Before the start of the March meeting of Amroth Community Council, the chairman, Stephen Phillips, addressed councillors and informed them that a meeting by invitation had been held in Llanteg Hall about the Covid-19 situation. Representatives of several local groups had attended and it was decided to organise a leaflet drop to every household in the Amroth area to ask if help was needed during the crisis and to ask for volunteers who could offer help. This had been done and lists co-ordinated. A website has also been set up. Residents of Amroth, Llanteg, Stepaside, Summerhill, Wisemans Bridge and Pleasant Valley can access help and information via http://amrothgoodneighbours.wales or by ringing 01834 855808.

Matters arising from previous minutes

• Replacement seats for the Old School Gardens, Llanteg. Clr. Harries was sourcing quotes.

• Memorial Garden, Amroth. Clr. Harries had received two quotes of £4,200 and £4,700 to landscape the garden. This included clearing the site, a garden redesign, plants and paving. A discussion took place and it was agreed to look at the cost of having the garden cleared by a local building contractor while he was in the village doing another job, as this may be more cost efficient. Clr. Harries would get a quote for this work then ask landscape contractors to re-quote. The garden is a popular place in the village and so it was suggested applying to the Enhancing Pembrokeshire Fund to help with the cost. This was agreed by all councillors.

• Re. car parking season tickets. PCNPA were agreeable to a contract with ACC. It was agreed to approach the Osborne Shop to sell season tickets on behalf of ACC. Parking will remain free of charge until a payment machine is installed. Anyone who has already purchased a season ticket for Amroth car park is asked to hold on to it until the payment machine is installed and then apply to PCNPA via the switchboard for a refund for the time elapsed between intended start of charging and actual start.

• Neville Davies, PCC, had visited Amroth to inspect the slipway opposite Amroth Castle and would add the repairs to the job list. The hole in the sea wall had also been reported and would be surveyed by a contractor for PCC with the intention of carrying out a repair. It was suggested that the slipway opposite Amroth Castle Caravan site may be too steep to use as access for beach wheelchair. This needs to be at 1:12 (5%) or less. Also, there is a 15-foot drop on each side with no railings which is a safety hazard. A ramp is also needed on the promenade to the right of the slipway. The Clerk was asked to contact PCC regarding a ramp.

• Damaged fence around Summerhill Play area. This had been reported to PCC, but no reply had been received to date.

• Ice cream vendor in Amroth. The location requested belongs to Amroth Castle Estates so ACC cannot respond to this request. A street trading licence would also be needed. Applications should be directed to Mark Owen at PCC.

• Five additional memorial seats had been ordered. Due to a price rise by the supplier, it would now cost £800 to reserve one.

• Cost of solar lighting – prices still to be obtained.

• Modus car obstructing the entrance to the Clay Pits - pressure was still being applied to PCC to have this moved as soon as possible, to allow essential maintenance work on diseased trees to be carried out.

County

Councillor’s Report

Amroth Good Neighbours: It is very heartening to see how the local community is coming together to support those self-isolating or otherwise in need as a result of the Covid-19 emergency. Special thanks to Charles Carter and Mary Megarry for initiating the inaugural meeting of Amroth Good Neighbours and to all those who have helped set up the group and who have volunteered to man phones and to collect shopping and prescriptions etc.

PCC action: PCC has established an Emergency Response Centre under Richard Brown and specifically looking at how PCC uses volunteers (linked to the redeployment of staff and working with Social Care colleagues) to support the need that will emerge in our communities. PCC is trying to ensure that its activity complements and supports existing community activity (such as Amroth Good Neighbours), established volunteer programmes (who all want to help), and the needs as they are identified.

School closures: PCC has announced that during the school closures due to the coronavirus pandemic it has put in place a scheme whereby children eligible for free school meals will be provided daily with a breakfast, lunch and snack which can be collected from the nearest school (not necessarily the school the child attends)

For further details on the scheme click on: www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/coronavirus

Other actions announced by PCC include:

• All Pembrokeshire County Council leisure centres and libraries closed until further notice

• The Pembrokeshire Archives and Local Studies has ceased its front-line service.

• Scolton Manor, its museum, tea room and visitor centre closed.

• The Bridge Innovation Centre (BIC) in Pembroke Dock has closed its doors to the public.

• Householders are being urged not to put used tissues in paper recycling boxes and help to protect Pembrokeshire County Council staff. Access to County Hall via main reception is also limited.

• The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, due to be held on May 7, have been postponed

• Waste collection teams may be affected by the coronavirus situation. If so, the grey bag collection and food caddies will be prioritised, and blue bag collection may possibly move to two-week collections during the crisis.

Planning

Heritage Park, Stepaside. This application had been withdrawn

Land past Staggers Hill, coming out of Stepaside towards Summerhill. Erection of agricultural building for livestock and storage. No objection.

Church View, Summerhill. This application had been conditionally approved.

Zoar Chapel Funeral Home Llanteg. This application had been conditionally approved

Great Merrixton Bungalow. Stepaside. This application had been withdrawn

Amroth car park, Amroth. Installation of Pay and Display ticket machine and sign. The management development meeting at PCNPA where this application was to be heard was cancelled.

Correspondence

• A statutory consultation has been launched into the authority’s proposal to reorganise primary and secondary education provision in the Crymych area. The consultation can be accessed via https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/have-your-say Comments must be submitted by April 15.

• The Calor Gas Rural Communities Fund reopened on March 10 until April 9. Grants are available for up to £5k. Contact ACC clerk for more information or see https://communityfund.calor.co.uk

• Pathways in South Pembrokeshire. A practical Conservation Volunteering Group is being set up in South Pembrokeshire, which will take place on the last Wednesday of every month.

A free transport service is being run picking up at 9.30 am in Kilgetty and returning at 3.45 pm. For more information contact Tom Iggleden, Pathways Volunteer Officer at PCNPA, on 07866 771190

• The mandate for the Educational Charity of David Rees has been updated.

To Discuss and Resolve the

Delegation of Decisions

The chairman explained the situation. The Local Government Act 1972 specifies how meetings must be conducted and that financial payments can only be made with approval by councillors in person. With future meetings cancelled due to risk of infection by coronavirus, he suggested that decisions, including all financial payments during the crisis, be made by the clerk in consultation with the chairman and vice-chairman to enable the council to carry out its statutory duties. Councillors would be kept fully up to date by email or telephone. This would revert to full council approval in person on resumption of meetings. Agreement was unanimous.

Report by Amroth and

District

Community

Association

Most activities were ceasing. The hall had been fitted with new blinds and a new boiler.

Report by

Llanteg Village Hall Committee

• All short mat bowls, the art class, craft class, garden and walking groups had cancelled their use of the hall until further notice, 

• The book club would continue as a virtual club. 

• The monthly coffee morning was also cancelled as is the Jo Cox get-together in June.

• The 100 club subscriptions are due in April, for anyone not on direct debit.

Monthly

Police meeting

• NHS now has own non-emergency medical helpline. The number is 111.

• The meetings, when resumed, will now take place on the third Thursday of the month.

Update on

projects

• Update on Amroth free wi-fi. Clrs. Cormack and Harries visited the toilet block in Amroth to assess it as a potential site to host an antenna. Initial assessment looked hopeful, although permission from PCC would be needed. Clr. Cormack would draft a report for PCC and request permission. While this option would require ACC to acquire its own wifi, it would mean them having control of the system.

• Exercise Jantzen. The Imperial War Museum had closed due to the current crisis, so Clr. Harvey could n ot access photographs at this time. The production of the information board had been put on hold short term, although progress could be made on installing the QI codes.

• VE Day celebration May 2020, Amroth - cancelled.

• Beach art event - cancelled.

• Brown signs. This project was ongoing. An application was to be submitted to PCC following support from local businesses

Any other

or urgent

business

• Councillors asked about the possibility of removing dog restrictions on the beach this summer during the crisis. Clr. Baron was to investigate.

• Clr. Baron has a supply of food recycling bags for residents should extra be required.

• Amroth Castle have agreed to house the beach wheelchair plus a child’s beach wheel chair assuming suitable access to the beach is available.

• A road closure in Saundersfoot ward affected a bus route travelling through Amroth - the bus was diverted, so the clerk was requested to ask for Saundersfoot road closure information as well as closures in the Amroth area.

• With future face to face meetings cancelled, the clerk would investigate methods of video conferencing for future meetings during the crisis. Clr. Harvey suggested Zoom as an option.

• Date of next meeting is cancelled unless carried out by video conference on April 23.

Anyone interested in ‘attending’ the online meeting should email the clerk at [email protected]