Among matters discussed at last month's meeting of East Williamston Community Council were the following:

MATTER ARISING FROM THE LAST MINUTES

Clr. K. Talbot referred to the ITC item and informed members that high speed broadband was unlikely to be available in this area until 2015.

PLANNING APPLICATION

The following planning application was considered:

19 Lyndhurst Avenue, Broadmoor - erection of dwelling (councillors to view on line and pass on comments to clerk).

PLANNING PERMISSIONS

Demolition of Pentlepoir CP School - granted; appeal regarding use of land for caravans for residential purposes at Thorney Park, Kilgetty - appeal allowed.

ITC DEVELOPMENTS

Update provided by Clr. Mrs. K. Talbot as above under matters arising. It was also agreed that the clerk would e-mail agendas and minutes to all councillors and Clr. Ratcliffe would display an agenda in each notice board. Agendas would also be posted to councillors home address to comply with Local Government Act 1972 requirements.

PLAY AREAS

The clerk requested names of those wishing to take part in a play area safety inspection course so that places could be booked with PCC. Names given were Clr. D. E. McIntosh and T. Beynon. Members were also advised that there was now an online inspection report form that could be completed on-line and e-mailed to PCC.

Pentlepoir - no matters raised.

East Williamston - it was noted that grass cuttings were still being deposited in random areas of long grass and that the telephone number on the public notice required changing. The clerk would deal with these matters.

Broadmoor - it was reported that the spars at the back of the benches had not been replaced. It was agreed that Colin Phillips be asked to carry out this work.

CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED

The clerk referred to the following items of correspondence: e-mail regarding 'Wildlife on your Patch' event at Haverfordwest; email regarding marshalls required for Wales triathlon; information from PCC regarding a photographic competition for ages seven-25 years; annual report 2012-2013 from Ombudsman for Wales; information from Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales regarding a review of electoral arrangements. Following an explanation from Clr. J. Williams that there were no proposed changes to the East Williamston electoral division, the draft proposals were supported by council and it was resolved to write to the LGBCW to register this support (see Clr. Williams's report for further explanation); annual report 2012-2013 from Pembrokeshire Housing; Play magazine.

PURCHASE OF MEMORIAL BENCH

It had previously been agreed to purchase a bench in memory of former councillor Tom Ellis and Clr. I. Wilkinson offered to deal with the purchase of the bench from the same company that had previously supplied benches and to have it suitably engraved. The clerk agreed to research costs with other companies and to forward details to Clr. Prout if necessary.

COUNTY COUNCILLOR JACOB WILLIAMS's REPORT

Clr. Jacob Williams submitted the following report:

Clayford Road gypsy appeal - the planning inspectorate had released its decision on the Clayford Road gypsy application and had granted full consent (not temporary) the conditions of which include: no commercial activities to be undertaken on the land, including storage of materials, a 3.5 tonne weight limit of vehicles to be stationed, parked or stored on the land, further landscaping, and the occupation of the land only by persons of gypsy/traveller status, and the current occupier, his partner and her dependants.

Clr. Williams, who spoke at the public inquiry on behalf of the community, said he felt that the inspector's decision had the potential for adverse repercussions, in which similar gypsy appeals could be successful for no better reasons than the council's own policy deficiencies. This was because the inspector found that the proposal would cause harm, but that this harm was outweighed in the inspector's balancing exercise, by the county council's failure to convince him that enough was planned in the authority's Local Development Plan to tackle the unmet need for gypsy and traveller pitches. Clr. Williams told the community council that he was minded to formally requisition an extraordinary meeting of the council, in order to set about the process for revising the LDP policy so that further appeals in the future would not be given support by what the inspector called the council's 'ongoing failure of policy.' Clr. Williams said the council was not scheduled to meet until October 17, and that he had already taken steps to go down the route of requisitioning an extraordinary meeting, which would require the support of additional councillors and their signatures.

County council boundary reviews - the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales had now released its proposals for the statutory review of Pembrokeshire County Council ward boundaries. It proposes no changes to the East Williamston electoral division, but a net reduction across Pembrokeshire of one councillor from 60 to 59. The draft proposals were now open for public comment until October, and would be implemented in time for the next election. The proposals were the result of about a year's worth of previous consultations with key stakeholders, and requests for them to put forward their own draft proposals. One of the most comprehensive proposals was put forward by the Pembrokeshire County Council cabinet, and it included new proposed boundaries for nearly every ward in the authority. Under the cabinet's suggestions, which would have reduced the number of councillors by three, the Pentlepoir ward of the East Williamston community would have been separated and combined with a newly created community called 'Saundersfoot North.' The cabinet's proposal for East Williamston was not considered appropriate by the LGBCW, as it required powers to make changes to boundaries that were not legally available under this electoral review to the LGBCW, who state: "we propose to leave the existing East Williamston electoral division as it currently stands."

Clr. Williams also raised the following points:

a) Several people had contacted him regarding the mining memorial and PCC had refused to give a donation of £500 towards it which was disappointing.

b) Brotherhill Holiday Cottage was being badly affected by a gypsy's generator which was very noisy. Visitors were asking for refunds. He would investigate this.

c) Mr. K. Saunders was asking for a closing time sign to be erected at the play area at Broadmoor because of the problems he was experiencing with unsociable behaviour late at night. The clerk informed members that the police had advised him to telephone them if there were any problems and that an official closing time would make no difference to the action they could take.

d) Has had a meeting with the church warden at East Williamston regarding the overgrown lane which Land Registry stated did not belong to the church, only the wall. A site visit would be carried out after the next meeting.

BUSINESS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILLORS

a) Query regarding the bus stop at Green Park/Hawthorn Drive - problem with visibility when bus stops. No action could be taken on this matter.

b) The road markings at Crane Cross had faded, but were not within the boundary of this community so no action.

The walls outside both of the old schools were falling down. Letter to be sent to PCC regarding this.

REPORTS FROM COUNCILLORS

a) A site visit was requested at the lane next to the church. Japanese Knotweed present in church yard and drainage issue in lane. Site visit to be carried out following next meeting.

b) Saundersfoot CC had an emergency plan in place with money provided by the EEC. Should we be doing this? No action at present.

c) Illegal parking outside of the Dragon Palace Chinese restaurant was blocking visibility at the junction. Letter to be sent to police to monitor this and a visit from Community PC Mandy Cresswell requested for next meeting.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Members were informed that following the purchase of the new tractor and the sale of the old one, the old one was returned and the purchase price of £1,000 returned. The front-end loader was now being re-advertised for sale at £600.