January 2024 – County Councillor Reports
Below are the monthly reports from your County Councillors for the Radyr & Morganstown Ward.
Cllr Calum Davies – January report
Received by the Web Team on 2 February 2024
Bin collections / Recycling Changes
It was very disappointing to have another month of industrial action affecting waste collection across the county, creating a specific problem with Christmas tree collection for many. I note that strike action has been extended again and I have urged the Council leadership to resolve this.
Furthermore, the new recycling regime that was already in place in some parts of Radyr & Morganstown will expand. Communications with these residents and the delivery of their sacks and caddies should already be underway. The scheme will only change the way in which dry recycling is collected, and all other waste services will remain unchanged.
All items will be collected the same day as the residents usual waste collection. One key change from the trial is that glass will be collected fortnightly, rather than weekly. If residents are concerned that their caddy will not be big enough for two weeks’ worth of glass, additional caddies can be ordered at no extra cost. Residents on the existing scheme will be receiving letters to advise of the change. Please be aware communal blocks of flats are not included in this roll out, nor are streets serviced by a ‘smaller vehicle’. More information can be found at cardiff.gov.uk/recyclingchanges
Radyr Hub
There have been concerns about the future of Radyr Hub after proposals for changes emerged in the Council’s budget consultation. It included three options: a change of hours, a reduction in days when it is open, and outright closure. While a change – but, crucially, not a reduction – in hours could work, I am resolutely opposed to closing down the Hub or closing it for another day each week. I would fight a decision from the Council that would limit access to our well-used library and communal space, and have said as much at the last Full Council meeting.
Cardiff bus station
[Removed on 04/03/2024 at Cllr Calum Davies’ request]
Golf Club Lane
After reporting the council-owned parts of Golf Club Lane for cleaning, I am pleased that the Council deployed a street cleansing team to the area and spent a week there cleaning/clearing any mud/waste/litter present as well as the leaf fall. Going forward, they will monitor the lane and add it to its regular cleansing schedule.
Surgery
I will be hosting a surgery at 5:30-7pm in the Weir Room at the Old Church Rooms on Thursday 15th February. No appointment is needed but please feel free to get in touch in advance to let me know if you’ll be coming.
Written Questions
Ahead of every Council meeting, I have the chance to table five written questions to the Cabinet. I will aim to use up my allocation each and every month to find out information useful to myself as a representative of Radyr & Morganstown but also in my other roles on the Council, including Shadow Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Supporting Young People, and Tackling Poverty. This month I asked:
- What was the monthly footfall data for each Cardiff’s hubs in 2023? If footfall data is unavailable, please give alternative figures on how the Council measures the popularity of hubs?
- Where will all forthcoming cycle lanes that have been confirmed for construction be located?
- How much revenue does the Council estimate it will raise if it begins charging for garden waste collection as suggested in budget consultation documents?
- Will the Council consider requiring organisations that deliver services on its behalf to agree in writing to refraining from expressing political views as a condition of receiving public money to deliver those services?
- How many times has the Leader met with trade union representatives regarding the current strike action affecting waste collection since 1st November 2023?
Answers can be found here on the written questions section of the Council meeting agenda.
Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones – January Report
Received by the Web Team on 6 February 2024
Radyr
Drover’s Way
Wonderful watching children play on the refurbished playground. Looking for ways of funding lights along the path to the playground (downlighters) and into Plymouth Drive. Meeting lined up in February to consider options.
Heol Isaf
Good to see some serious cutting back of hedges by residents. It is the responsibility of the landowner to keep their hedges from being an obstruction to people using pavements. The Council can fine landowners who do not trim their hedges. If you know of any neighbour who for reasons of frailty or illness, simply couldn’t trim the hedge, please let me know. I can pass their details on.
Station Road
Meeting planned in February. The last time we met, it was pointed out that the grids around the bottom of the trees were trip hazards. They have been inspected. Today when I checked, they all looked perfect. Have asked for the double yellow lines to be restored.
Park Road
Have asked for the double yellow lines to be restored. Have stressed how important it is to have them reinstated because we need safe walking conditions for our school children. Been told we are on the list.
Windsor Gardens
Thanks (Diolch yn fawr iawn) to Merched y Wawr who cheered us up on Dydd Santes Dwynwen Saint Dwynwen’s Day with some hearts on the planter and information in Welsh and English about the Welsh patron saint of lovers. If anyone is learning Welsh or did speak Welsh but hasn’t for a long time, Merched y Wawr would be delighted to welcome you at any of their meetings.
If any other group would enjoy putting up a display in Windsor Gardens please let us know. I look forward to the day we have a Chinese New Year’s Dragon going around Radyr. So many celebrations we could share together.
Plasdŵr
Odour at Clos Parc Radur
There will be another meeting on Thursday February 22nd at Redrow Site Offices just beyond the new school in Plasdwr at 17:30pm. The first part of the meeting will be feedback from Barratts and Welsh Water about the pumping system being used in Goitre Fach. If you have specific problems you would like to raise at this meeting, it would help if you email me and let me know. Helen.LloydJones@cardiff.gov.uk
Bins placed on Llantrisant Road
Think we were all delighted at the Llantrisant Road end of Radyr to see litter bins placed by the bus stops. Small things can make a huge difference.
Morganstown
Radyr Rangers (RR) SECOND PRIORITY
There has been some more progress. Hopefully we will have good news soon.
Bethel Chapel
Have asked for an update on the current situation.
Throughout Radyr and Morganstown
Buses FIRST PRIORITY
Haven’t forgotten. Some of the RLDP work should be helpful.
I have a Facebook page Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones I post information we are asked to share with residents. Do please follow me. Often given information at short notice and asked to share it with residents.
Replacement Local Development Plan
We won’t know if we have protected our candidate sites until later in the year. We have done our best. Huge thanks to the Radyr and Morganstown LDP group for all the hard work they put in to making sure we were as prepared as we could be and for the positive input they fed into Cardiff Council.
The Bins
Despite the difficulties the Council was facing, for the most part our bins have been collected. Some problems with collection of nappy bin bags (the purple ones) but they seem to be resolving themselves.
Recycling. For many of us, everything will change in February. There are many advantages in recycling more efficiently. The areas in Radyr which were involved in the pilot schemes did very well. Many of the suggestions made by us are being implemented in this next roll out. We will get used to the new system. If you have had the blue plastic boxes, you’ll find an envelope inside with instructions.
Petition to save Radyr Hub/Library from more cuts.
Was very proud to support Peter Fortune who presented a petition at the Full Council Meeting in County Hall this month. There are a lot of people who need thanking, Peter for one and David Silver for another. But there were more who managed despite the miserable weather to get out and collect some signatures and they all deserve our thanks. Our Library/ Hub means a lot to us. It is a social hub. It runs events for children in the holidays which are well attended. It runs the Summer Reading Challenge which last year saw 600 children sign up at our Hub. I was told quietly that we were on target for at least 500 of those children to get their certificate.
If you haven’t found the Hub, it’s in Park Road. There are knitting and crochet sessions, Lego sessions, whist sessions, digital lessons (IT skills sessions) story telling just to mention a few. And it’s a warm place where you can always have a warm drink. It’s a welcoming sanctuary for us all.
Youth Work THIRD PRIORITY
Cardiff Youth Services CYS are coming into the ward and interacting with our youngsters. The aim is to find out what ideas the teenagers have for the community and if possible, supported by the Radyr and Morganstown Community Council and CYS enable some of their ideas to become realities.
All members of the CYS have been police checked, they all wear identification lanyards, and the team includes the Youth Workers who regularly visit Radyr Comprehensive.
Since I am writing this in February, I am delighted to inform you that there was a Youth Session last night at Radyr Hub/Library. There was a lovely atmosphere. I watched a young lady working on a friendship bracelet. I watched a young lad outplay the Youth Worker at a game I hadn’t seen before. It was great. It’s very low key but the environment is safe and relaxed.