State of the Area Debate 2008 –
Sully
Date: 11 March 2008
Venue: Jubilee Hall
Start: 6:00pm
Finish: 7:30 pm
Attendance: 15
Present:
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Councillor Margaret Alexander
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Leader
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Councillor Neil Moore
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Deputy Leader
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Councillor Chris Williams
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Cabinet Member for Planning &
Transportation
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Councillor Margaret Randall
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Cabinet Member for Human Resources &
Equalities
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Councillor Nigel Gibbs
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Cabinet Member for Education & Lifelong
Learning
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Councillor Stuart Egan
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Cabinet Member for Social & Care
Services
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Councillor Margaret Wilkinson
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Cabinet Member for Housing & Community
Safety
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Councillor Gwyn John
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Cabinet Member for Tourism & Leisure
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Councillor Val Hartrey
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Cabinet Member for Legal and Public
Protection.
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Councillor Clive Williams
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Mayor
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P.C Mark Taylor
Apologies for Absence –
These were received from Cllr. Randall
The Mayor welcomed all present and thanked the
audience for having attended the State of the Area in Sully
which as an event is in its sixth year. Also stating that we
are one of only a few Local Authorities that stage this type of
event. He then introduced the Deputy Leader to speak.
The Deputy Leader encouraged the audience to
ask questions of the Cabinet on the issues that that are of most
concern, and stressed that where questions could not be answered on
the night a written answers could be sent out.
The Deputy Leader thanked the Mayor and
everyone who had attended on the night then set out the itinerary
for the evening based upon the previous consultation exercise and
the more recent Public Opinion Survey. The Cabinet had decided to
visit Sully following a recent Public Opinion Survey from the
previous year and wanted to feedback on the issues raised. The
Deputy Leader introduced the Cabinet Members and the Officers
present then set out the house rules for the evening’s debate.
The following areas were highlighted as the
main points of concern:
1 Crime &
Community Safety
The Deputy Leader made the point that the Vale
of Glamorgan is still a safe place to live in but we are working in
Partnership with the Police to reduce crime levels.
The Deputy Leader mentioned the local PACT
meetings and how successful there have become plus the prospect of
introducing Youth PACTS in Dinas Powys, Llantwit and Barry to help
the Youth with their problems and we have been in contact with 1700
young people across the Vale. A decision was made last
January to close the Youth Centre in Sully due to; the falling
attendance; staffing issues, particularly retaining staff plus the
unsuitability of the building (Health & Safety). He also
encouraged the setting up of Neighbourhood Watch Scheme for
residents to help eliminate or reduce local crime.
The Pulse team; which are a detached team of
youth workers who work on the streets to help encourage sporting
opportunities, education and divert youngsters away from trouble.
There are early indications that the scheme has so far proved very
successful.
The Deputy Leader then spoke about the new
initiative called; ‘Breaking the Cycle’ which is related to under
age drinking. We are trying to discourage shops to sell alcohol to
young people by proxy sales where we send in young people to try
and buy alcohol in the shop. We have also purchased some headcams
to help us carry out surveillance in the area.
We have carried out a feasibility study in the
Vale on CCTV which looks at existing cameras in the Vale. We are
also looking at car crime and have introduced a scheme called ‘Clip
your Wings’ where we encourage car owners not to leave anything on
display in the vehicle.
2. Waste &
Recycling
The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG)have given
the Vale targets for recycling and composting 2009 – 2010 which is
40% of municipal solid waste, of which 15% must be
compostable. To meet to these targets the Vale has set itself
targets in 2007 – 2008 of 35% with 11% of this percentage for
composting which is very close. The Deputy Leader stressed that we
are currently on target to reach the total set by WAG but can only
attain this figure with the public’s help.
He also mentioned that the Council are
considering recycling kitchen waste as a separate collection in a
pilot scheme in 2008 2009.
The collections of garden materials also need
to be increased at the kerbside which is due to commence on the 17
March 2008 and fortnightly.
A new recycling centre will be build in the
Atlantic Trading, Barry during 2008 costing roughly 1 million
pounds to replace the existing facility in Hayes road, Sully which
is inadequate.
3. Roads &
Traffic
The main priority of the Vale of Glamorgan
Highway and Transport division is to reduce accidents via these
assessments; accident data, traffic speed and the proximity to
school. The Deputy Leader noted that we work in partnership
with the Safety Camera Partnership (a partnership with the Police
and other organisations) to determine the position of fixed and
mobile cameras. In relation to Dinas Powys works undertaken so far
include; the Safe Routes to School Schemes at St Andrews Major
which is due to finish by the 31 March 2008, the St Andrew’s and
Brittway Rd 20 mph zone which include speed cushions and a humped
zebra crossing, the St Andrews Rd and Westra Village 30 mph Vehicle
Activation Signs, St Andrews Rd and Westra Village street lighting
units, Cardiff Rd will have 30mph illuminated signs by 31 March
2008. We have other works proposed in the Safer Routes in the
Community Travel Plan which has identified a number of safety
concerns in this area and the bid will be submitted to the Welsh
Assembly Government (WAG) in the 2008 summer funding. There has
been work carried out in Lavernock rd with an extension of a 30mph
limit and a minor gateway feature, changed the speed limit on Hayes
rd from 30mph to 40 mph, cycling facilities at Moores rd and more
rd proposed (subject to funding) at 20mph speed restriction in
Laburnum, uncontrolled crossing facility at Minehead Ave by
dropping the curbs and tactile paving with ‘children’ warning
signs, at the School there will be all weather meet and greet
shelter, the provision of 30 -40 cycle stands within the school,
the extension of the cycle path to the eastern side of the village,
zebra crossing outside the new library. There are 3 sections of the
old railway line that join Cosmeston to Penarth and the council are
hoping to construct a stone dust shade cycle footway along this
section. The Deputy Leader welcomed the audience to comment on
these proposals in the open mike session.
4. Other Issues
The Deputy Leader spoke of the St Cyres School
development within the School Investment Strategy which we are
still looking at starting in the f9ollowing order; Cowbridge first
followed by St Cyres and then Llantwit.
The recent Public Opinion Survey showed that
there was an overall increase in satisfaction levels throughout the
Vale and increase in satisfaction levels of the services provided
by the Council. However, the Deputy Leader stressed that we
appreciate that there are still areas for improvement and we want
to hear about them from you this evening.
There were also areas for improvement that
came out of the study;
- The perception and fear or crime;
- The ability to influence decisions, which can be addressed at
meeting like this;
- Communicate information. A new Website has been developed and
improved considerably from a very low position previously to one of
the best in the country. The website is still being developed and
improved upon.
The open mike session followed which allowed
the audience to pose questions to the Cabinet.
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Question
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Answer
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Recycling boxes. We currently recycle paper
and glass together which is very heavy and plastic and tins/cans
which are very light. Can we couple light materials with heavy as a
common sense measure?
Thank you for repairing the pavement outside
Minehead Ave, the holes after the gas pipe renewal are still
there.
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Cllr. Moore. Recycling is an ongoing scheme
that is currently being reviewed. Plastic bags can be used to
separate items if wished. It is an issue and certainly something
that will be considered in the near future.
We do carry out routine maintenance albeit
with a limited budget. We will send out inspectors to look at these
holes. The work is guaranteed and if found to be inadequate the
contractors used will need to repair at no cost to us.
Rob Quick. We have to bare in mind the cost
that we get for the recycled materials. Part of this agreement is
that plastic cannot be mixed with cardboard. We do benefit when
items are separated.
With highways and holes, unfortunately there
are tolerance levels that they use them for their benefit.
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1. There is also a hole in Burham Ave that is
routinely filled in, it then sinks and is then filled in again.
There appears to be something else wrong with the hole for this to
happen routinely. It is just passed the school, there is also
another one at Smithies Ave.
2.The road to the Pavillion from the school is
in a state of disrepair you could get some serios insurance claims
from there.
3.The footpath along the seafront to Sully
hospital has eroded and exposed the sewer at Sully hospital to such
an extent it has narrowed the footpath considerably.
4. The Institute next to the onestop shop has
been derelict for a long time now could be used for a Youth Club
–it is completely falling down. The Vale could afford to buy this
from our council tax.
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Cllr. Moore.
1. The potholes can be addressed by the
contractors who carry out the work. We will go back to them and
they have to do it again following our inspectors report.
Bob Guy.
2. In relation to the Institute it isn’t an
option for us to purchase and we are currently looking at
alternative provision for the Youths in Sully with the Pulse teams
and the Community Council. at the moment.
Bob Fussell. We will not solve youth issues
through buildings there are other ways of doing this. The
expectations in Youths are very high as far as facilities go. We
need to work with them where they are- on the street or other
places and given them alternatives. We haven’t abandoned Sully we
just need to address the problem correctly.
3. The footpath This problem has been already
highlighted in the improvements to the coastal access plan and will
be addressed in this financial year.
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There are many Youth congregating around the
shop on South rd. The opening times at this shop are ridiculous,
car engines running from 6:00am to 11:00pm at night. The shop has
never been open this length of time before. We have written to the
Police because the School bus arrives at this location at the same
time the delivery lorries arrive making it very dangerous. The main
complaint is the opening hours of the shop.
Where is the community Policeman.
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Cllr. Hartrey. I think this is combination of
Planning and Licensing conditions. We will take this back to
the office and licensing team to investigate the conditions
regarding the opening times and the underage drinking.
Cllr. Moore. If an adult is buying alcohol for
a minor it is still an offence. We will also check the planning
conditions. We also have a neighbourhood watch officer who could
help you set up.
PC.M. Taylor A PCO has been in the
village regularly. I would also like to point you to the PACT
meeting to help address local issues and help us take them
forward.
Cllr. Williams. If you fill out one of the
forms on each particular detail, we will look into the matters in
question and get back to you.
Community Councils can also help you.
Cllr. Moore. We will investigate. the delivery
times.
Leader. Can I recommend residents get involved
with the PACT meetings they are an excellent way to address local
issues.
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Plastic Boxes have you stopped producing
them
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We are waiting for a new delivery at any
moment and you will be able to have up to 5 per household and need
not use plastic bags.
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It is difficult to get out of Minehead
Ave and difficult to see due to the lamppost. Can we have the
same provision to come out intothe road a little (as the next
street does) to improve visibility?
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Cllr. Moore. We will look into this
matter.
Rob Quick. We have to consider the main width
of the highway so that traffic is not pushed out into the centre of
the road. We may be able to move the lamppost.
Cllr. C. Williams. We will send officers out
to look at the highway and lamppost in question
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The Mayor thanked everyone for coming and ask
the Leader to close the evening.
The Leader ended the night by thanking the
Mayor for chairing the meeting and all the people who attended the
meeting and stressed that if anybody was dissatisfied or had any
problems with this administration they should contact us by email,
letter or telephone.