FFORWM WARD PENYGROES WARD FORUM
Annual General Meeting 3 October 2007
Pafiliwn Parc Penygroes Park Pavilion
Minutes

Present
Yvonne Watkins, Howard Watkins, Colin Whitelaw, Nicola Davies, Llinos Hindley, Les Devaney, Sal Armstrong, Margaret Hughes, Laura T Stafford, Elizabeth Prigmore, Edwina Rees, Marion Jones, Cllr. Siân Thomas, Yvonne Kelly, Vicky Thomas, John Davies, Eleanor Tandy, Caryl Tandy, Phil Owen, Julian Tandy, Huw Evans, Menter Cwm Gwendraeth

Apologies
Mark Waygood, Eleri Davies, Julie Owen, Alun Lewis, Kevin Kelly, Mr Davies, Lynette Reynolds, Mair Griffiths

Unfortunately, no translator was available to cover this meeting.

Report by the Chair
Julian Tandy, the Chair gave a brief synopsis of the Forum’s work over the past year, including the decision to concentrate on the organisation of events in order to involve as many residents as possible, such as the Strawberry Tea, the Christmas Fair, Flower Show, a strategy, which has met with only moderate success in terms of the numbers, who have turned out.  One important development over the past year has been the appointment of Phil Owen as a community development officer for the Ward, and that has led to the development of several new projects.  The creation of the community website (www.crosshandslife.co.uk/penygroescommunitynews/) has also been a significant step forward.

Report by the Treasurer
The Treasurer, Yvonne Kelly stated that the Forum’s finances were in a relatively healthy state, with approximately £900 in the bank account, excluding the funds earmarked for Phil Owen’s community development project.

Election of Officers
Chair – Julian Tandy, nominated by John Davies and seconded by Howard Watkins. Elected unanimously.
Secretary – Julian Tandy confirmed that Eleri Davies, had volunteered to be secretary if no one else came forward.  This was seconded by Yvonne Kelly and Howard Watkins.
Treasurer – Yvonne Kelly stated that she wished to retire from the post.  Colin Whitelaw volunteered to take over the post and this was approved unanimously by those present.
Mark Waygood has agreed to be Vice-secretary and Yvonne Kelly agreed to be member without portfolio of the Committee.

Forum Meeting 3 October 2007
Pafiliwn Parc Penygroes Park Pavilion
Minutes
Matters Arising

Llinos Hindley indicated that the day of the Games Day cited in the minutes was incorrect.  The event is to be held on Saturday afternoon 5th, not Friday as stated in the minutes.

Penygroes Park Project

Phil Owen gave a brief outline of the Park Steering Group’s progress to date.  Having studied the Public Consultation Day report, the Group agreed upon 10 priorities for action.  Grants will be applied for once the final plan is finalised. There is £45,000 available already for match funding from Section 106 Agreements. 

One of the priorities is to introduce measures aimed at making the park a safer place. One option would be to build a 2-metre high perimeter fence around the park, with an estimated cost of around £50,000.  CCTV cameras in strategic areas around the park are also being considered, but they themselves might fall victim to vandalism. 

The Steering Committee is also to ask Llandybïe Community Council whether they might employ a caretaker/ grounds-man to maintain the Community’s public parks and play areas. Cllr Siân Thomas reminded the Forum that the County Council’s Legal Department is still considering whether it is legal for the County to sell part of the Park to developers. 

The decision might well have implications both for the park project and for the Rugby Club, which recently voted to seek a move to the Club pavilion as the entrance would then need to cross land owned by the County Council.

Phil Owen gave a brief outline of the Park Steering Group’s progress to date.  Having studied the Public Consultation Day report, the Group agreed upon 10 priorities for action.  Grants will be applied for once the final plan is finalised. There is £45,000 available already for match funding from Section 106 Agreements. 

One of the priorities is to introduce measures aimed at making the park a safer place. One option would be to build a 2-metre high perimeter fence around the park, with an estimated cost of around £50,000.  CCTV cameras in strategic areas around the park are also being considered, but they themselves might fall victim to vandalism. 

The Steering Committee is also to ask Llandybïe Community Council whether they might employ a caretaker/ grounds-man to maintain the Community’s public parks and play areas. Cllr Siân Thomas reminded the Forum that the County Council’s Legal Department is still considering whether it is legal for the County to sell part of the Park to developers.  The decision might well have implications both for the park project and for the Rugby Club, which recently voted to seek a move to the Club pavilion as the entrance would then need to cross land owned by the County Council.

Community Garden Update

The opening went well and the event received coverage in the Amman Valley Guardian and the Western Mail, although nothing has appeared in the Carmarthen Journal as yet.  Cllr. Siân Thomas has requested that the County Council’s Planning Committee attend a site visit to discuss Protex’s application to purchase the land on which the Community Garden and the Library stand and demolish them in order to build an access road to the First Phase housing development. 

The visit will take place at 11.15 a.m. on Thursday, 9th October 2007.  Members of the public are allowed to make representations to the Planning Committee, but only in a formal manner.  People wishing to do so must register with the Planning Clerk and not duplicate any themes made by another resident.  Reasons for opposing the development already raised during Forum meetings include:

  • An anticipated increase in traffic movements;
  • The junction would be placed in an area where visibility of oncoming traffic would be a problem;
  • The plan to build 3-story homes on the highest point of the village and the implication that would have on the privacy of residents in the existing village;
  • The destruction of the newly-opened community-garden;
    the loss of a library. 

Even though Protex has made a commitment to build a new library, the First Phase only includes plans for 89 houses.  As things stand, this means that the developers will demolish the existing library before starting work on the development and there would be no library in Penygroes until the first houses are completed, and the Second Phase, which would allow for the building of a new library had been approved, and built.

Even if all goes according to plan, Penygroes would be without a library for well over a year.  No plans for a new community garden have been presented whatsoever and Protex has not signed anything on paper, which would commit the company to build a replacement for the garden. 

Cllr Sian Thomas and Phil Owen went to see the Asset Management Department at Carmarthenshire County Council and they were told that as the Community Garden would not count as a park, it would not come under the Open Spaces Act, so there would not be any obligation for public consultation before removing the garden.  Phil Owen asked whether it might be possible to conduct a local referendum on the issue.  Cllr. Siân Thomas said that she would look into it.  

The Chair thanked the Chair of Llandybïe Community Council and Mr and Mrs Watkins for donating two benches.

Events

The Twmpath Dawns, which was held on Saturday, went well. Unfortunately, the turnout was not as great as was hoped, particularly from within Penygroes Ward itself.  Thanks to everyone who supported, and a special thanks to Eleri and Mair, who prepared the food, which was excellent.  The evening raised £200 for the Forum.

A Driving Treasure-Hunt is to be held on Saturday, 20th October.  The hunt starts from the Community Pavilion at 4 pm.  Howard and Yvonne Watkins are organising the event.

The Samba Evening has been cancelled due to a lack of interest. 

This year’s Christmas Fayre will take place on 6th December 2007 at Penygroes Memorial Hall.  Money raised from the admission fee will go to the Forum, while the various community groups will keep any revenue from their own stalls and activities.

Boxing Day Walk will be held on 26th December.  Alun Lewis will be setting the route.

Wine Tasting & Food Evening is set for 25th January 2008 , probably upstairs at the Badger’s, Blaenau.   Julian is organising the event.

Report by the Community Development Officer
During September, Phil Owen has obtained £3000 funding for Calfaria to do the rendering on the chapel’s exterior and has helped the Gardening Club obtain £350 to fund the official opening of the garden. 

He has had the go-ahead to use £2,000 of his budget to pay an architect to draw up plans for an extension to the community hall – to include extra storage space and a meeting / changing room.  He has assisted Capel Sïon with an application to the Welsh Church Fund to cure their dampness.   He has met with Blaenau Welfare and Blaenau School. 

The Welfare would like to get funding for an all-weather pitch and improvements to drainage of their very large playing field so that the school can use it.  Phil has made an application for interpretation boards on Waterloo Rd. giving the history of the village.  He also helped organise the Twmpath Dawns.  He is not happy at the amount of time he has been spent helping to oppose Protex’s plans.  Hopefully, after the site meeting, things will settle down and he can concentrate on more positive community development work.

Any Other Business

Apostolic Youth Club -

Les Devaney asked whether there had been any developments concerning the youth club at the Apostolic Church.  Phil Owen has spoken to the Pastor and suggested that he contact the Gwendraeth Youth team at Menter Cwm Gwendraeth for advice.  As problems with the youth club persist, it was requested that Phil contact the local PCSO Ciaran Ryan and the MCG youth officers to ensure that something is done.

Julian Tandy asked what has happened to plans to open the Right of Way at the bottom of Waterloo Road.  Both ends of the footpath have gates and stiles, but the middle part remains impassable.  Phil Owen will approach Llandybïe Community Council’s technical officer to tackle the issue.

Future for the Forum? -

Julian Tandy, as Chair, suggested that the Forum should take the opportunity to reconsider its position.  Which direction should the Forum take?  The events organised by the Forum have often failed to attract people not connected with the Forum itself.  This suggests that more work needs to be done to engage with other residents within the Ward. 

Many Forum members said that this was a problem, not only for the Forum, but for other organisations within the Ward. Relatively few Blaenau and Caerbryn residents attend activities at Caerbryn Hall, and the Penygroes Urdd Appeal Committee had little support from parents, whose children were of school age, even though the children were the main beneficiaries.  

Between now and January 2008, Phil Owen will be asking community groups as to what they would like to see the Forum do for them and for the community in general.   There are some community groups, which are more successful at attracting new members, e.g. the Cylch Ti a Fi (Mother and Toddler Group), and a new group has been set up by mothers, who had attended a series of sessions for sufferers of postnatal depression. 

Dog Fouling –

the problem is on the increase again, probably because the culprits feel more able to allow their dogs to foul under cover of darkness now that the nights are drawing in. The police have said that they are willing to carry out surveillance, provided they are given names of the culprits and the time and location.

Next Meeting, Wednesday, 7th November 2007,Penygroes Park Pavilion at 7 p.m.