APOLOGIES

224.  Cllrs G B Jones, N Salmon, S Jones and W J Williams.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

225. To remind Cllrs concerning of any matters of interest that may arise during the meeting.  Cllr Hulse declared an interest when discussing any matters in connection with Natural Resources Wales.

MINUTES

226.  It was resolved to confirm the minutes of the Council meeting held on 6 November 2017 as being a true record subject to the deletion of “not yet” under minute 218 and “Bullen” changed to Hulse under minute 221.

MATTERS ARISING

227.  Community Action Plan.  Minute 187.  Ongoing.

228.  Maintenance of Leats.  Minute 188. Discussed under minute 252.

229.  Adopt a Flowerbed.  Minute 189. Ongoing.

CORRESPONDENCE

230.  NHS Wales Health Collaborative.  A consultation on a proposed major trauma network for South and West Wales and South Powys. 

231.  Ceredigion County Council.  Details of an order for diverting rights of way to footpath 2/31.

232.  Welsh Government.  A written statement by Kirsty Williams, Cabinet Secretary for Education on her new action plan for education in Wales.

233.  Ecodyfi.  Up to date information on forthcoming events etc.

234.  Ceredigion County Council.  The most recent “Cymdogion Cynnes” pack is available online.

235.  Alun Jones.  A copy letter concerning a longstanding issue with a neighbouring property, Uwch y Nant.

236.  One Voice Wales.  Details of various vacancies on the NHS Trust and a OVW vacancy as a Mid and West Wales development officer.

237.  Wales Ambulance Services NHS Trust.  Details of a vacancy as Chair to the Trust and an information event on the 20th November.

238.  Ceredigion County Council.  Information on a road closure between the hours of 12.01am and 6.00am on the 17 December to the 22 December due to the renewal of the level crossing at Ynyslas.

239.  Donation Requests.  Welsh Hearts and Noah’s Ark.

240.  Natural Resources Wales.   Information from NRW on making £3million available to projects to improve the environment across Wales.

241.  Ceredigion County Council.  An invitation to send representatives to meet the Leader of the Council, Councillor Ellen ap Gwynn and the Chief Executive, Mr Eifion Evans, to discuss matters of current mutual interest. Cllrs Bainbridge and Griffiths volunteered to attend as representatives of Council.

242.  One Voice Wales.  Details of a consultation on “Planning Law in Wales”.

243.  One Voice Wales.  The November 2017 edition of the OVW news bulletin.

244.  Borth Scouts Jamboree.  A letter from Mrs Helen Williams as chair of 2nd Borth Scouts asking for financial support towards three members who have been selected to attend the next World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, America, in 2019.  Each member has to raise the sum of £3300 to cover the trip.  Members resolved to donate the sum of £300.

245.  Tree Project.  An e-mail received from Lynne Jones of Ynyslas Gardens raising concerns in the event that planning permission is granted. Who is liable for maintenance, for problems arising after storms or in case of accident? Is it Ceredigion CC or the artists or both? Secondly, the issue of parking was highlighted when it immerged at the site meeting, that no provision has yet been made in the planning application due to the landowners of the designated parking site – the Golf Club - not being informed their land was part of the planning application. Do the Highways dept, who have supported the planning application, know about this change - that there is no parking facility in place?  Cllr Ashley suggested waiting until the panel had made their decision. However, the Clerk was asked to respond stating that any issues and concerns would be covered by planning conditions.  Ms Kim Williams (member of the public) distributed copies of the objections she had produced at the site meeting, a copy of the blank petition and an image of the groyne marker.  Cllr Hulse also attended the site meeting and gave a brief update.  Cllr Ashley invited Robert Davies (Tree artist) to speak. He said that he tried to address all criticisms at the site meeting and will forward a copy of his report of what he said to Cllr Quant.

246.  BSPFA.  A letter of thanks for the generous increased in funding towards maintenance costs on the community hall.

247.  One Voice Wales.  A Hywel Dda Community Health Council planning questionnaire 2018/19 to be completed by the 18th December 2017.

ACCOUNTS  

PLANNING

251.  No planning.

BORTH INTERNAL DITCH DRAINAGE

252.  Cllr Quant gave a brief update on a meeting held between NRW and JJ Ormerod in respect of the blocked leat near the White House. Highways engineers have flushed the system. NRW are behind with works to clear ditches due to wet weather conditions and this includes works to the ditch on the old tip road.

LOCAL WELLBEING PLAN

253.  Cllr Quant told members that Ceredigion County Council has covered all the basics in their response.

ONE VOICE WALES INNOVATIVE PRACTICE NATIONAL AWARDS 2018

254.  Cllr Hulse suggested submitting two entries showcasing how the Council uses the website, noticeboards, facebook etc to provide up to date information and secondly an annual report packaging up what Borth Community Council already does. 

This will be included on the agenda in January 2018 for further discussion.

FUTURE ROLE OF COMMUNITY AND TOWN COUNCILS

255.  Cllr Bryn Jones will prepare a response for the January meeting.

CHAIRMANS BUSINESS

256. Cllr Hulse gave the following updates. Good progress has been made on increasing the number of Community Wardens in Borth and Ynyslas, with final amendments to be included we would look to issuing an updated Community Emergency Plan by mid-December including a welcome to all new Community Wardens.  The NRW Flood Coordinator event is progressing for Wednesday 17th January, hopefully there will be an open evening event attached to this so that we can share the date with the welcome message.

A lot of activity and correspondence this last month centring around the proposed metal Tree planning application in the inter tidal zone of Borth beach.  Attended the Planning Committee Site Inspection for this application on 1 December 2017 as the representative from Borth Community Council, gave a verbal presentation to the Planning members and community attending that included the outcome of the BCC vote and key points from our May response to planning. 

Prior to this an email was circulated to the community email, Facebook and webpage in response to many in the community asking verbally or through social media what Borth Community Council have done, or are doing, in relation to this application. For clarity and transparency, our May response sent in to Ceredigion County Council was shared as was the site inspection date for all to understand for or against.

Updated BCC contact details and responsibilities document and will be available from  http://www.borthcommunity.info/

Unpleasant and aggressive Facebook posts directed at Borth Community Council relating to the events surrounding the Lynx and Borth Wild Animal Kingdom have been lodged with the Clerk and the Police via PACT.

The BCC Facebook page is for the community of all ages, because of this we removed all posts that were threatening or had bad language.  Members resolved to set out the following ‘Rules’ for use of the site.

The BCC Facebook page will be monitored and rules for contributions to BCC Facebook:

• Do not upload, post or forward a link to any aggressive, threatening, abusive, obscene, discriminatory, harassing, derogatory or defamatory content. Such posts will be removed and reported.
• Do not disclose commercially sensitive, personal private or confidential information. 
• Do not upload, post or forward any content belonging to a third party unless you have that third party's consent.
• Comply with Facebooks Community Standards https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards
• Please be respectful to others who post information or an opinion, even if they are different from yours, the page may cover important community conversations.

Japanese Knotweed (JKW). Rachel Mills, CCC and a volunteer from Aberystwyth treated half of the chapel land at the end of October, it took 12 hours which was pleasing for such a large and dense area. Advice is being shared with the church elders on what to do over winter to help make future treatments easier.  Residents in Borth that would like to tackle JKW next year potentially could access some ‘volunteer help’ at £5 per hour.  We will start to share more information on this in the New Year including what residents could do to get prepared.  This will be included on the agenda in February.

Cllr. Stacy Jones will now take on the Dyfi Biosphere contact role and representative for BCC. 

Borth Scout group (beavers, cubs and scouts) enquired about possible routes for Community Council funding, advice shared about end of year donations and specific requests for consideration.

Resident requested any updates regarding the parking of Camper vans on the car park at the top of the road by the Bus stop.

I am unable to attend the Ethics and Standards Committee next meeting on 8 December 2017 in relation to the deferred decision to my application for dispensation in relation to Natural Resources Wales.  

The Christmas Tree Service will be held at St Matthews on Sunday 10th December.  Cllr Hulse asked for suggestions on where to hold the annual council dinner and Libanus was suggested as a venue. Cllr Hulse agreed to organise a menu etc and invitations will be extended to Mark and Helen Williams and Roy and Jo Jones. Members also proposed to gift a £50 M & S voucher to Graham Taylor for all his work on the community website etc.

COUNCILLORS RESPONSIBILITIES

257.  Cllr S Jones in her absence sent the following updates – Nothing to report on flower beds. The Dyfi partnership meeting is in January which she is planning to attend having made contact with the chair and there is still a lot of flooding on road next to golf course.

Cllr N Salmon in her absence sent the following – She is emptying the poo bin on Church Road until Rhona gets back. Nothing has happened re recycling day.  Footpath maintenance… Cllr Salmon has re-fixed the strips on the bridge by the donkeys herself after they came loose yet again. Some of the wooden planks are rotten and despite a request that some of the worst planks be replaced, the repairs carried out by the County Council have simply been a re-nailing down of the non-slip strips. She has done them herself this time as they had become very treacherous and that was the quickest solution. However, that bridge really does need proper attention and repair. Cllr Salmon has e-mailed the CC again to request that they carry out the works. Gary has e-mailed recently to say he has been checking and trimming his sections of footpath down the south end of the village. 

Cllr Bainbridge gave a brief update on her successful application for a £2000 lottery funding.  Father Christmas will be visiting Borth on Tuesday 19th December. She gave a brief World War 1 update and on a very successful Carnival donations evening.  Cllr Bainbridge has applied to sit on CHC mental health committee and has asked for any incidents to be reported to her. 

Cllr Dalton mentioned that a beach clean was held opposite Pebbles on Sunday 3rd December.

Cllr James is concerned at the dips in the path between Wallog and Clarach.  Cllr Quant said he would speak to the Highways department of CCC.

Cllr Willcox has spoken to a land agent (Surveyor) in Machynlleth regarding the non reinstatement of the playing fields following works carried out by Welsh Water.  Cllr Willcox asked whether the Council (landowners) would send a letter authorising Iwan Ll Foulkes to represent them in the matter on the understanding that the undertaker will reimburse the land agency fee in full together with any VAT in the event that the freehold owner is not registered on the said scheme. Members voted without debate and resolved to send a letter from BCC to the land agent.  Cllr Willcox is unable to trace the base for the flagpole on the car park opposite Brynowen.

Dr Hosker is concerned that two local residents recently passed away and that it was a while before the deaths were discovered. The vulnerability of local residents will be included in the Community Plan.

Cllr Ashley has delivered the display case for the OVW award to Cllr Willcox. A written information sheet will be placed behind the award.

COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT

258.  Cllr Quant gave a brief update on a recent meeting to discus parking in Borth. Several issues were raised including a byelaw to prevent mobile the illegal parking of mobile homes opposite the old Henninghans shop to the end of the grass area and from the foot of the cliff down to the public toilets opposite NISA. Both sides of the road will be included.

NEXT MEETING AND MATTERS FOR AGENDA 

259.  There being no further business the Chairman closed the public meeting at 9.09pm.  Agenda items for the next meeting to be held on Monday 8 January 2018 to include Budgets and Precept, One Voice Wales Innovative Practice National Awards 2018 and the Future Role of Town and Community Councils.  Any other items are to be notified to the Clerk.