Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Aberdyfi Community Council held virtually via teleconferencing on Monday, 21st June 2021
Present were:
Cllr Dewi Owen – Chair
Councillors:
Cllr Brian Kelly
Cllr Catrin O’Neill
Cllr Dai Owens
Cllr Megan Reynolds
Cllr Bob Tyrrell
Cllr Dave Williams
Public: Pat Hellen
AGENDA ITEM 1- Apologies
CL/33/21.06.21
Cllrs J. Bradbury-Willis, S. Bradbury-Willis and Jones
AGENDA ITEM 2- Chairman’s Announcements
CL/34/21.06.21
The Chairman welcomed everyone and remarked how busy the village has been in recent weeks because of the good weather.
AGENDA ITEM 3 – Receive & confirm minutes of meeting 17th May 2021
CL/35/21.06.21
Proposed: Cllr B Kelly Seconded: Cllr M Reynolds
Unanimously approved.
AGENDA ITEM 4 – Matters arising
CL/36/21.06.21
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M/51/(15.06.20) Request for drinking water fountain
Clerk emailed Edward Jones on 20th May requesting convenient dates to meet but has had no reply.
Action: clerk to email again and copy in CEO of Snowdonia National Park
Clerk emailed Planning department of SNPA asking if any planning permission would be needed for a drinking fountain, but has had no reply.
Action: Clerk to chase up
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M/106/(16.11.20) Playground
Seating is still awaiting back boards.
M/107/(16.11.20) Subway Improvements
Clerk reported that still nothing has been received from Adrian Williams at Gwynedd Council Highways or Sean Wilkes. Cllr Jones suggested going higher up Gwynedd Council.
Action: Clerk to keep trying to contact both as well as emailing someone higher up the organisation.
M/139/(18.02.21) Crack in Sea Wall
The Clerk confirmed that this is now included in the monthly inspection list for the harbourmaster.
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M/150/(15.02.21) Installing CCTV
Cllr Kelly reported that Ron Thomas has agreed to do the work and will meet with Cllr Kelly to ensure they are put in the correct position.
M/164/15.03.21 Community Needs Survey
Cllr O’Neill reported that it has now been finalised and is currently being translated and will soon be uploaded to the system. The wording of the letter going out to each household is also being finalised and should go out very soon.
M/166/15.03.21 Buying football goalposts
These have been delivered and need to be installed, which seems to be a larger job than first thought, so it was agreed to get someone to put them in.
Action: Clerk to contact Geri Davies to ask if he will install them.
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M/23/(17.05.21) Cycle Path
Cllr Tyrrell reported that he and the Clerk had spoken to Iwan ap Trefor and were told that Gwynedd Council now has funding in place for the next phase of the project, which involves making sure the engineering problems can be overcome and all the relevant land is able to be used. For instance, he mentioned that they have had problems contacting the owners of a cottage to see if they can buy a slice of their land to enable the cycle path to go ahead.
Cllr Williams reported that Neil Storkey is hoping to meet with network Rail this week about the cycle path between the Cemetery and the village.
Action: Clerk to keep in contact with Iwan ap Trefor for updates.
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New Dyfi Bridge Project
Clerk has spoken to Gail Jones, public liaison officer for Griffiths, who are doing the work and was told that the disruption to traffic will only happen at the beginning and end of the project.
The Clerk also reported that when the work is done on the Aberdyfi side of the old bridge to install pumps, the road will not be closed but instead traffic will be controlled with traffic lights.
Action: Clerk to invite Gail Jones to a meeting later in the year.
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M/25/(17.05.21) Providing a bus shelter
Clerk has sent photos to Gwynedd Council and they are sending an inspector to look at it this week and will get back in touch once they have done costings etc. the clerk confirmed that it will hopefully be installed on the Neuadd Dyfi side of the road.
M/26/(17.05.21) 20mph proposals
The Clerk wrote to Iwan ap Trefor and had reply saying he is on holiday until 14th June, but has still not had a reply.
Action: Clerk to contact Iwan ap Trefor again
Cllr Williams asked if the fence had been replaced on the footpath between the Penhelig and Hillside Village, but no-one could confirm this is the case
Action: Clerk to check if the work has been done and contact Gwynedd Council if not.
Correspondence
M/28/(17.05.21) Litter and bin problems
Cllr Tyrrell informed the council that homes which are let out and run as a business should be paying for litter collection as they do not pay council tax.
It was agreed to write to Gwynedd Council asking them to ensure these and all other businesses in the village do indeed pay for their refuse collections, as the rubbish problems are having a massive effect on the village.
Action: Clerk to write to Gwynedd Council saying we believe that there are several properties in the village who do not pay council tax and do not pay for refuse collection either.
Cllr Reynolds and the Clerk reported that the recycling bottle banks by the fire station are overflowing and Gwynedd Council said that the company that empties the glass recycling bins are short-staffed and do not want to come this far South to empty the bottle banks. Gwynedd Council are trying to sort out the problem.
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The clerk reported that she had spoken to Caron Jones from Gwynedd Council about the green bins opposite the chemist. He is more than happy for these bins to be put by the fire station where the glass recycling bins are. Before they are put there, the fence needs to be repaired and he asked if we could get two quotes from local contractors for the work. It was noted that if the green bins are put there, the area inside the fence will need to be extended to allow space for the extra bins.
Action: Clerk to get two quotes for repairing the fence and confirm with Caron that the area can be extended.
The Clerk reported that she had been contacted by a member of the public who had seen that staff from the Britannia Inn have been seen leaving bags of food rubbish next to the bins, meaning that birds etc. break the bags and leave a mess of food everywhere. The person also reported that Council refuse collectors had been seen having arguments with staff from Coast, as the staff from Coast were throwing rubbish bags across the road and shouting abuse at the Council workers. He also believes that Coast have now only 1 commercial bin, even though they have two businesses.
Action: Clerk to write to Coast and the Britannia Inn and Gwynedd Council.
Action: Clerk to put litter and rubbish problems on the agenda for next month
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Quotes for tree sculpture carving
It was agreed not to go for quote 2 as it was too expensive and agreed to ask if the other quotes include VAT and if the person in quote 1 can send photos of an example of a bird of prey they have previously done. The two quotes will be considered again next month.
Action: Clerk to write to all concerned and put on agenda for next month
Tywyn Health Centre
The Clerk spoke to the practice manager who told her that their phone system is controlled by Betsi Cadwallader Health Board, as the phone system for the hospital and GP’s practice was amalgamated when it was replaced after the fire. The practice manager confirmed that between 8am and 8.30am, there should be a message giving a number to call for emergencies and she said she would call it the next day to make sure the message is correct.
Action: Clerk to write to Betsi Cadwallader Health Board complaining about the phone system
Action: Clerk to put a notice in Rushlight explaining it is possible to make routine appointments via their website as well as via phone.
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AGENDA ITEM 5 – Treasurer’s Report
CL/37/21.06.21
The Clerk informed the Council that everything should be transferred over to the new bank by this Wednesday, 23rd June.
Proposed: Cllr. Kelly Seconded: Cllr Williams
Unanimously approved
AGENDA ITEM 6 – Gwynedd Council Report
CL/38/21.06.21
Chair reported that there was nothing currently to report from Gwynedd Council
AGENDA ITEM 7 – Planning
CL/39/21.06.21
NP5/50/346C 9 Terrace Road, Aberdyfi
Construction of terrace in rear garden
No objections were raised
NP5/50/589A Ael y Don, Gwelfor Road, Aberdyfi
Extension to existing patio at the front.
No objections were raised.
AGENDA ITEM 8 – To consider quotes for tree sculpture carving
CL/40/21.06.21
Discussed under matters arising
AGENDA ITEM 9 – To consider request to use playing field for running event 16th and 18th July
CL/41/21.06.21
A request had been received for people taking part in a running event to camp in the playing field by the Neuadd Dyfi on the night before and night after the event. It was agreed that it would cause a lot of noise, disruption to locals and destroy the grass, as well as setting a precedent, so it was decided not to give permission.
Action: Clerk to reply to request
AGENDA ITEM 10 – Correspondence
CL/42/21.06.21
- Bollard in Neuadd Dyfi car park
Clerk reported that one of the bollards had been destroyed
Action: Clerk to contact Geri Davies and ask if he can replace it
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- Brown bin.
The Clerk reported that visitors had filled the brown bin purchased for the wharf garden waste with normal waste, so she organised for it to be collected and put signs on the bin saying it is only for garden waste.
- Offer of fairground attractions
The Clerk reported that we have had an offer of fairground attractions for use in the future.
- Gwelfor Road subsidence
The clerk reported that there are a large amount of heavy lorries and cement mixers going up and down Gwelfor Road and causing subsidence. The Councillors all remember signs at the bottom saying a weight limit, which has now been changed to a long vehicle sign.
Action: Clerk and Chair to contact Gwynedd Council
- Complaints from visitors not able to get onto the promenade with a wheelchair or mobility scooter due to the amount of sand that is on the car park and on the promenade. Even if the sand wasn’t there, they were concerned that they couldn’t get through the gates with a wheelchair.
Action: Clerk to email harbourmaster, Barry Davies and CEO of Gwynedd Council
- Seaview Terrace parking problems
Agreed to put on agenda for next month
- Cllr Kelly reported that the sign board at the Gas Works is disintegrating and the clerk replied that it is in hand and being repaired.
- Cllr Kelly reported that the path behind Rhos Dyfi is overgrown. The clerk said she would check if we normally get it done or if it is Gwynedd Council’s responsibility.
- The Chair reported that the undergrowth on the Network Rail side of the road going out of the village is encroaching onto the road.
Action: Clerk to contact Gwynedd Council
AGENDA ITEM 11 – Items for consideration at future meetings / urgent business
CL/43/19.04.21
EV chargers
Consider when to return to face to face meetings
Seaview Terrace parking problems
Aluminium signs for crowdfunding for playground project
Painting playground wall
Social media policy
Tree sculpture quotes
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AGENDA ITEM 12 – Items for Rushlight / Website / Facebook
CL/44/21.06.21
Remembering Muriel
Beach Clean
Make appointments via website at Tywyn Health Centre
Please put rubbish in the bins
AGENDA ITEM 15 – Date of next meeting
CL/45/21.06.21
Monday 19th July 2021, 7pm
There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.05pm
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