COMMUNITY LIAISON COMMITTEE
MINUTES of a meeting held on 23rd January,
2007.
Present: Councillor E.T. Williams
(Chairman); Councillors R.J. Bertin, Mrs. J.E. Charles, J.
Clifford, R.F. Curtis, Mrs. V.M. Hartrey, G.C. Kemp and Mrs. A.J.
Preston.
Representing Town and Community Councils
Councillor Mrs. S. Hodges (Barry Town
Council); Councillor G. Roberts (Penarth Town Council); Councillor
Ms. S. Wilson (Ewenny Community Council); Councillor R. King and
Councillor Ms. B. Davies (Llandough Community Council); Councillor
A.S. Murton (Llandow Community Council); Councillor Ms. A.J. Pryor
(Llanmaes Community Council); Councillor Mrs. C. Reese and
Councillor Ms. D. Jones (Michaelston-le-Pitt with Leckwith
Community Council); Councillor R.J. Skinner (Penllyn Community
Council); Councillor S. Haines (St. Athan Community Council);
Councillor R. Preston (St. Brides Major Community Council);
Councillor Mrs. M. Roach (St. Georges and St. Brides Super Ely);
Councillor Ms. S. Palmer (St. Nicholas and Bonvilston Community
Council); Councillor G. Jenkins (Welsh St. Donats Community
Council); Councillor Mrs. E. Jervis and Councillor I. Moody (Wenvoe
Community Council) and Councillor P. Thomas (Wick Community
Council).
Also present: Councillor N.P. Hodges
(Vale of Glamorgan Council); Inspector Patterson, Yvonne
Boothwright (Speed Reduction Officer South Wales Police); Shyan
Vining (Welsh Assembly Government); Christian Durham-Hall (Welsh
Assembly Government); Daniel Hurford (Welsh Local Government
Association); John Harvey (One Voice Wales) and Simon White (One
Voice Wales).
735 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE -
These were received from Councillors G. John
and K.R. Stockdale (Vale of Glamorgan Council); Councillor Mrs. S.
Allen (St. Georges and St. Brides Super Ely Community Council),
Councillor Mrs. M. Williams, MBE (Cowbridge with Llanblethian
Community Council), Councillor Ms. L. Weeding (Pendoylan Community
Council), Councillor C.J.S. Curran (Penarth Town Council), Mr. A.
Foyle (Welsh St. Donats Community Council), Councillor K Griffiths
( St Donats Community Council ) and Councillor D.M. Thomas
(Llantwit Major Town Council).
736 MINUTES
-
AGREED - T H A T the minutes of the meeting
held on 21st November, 2006 be accepted as a correct
record.
737 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
-
No declarations of interest were received.
738 POLICE
MATTERS -
Inspector Patterson reported that there had
been a slight increase in crime figures for the whole of the
Division but that detection rates were above target. He
advised that the Vale of Glamorgan area was one of the safest
places to live and that in respect of a recent drug related crime
in Barry between £2000 - £3000 of controlled drugs had been
confiscated and six warrants for arrest had been executed.
There had also been problems with alcohol induced crimes but it was
anticipated that an arrest would be made soon.
In relation to a death of a person in the
Gibbonsdown area, the Local Member advised that it had previously
been a policy of the police to contact local Ward Councillors in
order that they were aware of the situation and could deal with any
queries that were raised. Inspector Patterson agreed to refer
the matter to Superintendent Hayes for discussion.
Members raised a question in respect of the
attendance of Council officers at PACT meetings.
Inspector Patterson advised that there was no requirement on the
Council for an officer to be in attendance for all meetings.
The question of budgets for PACT meetings was also raised and again
Inspector Patterson advised that the police had a small budget for
PACT meetings but that the intention was that working in
partnership with the community resulted in the community being
responsible for their area.
A representative from Wick raised a number of
questions in respect of speeding matters in the Wick area as
follows:
· can the police confirm
that the large number of vehicles have been
detected speeding through Wick when detecting equipment was in
operation. On the B4265 figures showed that it was the worst
area for
speed offences in the Vale of Glamorgan and offences go on the
detectors
were not in place
· they were experiencing
traffic because of the bottleneck at Llysworney
· there were no traffic
calming measures
· there was a possibility
of extra traffic due to the expansion that may occur
at St. Athan
· they did not agree that
large scale signs were the way forward
·
every time complaints were made wages were a lesser problem tended
to
affect their cause and priority for measuring traffic
calmers.
An officer from the authority advised that
there were general traffic issues within the Vale and that those
would be exacerbated by the St. Athan Development. Further
traffic assessments would also need to be undertaken. The Council
would be arranging regular meetings with the Welsh Assembly
Government which were due to commence in order that the concerns
from the Council and local communities could be presented and he
advised that he would take the concerns that were raised to the
next meeting.
Another Member queried whether the police had
emergency plans set up should a terrorist attack take place within
the Vale, the Inspector advised that plans were available but that
from initial attack it would take a considerable time to evacuate
residents.
AGREED -
(1) T H A
T the Committee receive an information report in respect of road
planning traffic matters for the Vale of Glamorgan in due
course.
(2) T H A
T a report be presented by the Civil Protection Unit (previously
known as the Emergency Planning Unit) on emergency plans that were
available within the Vale of Glamorgan to a future meeting.
(3) T H A
T Inspector Patterson be thanked for attending the meeting and
presenting the statistics.
739 SOUTH
WALES FIRE AND RESCUE MATTERS -
In the absence of the Fire Officer, the item
was deferred until the next meeting.
740 PROHIBITING THE CONSUMPTION
OF ALCOHOL IN PUBLIC PLACES (REF) -
Cabinet had, on 29th November, 2006
been apprised of progress that had been made to introduce an Order
under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 prohibiting the
consumption of alcohol in designated places. In addition
approval had been sought to introduce as from 1st
February, 2007 an Order under the Act to prohibit the consumption
of alcohol in designated areas and to refer the matter to Council
for decision. In accordance with the Local Authority’s
Regulations 2001 a notice had been published in the local press
giving details of the Council’s intention to designate by Order the
undermentioned areas where the consumption of alcohol, when asked
by a police officer not to do so would be an offence:
· Alexandra
Park
Penarth
· The
Kymin Penarth
· Broad
Street
Barry
·
Chickenwood
Barry
· Cogan Recreation
Ground Penarth
·
Llantwit Major
Square Llantwit
Major
· Lorna Hughes
Park Llantwit
Major
· Pencoedtre
Park Barry
· Pound Field Shopping
Area Llantwit Major
· Romilly
Park
Barry
· Windsor Road
Dingle Penarth
· Twt
Park Cowbridge
· Victoria
Park
Barry
· Windmill Lane Playing
Fields Llantwit Major.
it being noted that the introduction of an
Order under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 was a matter
for decision by full Council, Cabinet had on 29th
November, 2006 made the following resolution:
(1) T
H A T the proposal to introduce an Order with the commencement date
of 1st February, 2007 under the provisions of the
Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 as detailed in Appendix 1 to
the report be approved.
(2) T
H A T, subject to the Order being approved, the commencement date
of the Order be published in the local press.
(3) T
H A T the Community Liaison Committee be advised that the Order
would be subject to annual review by Cabinet and incidents of
nuisance, annoyance or disorder associated with the consumption of
alcohol in areas other than those identified during the formal
consultation should be report to the Police or this Council so as
to build up evidence of problems and inform the evidence gathering
process when the Order is reviewed.
The report was presented to the Council
on 6th December, 2006 who resolved:
“T H A T the proposals of the Cabinet as
set out in Cabinet Minute No. C2787, 29th November,
2006, be approved.”
The Community Liaison Committee were advised
that all necessary consultation had taken place, in particular with
the South Wales Police. The Regulatory Department was aware
that a number of Members from Town and Community Councils and
Members of local authority itself had suggested other areas that
could be introduced under the Order and the Committee was advised
that these matters would be considered on an annual basis.
Members raised concerns in respect of special
events that could take place at various venues and were advised
that Temporary Event Notices would be required to be applied for
and the above orders on would then be put aside to deal with
Temporary Event Notices in the normal way.
The Committee requested that they receive
annual updates in respect of the above as appropriate.
AGREED -
(1) T H A
T the Environmental Health Officer be thanked for the clarification
in respect of the relevant Orders.
(2) T H A
T an annual update on the prohibition of the consumption of alcohol
in public places be made to the Community Liaison Committee as
appropriate.
741 SOLAR
PANELS AND ISSUES RELATING TO PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT (REF) -
The Planning Committee on 13th
December, 2006 had referred the report to the Community Liaison
Committee for information. The report had been prepared
largely in response to discussions at the Community Liaison
Committee that had been held in September 2006 in respect of the
Council’s interpretation of permitted development rights
particularly with regard to solar panels (Minute No. 340).
The Appendix to the report outlined the key issues in assessing
whether solar panels mounted on roofs of residential dwellings
required planning permission. The approach that had been
taken was that planning permission would be required to mount solar
panels on roofs of properties within conservation areas. The
feedback received from other Councils in Wales had indicated that
the approach taken by the Vale of Glamorgan Council in seeking
planning applications for roof mounted solar panels within
conservation areas was consistent with other authorities. It
was further noted that such an approach was also in line with
advice given in TAN8. Appended to the report were user
friendly guidance notes to assist individuals in assessing whether
or not planning permission was required for the installation of
solar panels or wind turbine equipment. However, the guidance
note in respect of solar panels had been slightly amended to take
into account some small inaccuracies and as such a new copy was
provided to all Members of the Committee at the meeting. The
officer further advised that it was possible that the Welsh
Assembly Government could relax the regulations in respect of solar
panels in the coming months, but at this stage the Vale of
Glamorgan Council’s policy was as detailed in the report.
AGREED -
(1) T H A
T Mr. Rob Thomas be thanked for his clear and concise presentation
in respect of solar panels and issues related to permitted
development.
(2) T H A
T on receipt of revised guidance from the Welsh Assembly Government
a further report be presented to the Committee as and when
available.
742 MAKING
THE CONNECTIONS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES -
Officers from the Welsh Assembly Government,
Welsh Local Government Association and One Voice Wales were present
at the meeting for a question and answer session with Members in
respect of the draft guidance that had recently been
circulated. Committee was advised that the University of
Wales, Aberystwyth research study “The Role, Functions and Future
Potential of Community and Town Councils in Wales” published in
2003 had advocated charter agreements between unitary authorities
and town and community councils primarily as a means of
facilitating the delegation of functions. In its response to
the recommendation the Welsh Assembly Government took the view that
charters should be introduced by local agreement and it would be
for individual local councils wishing to deliver the delegated
services to demonstrate that they were able to do so effectively
and enter into a service agreement with the unitary
authority. The Welsh Assembly Government had pledged to
facilitate the process by liaising with the WLGA and One Voice
Wales to produce a model charter which may be adapted to suit
individual circumstances.
In 2006 WAG set up a Charter Working Group to
look at how local authorities and community and town councils
interact currently and by utilising good practice examples
illustrate how effective relationships may be developed.
Experience from England had shown that charters could be
constructive and meaningful when they evolved from effective
working relationships between the two tiers of local
government. The representative pointed out that there were
many examples of positive and effective relationships between
unitary authorities and community and town councils in Wales
currently. A survey conducted by WAG in September 2006 had
identified that most authorities had formal mechanisms for meeting
community and town councils at quarterly or bi-annual forums.
Some unitary authorities also had a dedicated officer who liaised
with community and town councils with the authority and provided a
point of contact for all queries. The vision from WAG
identified that “to genuinely work as partners the members must
believe that they are meaningfully involved in the partnership work
and be clear about their roles and responsibilities”.
The representative further advised that a
series of informal sessions at liaison meetings around Wales, to
consult formally with everyone in local government by June 2007
,had been set up which would include the following:-
· a brief background on the work carried out
dating from the publication of the
Aberystwyth report to the production of the tool kit/guidance.
· a discussion on experiences of relationship
building and charters, together with
examples of good practice and case studies that local authorities
shared.
· a timetable for developing the tool kit
and drafting the model charter until the
end of
the year.
After being
presented with the above overview the Members of the Community
Liaison Committee were then asked for their feedback and
comments.
A number of small community councils stated that they were happy
with the current range of services they provided and had no
intention of expanding or taking on services of the local
authority. In their opinion the current arrangements were
working adequately. Members also raised the issue as to what
would be the benefit to the citizen. In respect of delegating
services Members of the Community Council also raised concerns in
respect of the perception that if a local authority transferred a
service the perception could be that the Community Council would do
it better and this was a major concern for some smaller community
councils who considered that they would not have the manpower or
expertise to deal with some matters.
The training of clerks and community councils
identified in the proposed guidance was seen by all as an essential
element and they were further advised that even if they were not
members of One Voice Wales they could take up the training that was
being offered.
Discussion in respect of remuneration for
community councillors was explored and the WLGA confirmed that they
were continuing to pursue the matter with WAG. However, some
smaller community councils stated that in their opinion they were
quite happy to leave things as they were.
The Welsh Assembly Government representative
pointed out that it was not the Welsh Assembly Government’s
intention to compel local authorities and town and community
councils to be bound by the charter and the establishing of such
but that it was considered to be a good way forward. In
conclusion the Members of the Vale of Glamorgan Council and the
Town and Community Councils offered their support to areas of the
charter in respect of good communications, good working
relationships and the training initiatives identified and looked
forward to receiving further information in due course.
AGREED -
(1) T H A
T the representatives from the Welsh Assembly Government, One Voice
Wales and the WLGA be thanked for attending the Community Liaison
Committee meeting and offering the guidance and assistance in
respect of Making the Connections.
(2) T H A
T the Community Liaison Committee be kept informed of progress in
respect of the matter.