Photo courtesy of Jane Bywater
Allotments
To download an application form click Allotments application form
Housing Survey
We have recently carriedout a housing survey in the Town council area. If you would like to see it click here
The Town Council
The Town Council consists of thirteen members, nine representing the town of Presteigne and four covering the village of Norton. All members are chosen by ballot every four years, having been proposed and seconded by parishioners. To be eligible for election, a prospective member has to reside in the community or within three miles of the Parish boundary or own property in the parish.
Once elected, the councillors select their own Chairperson for the year (then known as the Mayor) and a deputy. The Mayor presides over all meetings of the Council, which meets once a month.
The Council employs a Town Clerk who attends all meetings, taking minutes and dealing with any correspondence deemed necessary after a meeting.
Among the main concerns of the Council are local planning applications, which are forwarded to us by Powys County Council for any comments or objections, but over which we have no final jurisdiction. We also inform Powys County Council of any problems in maintenance required to roads, street lighting, children’s play areas etc.
Financial responsibilities are limited to paying our clerk, giving donations as we see fit to help run local organisations and maintaining local amenity grounds belonging to the town. Recently, we have taken over responsibility for the running and upkeep of a toilet block, which Powys CC wanted to close.
A place on the Council is an interesting position, enabling local people to help care for their own area and environment.
Who are our Councillors?
If you would like to know more about the Town Councillors please click Councillor's CV's
Contact.
To contact the Town Council please write to our clerk, Tracey Price, Garn Farm, Chaple Lawn, Bucknell, Shropshire, SY7 0BT, or email her at pntc@hotmail.com.
Presteigne Memorial Hall
The Town Council is working with the Memorial Hall Committee to secure the future of the Memorial Hall. If you would like to see more information about this click here
Documents Available
Please click on the document you wish to see Accounts year end 31/3/10, general, Accounts year end 31/3/10, meadow , Accounts year end 31/3/10, allotments Accounts year end 31/3/10, receipts, Precept 10-11 , Financial Regulations 2011 , Standing Orders , Freedom of Information Publication Scheme Notice , Freedom of Information Model Scheme , Freedom of Information Act Information Guide
Most Recent Approved Minutes
If you want to view or download earlier approved minutes please click as appropriate: December 2011 , November 2011 , October 2011, September 2011 , July 2011 ,| June 2011, May 2011, April 2011 , March 2011 , February 2011 , January 2011
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 13TH DECEMBER 2011
AT THE SHIREHALL, BROAD STREET, PRESTEIGNE
Present: J. Kendall, ( Mayor), Ms. J. Simpson (Deputy Mayor), Ms B. Baynham, N. Green, Ms. N. Humphreys, C. Kirkby, B. Price, P. Robinson, P. Spawton. J. Tennant-Eyles, J. Wilding.
Apologies: Cllr. H. Owens, Ms A. Wake
In Attendance: Mrs T. Price, Town Clerk.
Declarations of Interest. Members were requested to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests they may have in matters to be considered at this meeting in accordance with the terms of the Local Authorities (Model Code of Conduct Order) (Wales) Order 2008.
Personal - None
Personal and Prejudicial - None
Dispensations - Cllr. Kendall - School Modernisation (Chair of John Beddoes School Governors) Cllr. Ms. Simpson - School Modernisation (Governor of John Beddoes School and Presteigne Primary School)
MIN 2453 FINANCE
(1) Donations:
Presteigne Colts JFC £350.00 (precepted)
The request for a donation from Eliza Selley was passed to the Mayor for consideration for a donation from the Mayor's Fund.
The letter of thanks from Presteigne Brownies was noted.
(2) Payments: The following payments were approved -
npower (electricity toilets) £14.14
Viking Direct (printer ink/stamps) £159.64
Artisan Print (flyers for Hall Survey) £18.00
BDO (external audit) £342.00
Lyreco (labels/staples) £4.16
(3) Receipts: D. Carter (allotment rental) £10.00 ALLOTMENT ACCOUNT
(4) New Projects for 2012/13: The following new projects were submitted
Presteigne Regeneration Diamond Jubilee Street Party Norton Show
Community Play Renewal of Christmas Lights Purchase of Land at the Warden
2012 Councillor Elections Improvements Meadow Skateboard/Bike Area
(5) External Audit: Members noted that the documents had now been officially certified by the External Auditors and agreed to formally accept and approve the Annual Return. The need to record the value of the Council laptop at purchase price was noted.
MIN 2454 APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The Minutes of the ordinary business meeting of 16th November were approved without amendment and duly signed by the Mayor.
MIN 2455 MATTERS ARISING AND CLERK'S REPORT
(1) Rockbridge Permissive Footpath - The gate to the new length of path had now been installed.
(2) Salt Bins - Members noted that the County Council had received the additional locations for salt bins and would consider their installation once new bins had been received.
(3) On Street Parking - The County Council had received Members' comments on this matter.
(4) Mr. E. Taylor - Members noted with sadness that Mr. Taylor had recently passed away.
MIN 2456 PLANNING
(1) Planning Applications:
TREE/2011/0038 Fell trees in rear garden at 8 Broad Street, Presteigne. No objections raised.
(2) Planning Liaison Meetings - The Clerk had circulated a written report on the meeting held in Welshpool. Members voiced concern at the inclusion of both schools and Went's Meadow on the list of candidate sites and the Clerk agreed to contact the County Council to discuss the reasons for their inclusion.
MIN 2457 HIGHWAYS, HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENT
(1) Cwm Harry Land Trust Zero Waste Project - Cllr. Kirkby updated Members on the project.
(2) School Modernisation - Cllr. Kendall updated Members on the primary school catchment area review. There was nothing new to report on the review of secondary schools.
(3) Caravans, Norton Road, Presteigne - The County Council were still in the process of dealing with this matter.
(4) Energy Saving Bulbs - The reply from the County Council was noted.
(5) Overgrown Verge, approaching Norton - Cllr. Wilding reported that trees were overgrown on a stretch of verge into Norton (between the cottage and Wills View) and the Clerk agreed to ask the County Council to attend to this.
(6) Parapet repairs, Rockbridge - Cllr. Wilding reported that the bridge had needed repair several times in recent years and Members supported his suggestion that the County Council be asked to consider installing crash barriers for a short length in order to protect the bridge and reduce the cost of repairs.
MIN 2458 NORTON
Nothing to report.
MIN 2459 WENTS MEADOW
Skateboard/Bike areas - Cllr. Green had arranged a further meeting with the young people at the Skateboard/Bike areas at the Meadow. Richard Rimington had attended to discuss the changes/improvements requested by the young people and had felt that a new jump would be possible for the skateboard area and that some re-modelling of the bike track could also be achieved. It was agreed that Cllr. Green would bring some costings to the January precept meeting.
The Clerk agreed to look into the criteria for the County Council Community Regeneration Fund grant scheme to see if the works would be eligible for 50% funding.
Hedging - Cllr. Wilding confirmed that the hedging work had been arranged and that it should be carried out at the end of the month.
MIN 2460 MEMORIAL HALL
Cllr. Tennant-Eyles reported on recent work on the Hall Project including -
- Visiting the quarry to discuss support for the Project's grant application to the Aggregates Levy Fund;
- An ongoing survey of Hall Users to determine how many users came from areas affected by quarrying;
- The survey carried out at the Pantomime to determine how many users came from areas affected by quarrying, a further survey would be conducted at the New Year Farmers Market;
- The meeting with the Big Lottery to discuss any queries on the grant application;
- The technical questions from the Big Lottery
- The need for a contamination survey on the Hall Site.
Members agreed that the grant application to the Community Regeneration Fund for 50% of the costs of the contamination survey be submitted, that the Town Council would fund the remaining 50% of the cost (up to £2652) via the amount already agreed in principle to precept in 2012/13 and that subject to the grant being received being received that this survey be arranged as soon as possible in the New Year in order to strengthen the three main grant applications.
MIN 2461 ALLOTMENTS
Two quotations had been received for the survey/plan of the allotment site. Members agreed to accept the lowest quotation with funding to be met from allotment rental. It was noted that the allotment account at present did not hold enough monies to meet this cost but that sufficient money would be received from the rental for 2012/13.
MIN 2462 PUBLIC CONVENIENCES
Taking over of Hereford Street Public Conveniences - Members agreed that they were not interested in doing this at the present time.
MIN 2463 YOUTH MATTERS
Cllr. Tennant-Eyles provided Members with a report on the Youth Centre project.
MIN 2464 CORRESPONDENCE/GENERAL ITEMS
(1) Job Centre Provision (Email from Cllr. Ken Harris) - Noted.
(2) Closure of HSBC Bank - Members had been updated on this matter via email and were pleased to confirm their full support for the work of the Mayor in trying to keep the branch open and in particular to maintain a working cash point in the town.
(3) First Responders - Cllr. Kendall was pleased to report that the First Responder service had now been re-instated and that the meeting with the ambulance service arranged for 16th December had now been cancelled. It was agreed that the situation would be monitored.
(4) Retirement of Vicki Ball, East Radnorshire Day Centre - Details of the reception were noted.
(5) Local Government Byelaws (Wales) Bill - The Clerk agreed to look at this document and to report further if she felt any action was needed.
(6) Walker Review, Welsh Government - Noted
MIN 2465 TOWN COUNCIL SURGERIES
The usual Surgery had been held in December and the matters raised were being dealt with.
MIN 2466 INFORMATION ITEMS
The items for information were noted.
MIN 2467 URGENT INFORMATION
Regeneration Committee - Cllr. Ms. Simpson reported on this item. A conference date had now been set for 29th March.
MIN 2468 CHANGE OF DATE OF JANUARY MEETING
It was agreed that the January meeting take place on Wednesday 25th January at the usual time.
There being no further business to discuss the meeting closed at 9.05 pm.
