Pembroke Dock Town Council

Among matters discussed at a meeting of Pembroke Dock Town Council held at the Pater Hall, Pembroke Dock, last month, were the following:

QUESTIONS AND ANSWER SESSION

WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

Pembroke Dock Library: Members of Pembroke Dock Library attended the meeting to express their concerns about the library hours being cut.

Bob Leyland spoke on behalf of the library members. He stated that at a public consultation meeting in October they were assured that the library in Pembroke Dock would not be affected.

Mr. Leyland went on to explain that they had since received notification that the library was to be closed two afternoons a week. This would result in a 29 per cent cut in hours for a five-day week.

Members of the library felt that Pembroke Dock was being dealt a low blow, as many libraries with information centres attached were not being affected at all.

At a recent discussion with Mr. Cavanagh from Pembrokeshire County Council, there was a feeling of conflicting statements.

Mr. Leyland stated that it was not good enough to have 29 - 50 per cent of hours cut. He also commented that, if the library had to go through these cuts for four years, it may not be open for long after.

Mr. Leyland stated that a petition had been put together of over 170 signatures, even though Mr. Cavanagh from PCC had not given them permission to canvass within the library itself.

The Mayor stated that it was hard for PCC as they had to try and decide what was best within a community, but also by balancing the budgets. She also believed that the members were correct in what they were saying in that the library was a vibrant place, with a good variety of visitors from the local community and from further afield.

The Mayor went on to tell members that she could remember the opening of the library after the building in Albion Square closed. She stated that the exhibition rooms, computer areas, children's book clubs were all thriving within the library.

Clr. Perkins stated that PCC were very pleased that members of the library were coming to the Pembroke Dock Town Council meeting to voice their views and opinions, as it showed that the consultations were working with the members of the public.

Clr. Murton felt very strongly about this matter as she knew many people who attended the library as their only source of human interaction as they led very lonely lives. She said that a stand should be made and that this issue should be fought.

Clr. Goff said that he attended the meeting with Mr. Cavanagh in which he assured the public that Pembroke Dock Library would not be closed, nor would a reduction in opening hours take place. He agreed with Clr. Murton stating the library was a vital place within the community.

Clr. A. McNaughton stated that the library had become practically essential to some users within the town, for not only the books, but also computers, internet access, socialising. Therefore, he stated that it was crucial that the town council should make a stand against this issue.

Clr. Colgan advised the members of the library that along with the petition, it would be a good idea to get letters to go with it.

The Mayor thanked the group for attending the meeting to share their information and opinions.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

Pembroke Dock Town Council noticeboard: Clr. J. McNaughton questioned the status of the noticeboard.

The town clerk informed members that it had been installed and the electrician was sorting out the electric feed for the lighting on it.

Town Awards: The Mayor stated that the Town Awards evening went off very well. She commented that messages of thanks had been received from many people who had received awards.

The Mayor also wished to thank the office staff for all their hard work on the night.

It was questioned whether it was feasible to put pictures of the event on the noticeboard, to advertise the fact these people had received an award from the town council.

It was agreed that it was a good idea to publicise the fact that the awards had happened and hopefully to make more people aware that they could nominate someone for these awards.

REPORT OF THE

TOWN CLERK

Letters of thanks: The town clerk stated that she had received letters of thanks from the following organisations regarding agreed funding - Pennar Robins AFC, Pembroke Dock Cricket Club and Vocal Energy.

Christmas opening hours for the town council offices: The town clerk commented that the office tended to be quiet over the festive period, and she proposed that it be closed from Monday, December 22 to Monday, January 5. She asked for members' agreement for this and also stated that she would be available on email if anything urgent arose during this time. This was agreed.

Welcome signage for Pembroke Dock: The town clerk stated that, as requested at the last meeting, she had contacted the county council regarding the cost of the LED display for the new signage

A reply had received from the landscape architect:

"It is not so much the cost of the VMS sign, but more the problem with installing one on the trunk road network as the TRA have more stringent regulations than the local Highway Authority. We are currently in discussions with the Trunk Road Agency about getting an 'in principle' approval for VMS signs along the trunk road network within Pembrokeshire for all the main towns. With regard to cost, the signs that we are looking at are about £1,000, but the Trunk Road Agency may insist on a much bigger sign depending on location, also the proximity of a power supply will have an effect on price, so therefore until we know a bit more about what type and size of sign the Trunk Road Agency will accept, it is difficult to put an accurate estimate on cost."

The town clerk questioned council if they were happy with the response.

It was suggested that Pembrokeshire County Council be asked to keep them informed of any changes in Trunk Road Agency decisions.

Stopping up of public highway - 4 Victoria Road: Notification had been received from the solicitor for Pembrokeshire County Council that they were applying for a Stopping up Order under section 116 of the Highways Act 1980 for land adjacent to 4 Victoria Road, Pembroke Dock.

The town clerk stated she had replied to the county council to inform them that the town council did not have any equipment or apparatus in the area which was likely to be affected by this change.

Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Town Band: The town clerk commented that members were aware the band was unable to attend the Remembrance Service parade in Pembroke Dock this year. She had since received a number of comments from residents regarding their disappointment that they were unable to attend the event; she had also witnessed the town council being criticised regarding the way the band was treated by the council.

The town clerk had therefore spoken with the Pembroke town clerk who would also be making the following proposal: that the town band are notified at the beginning of the year of events taking place in Pembroke Dock throughout the year and pay them a sum of £50 for each event which they would be able to attend.

The town clerk commented that this would then hopefully change the attitude that the band were not treated fairly by the council and also help them with their fundraising efforts. The town clerk asked for members' comments regarding this.

The Mayor stated that both she and Clr. Colgan were on the trust for the Town Band. The Mayor confirmed the band not attending the Remembrance Day parade had been a mistake. As one of the members of the Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Town Band had been informed that council were initially planning on using the ATC band, they assumed they were not needed. It was commented that it was a misunderstanding over crossed wires.

The Mayor stated that the band was currently looking for funding to get new uniforms. They had £48 in the current account and £2,000 in the deposit account.

Their insurance for 2013-14 was paid through the Silver Band Trust. It was questioned whether Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Town Councils had previously shared the cost of the band's insurance.

The town clerk stated that this had been done in the past, but the band would need to provide further information on the insurance before anything could be agreed.

It was also stated that their instruments were stored in the town council basement in the Pater Hall. The band had been asked to take an inventory of the instruments and work out which ones were still in use, as some awere still there from the 1970s.

The town clerk stated that she would need this information as it would apply to the council's fixed asset register and insurance policy. Depreciation would also need to be taken into account.

It was suggested that all instruments be handed over from the council to the band.

The Mayor stated that the offer of £50 per turnout for the band to perform had been refused by the band as it was not enough. It was noted that they required £100-£150.

Clr. Perkins stated that more information was needed as to how many events the band would take on in one day, how far they could march etc.

Adoption of Pembroke Dock train station: The town clerk had been contacted by a resident of Pembroke Dock asking if the town council could adopt the train station in Pembroke Dock in the same way Pembroke had.

The town clerk stated she had been in contact with Pembroke to see what this would entail for the council, and also Arriva to see if this was possible as Pembroke Dock station was very different to Pembroke.

Pembroke town clerk had stated that they had supplied flowers in the area, with the tubs being provided by Arriva. The shelter had also been painted, which was done by Arriva, but paid for by the town council.

The town council were awaiting further information from Arriva about whether this was possible for Pembroke Dock.

Clr. Gwyther expressed his concerns that the town council were taking on too much financial strain. He stated that Arriva should be contacted and requested to clean up the station as it was their property. The town vlerk suggested that vouncil should wait for more information on this.

Funding Requests

2015 Eisteddfod: The town clerk stated a number of letters had been received regarding funding requests for the 2015 Eisteddfod. Unfortunately, the event did not meet the criteria of the council so could not be considered.

Bobath Children's Therapy Centre: The town clerk stated that a funding request had been received from this organisation. Unfortunately, this too did not meet the criteria for the council so could not be considered.

Friendship Club: The town clerk stated that a grant request had been received from this organisation.

She commented that looking at the application, it seemed it was for the budget round, but unfortunately as it was received over a month late, the budget had already been considered.

The amount the group was requesting was £600, which was to cover rental costs and costs of upcoming trips during 2015.

The town clerk made members aware that the account information which was presented stated they had a balance of £2,435 in the bank at January 30, 2014. There was no other up-to-date information supplied.

It was commented that as the group had missed the original cut-off date and that they also had in excess of £2,000 in their bank account, the request should not be supported.

It was also suggested that a gesture of help could be given to the group, as it was very well attended and gave great support to people who were lonely.

It was also commented that some members did now know enough about this group to be able to grant a donation. It was felt that the process should be tightened up as more information was needed.

After a discussion, it was decided that the town clerk should contact the group to let them know they had missed the cut-off-date for the grant funding round and to suggest they submit individual funding requests for specific trips or events.

Risk assessments for the town council offices: The town clerk stated that during the process of completing her NVQ, the deputy town clerk had undertaken risk assessments for the town clerk's offices and entrance area.

Included in members' papers were copies of these risk assessments which showed suggested actions which were required to be undertaken.

The town clerk requested members' agreement for the actions to be progressed, with the Pater Hall Trust being notified of the actions which they were required to progress. This was agreed.

Register Office in Pembroke Dock: The town clerk had contacted Pembrokeshire County Council regarding the opening hours of the Register office in Pembroke Dock. They had sent the following reply:

'The opening hours at the Pembroke Dock outstation have been restricted since the sudden illness of the registrar. Unfortunately, due to other long term sickness absences, we have been unable to provide cover for this absence. The lack of staff, compounded by the preparations necessary for the move of the main Register Office to Cherry Grove and the busy wedding season, has meant that we are very short staffed in the registration service and have been unable to send anyone to staff the outstations. Prior to this restriction, footfall to this outstation had reduced compared with last year, and to date we have not received any complaints from our customers regarding the service."

The town clerk also informed members that should a baby be born in Carmarthenshire, the parents were unable to register the birth in Pembrokeshire. They could make a declaration of the birth in Pembrokeshire, but must also send the details to Carmarthen Register Office for the birth to be registered and the certificate(s) to be issued from there.

Contact the Elderly: The town clerk said she had received an email from the this organisation; they were looking for interested volunteers and anyone who would benefit from the service which they provided. The town clerk had included in members' papers a copy of the fact sheet which they had provided, and stated that if anyone wanted to be a part of this organisation, application forms were available from the town council offices.

Website Working Group: The town clerk had been informed by Clrs. J. McNaughton and A. McNaughton that they no longer wished to be part of the Website Working Group. She therefore needed volunteers for this group to keep going. The town clerk requested two volunteers for this.

No members put themselves forward. The town clerk stated that she would bring this back to a future meeting when more members were in attendance.

Railway lines: The town clerk stated that the Regeneration Group had been looking at ways to tidy up the old railway lines that run from St. Govans Centre through to the Railway Station, these covering three sections. The town clerk stated:

"The far section at the Railway Station through to Water Street as we know will be utilised as part of the transport interchange project and was therefore out of the equation.

The central section was registered to Justima Limited, which seemed to be a subsidiary of Govan Davies Estates. This still lies unused and untidy. There was a planning application in 1996 for two residential units, but this was subsequently withdrawn. At the Regen meeting on November 3, it was suggested that the town council could approach the owners and take out a management agreement with the owners for the continued upkeep of the area - which could include creating a garden walkway through from Gordon Street to Water Street (which might help footfall into the town once the transport interchange has been completed.

The western section (St. Govans Centre to Gordon Street) appears as unregistered with the Land Registry. I understand this does not necessarily mean that it is owned. However, the town council, along with other organisations, have periodically tidied this area in the hope that it will remain tidy and not be such an eyesore to the town. At a meeting the deputy town clerk attended with Peter Howe, of Pembs County Council, along with Stephanie Cross, of the Regeneration Group, and Clr. Kraus, it was suggested that one avenue open to the town council was to go for Adverse Possession on this section of land. A pre-requisite of starting this process is that the town council must offer proof that they have periodically maintained this land for a period of 12 years by written or photographic evidence.

We have been able to gather evidence dating back to May 3, 2001, either by meeting minute, email or photographs. We would now be in a position to approach Land Registry if council agree that they wish to try this avenue of acquiring the land for us to tidy up and maintain.

The plans for this section of land would be to create a town garden of wild flowers and shrubs set in slightly raised beds constructed from railway sleepers - this keeping the railway theme. The gate at Gordon Street would be left in place, but secured open at all times. The walls each side of the lines would be reconstructed and whitewashed acting as a back-drop to the planting. It was also suggested that an opening be created at the opposite end to the gate, so creating a walk through to St. Govans. Linked to the suggestion for the middle section, the garden could be continued eventually right through to Water Street if the owners of the middle section are willing to look at a managed maintenance agreement perhaps.

The Regeneration Group and Clr. Kraus feel that there are a number of volunteers, both individuals and groups, who would be willing to put the work into creating the garden, with only the specialist jobs, such as creating the second entrance and rebuilding walls, needing to be carried out by professionals. It would also tidy the town and as mentioned previously, be a great walk into the town from the new transport interchange if we go for the middle section managed agreement as well.

The town clerk asked for members' agreement for adverse possession to go ahead on these sections of land.

Clr. Kraus stated that he had sourced many people and community groups willing to help clean up and maintain the land.

A discussion took place at great length about the ongoing costs, including solicitors fees, Land Registry and anything else to actually obtain the land, tools and or machinery to do the initial work, along with costs of insurance policies to protect the town council from liabilities that might to associated with caretaking the land in question.

It was also questioned during the discussion as to what was exactly expected of the council if they went ahead with the adverse possession.

It was decided that the town clerk would look into this matter further and gain more information regarding costs and bring back to council.

Meeting with Police Commissioner - Christopher Salmon: The town clerk had been in discussion with the Police Commissioner's secretary regarding the council meeting with the Police Commissioner to discuss some of the issues within Pembroke Dock. The date given was Thursday, January 29, 5.30 - 6.30 pm. The town clerk asked for five volunteers to meet with the Police Commissioner. Clrs. G. Goff, M. Murton, P. Gwyther, J. McNaughton and the Mayor, Clr. P. George, volunteered.

Pembrokeshire Community Transport: Information had been received from this organisation explaining the services which they provide for the community. They had a number of services running across Pembrokeshire where they can pick people up from their front door and take them out to local shops, doctors' appointments or just to see friends. It was noted that if anyone wanted further information on these services, they should contact the town clerk; the information would also be published on the council website and social media site.

Clr. Colgan stated that there was to be a new bus running within Pembroke Dock in the new year.

REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES SERVING ON OUTSIDE BODIES

Plans for new town council offices: Clr. Gwyther stated that he had a proposed copy of the plans for the new offices if members would like to see them.

The town clerk stated that a meeting was to be set with the Pater Hall Community Trust to discuss this project in further detail.

Regeneration Group update: Clr. J. McNaughton gave an update on the Regeneration Group's projects that the group were looking at researching for 2015.

Star Wars - Open Air Cinema; St. Govans Centre Refurbishment - Paint Scheme; Soap Box Derby; Group Logo; Website - Research needed for what should be included; Dog Fouling and Tidy Town; Christmas Fayre; PLANED Action Plan.

The group had gone away from the last meeting with plans to gain more information on these projects.

Clr. J. McNaughton also stated that she, along with a few others, had attended the PLANED meeting to form a committee. Clr. McNaughton stated that the turnout was disappointing; there were a few Pennar residents in attendance Clr. McNaughton felt they were being very negative towards Pembroke Dock. She also stated that the PLANED projects could conflict with Regeneration projects.

Rhoscrowther Wind Farm Forum: Clr. P. George stated that along with the town clerk she attended another forum, this time held at South Pembrokeshire Golf Club. She said that it was another lively meeting which was well attended by the residents.

It was noted that the developers were now in possession of a copy of the plans for the new town council offices and the galleon equipment which was proposed for the Memorial Park, for them to consider for potential funding in the town of Pembroke Dock, if the project goes ahead.

Clr. Colgan commented that they seemed very interested in both funding request proposals put forward to them.

MAYOR'S REPORT

The Mayor, Clr. P. George, commented that she had had another fairly quiet month. She had attended the scouts exhibition in the Pater Hall, the Remembrance services at Pembroke, Pembroke Dock and Freshwater West, the Town Awards evening with the town council and the Springboard exhibition. All events went very well, especially the evening of the Town Awards, which she thoroughly enjoyed, along with those that attended.