Minutes of Annual General Meeting held on
Monday 24th May 2021 in a Virtual Format.
The meeting commenced at 7:00 pm.
Present: Cllr. M. Cox; Cllr. G. Evans; Cllr. R. Fisher, Cllr. S. Fisher; Cllr. D. Lewis
In attendance: Mr. B. Stubbings (Clerk)
Apologies for Absence:, Cllr. G. Jones
Chair person: Cllr. R. Fisher took the Chair.
1. Minutes of Last Annual General Meeting:
It was noted that there was no Annual General Meeting held in 2020 due to restrictions arising from the Covid pandemic. The minutes of the AGM held on 21st May 2019 had been circulated prior to the meeting and no comments had been received. Cllr. M. Cox proposed that the minutes be accepted as a true record, the proposal was seconded by Cllr. S. Fisher and agreed by all. The minutes were signed by the chairman.
2. Election of Chairperson.
Cllr. M. Cox proposed that Cllr. Robert Fisher be re-elected as Chairperson for the forthcoming year. The proposal was seconded by Cllr. D. Lewis. There being no other proposals and the meeting duly elected Cllr. R. Fisher by unanimity.
3. Election of Vice Chairperson.
Cllr. D. Lewis proposed that Cllr. G. Evans be re-elected as Vice-Chairperson for the forthcoming year. The proposal was seconded by Cllr. S. Fisher. There being no other proposals the meeting duly elected Cllr. Evans by unanimity.
5. Chairman’s Report
Cllr. R. Fisher presented a report of activities during the past year:
Following what has been an extremely different year than normal I am able to report that although most of the country was on furlough, we as a community council we were all able to continue on with our responsibilities as community councillors. As with most other community councils we had our meetings via zoom, although some struggled to get to grips with the technology we did manage to continue to function as a community council.
Unfortunately, during the year, the Council lost the services of Mr. Steve Young and we continue to look for persons to join the Council particularly from the communities of Knelston and Port Eynon.
Acting on behalf of the community we managed to organise some new benches for Scurlage Green, which we are now waiting for the contractor to arrange for them to fixed into place.
Each year we organise in conjunction with Swansea City Council, to have some flower beds seeded with natural wild-flowers, and the City Council have recently treated the areas and seeded the ground.
The Knelston Church Burial ground continues to be assisted with donations from the community council and is always well maintained.
We arranged for the rough grass and brambled covered area in front of the chip shop on Port Eynon frontage to get a yearly tidy up to make it more presentable, and safe.
The community council has previously assisted Knelston School each year with donations to help in purchasing items that will assist the children’s development, unfortunately the school was closed for most of last year, so we were unable to help, but this coming year we intend to help the school financially once again with support towards equipment for the outdoor learning environment.
We continue to ask the City council to look into many matters on a regular basis and the following are some examples:
Vehicle speeding through Scurlage. The City Council have responded and carried out a traffic speed survey and agreed that vehicles were on occasions exceeding the prescribed speed limit. It is intended to have further dialogue with the City Council to see what they can implement to help reduce the traffic speed through Scurlage.
Unauthorised and random road-side signage.
Drainage issues in Scurlage.
The state of the roads and the number of pot holes.
Ash tree die back which is going to affect many areas in our community council.
The dire state of port Eynon Beach, and the sea frontage.
As a community council we have a seat on the Port Eynon Village Hall Management Committee. And for the past years it is I who has been representing the Community Council at the committee. However, the hall has been little used due to the covid pandemic but will start to reopen soon and re-commence indoor activities. The Port Eynon Village Hall is self -funded and run by the committee for the benefit of the residents of Port Eynon and Scurlage, The community Council has regularly supported the Village Hall on various matters, and will continue to do so in the future where we can.
As a Community Council we have the opportunity to comment on planning matters however, we sometimes wonder if our views are taken into account when planning decisions are reached.
We have had the usual ongoing planning matters covering both domestic and commercial developments and will raise any comments that the public have on planning applications if brought to our attention.
However the biggest issue at present that the community council are dealing with under planning, is the proposed redevelopment of Port Eynon Car park and associated public areas.
There has been much discussion and many letters protesting against the proposed development in any of its forms, however it must be said that there have been a few in support of some form development.
The proposed development, if taken in its entirety, will fundamentally change the small sea side village of Port Eynon forever.
We as a Community Council feel that there is much to do with regard to making good what we have in Port Eynon before venturing off to carry out some new re-development that many feel is out of character and will over dominate the village.
We have yet to receive a response from the Architects working on behalf of the City Council to the recent meeting and to the letters of opposition that have sent to the architects and to others on the steering group.
We hope however, that in the end the City Council will listen to the wishes of the local residents, and if they have to have a scheme, then it is something that is sympathetic in nature and style to the village.
As we all start to venture into the ‘new normal’ we all hope that as a Community Council we can help the community in as many ways as we are able.
Thank you.
Cllr. G. Evans proposed that the Chairman’s report be accepted with thanks to Cllr. R. Fisher for all the time and hard work he has devoted to the Community Council in the past year. This proposition was seconded by Cllr. S. Fisher and accepted by all.
6. Financial Report:
Clerk advised that the year-end bank balances were as follows:
Current Account £7,553.15
Savings Account £5,268.61
Knelston Burial Ground Account £435.00
The Clerk provided a brief review of expenditure throughout the year and presented a budget for the forthcoming year. After discussion it was agreed that donations towards maintenance of the three churchyards should be set at £300 each for the coming year, and that the Clerk’s remuneration should be £2,000 per annum.
Cllr. Evans proposed that the budget of £6,990 for 2021-2022 be accepted and that the precept application be £6,000. This proposal was seconded by Cllr. S. Fisher and approved unanimously.
Council agreed that Mr Stephen Heard should again be requested to act as Internal Auditor.
6. Code of Conduct
The Clerk advised that there were no changes to the Council Code of Conduct and all members re-affirmed their acceptance thereof.
7 Standing Orders
- The clerk advised that there were no proposed changes to the current Standing Orders, and they were adopted accordingly.
- It was confirmed that the regular monthly meetings of the Council continue to be held on the third Monday of each month at Knelston Primary school, commencing at 7:00 p.m..
8 Register of Members Interests
All Councillors confirmed that they had no real or material interests in the business of the Community Council.
9 Committees
- It was unanimously agreed, in the absence of any counter proposals, that Cllr. R. Fisher should continue to represent the Council at the Port Eynon Village Hall Management Committee.
- It was unanimously agreed, in the absence of any counter proposals, that Cllr. S. Fisher should continue to liaise with Knelston School.
- It was unanimously agreed that Cllr. R. Fisher should represent the Council on the Management Trust for Knelston Chapel Burial Ground, noting that the Clerk also was in attendance to this Trust.
10 Date of Next Meeting – was provisionally set as Monday 16th May 2022 at Knelston Primary School.
The meeting closed at 7:30 pm.
B. J. Stubbings, (Clerk) R. Fisher Chairperson