MINUTES OF THE HENLLAN COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 5TH MARCH 2024 IN THE CHURCH INSTITUTE HENLLAN AND ZOOM CONFERENCE AT 7.30 PM.
1: PRESENT:
Councillors Jackie Jones (Chairman), Ian Carrie, Amanda Lawson, Nia Bellis, Geraint Williams, Gwyn Roberts, Nicky Bassett-Powell, Denbighshire County Councillors Pauline Edwards and Delyth Jones together with the Clerk.
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
Councillors Clwyd Spencer, Merfyn Roberts, Cerian Jones and Denbighshire County Councillor Geraint Lloyd-Williams.
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.
Councillor Amanda Lawson on agenda item 11 below.
4. DISCUSSION WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE.
One Member of the Community reported on the anticipated works required in the “Cil-y-Coed Butterfly Garden”. Councillor Ian Carrie also provided members with an informative email prior to the meeting regarding the project. Members agreed to discuss the project as an agenda item at the next Council meeting.
5. CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING.
Members confirmed 6th February 2024 minutes as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
6. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES NOT APPEARING ON THE AGENDA.
Already covered elsewhere within the minutes.
7. PROPOSED HENLLAN WOODLAND CREATION PARK.
Mr Keith Bennett, Denbighshire County Councillor Climate Change Project Manager, provided the update on the agenda item in the appendix below.
Members noted that both Henllan School and local volunteers have offered to assist with the project.
8. TOP PARK REPORT.
Denbighshire County Councillor Delyth Jones is meeting with Denbighshire County Council Officers Helen Vaughan Evans and Rebecca Williams with regards to the proposed handover of the “Top Park” to the Trustees within the Henllan Community.
Councillor Jones will report to the Community Council following with the meeting with the County Council Officers to arrange a joint meeting between the Officers of Denbighshire County Council and the Members of Henllan Community Council to be held in April 2024 to progress the handover of the Top Park from Denbighshire County Council to the Henllan Community ownership.
9. TASK AND FINISH GROUP UPDATE.
No updated report.
10. WORK REQUIRED ON THE MAES SADWRN FLOWER BED.
Councillor Clwyd Spencer is looking for assistance with regard to the work required on the Maes Sadwrn Flower Bed in Henllan.
11. HENLLAN COMMUNITY LEISURE ASSOCIATION GRANT APPLICATION UPDATE.
The Clerk circulated Members with the email received from the Henllan Community Leisure Association (HLCA) confirming that the Christmas Market Event in December was an event held by St. Sadwrn Church and the grant application made by the HLCA was to cover the expenditure occurred by the Association which had no profit at the Christmas Market.
12. FINANCE.
A; The Clerk circulated Members with the financial statement covering the period from 1st April to 29th February 2024.
B. Authorised payments:-
1. Denbighshire County Council for the “Speed Indication Device” erected in Denbigh Street, Henllan £4,278.00.
2. HSBC monthly bank charges £5.00.
3. Catalyst Ststems for the Clerk’s copier part replacement £132.00.
4. Henllan Church Institute for the Council meeting hire charge £30.00.
5. Philip Neale for the Henllan Public Convenience door repairs £75.00.
6. Caretaker’s salary for the quarter ended 31st March 2024 £176.96.
7. Clerk’s salary for the quarter ended 31st March 2024 £720.00.
8. Clerk’s expenses for the year ended 31st March 2024 £808.76.
9. One Voice Wales for 2024/25 membership fee £166.00.
10. One Voice Wales for training course fee £38.00.
11. Scottish Power for the Henllan Public Conveniences electricity supply for the quarter ended 29th February 2024 £202.76.
12. HM Revenue & Customs for PAYE for the quarter ended 31st March 2024 £190.60.
C. The Clerk reminded Members that the “Members 2023/24 annual allowance” is availacle to be claimed via the Clerk asap.
13. PLANNING APPLICATIONS.
None received prior to the meeting.
14. CORRESPONDENCE.
The Clerk circulated Members with an email and letter attachment with regards to the “Curlew Appeal” in respect of the “World Curlew Day – 21st April 2024” from Mrs Daphne Tilley via Mrs Gaynor Kumria seeking financial support for the local event. Members resolved to discuss the information further as an agenda item at the next Council meeting.
15. DENBIGHSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ISSUES.
A. Denbighshire County Council provided the timeline for the rollout of the new “Trolibocs” for the community residents.
B. Councillor Ian Carrie provided Members with the various highway issues in Henllan reported to the Customer Services of Denbighshire County Council.
C. Councillors Jackie Jones and Nia Bellis will represented the Community Council at the scheduled meeting arranged by Denbighshire County Council on 7th February 2024 in Ysgol Glan Clwyd, St. Asaph regarding the changed to the household waste collection model for Denbighshire County Council.
16. NEXT COUNCIL MEETING – TUESDAY 2ND APRIL 2024 IN THE HENLLAN CHURCH INSTITUTE AT 7.30 P.M.
APPENDIX 1.
“I would like to take this opportunity to let you all know that the dates for planting at Henllan have now been agreed as Thursday 21 March and Friday 22 March 2024. We are hoping to employ the assistance of several volunteers from the community and local school with whom we have already had contact. But it’s not too late for others, if you know of anyone else who may be interested, to contact us via the Climate Change email address: climatechange@denbighshire.gov.uk.
Ahead of the tree planting, minor works are underway to prepare the site including access gateway improvements. Of particular note is some tree surgery on Monday 11 March to remove two roadside diseased ash trees in order to eliminate the increasing safety risk of them toppling into the highway as they become unstable. That tree surgery exercise will I’m afraid require closure of the Trefnant Road on that day. There is never an ideal time to organise such work but we have tried our best to minimise disruption and apologise for any inconvenience. Details are in the latest Roadworks Bulletin: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/documents/parking-roads-and-travel/roadworks/current/roadworks-bulletin-28-2-2024.pdf
A press release will be issued as soon as possible to local media covering the above topics.
Later in the year, there will be some further roadworks (lane closure and traffic signals, rather than road closure) to allow construction of a footway extension to the site entrance from Meifod Road. These works are currently being designed. When drawings are available to illustrate the works, I shall share them in a further email.”
Denbighshire County Council also provided the “News Release” with regards to the agenda item:-
Work begins to shape new Henllan community area
Work has started on the development of a new Community Nature Space at Henllan, one of four new community nature spaces – alongside similar areas at Rhyl, St Asaph and Clocaenog – that Denbighshire County Council’s Countryside Service and Climate Change teams are creating in the county this year to boost benefits for both local wildlife and residents’ wellbeing. The Henllan Community Nature Space is taking shape on land behind Meifod Road on the northern edge of the village.
The Community Nature Spaces Project has received £800,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Early site preparation works are currently underway in advance of planting 1,710 trees before Easter, then constructing footpaths, creating a pond, wildflower meadows, a recreation space and picnic area, an insect hibernaculum (aka a “bee bank”) and an outdoor classroom before the end of 2024.
On Monday 11 March, tree surgery work will take place to remove two ash trees on the B5428 roadside edge of the site that have been infected by ash dieback. This road out of the village towards Trefnant will be closed for the day while the tree removal work is carried out and the Council would like to apologise for any inconvenience that the temporary closure may cause.
The ash dieback disease has spread across north Wales with the native ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) particularly common in Denbighshire. As the mortality of ash trees following infection can be extremely high and with no known cure, the Council is carrying this work for public safety reasons before continuing with the main site development.
Henllan’s new site will ultimately provide stronger species-rich habitat for nature to benefit from as well as a community space for local residents young and old to enjoy and learn from wildlife on the land. Developing this site will provide local residents with other benefits such as improved air quality, urban heat cooling and opportunities to support their physical and mental wellbeing by visiting the area created. This new Community Nature Space will also support the Council’s drive to reduce the county’s carbon footprint by contributing to the amount of carbon sequestered (or absorbed) in vegetation and soils.
Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are pleased to be able to start work on the site at Henllan and are grateful for the support of the public while we carry out the removal of the trees impacted by ash dieback.
“This important new asset to Henllan will not just help bring habitats back for local nature but it will also to support the surrounding community by giving residents something to be proud of and to visit for their own physical and mental wellbeing.
“We are very keen to hear if residents would like to get involved with tree planting on 21 or 22 March to help develop the area for their community and also experience nature firsthand for their own wellbeing.”
Those interested in helping out can email climatechange@denbighshire.gov.uk”
Editors Notes
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.
For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus
