Agenda and minutes

Tudor Thomas, Tony Easson as substitute. Martyn Groucutt due to technical problems.

Tomos Davies declared a non-prejudicial interest in Item 10 and recused himself from it.

Councillor Davies asked for a report to be brought regarding litter and fly tipping, following a commitment made to do so by the Cabinet Member at a recent seminar – ACTION

Councillor Brown asked about the Chepstow Integrated Transport LUF Project. Members were reminded that the Chepstow Transport Hub is going to Council next week and all members should have received an invitation to join a call tomorrow where they can ask questions of the Cabinet Member.

Councillor Easson asked if an update could be sought regarding Magor Station – ACTION

Councillor Bond asked if the Planner could be clarified as to which items have been done, and which are still to come – ACTION (to follow up with Democratic Services)

The minutes were confirmed, with the following amendment to 11^th June, under the section in which the call-in signatories outlined their reasons for doing so:

• [Councillor Brown] highlighted the lack of public scrutiny due to the decision not requiring planning approval, which prevented residents and businesses from commenting on issues like traffic, parking, and noise and restrictions on hours of operation.

• Councillor Brown questioned the financial aspects of the decision, arguing that the rent of £6,000 per year was significantly lower than the reasonable market rental in the Council’s own budget papers which were estimated to be between £20,000 and £25,000 per year. She called for an independent valuation of the property and suggested that the Council should use a specialised agent to facilitate the disposal, as outlined in the Council's asset management strategy.

• Councillor Brown also mentioned that the Council’s Asset Management Policy on disposals legally required best consideration to be obtained.

• Councillor Brown said that the invitation to tender only covered D1 class of use and for other uses to just contact estates yet the Cabinet report on disposal mentioned both community and commercial uses.

On page 11:

• Historic Importance: Proper consideration is given to the building's historic and monumental importance to Abergavenny and its people and potentially selling of the building should be reconsidered and included in the consultation process with the people of Abergavenny.

A video from a member of the public was played, in which the speaker made the following points in relation to the work of the Dixton Bat Project at the proposed development site HA4 Leasbrook on Dixton Road in Monmouth:

The project recorded 12 species at one location, 11 at another, and 10 at a third location within five days. This includes rare and endangered species such as the greater and lesser horseshoe bats, barbastelle, serotine, noctule bats, and the brown long-eared bat. The site is of national importance for biodiversity, scoring 31 out of 41 points on a standard bat scoring mechanism. The presence of a new bat roost at Priory Farm, likely a maternity and hibernation site, was also discovered. The speaker suggested that given the site's national importance for biodiversity, the HA4 site should be withdrawn from the Replacement Local Development Plan.

Cabinet Member Catrin Maby introduced the report, and Ross Price delivered a presentation. Ross answered the members’ questions with Craig O’Connor.

• A member questioned the sufficiency of the six-week consultation period for the local flood strategy, suggesting it is too short and poorly timed during the holiday season. He proposed extending the consultation period from September to mid or end of October.

The officer acknowledged the concern and mentioned that while the statutory consultation period is six weeks, they would consider extending it to eight weeks to allow more time for public engagement.– ACTION

• A member expressed satisfaction that historic flooding in Tredunnock Road and the use of CCTV on the White Bridge to monitor the river were being considered. She enquired about measures to address urban creep in already built environments, noting the reduction of green spaces in front gardens and driveways and the effect on flood risk and heat reflection. The member suggested producing guides for residents on how to mitigate flood risk while installing parking spaces or low-maintenance gardens, emphasising the benefits of maintaining greenery.

The officer agreed that producing specific guides for retrofitting SUDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) and encouraging the installation of permeable surfaces in existing properties was a good idea. He mentioned that this could be included in the county-wide flood action plan. There is support for including retrofitting Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in existing properties, especially around driveways, to address urban creep and its impact on flood risk and heat reflection. While current SuDS legislation applies to new developments, the officer acknowledged a missed opportunity to encourage SuDS in already built environments. The idea will be reviewed for inclusion in the countywide flood action plan, alongside existing actions that support community-led flood resilience planning.

• A member highlighted issues with blocked drains under bridges and culverts, which can cut off villages and cause significant flooding. She noted that the flood strategy did not seem to address these practical issues or the coordination between different services. She questioned why the strategy did not include flooding of roads or fields, as these can have significant effects on residential areas. She also enquired about the coordination between different services, such as MCC and the fire service, during flooding events.

The officer explained that the strategy is high-level, but the action plan includes specific actions for localised issues. He mentioned that they plan to undertake assessments for problematic areas and work with residents and local representatives. He also noted that they work with emergency planning colleagues to develop specific emergency response plans for high-risk areas.

• A member asked whether Llanbadoc is within the boundaries of the strategic flood risk area. She noted that Llanbadoc was not mentioned in the table of main settlements in the Usk area and emphasised the importance of including it due to the regular flooding issues faced by residents.

The officer confirmed that Llanbadoc falls within the Usk catchment and is part of the Usk strategic flood risk area. The officer acknowledged  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Daniel Fordham delivered a presentation, introduced the report and answered the members’ questions with Craig O’Connor.

• A member asked for an update on how the additional funds allocated for enforcement functions two years ago have been utilised and whether there has been a noticeable step change in enforcement across MCC's car park estate. He requested information on the number of enforcement actions successfully taken and successful prosecutions across Monmouthshire's car park estate.

The officer mentioned that he would need to check and look back at the additional allocation to understand its impact. He noted that there have been challenges in the enforcement team, but they have recently appointed a new civil enforcement manager and are about to recruit three new Civil Enforcement Officer posts, which will significantly increase their capacity. The Chief Officer added that they are ensuring the team is fully functioning and looking to recruit additional resources. He assured that this is a key objective, and they are moving in the right direction. Officers would provide the figures for enforcement actions and prosecutions in writing. – ACTION

• A member highlighted the lack of a one-hour parking option in Monmouthshire's car parks and compared it to other authorities that offer one-hour parking. She mentioned the inconvenience of having to pay for two hours when only needing a short period, and the effect on short visits to town centres. She noted the low occupancy of the Drill Hall car park in Chepstow and mentioned that poor street lighting from St. Mary's Church area to the Drill Hall discourages people from parking there. The member also pointed out the competition from Cribbs Causeway, where parking is free, and the impact on trade in Chepstow. She mentioned that some areas in Monmouthshire have free parking, while others like Chepstow, Monmouth, and Abergavenny charge for parking. She expressed concerns about the allocation of EV and disabled parking spaces, noting that often these spaces are underutilised, which can be frustrating for other drivers.

The officer acknowledged the points raised about the one-hour parking option and mentioned that it could be considered as part of the review of parking charges. He noted the balance needed between encouraging short visits and supporting town centre businesses. Regarding the Drill Hall car park, he mentioned that they are working with the Chepstow Placemaking group to improve connections and lighting between the town centre and peripheral areas, including the Drill Hall. The officer agreed that car parks should not be seen in isolation and should fit into the broader town centre ecosystem. On the allocation of EV and disabled parking spaces, he stated that they would need to assess the effect and current utilisation before implementing the recommendations.

• A member enquired about the inclusion of the new car park over the back of the railway lines at Severn Tunnel Junction in the survey and asked for an estimate of the revenue loss due to the lack of a footbridge connecting the car park to the station.

The officer responded  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

This report contains information that cannot be publicly disclosed and is deemed exempt under the Local Government Act. Any discussion during the Committee Meeting that relates to any information relating to a particular individual or family or which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual or information relating to any consultation or negotiations which relate to the financial or business affairs of any particular person will be exempt in line with the Local Government Act, Schedule 12A part 4 and will require the Committee to move into a closed session and the press and public will be asked to leave the meeting.

The members voted unanimously to move into closed session for Item 10, for the reasons outlined by the officer: on the grounds that an open session could prejudice any future financial investment into the Shire Hall capital project going forward, and officers are currently under embargo with certain decisions being made.

Tracey Thomas and Stacey Jones introduced the report and answered the members’ questions.

Thursday 25th September 2025 at 2.00pm.