APOLOGIES
Cllr. Owen Lloyd Roberts (Chair).
PRESENT
Cllr. Margaret Roberts (Vice-Chair), John Richards, Lisa Birks, Eluned Williams, Ffion Williams, Ann Jones, Gwenda Griffith, Eifion Williams, Dewi Tudur Lewis, and Cllrs. Annwen Hughes and Gwynfor Owen (Gwynedd Council).
In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair took the chair and on behalf of the Council, the Vice-Chair wished a speedy recovery to the Chair.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
No one declared an interest on any matter.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting on 21st November 2022 were accepted as correct.
MATTERS ARISING
Budget Plan
Copies were distributed showing the differences in expenditure up to 31st December 2022 since the beginning of April 2022 and what had been allocated in the budget plan until the end of December to all members present. It was reported that £15,163.56 (including bank costs) had been spent since the start of the new financial year, which was £17,640.86 less than what had been allocated in the budget for the year. Members went through the differences in the expenditure that had occurred and what was down on the budget plan item by item. It was agreed to accept the above.
Council Budget for 2023/24
The Treasurer distributed copies of the Council’s accounts up to 31st December 2022 to all members to see the financial situation. A discussion took place regarding the above matter, and it was decided that the estimated expenditure for the next financial year by the Council would be as follows: Council insurance £800, Clerk’s salary £2,000, Clerk’s costs £1,500, office costs £400, Clerk’s salary tax £400, Clerk’s accountant £204, contributions £2,500, Harlech and Ardudwy Leisure £4,412.22, village hall committee £1,500, Nursery Circle committee £1,500, burial costs £2,000, cemetery grass cutting £2,000, path grass cutting £1,200, maintenance of Rhiw Garden £400, salt bins £1,000, benches £1,000, One Voice Wales £150, hiring committee room £150, auditors £650, miscellaneous £1,000, CCTV cameras £5,000, playground maintenance £5,000, bank costs £150. It was agreed to withdraw £10,000 to develop the parking area at Cilfor and to allocate £5,000 in the budget for the CCTV cameras and keep £5,000 in reserves.
Council Precept for 2023/24
A letter was received from Gwynedd Council regarding the above matter. After discussing the budget and forecasting what the Council’s expenditure would be for the next financial year, it was decided to leave the precept at £22,000.
Council Risk Assessment Policy
Copies of the above were distributed to all members present and each item was discussed separately. It was decided to accept this policy. It was agreed to include public seating on the agenda for March.
Effectiveness of Internal Control
The above was discussed in detail again this year, and it was decided that the current procedure was satisfactory, with the Treasurer providing a financial report along with a copy of the Council’s bank reconciliation to the Members every month, and also recording the payments on receipts that are made along with a monthly financial position.
Independent Audit Panel
The Clerk reported that every Councillor must sign a form regarding the above again this year. It is necessary to list every rule that is adopted in the Council minutes, and if a payment rule for costs is adopted, the Councillors who DO NOT want to claim costs must sign a form declaring this. After discussion, it was agreed to adopt the payment rule for costs again this year, and it was agreed that everyone wishing to claim costs should do so, but it was important that everyone sends it back to the Clerk after completing it.
CCTV Cameras
Cllr. John Richards reported to the Clerk that the work to install the equipment in Llandecwyn has yet to be completed due to problems with BT. It was reported that Openreach engineers have been on site four times and that the problem of connecting the fibre wire has been addressed. Cllrs. John Richards and Lisa Birks agreed to make inquiries regarding this matter, and it was agreed that the Clerk would send the work order number to Cllr. Birks.
Playground in the Village
Cllr. Lisa Birks reported that she had made inquiries with the National Grid about grants and had received a response stating they were ready to provide grants to develop the site on the condition that there is no connection with the Community Council. Due to these conditions, it was agreed to search for grants from other sources and not to apply to the National Grid. It was agreed that repairs should be made to the equipment as soon as possible.
Yellow Lines
The Clerk reported that she had further contacted Gwynedd Council regarding the above matter and that an officer had sent her a revised plan with two options on it, and she had sent this on to the Members asking for their opinion on which option would be best. Some responded stating that option 2 would be best. The Clerk further reported that she had sent this information on to Gwynedd Council and that she had received a response stating they were making the usual arrangements regarding this matter.
Land near Bron Trefor
Cllr. John Richards reported that he had spoken to Mr. and Mrs. Harri Pugh regarding the above matter but that they needed to know exactly how much land was needed and that no further information was available regarding this matter.
GWYNEDD COUNCIL MATTERS
Cllr. Annwen Hughes reported that she had received several complaints that the salt bins around the area had been emptied and that she had contacted the Highways Department asking them to refill the salt bins following the recent cold weather and had received information that some bins in the area had not been filled and that she had contacted the Highways Department directly and that this work would be completed this week. Concerns were expressed by the Members that some local people were stealing salt from some locations, and Cllr. Hughes was asked if she would contact Gwynedd Council to ask if it would be possible to have a salt bin installed near Capel Soar and at the turn above the Bryn Eithin housing estate. It was also noted that an officer from the Area Cleaning Team had been in touch asking if she could let him know where attention was needed in the village, and that she had already asked them to clean the road from Pont y Glyn up to Eisingrug.
Cllr. Gwynfor Owen reported that a consultation regarding implementing a 20 mph speed limit was being conducted, and it was agreed that a speed limit of 20 mph was needed through the village. He also reported that he had complained that the brambles along the side of the road down to Pont Briwet had yet to be cut, and that he would contact the officer responsible for dog waste bins to ask him to install one near the Llandecwyn train station. He informed that he had visited Capel Newydd following their opening as a welcome location.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Building a single-storey kitchen/dining room extension to the side/rear of the cottage – Cynefin, Llandecwyn (NP5/77/115J)
Support for this application.
Retrospective application for a single-storey extension including a glazed walkway and canopy in the rear court – Caerffynnon Hall, Talsarnau (NP5/77/311)
Support for this application.
TREASURER’S REPORT
The Treasurer reported that there was £41,845.60 in the current account and £4,165.26 in the reserves account.
Payments during the month
Tax and Duties – £100.00 – Clerk’s salary tax
G. D. Roberts and Son – £500.00 – opening the grave of the late Mrs. Doreen Jones
Receipts during the month
Mr. K. Beale – £25.00 – rent for Capel y Graig garage (December)
Mr. K. Beale – £25.00 – rent for Capel y Graig garage (January)
Gwynedd Council – £479.95 – reimbursement for cutting grass on public paths
Morris Hughes for Poor – £452.08 – transferring the money from this account and closing it.
The Treasurer reported that the money from the Morris Hughes for Poor account had been transferred to the Council’s account because it had not been used for many years, and the Council had decided to close the account. It was agreed to transfer the money received from this account to Ardudwy Evangelical Church to assist with its welcome project.
The Treasurer reported that the Council had underspent by £17,640.86 since the start of this financial year up to 31st December 2022, and it was anticipated that £41,010.86 would be carried over on 31st March 2023. It should also be remembered that at least £5,936.00 of expenditure needs to be made by the end of March 2022 and only £931 is expected to come in (in this short time), and that the Council will have significant expenditure to make during the next financial year 2023/24 because £4,412.22 has been allocated for Harlech and Ardudwy Leisure without including any other expenditure the Council will incur. Therefore, considering that there might be £41,010.86 carried over and that the precept remains at £22,000 (£41,010.86 + £22,000 = £63,010.86 – £5,630.00 = £57,010.86), it is likely that the Council will be fine with its expenditure for the financial year 2023/24. Members will be able to see the financial forecasts for the coming year better by the end of March 2023.
CORRESPONDENCE
Welsh Government
A letter was received from the above notifying the Council that the appropriate amount under Section 137(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, Section 137 Expenditure limit for 2023/24 will be £9.93 per elector. The Clerk reported that the latest number of electors is 441, and therefore the Council has the right to contribute up to £4,379.13 to external bodies.
Gwynedd Council – Legal Department
A letter was received from the above notifying the Council that the road between Meas Gwndwn and Pengelli in Soar will close on 3rd February due to the need to renew a defective pole and cables on behalf of Openreach. The Clerk reported that she had already forwarded this letter to the Members.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Concerns were expressed that water was standing on the road near the crossroads for Cefn Gwyn and also near Stabl Mail, and it was agreed that the Clerk would contact the Highways Department regarding this.
It was noted that a walking trip would be taking place sometime between June and July, and the organizers were asking for permission to use the village parking area if needed. This was agreed to.
It was requested that the lorry cleaning the roadside go up the road from the Bryn Eithin estate and also up the road for Soar.
It was noted that the traffic lights that had recently been installed in the village were not working last Thursday, creating a quite dangerous situation.
It was noted that there is a hole in the road near Bryn Golau, Soar once again.
It was agreed to hold a public meeting with HAL for Talsarnau residents at 6:30 PM on Monday 20th March.
SIGNED……………………………………………..Chair
DATE………………………………………………
English (UK) 
Cymraeg