LEGAL ACTION
Llangattock Community Council has agreed in principle to join a ‘no-win, no-fee’ legal challenge to the Welsh Government’s Trunk Roads Agency. It follows the agency’s decision not to oppose plans to turn the former Conservative Club in Crickhowell into a large convenience store. The proposed site is on a narrow lane just off the A40, close to the pinch point between Webbs and The Bear. The legal challenge is being organised by the Crickhowell and District Civic Society, which says the development could cause significant traffic problems on the Trunk Road if it goes ahead, and the Agency should think again. The Council’s vote to support the challenge was unanimous.
NEW SPEED LIMITS ON THE WAY
We are one step closer to getting new speed limits at all the main road entrances to our community. If finally approved, they will be placed at The Dardy, Legar and the road to Beaufort. It follows a joint campaign by Llangattock Community Council (LCC) and County Councillor, Jackie Charlton. After a public consultation which was overwhelmingly in support of the action, LCC contributed to the cost of a traffic regulation order, which has now cleared most of the required legal processes. Under it, Dardy will become a 30mph zone (down from National) and 40mph ‘buffer zones’ will slow traffic as it enters the village from the East and South. The public will get a chance to have a say in early March and, assuming they are content, the new speed signs to be erected by the Highways Authority, Powys County Council (PCC). After that, it will be up to the police to enforce the new limits. Cllr Charlton is looking for new volunteers for the Community Speed Watch programme. We also await proposals from Welsh Government for 20mph zones in built-up areas, which would likely cover the centre of Llangattock as well.
FULL COUNCIL
The Council is full for the first time in many years after Cllr Helen Burns joined. Helen has been very active in the community as a founder member of the Llangattock Village Society and has ambitious plans for village events and projects, including community Christmas lights, when lockdown lifts. The Society has already started to fundraise for lights and LCC will consider how it can help.
COMMUNITY COMMITTEE
The new Community Committee have hit the ground running. They have reviewed all recent residents’ surveys and applied for a £10,000 National Lottery grant to provide covered meeting places in the Recreation Ground. They are also in the process of finalising another £10,000 Lottery bid to continue the process of upgrading the play equipment. We are looking to get the Perk Up The Park project going again as soon as Covid rules allow. This is a much bigger project for the Recreation Ground which needs public participation if it is to win Lottery Funding. If you want to be involved, please email us.
PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT
In addition to objecting to the application for the Conservative Club, Planning and Environment have also formed a Working Group to investigate flooding in Llangattock. Those residents most at risk should have received Flood Packs from Powys County Council and the new Crickhowell and Villages Flood Warden Scheme. The group is planning to hold further meetings with the County Councillor Jackie Charlton and representatives from Powys County Council concerning Emergency Communications and Land Drainage. Unfortunately these have been delayed by the Covid crisis and the vital Vaccination programme. If anyone would like to help, please email us.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
After finalising the budget, the Finance Committee has started work on a new 5–10-year strategy for the Council.
CENTRAL SERVICES COMMITTEE
The Central Services Committee, which looks after the Council’s property, have been repairing the kissing gates on the footpath between Crickhowell and Llangattock, clearing the Cemetery, and Recreation Ground and cutting back overgrown trees. They have also carried out a Health and Safety Inspection on the playground equipment.
Two large trees will be felled at the Cemetery shortly, because their roots are making the paths unusable, damaging the graves and preventing us repairing the gates leading to the Glebe Field. Following a tree survey, these are the only trees LCC should have to fell. One more will come down at the Cemetery Gates when Western Power install a new substation necessary to maintain power to the area in the event of flooding.
NEW COMMUNICATIONS POLICY
The Council has approved a Communications Policy, which sets out what information you can expect to receive from your council and where it has to be published. The new noticeboard at the Recreation Ground should be fitted next week.
GRITTING
LCC has made representations to the County Councillor about the gritting of local roads, which are the responsibility PCC. If you see any roadside gritting bins which are empty, please email Jackie cllr.jackie.charlton@powys.gov.uk
COMMUNITY ORCHARD
Our thanks go to Keep Wales Tidy for their donation of some trees for a new community orchard at the Recreation Ground.