(1) Chairman opens meeting:
By welcoming all and giving a review of the major activities and achievements over the last year. See appendix (a)
(2) Present:
Those present signed the attendance sheet.
(3) Apologies:
Gwynfor, Cllr Gail, Dennis & Pat Clowser, Carol & Brian.
(4) Treasurer’s Report:
See appendix (b)
(5) O.C.R.A. Officers for 2024-25:
Chair: Richard Poynton. Vice Chair: Merfyn Thomas. Secretary: Monty Slocombe. Treasurer: Brian Cossey. Web Master: Jason Higgins. Committee: Cllr. Gail Jones, Cllr. Sandra McAllister and Cllr. Cheryl Carlisle co-opted as County Council representative. The required notice had been given but no names were forwarded for election.
(6) Any Other Business:
REPORT FROM CHERYL: Trees and flowers newly planted in Min y Don had been stolen or vandalized. Enquiries are in hand to gather c.c.t.v., or any other evidence.
Serious incident at Queen’s Court with services in attendance at 11.00pm 1.7.24. No further details to hand yet.
Camper van parked Wynne Ave.
Bike station at promenade damaged. Enquiries in progress.
Concern about plans to place parking restrictions in Church Walks and Greenhill, a conservation area, used by taxis. Poor access for emergency and service vehicles. Residents will be obliged to park in nearby side streets causing problems there. It was wondered whether a Traffic Regulation order had been posted in relation to these restrictions. Berthes Road car park seems to be used as a permanent parking place by some. This area had been gifted to the village, but it was doubtful if this legacy remained valid to date. Parking meters here had proved a failure in the past.
Cheryl is working hard to persuade the Council Flood Team to attend to vegetation in the river at Beach Road which is likely to cause flooding. Secretary had also contacted Council. A tree had fallen in this area soon after they had been deemed safe. Site Meeting to be arranged by Storm Fund Team.
Apart from No Mow May, grass areas remain uncut for many months. After abnormal rate increases for 2 years and spending on plastic turf etc., we now see contractors responsible for mowing gaining through lack of Council supervision. A member sited the purchase of electric bin lorries as yet another money wasting venture by an inefficient Council.
Public waste bins had been removed from the streets prior to a survey being conducted to see where 25% of those remaining could be removed. Weeds in roads and footpaths are evidence of increasing lack of maintenance.
At last, work will commence on Graffiti Project on 3.7.24. at Queen’s Road underpass.
Cheryl informed us that the Golf Club had sold their plot of land, presumably for yet more building.
Trudy and Gail apologised for the cancelled Summer Fair. Weather conditions made it impossible. Plans for next year (5.7.24.) are however in hand. The team were thanked for their hard work.
Old Colwyn Community Centre held a party celebrating its 40th. Anniversary which had been a huge success.
(7) Report on Peulwys Sub-Committee:
See appendix (c)
(8) Meeting closed.
There being no other business, meeting closed. Date of next ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on 3.6.25. Date of next ordinary meeting 6.8.24
Appendix A Chairman’s Address:
(1) Welcomes all to the meeting.
(2) Your officers have been busy over the last year representing your views. Much has been achieved, and I intend to mention the more notable issues.
(3) Last year’s Memorial Service was special with Steve Binks presentation of his decade long work to obtain the history, background and pictures of the men from Old Colwyn who were not, till now, represented on our Memorial. At the conclusion there were several tear glands in action. This was followed by a very big turnout at our Memorial (which had been tidied up by O.C.R.A. members) in inclement weather. Thanks to Merfyn for his organisation and to Brian who had obtained £500.00p towards financing the event from the Town Council. It was good to see so many youngsters in attendance.
(4) The remembrance plaque to Bob Barton was mounted at the entrance to the Festival Church. Bob had given his expense allowance to help supply defibrillators for the village. Two are now in place with one purchased ready for our new promenade. We have several sources for this project, including your monthly donations. Thank you all.
(5) Your Treasurer and Secretary met the local press to air our Association’s thoughts on the under use of brown field sites for new builds before the use of agricultural land.
(6) Our funds for the Memorial were handed over to the Town Council, who have now assumed responsibility for its care and maintenance.
(7) Cheryl and the local police are arranging for the mural to be installed at the Queen’s Road underpass with local youth assisting.
(8) Last year’s Summer Fair and Christmas Market was a success thanks to the hard work of Trudy, Gail, Brian Sandra and other members.
(9) Again we have to thank Brian for his interest and hard work in obtaining the funding for the automatic lighting in Wynne Gardens and furniture and planting in Min y Don Park.
(10) The pot holes in Coed Coch Road are no longer permanent thanks to Cheryl’s persistence.
(11) Merfyn has harried the County Council for its excessive expenditure on the plastic rugby field followed by a near 10% increase in rates. Too late, it’s been spent!
(12) We’ve continued pressure on the County Council to make the owner of the Endsleigh Road brown site build after 25 years. They have made a token effort, but have been inactive for several months since.
(13) Brian (busy as usual) and Secretary have attended the town’s Regeneration Plans meetings and Place Plan meetings in order to ensure your views are represented.
(14) I and members of our Committee attended a public meeting at the Football Ground on 11.12.23. to voice our concerns over the proposed Peulwys new build. We also made our voice heard at official Local Planning Aid meetings which had we felt been honestly recorded. It remains to be seen if we might achieve any success. Further to the above, a sub Committee has been formed consisting of several residents with professional knowledge in an effort to oppose and we are exploring every possible avenue. We now also know that 50 acres of agricultural land at Llety Du Dolwen Road are to be sold soon by auction. The vendor will be entitled to 30% of any increase in its value if it’s resold for building purposes. One wonders if the new owner might have a turnip growing in mind.
We note the result of Wrexham’s opposition to green field development and the result of the court reviewing the case stating that there was no power to refuse development. Councillors are denied the right to vote against planning, although they may state an opinion.
Appendix B Annual Accounts:
To be added
Appendix C Peulwys Fields:
(1) COMMITTEE MEETING REGULARLY TO GATHER EVIDENCE.
(2) NOW KNOWN THAT 50 MORE ACRES ARE TO BE SOLD ABOVE BRYN RHODYN FARM.
(3) WREXHAM’S SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION TO THE COURTS AGAINST FURTHER BUILDING THERE ON THE GROUNDS OF LOSS OF GREEN FIELDS AND LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS OVERTURNED BY JUDICIAL REVIEW (JUSTICE EYERS) WHO SAID COUNCIL MUST ADOPT PLANS. THEY HAD NO OPTION (HOUSING & LEVELING UP LEGISLATION). THE PREAMBLE TO THIS ACT STATES THAT BROWN FIELD SITES MUST BE USED BEFORE GREEN FIELDS AND THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING MUST BE INCLUDED IN DEVELOPMENTS. WE KNOW THAT TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEAR TO EXPENSIVE HOMES DETRACTS FROM THEIR POTENTIAL VALUE. IS THIS ONE REASON THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF SUCH HOMES?
(4) COUNCILLORS ARE TOLD THAT THEY MUST NOT VOTE AGAINST. COULD BE FINED, ASSESTS SEIZED OR IMPRISONED.
(5) IT SEEMS THAT WHEN VOTING COUNCILLORS MUST NOT HAVE AN “INTEREST” . THIS WORD IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFINE LEGALLY, AND DEPENDS ON INDIVIDUAL CASES.
THE STANDARD GUIDE IS:
WHEN THERE IS A MONETARY OR POLITICAL GAIN FOR ONE’S SELF, FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND OR ACQUAINTANCE. IN A POLITICAL SENSE COULD IT BE HOPE OF A GAIN IN VOTES? SHOULD OUR COUNCILLORS REPRESENT THOSE NEAR DEVELOPMENT SITES, PEOPLE OF OLD COLWYN, COLWYN BAY GENERALLY, CONWY COUNTY, WALES OR GREAT BRITAIN? WHEN THE WORD INTEREST IS USED IT MUST:
(I) COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
(II) BE FAIR & IMPARTIAL.
(III BE REASONABLE.
(IV) COMPLY WITH NATURAL JUSTICE.
(V) EXPOSE CORRUPTION.
(VI) AVOID PRIVATE & POLITICAL INTERESTS.
(6) BROWN SITES AND LONG TERM EMPTY BUILDINGS ARE UNUSED. (SEE ABOVE PREAMBLE) WALES HAS NOT ADOPTED SUITABLE LEGISLATION IN EXISTENCE IN ENGLAND TO REGISTER AND SUPERVISE SUCH SITES.
(7) OLD COLWYN HAS SUFFERED MORE THAN OTHER COMPARABLE AREAS LOSING ITS HOLIDAY TOWN STATUS. A55 TORN THROUGH THE AREA WITH NOISE AND POLLUTION OFFLOAD. (REASONABLE?)
(8) NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING (FAIR & IMPARTIAL?)
(9) ATTRACTING BUYERS FROM FAR WHO CAN AFFORD THE HOUSES (NATURAL JUSTICE?)
(10) THE EFFECT ON WELSH CULTURE AND LANGUAGE (COMPLY WITH THE LAW, FAIR & IMPARTIAL, NATURAL JUSTICE OR REASONABLE?). COUNTY HAS A LEGAL DUTY TO ASSESS THE EFFECT ON THE LANGUAGE. (WELL BEING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS ACT 2015.)
(11) WHAT EVER OTHER INTERESTS COULD A DEVELOPER HAVE OTHER THAN A PRIVATE INTEREST IN SELLING THEIR WARES AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE FOR AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE?