We elected County Councillor D.L.S. Dovey as Chair.

We appointed County Councillor A. Webb as Vice-Chair.

County Councillor P. Farley declared a personal, non-prejudicial interest pursuant to the Member’s Code of Conduct in respect of agenda item 6a Bulwark Community Centre as his wife is a member of the  Bulwark Community Centre Management Committee.

County Councillor D.L.S. Dovey declared a personal, non-prejudicial interest pursuant to the Member’s Code of Conduct in respect of agenda item 6a Bulwark Community Centre as his wife is a member of the  Bulwark Community Centre Management Committee.

The minutes of the Lower Wye Area Committee meeting dated 13^th January 2016 were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

The Chair provided the Area Committee with an update in respect of Oldbury Power Station.  In doing so, the following points were noted:

·         The site is now fuel free with the final cask having been removed in April 2016.

·         Decommissioning of the site will commence shortly.

·         The area below ground will be collapsed into the centre of the site.

·         The whole area will be made good and grassed over.  The timescale for completion will be tree years.

·         Consideration was being given to commemorating Oldbury Power Station on the site following decommission.

·         Funding for community schemes is likely to be available following decommission.  It was hoped that Chepstow would be included in this scheme.

The Head of Community Led Delivery outlined the procedure for issuing capital funding to organisations that have submitted applications to the Area Committee for funding.  £5000 capital funding was currently available from the 2015/16 budget. 

The following applications for funding were received and considered by the Area Committee:

Bulwark Community Centre

Applied for:  £1000

Reason:  Boiler replacement at Bulwark Community Centre.

It was proposed that we be minded to approve the application subject to the receipt of financial information.

Upon being put to the vote, the following votes were recorded:

For approval              -           3

Against approval      -           1

Abstentions               -           1

The proposition was carried.

We resolved that we be minded to approve the application subject to the receipt of financial information.

Gwent Best Kept Village Competition

Applied for:  £250

Reason:  Towards volunteer judges travel expenses for visiting and judging the villagers entering the competition. Also, towards the purchase of trophies and frames for the certificates for winning schools and villages.

Having discussed the application it was considered that the application did not meet the relevant criteria.

It was proposed that the application be rejected.

Upon being put to the vote, the following points were noted:

To reject the application                              -           5

Against rejection of the application          -           0

Abstentions                                                   -           0

The proposition was carried.

We resolved that the application be rejected. Therefore, we resolved not to support this application.           

Caerwent Community Centre Committee Ltd.

Applied for:  £2000

Reason:  Towards a refurbishment project of Caerwent Community Centre, which includes replacement of the centre’s roof and renewal of suspended lighting.

The criteria for this grant means that it has to be spent within 12 months or be paid back.  Therefore, approval of the application would mean that the applicant would be required to provide certainty over programmes and spend profiles.

It was proposed that the application be approved subject to the applicant providing certainty over programmes and spend profiles to ensure the grant is spent within 12 months.

For approval              -           5

Against approval      -           0

Abstentions               -           0

The proposition was carried.

We resolved that the application be approved subject to the applicant providing certainty over programmes and spend profiles to ensure the grant is spent within 12 months.   

It was noted that there were two applications for grant funding that had been submitted but had not been received by the Area Committee.  The Head of Community Led Delivery informed the Committee that she would investigate this matter.                                                                                           

A resident of St Arvans informed the Area Committee that Chepstow Racecourse had submitted a planning application to demolish one of its stands and to erect a new building which will be used in part by the Kennel Club.  He expressed the following concerns:

·         It will be a major development within the Wye Valley AONB.

·         There is no information on how often the Kennel Club will be using these premises.

·         The building will replace stand 3 and will be located near to the gates to the road.  The building will be below the level of the road.  The building will be erected at an angle to maintain site lines.

·         The new building will be five feet higher and will be level with the road.

·         The roof line will be at a different level to other roofs.

·         The building will be very prominent and be close to the road.

·         He therefore objects to the application on size, position and on the lack of information with regard to its proposed use.

·         On race days / concerts he expressed concern regarding the inadequacy of the traffic management provision.

We noted the concerns expressed by the resident.

We resolved that the following items be added to the work programme:

·         Invite representatives from Aneurin Bevan Health Board to update the Area Committee on the role of Chepstow Hospital and its role in the community.

·         Invite Senior Officers from Aneurin Bevan Health Board update the Area Committee on Health Care Provision in South Wales.

·         Update on fuel poverty in the area.

·         Performance of the Community Hub.

Wednesday 14^th September 2016 at 10.00am.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 14^th September 2016 at 10.00am.