Penygroes Community News

Present
Eleri Davies, Yvonne Watkins, John Davies, Mark Durdin, Mair Griffiths, Lynnette Reynolds, Mark Waygood (secretary), Julian Tandy (Vice Chair), Yvonne Kelly (Treasurer), Huw Evans, Menter Cwm Gwendraeth

Apologies
Alun Lewis, Marie Hughes-Jones, Julie Owen, Phil Owen

Point from the floor about late arrival of minutes, could they be sent out earlier so they aren’t received the day of the meeting.  Attendees assured that they were sent out in plenty of time although some people still hadn’t received them.

Minutes of last meeting

It was agreed that minutes were a true record of last meeting.

Matters Arising

Young Peoples Pavilion Update

* The letter to Mr Sutton’s group declining acceptance to attend his group has been written and is awaiting a signature.
* Eleri Davies said she hadn’t contacted Alana & Cindy at Menter Cwm Gwendraeth, if Huw could speak to them and if they need anything to let her know.
* The pavilion opening (youth project) has been put back until September.

Grant Application Situation

* Meeting attended by 2 members of MCG, Eleri, Yvonne, Julian and Cllr. Thomas.  Menter were very helpful.
* There are possibilities for the gardening club, there are currently quotes waiting to come in.
* The notice board in front of the hall is moving ahead as it has had letters of support.
* All projects need 6 letters of support from other organisations or community groups within the village.
* The gardening club has letters of support from Cllr. Thomas.
* Local groups may be getting letters asking for their support shortly.

Newsletter

* The community newsletter is being looked into, possibly an A4 size colour, dual language partly funded by local businesses.
* Before it proceeds, a mock example of how it could look will be produced.   There is the possibility of a grant being available to help fund it.
* It is likely that the local youth will be able to help out with the production of this publication.
* Currently, it can take anything from to 2 days to a week to prepare and print out our newsletter.
* In the early stages we are looking at a bi-monthly or quarterly publication, which may, at some point, become monthly, depending on support etc.
* It would be helpful if other groups were also included (RFC etc.), to help make it more successful as a general community magazine as opposed just the Forum.

Walking Club

* Mark Durdin reported that he is still waiting for the training course to be arranged before any ‘official’ organised walks can go ahead.
* We can only go ahead if they are informal walks because there won’t be anyone organising them or any insurance.
* We won’t be able to advertise these informal walks, as then they won’t be informal.

Protex Development

* If anyone has any information regarding the development, could they phone someone on the sub-committee, or go along to a meeting and speak to him or her directly.  At the last meeting the committee didn’t have much information but there was a long discussion from the floor regarding events the sub-committee was unaware of.
* The meetings are at Marie’s house the last Thursday before the Forum meeting.
* Notices of forthcoming meetings, etc. will soon be placed on the local notice boards so everyone will know when they are.

Games Evening

* The evening went very well although it wasn’t on for very long.  The climbing wall was especially successful, even Alun had a go.
* It might have been better if the children using it were called out in groups according to age as the wall dominated the evening.
* Some mothers said there wasn’t very much for the very young children.
* Where it worked well was when one person took charge of a game to teach and encourage the children.
* It was suggested that we need to have lessons on how to play the games in advance.
* There were more older people there last year, but more children this year, as the climbing wall was being talked about in advance of the evening.
* As many as 100 people may have attended.  Many mothers said they would like to see these evenings organised more often.
* The bowling was very popular with all age groups and the bowling club members who were helping out enjoyed teaching the children.
* It was suggested from the floor that we have another games evening before the end of summer, but there were concerns about letting the children know about it.
* Can Huw find out if it’s possible to arrange another evening (or Saturday afternoon).  Need to arrange before the next newsletter, if not when the children start back at school.

Emlyn Development (brief update)

* There’s not much happening at the moment other than levelling the land.
* The recent rain didn’t cause any problems as the water went straight to the holding pond.
* We are hoping to get John Taylor along to the next sub-committee meeting.
* There’s note that the Chair is to write to John Taylor but there is no further news on that.
* The Environmental Agency has said the site is clear.
* Samples have been sent off to a test centre in Cross Hands but this is run by the EA, there’s an independent centre in Pontypridd.
* The heavy equipment is still operating from early in the morning.  They had a 7-week contract but are now into their 10th week.  Victoria Keen was supposed to come down if the noise continued.  Some local residents are keeping diaries of noise and dust pollution.
* Noise baffles weren’t placed around the site because that was only a condition if there was coal extraction.

Gardening Club

* There was a garden club stand at the Strawberry Tea Day.  The stand was in a good position outside the entrance, which showed people there something was on at the hall.
* The flower show is on the 22nd July at the RFC.  Volunteers are needed to post the show leaflet through all the local doors.
* Hanging baskets will be judged one week before the show; notices have placed on the notice boards.  
* There are prizes for best entries.

A.O.B.

Strawberry Tea Day

* Good turnout again.  The Urdd Appeal Committee raised almost £600 to help towards the Eisteddfod.

Village Notice Boards

* There are residents of Penygroes who are almost a mile away down Waterloo Road that don’t have access to a notice board.
* Is there any community land down that area and what sort of cost is it for a notice board?
* At the bottom end of Waterloo Road just passed the new housing development, there appears to be what’s left of a ‘you are entering Penygroes’ sign.  Could this area be used for a new notice board?
* Does this piece of land belong to the council and is it on the boundary of Penygroes / Capel Hendre?
* Would it be better placed at the bus shelter by Spïen Road?  More people are likely to see it there.
* There is another bus stop a bit further down by Bryn Glas.
* If there’s a concrete bus shelter, a community board could be attached to it.


Training

* A letter was read out from Craig Pennel regarding supplying first aid training to teenagers at £120 per session.
* Was this something Alun was looking into for the youth club?
* This is expensive for one session; could St. Johns Ambulance do this for less?
* Can we get funding for this elsewhere, we would need more than one session.  How many people are included in that £120?  A. Ten people.
* There will have to be more than one session’s training to complete the course.  
* Can we get enough young people to agree to this course, if there isn’t enough it won’t be worth doing.
* Copy of training letter to Huw.
* Perhaps we could try getting the St. John’s Ambulance back, as they used to carry out training here.

Translation Training Courses

* Bulletins to be placed on notice boards for anyone interested in learning how to do simultaneous translation.

Meeting closed

Next forum meeting 12th September 2006 at Calfaria Chapel Vestry.

AGM 10th October 2006.