Regarding the purchase of Gilestone Farm by the Welsh Government and the Council's interaction as a stakeholder:
Here is a collated list of all the questions that have been submitted by the Council requesting more information about the potential lease, the potential traffic and infrastructure problems, the potential affect on the environment and residents and how the economy might benefit from the proposal. Planning and Environmental Questions for Gilestone Farm
Community Questions for Gilestone Farm 1. There have been statements in the press by our local MP, Fay Jones, announcing ‘that the concerns of local residents have been dismissed in this whole initiative’. Have you been contacted by her or her office requesting a meeting to hear residents concerns? 2. As we have had extremely limited information of what is planned, making any affect on the Talybont community speculative, do you feel that residents concerns have been heard? 3. How many letters have you received and responded to from our community? 3. When will a meeting be arranged with the community? If not, why? 4. When will a communications strategy be implemented? Infrastructure Questions for Gilestone Farm
Business Questions for Gilestone Farm
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Yesterday, we received a call from the Welsh Government asking about the stress the council has been placed under. They are aware of the numerous council resignations, FB posts, FOI requests, internal and external division that has occurred in our community since the Gilestone purchase was announced.
Our next joint meeting will be scheduled shortly after our AGM midmonth. We will be developing an essential Communications Strategy so that we can be fully informed on all issues related to the farm. We will continue to share all of this information with you as it is disclosed. Open and honest communication is the bedrock for a healthy community. BRIDGE UPDATE;
the canal repairs are now complete. alas, the roadworks will not commence until next week. we’ll keep you posted. We have been made aware of an email that has gone out questioning the viability and integrity of Talybont-on-Usk Community Council. There has been reasonable concern about a large number of resignations on the the council and the effect it may have on the community.
We can assure you that your council is quorate, informed on all legal and electoral matters and moving forward with purpose. We have been regularly in touch with the Senior Election Officer for Powys and also the Scrutiny Manager and Head of Democratic Services at Powys as well as the Monitoring Officer. We are always in communication with, and a member of, One Voice Wales, the national representative for community councils in Wales. These experts in council governance have been both advisory in future steps and encouraging in what we have already done. At the last council meeting we passed many proposals to make the council compliant with statutory requirements that had not been put into place as well as those for better community engagement. These include: • A requisite training plan for all councillors for ‘Code of Conduct’ and ‘Councillor Induction’ • A policy for all emails to be replied to promptly and cc’d to the Clerk • Organising a community forum to heal community division • Establishing a Talybont-on-Usk Biodiversity plan with members of the community. • An annual report to be posted on the website • A policy to notify the public as all information is disclosed regarding Gilestone et al. • A policy to keep the public up-to-date with local information through social media • Posting a policy for complaints and FOI requests on our website • Posting a policy for The Wellbeing of Future Generations Acto on our website Our Annual Meeting is scheduled for May 15th when a new chair (and vice) will be elected, new councillors will be coopted and committee appointments will be made. A new council will be formed as it is every year. We will continue to be intent on serving the public. Just an update to say that we are currently planning the works required and hope to have all the RAMS, permits etc in place to be able to carry out repairs on Friday. To do this the team will mobilise tomorrow and start dewatering (lowering water level) from tomorrow afternoon.
Contact has been made with Highways and we will endeavour to work with them to ensure they can re-open the road as soon as possible. On 17 September, the Welsh Government will introduce a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales. Restricted roads are generally those where streetlights are placed no more than 200 yards apart and are usually located in residential and built-up areas with high pedestrian activity.
The move will see Wales become the first UK nation to introduce a lower speed limit following in the footsteps of European countries, such as Spain, where 30km/h (18.5mph) is already in place. Evidence shows reducing the default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph on these roads, will see a number of benefits including a reduction in road collisions and serious injury, more people walking and cycling and improvements to health and wellbeing. In preparation for the changes the council will be working to remove some of the existing speed limit markings, or roundels, on the county's roads. Changes to signage will also be programmed, ready for the 17 September start date. Replacement roundels and other signage changes will continue to be introduced after the implementation date. "The Welsh Government have taken a bold move to implement the new 20mph default speed limit across the country," explains Cllr Cllr Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys, "but the benefits we can hope to see around slower driving speeds, improved safety and increased levels of cycling and walking, will go a long way to out-way and reluctance for change. "Findings from other 20mph implementations in the UK and the trials here in Wales, show that even small reductions in average traffic speeds where people live and work can result in substantial reductions in collisions and serious injury, helping to make communities safer. "The new 20mph speed limit will also complement our increasing network of active travel routes across the county, where we encourage people to make short, local journeys on foot or bicycle, rather than the car. It is especially hoped that more Powys families will confidently choose to walk or cycle to and from school, knowing the roads will be safer. "Although still some months away, September will soon be here, so work to prepare for the change will begin in earnest across the county as soon as possible to make sure we are ready for 20!" Further details of the upcoming default 20mph speed limit and which roads will be changing will be available soon. |
These are posts we have shared on Facebook.
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