085: Bin shelters in The Narth
Cllr Coppell reported that the lids have now been replaced.
Clerk
Item 15217 (15201, etc): Provision of Defibrillators
The application to the British Heart Foundation is under consideration by them.
Item 15241: Planning documents not on MCC website
Phil Thomas, MCC Planning, had explained that the documents had been on the website but not visible to
the general public, due to human error. The issue was to be raised at their team meeting to try and ensure
it did not recur. If the planning department is alerted that documents are "missing" it is very quick and easy
to put right.
Item 15246: Fencing of Llandogo Play Area
A site meeting will be held later in December to further this project.
Clerk
Chairman: 18/1/2016
Page 1 of 5
TUCC meeting 7 December 2015
15261
TO CONSIDER PLANNING APPLICATIONS:
 2014/01533, Llandogo, site adjacent The Lion, detached dwelling, further amendments. Concerns over
road safety remain. Cllrs Thomas and Dagger will attend the delegated panel meeting to explain these.
 01430, Llandogo, Rosehurst, front porch, balcony, etc Recommend approval
Clerk
15262
FURTHER PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
 01425, Trellech, Babington Close, variation of surface materials (condition 14) relating to 2008/001420.
Recommend approval

Notification to remove three trees in de Clere Way, Trellech. No objection
15263
PLANNING DECISIONS
 00592, Whitebrook, Salmons Leap, single storey rear extension. Approved
 00776, Whitebrook, Park Farm, convert redundant barn and stables to habitable accommodation.
Approved
 00834, Llandogo, The Sloop Inn, conversion of garages to residential use. Approved
15264
FURTHER PLANNING DECISIONS: None
15265
STANDING ORDER 6, RULES OF DEBATE
The rules of debate were drawn to the attention of councillors.
15266
ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT
Current bank balance (less uncashed cheques): £21,827.34
The following accounts were presented and payment agreed:
500435
MCC, grass cutting 2014/15 and 2015/16
£1170.75
Clerk
15267
DRAFT BUDGET AND ALLOCATION OF RESERVES
Two councillors and the clerk had attended a meeting with MCC concerning possible cuts to the county
council budget. It was noted that no concrete proposals had been put forward for ways in which services
under threat could be funded through community council precepts. While councillors were amenable to
the principle, the precept could not be increased to cover a nebulous proposal and without an opportunity
to consult the electorate.
It was noted that in the draft budget the item "chair's expenses" had been deleted, and a new provision of
£2,000 included for "councillor expenses". This was to allow for the outcome of a debate on the Annual
Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, which should be published in February 2016.
It was resolved to accept the draft budget, a copy of which is appended to these minutes.
It was further resolved to allocate the forecast reserves at end-March 2016 of £26,450 as follows:
Handyman
£7,000
Defibrillators
£6,000
Llanishen pond £1,000
Signage
£1,000
General reserve £11,450
Clerk
15268
PRECEPT FOR 2016/17
It was resolved that the precept should be set at £31,000
15269
SIGNATORIES TO BANK ACCOUNT
TUCC Financial Regulations require three signatures on cheques, and historically all TUCC councillors have
been bank signatories. Changes in banking regulations now require disclosure of personal financial
information that several councillors were unwilling to accept. It was noted that the current list of
signatories is out of date and needs to be amended. This item will be on a future agenda.
Clerk
Clerk
Chairman: 18/1/2016
Page 2 of 5
TUCC meeting 7 December 2015
15270
FIXED-RATE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT
The Finance Advisory Group had suggested the transfer of £10,000 from the current account to a 12-month
fixed-rate deposit account, at an interest rate of 1.12%. In order to open a "new" account a full application
form needs to be completed, including personal information for all councillors. A decision on this item
therefore awaits the outcome of further discussion of item 15269.
15271
AUTO-ENROLMENT PROVISIONS FOR PENSIONS
It was noted that the clerk's salary falls below the level at which an employer is obliged to provide a pension
scheme. The clerk is entitled to ask for a pension scheme to be provided (with no employer contributions);
but the clerk has informed the council that she does not require such a scheme to be provided.
15272
MAINTENANCE OF BROADSTONE VILLAGE GREEN
The council's insurance broker has confirmed that the policy will automatically cover an employee cutting
grass and hedges, although this should be included as an item in the council's risk assessment.
Mike Camp had proposed cutting both grass and hedges, and removing all the waste, for a sum of £500
(compared to £610 from the current contractor, with waste left on site). In addition he would carry out
regular inspections of the play equipment, as required by the insurance company.
It was resolved to ask Mr Camp to take on the contract for 2016.
15273
MAINTENANCE OF LLANISHEN POND
It was noted that the pond was cleared of an invasive weed, crassula helmsii, in 2008 with the help of a grant
from the AONB's SDF fund. Chriss Knight, a resident of Llanishen and lecturer at Coleg Gwent in Usk, had
agreed that his students would carry out maintenance work on the pond on a voluntary basis, as part of their
training programme.
It was resolved that this offer be accepted.
15274
NAMES FOR NEW ROADS IN TRELLECH
It was resolved to submit the following proposals to MCC: School Close for the road leading onto the B4293,
and Parc Glas (Green Park) for the road leading off Greenway Lane.
15275
CATBROOK FOOTBALL FIELD: Nothing to report
15276
BABINGTON MEADOW: no report
15277
OTHER REPORTS: none
15278
CORRESPONDENCE
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
MCC, annual improvement plan
MCC, chairman, invitation to charity quiz at Glen yr Afon House Hotel, Usk, 10 Jan, 7pm
MCC, A Jones, map of "white areas" supplied by AB Internet
MCC, J Keech, notification of proposed tree works in Trellech
MCC, S Lamrick, consultation on names for new roads in Trellech
MCC, W McLean, invitation to meeting on 2016/17 Budget, County Hall, Usk, 3 Dec, 6pm
MCC, M Moran, planned site visit to Llandogo playground, 15 Dec
MCC, J Pearson, notice of vacancy for Trellech ward
MCC, P Thomas, absence of planning documents on MCC website
Babington Meadow Committee, accounts and annual report + committee minutes
British Heart Foundation, application for defibrillators under consideration
Came & Co, clarification of insurance cover for council employees
Consortium of Wye Valley Councils, R Crighton, proposal to disband
S Coppell, confirmation that lids to bin shelters in The Narth replaced
P Chadwick, resignation as councillor representing Trellech ward
Citizens Advice Bureau, invitation to Monmouthshire County CAB's AGM
D James, Rural Housing Enabler, on developments in Trellech and Penallt
Llandogo School Governors, D Trippett, request for £250 towards new computer
WAG, draft Local Government (Wales) Bill, consultation open until 15 Feb 2016
WAG, Natural Resources Bulletin, issue 2
G Weston, copy of correspondence with ICT Vision over website hosting and domain name
G Weston, correspondence concerning Llanishen pond
Chairman: 18/1/2016
Page 3 of 5
TUCC meeting 7 December 2015
15279
ITEMS FOR CONSORTIUM OF WYE VALLEY COUNCILS
The clerk of the Consortium had circulated a questionnaire about its future. Councillors agreed that:
(i) there are no current issues on which TUCC requires input from the Consortium
(ii) the Consortium should be 'put into hibernation', maintaining an information exchange, but only
meeting if/when a major issue arises
(iii) TUCC is content to accept the majority view on (ii) as expressed by email, without a formal
meeting.
15280
ITEMS FOR THE PRESS/NEXT AGENDA
 request from Llandogo School for £250 grant
 attendance of David James, rural housing enabler - March in Penallt
15281
DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING: Monday, 18 January 2016 at Catbrook Memorial Hall
Clerk
Clerk
The meeting closed at 21.14
Chairman: 18/1/2016
Page 4 of 5
TUCC meeting 7 December 2015
2016/17
Budget
2015/16
Expected
out-turn
5000
4820
5300
0
0
0
0
Office expenses
429
650
472
650
Councillor expenses
350
450
350
2000
25
200
17
200
External audit
205
205
205
250
Internal audit
50
55
55
60
Subscriptions
439
500
500
500
Insurance
577
650
650
700
Hire of halls
147
350
323
350
0
200
0
200
1400
1800
1800
1800
Clerk's salary
Employer's pension contribution
Training
Tree work
Churchyards
Grass cutting MCC
2014/15
2015/16
Actual
4262
Budget
0
700
976
700
Grass cutting Broadstone/Catbrook
350
850
850
850
Grass cutting Babington Meadow
350
450
450
450
Playgrounds, repairs/inspection
120
200
120
200
Dog waste collection
103
200
111
200
0
50
100
50
2000
2500
2500
2500
500
500
500
500
Lease on Catbrook football field
Citizens Advice Bureau
S137 - charities etc
Elections
0
0
0
0
400
400
400
450
Archiving
0
0
0
0
Website
88
500
0
0
MCC summer playscheme
IT equipment
0
0
108
150
4867
9000
8933
10000
176
1000
652
1000
Llanishen Pond/Whitelye/Kiln Tump
0
1000
0
1000
Legal fees
0
500
0
500
Miscellaneous, Contingency
0
800
0
800
Handyman
0
0
0
0
£16,838
£28,710
£24,892
£31,360
Village halls & local projects
Noticeboards
TOTAL
Precept
Chairman: 18/1/2016
£25,000
Page 5 of 5
£31,000
TUCC meeting 7 December 2015