Among the planning applications discussed at last month's meeting on Manorbier Community Council were the following: Application for works to trees at Glan-Y-Mor, Manorbier Conservation Area, (no objection). Balandra, Pembroke Road -flat roof to pitched roof and new garage (no objection). Boat House, Pembroke Road, Manorbier - repairs, renovation and extension of existing garden shed, retrospective. Lydstep Beach Holiday Resort, Lydstep Haven - enclosure over existing outdoor swimming pool (no objection). Contractors storage building, Rosendale Park, Lydstep - change of use to dwelling and curtilage (no objection). Toad Hall, Kiln House Lane, Jameston - change of access (no objection). Manorbier Parish Church, SW of Castle Mead, Manorbier - disabled access from car park and create opening in existing boundary of stone wall (no objection). Land adjacent to Meadow Hurst, Manorbier Newton - house and garden area (no objection). Other matters discussed at the meeting included the following: It was agreed that the village Christmas tree would be ordered from Hean Castle. The clerk was to purchase new bulbs and lenses for the lights. Clr. M. Calver advised that the children of Jameston who had made a request for a set of goal posts had approached him. A petition had been signed by the children and was presented to the meeting. Clr. Calver said that following discussions with the county council, they were happy for the goal posts to be erected at the play area in Jameston. Clr. Calver was to approach the county council to request that they cover the goal posts under their insurance policy and obtain more information on insurance, liability and maintenance provided by the county council. Providing all information was in order, the community council would agree to the goal posts being erected. It was therefore proposed by Clr. E. Thompson to write to the local authority to find out their up-to-date policy on play areas. This was seconded by Clr. P. Griffiths. The chairman advised that the clerk had received a letter on the day of the meeting from Manorbier and District Community Association. Clrs. Thompson, D. Neads, Griffiths and T. Wales declared an interest in the association, but remained in the meeting and took part in the discussion concerning the letter. Clr. Calver thought it was bad practice for the association to forward a letter to the council on the night of a meeting. All councillors had received a copy of the letter on entering the meeting and it was read out by the clerk. Clr. Calver asked the chairman and other members of the community association if they were going to leave the room while the letter was being discussed. No-one left the room and the chairman advised that if anyone present wished to take any action against councillors they could do so. Clr. Neads advised that he along with other members of the association had received verbal advice on their position of declaring their interest concerning the association. A discussion took place relating to the council's legal obligations under their lease of the community centre. It was clarified that the community association managed the community centre on behalf of the community council. A trust deed had been drawn up some years previously between the council and association, but the clerk was unaware of its whereabouts. A copy of the deed was to be located and forwarded to all councillors. It was proposed by Clr. Thompson and seconded by Clr. F. Tuffs to hold a special meeting to discuss fully the content of the letter. Clr. Neads abstained. A member of the public had contacted the clerk for an appointment to view the council records, which had resulted in extra time for the clerk. The clerk was to advise the council whether the records were open to the public and how the council budgeted for such visits previously. It was resolved that the proposed night firing at Manorbier Range should be considered at the meeting to be held to discuss the community association letter.
SPECIAL MEETING
At the special meeting, the chairman welcomed Clr. M. Meyrick back onto the council. A great deal of discussion took place on the information contained in the scoping document with regard to the proposal to resume night firing at the Air Defence Range at Manorbier. The council's main concerns were: 1. The predicted noise levels and the effect of the impulse on the community. Had any indications been made as to the predicted noise levels? 2. The times of the night firing and the frequency and number of firings to be resumed. Also would the night firing to be weather dependent? 3. The effect the vibrations would have on nearby buildings. 4. Most councillors were not happy with the resumption of night firing. 5. It was felt that there was not enough information contained within the scoping study to advise what type of vehicle or equipment would be used when night firing. What would be used as a target and would the drone be used? 6. There was a great deal of concern over the possible effect on the tourism industry and how the night firing could effect people's livelihoods. 7. Concern was also raised on the possible effect that the increased noise and traffic levels could have on the wildlife present at Manorbier RAR, and how the biodiversity could be unbalanced. Further investigations were to be made as to when the last night firing took place and whether the Manorbier Range needed to apply for planning permission or whether they were adhering to a previous by-law to gain consent. An article was to be inserted into the forthcoming edition of the newsletter advising the wider community to write to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park expressing their views on the night-time firing directly. A public meeting was to be arranged for early 2005 when representatives from the Park Authority, Pembrokeshire County Council and Manorbier RAR would be invited along for further comments. Also on the agenda was the correspondence from Manorbier and District Community Association regarding the community council's obligations in respect of the lease held for the Community Centre, Skrinkle. Correspondence from Mr. Huw James, monitoring officer at Pembrokeshire County Council, was read out and Clrs. T. Wales and D. Neads declared their interest in the community association. Further to reading out the letter, Clr. D. Neads re-read the letter and agreed that both he and Clr. Wales should comply with the advice contained therein. Further discussions took place and Clr. Calver requested an up-date on whether the 'committee', which had been set-up to look at the council's legal duties, had met. He was advised that Clrs. Cooper, Coleman and Tuffs had held a meeting at a private house with the chairman attending as an observer. There were no minutes available for this meeting. Clr. D. Neads advised the meeting that following the information in Mr. James's letter, he wished to exclude himself from the meeting. Clr. Wales also wished to exclude himself. Clr. M. Davies volunteered to take over as chairman when the correspondence from the community association was discussed. Audit: The clerk advised that the internal audit had been completed and the annual return completed by the internal auditor. This document was circulated to all councillors present. Clr. D. Neads advised the meeting that following separate discussions with PAVS, he had learnt that there was an invoice outstanding relating to copying of the newsletter. A great deal of discussion took place concerning the discussions held with PAVS by Clrs. Neads and Wales. Clr. Wales was not prepared to sign the accounts until further information had been sought from the internal auditor. It was resolved that the clerk should contact the internal auditor for confirmation that he was happy with the method of record-keeping and whether he was aware of the newsletter debts and should these figures have been included on the annual return. The clerk was to check back through the records to clarify whether there was an outstanding invoice relating to work carried out by PAVS and whether this was invoiced to the community association or the community council. The clerk was to write to PAVS requesting this information and for clarification of when it was sent. The clerk was also to check back through the minutes for clarification of when and if the community council discussed the outstanding invoices from PAVS. The clerk was also to write to HLB AV Audit and advise that the annual return would not be submitted on time. Clrs. Neads and Wales then left the meeting and Clr. Davies took the chair while the correspondence from the community association regarding the council's obligations in respect of the lease took place. Each councillor was in receipt of a copy of the underlease for the community centre and the trust deed drawn-up for the management of the sports fields by the community association in 2001. A copy of the trust deed drawn-up in 1994 between the council and community association was to be photocopied and distributed by the next meeting. It was felt that since the trust deed was drawn up in 2001, there were subsequent queries which needed addressing by the present council. All present agreed that it was too late in the night to discuss this item in detail. Therefore, it was agreed to place it on the agenda for the December meeting. The clerk was to write to the community association advising them that their letter would be discussed at the meeting on December 14.