Penyffordd Community Council November 2008 meeting

The following may be irreverent in places, a personal view. Start 6.30. All Community Councillors present excepting Cllr David Williams who has never been on time for anything that I know of. Also not present Cllr Jane Hopwood. CBM Chris Pullen was late.

Also present on the public side Jess, Lisa my wife, Mr Hewitt, he of large tracts of building land within the village, Mr Hewitt attends most meetings. Also the couple who live in Station House. Four houses are up for planning permission up the unadopted lane next to their house.

Planning was started as CBM Chris Pullen was late. Gordon Williams had written a 6 page diatribe to the council over his planning application down the unadopted lane. Cllr Edwina Davies thought it required a reply. One un named comment was " the brow beaten ramblings of an idiot". Cllr Colin Bithell was very irate at the planners for passing Gordon's application when the council recommended refusal. The lane has drainage close to the surface and it was felt heavy construction vehicles would disrupt said drainage. Cllr Tom Jones said move on.

The Spinning Wheel has had refusal for knocking down of the pub to build a house.

It seems funny that 4 houses down an unadopted lane get the nod but The Spinning Wheel project gets knocked back.

CBM Chris Pullen is to have a base in the village. He is to have an office in The Spar. GNI Nigel Jones Clerk to the Council is to write to Inspector Alun Oldfield with regards a lap top for Chris.

Penyffordd is to have half a PSCO paid for by Castle Cement Padeswood.

Cllr Linda Vidamour is to produce another Penyffordd Community Council newsletter. Well done Linda.
There was little enthusiasm from most councillors. Just vote us in every 4 years and leave us to it thinking.

Speeding traffic continues wholesale. In my opinion the worst village for speeding in Flintshire.
The old brigade are just not interested. Cllr Cindy Hinds brought up the initiative that Carl Sargeant AM has been pursuing which is a consultation on speeds in villages. Again not well received by the old brigade because they are all mostly Tories whilst Carl is Labour.

Cllr Margaret Jones has received a special award from the WI for community service and helping in the village. There you are Margaret you will be indexed by Google shortly.

Cllr David Williams continues his efforts with regards speeding and through traffic not using the village with Flintshire Highways who would appear to be unhelpful. David hands out his actions done in sheet form as a County Councillor for Penyffordd over the previous month under Any Other Business. This does not go down to well.
David is also unhappy with speed and lack of correspondence when dealing with Flintshire County Council officers.

Flintshire UDP outcome is to be announced on 9th March 2009. ( quote Cllr Cindy Hinds)

Any Other Business should be for last minute items. ( I think). David however is to be congratulated on telling the village what he has been doing. As does Cllr Cindy Hinds with her newsletter that is delivered to most houses in the village.

Any Other Business entails the Chairman Cllr Joe Bell going around each councillor in turn asking them if they have any further items to discuss. Last month Cllr Colin Bithell jumped straight in with a rant about me suggesting Clerk Nigel might not up to the job. This month he tried it again but had to wait his turn. This month was a rant about the granting of Gordon Williams' planning application despite Penyffordd Community Council objections.

On a scale with regards Colin's blood pressure it would seem that Gordon's planning application approval produced a higher figure than the rant against me last month.

Cllr Colin Bithell ran in this years elections as a councillor for the family. Colin continues to show no interest what so ever in speeding traffic through the village. It's village safety Colin! If he does not change his tune on this it will be brought up at the next elections if he should stand.

Congratulations to Nigel the Clerk on his pay rise. One supposes Nigel has had rises being Clerk to Leeswood and also perhaps a larger one for being Clerk to Flint Town Council.

Postscript : Cllr David Williams turned up 10 mins late. Cllr Jane Hopwood after that. Jane had informed council that she would be late.