February 2023 – County Councillor Reports
Below are the monthly reports from your County Councillors for the Radyr & Morganstown Ward.
Cllr Calum Davies – February report
Received by the Web Team on 3 March 2023
Replacement Local Development Plan
Consultation on the plan that could see the last green fields of Radyr built on has been delayed again until the summer after failing to materialise this winter. It is important residents prepare to tell the Council what they think. The replacement Local Development Plan is about how many more homes the Council wants built in the city. Calum believes the thousands of new homes in Plasdwr means there is no need to build at Goetre Fawr and at Radyr train station, and that new homebuilding could be centred on regenerating derelict brownfield sites elsewhere in the city and areas already in the land bank.
Council Tax and Budget
The Labour administration has decided to increase Council Tax in the ward by 3.95% for the next financial year. This is despite a better-than-expected local government settlement and above-inflation rises over several years, nearly 50% in the previous 10 years. Cardiff Conservatives will be putting forward an alternative budget in March. I believe residents in Radyr & Morganstown are not seeing the improvements expected given the increases over the years and will continue to make the case for low council tax in Cardiff.
Additionally, although I welcome the decision to drop the reckless plans to lose the Cardiff Museum in the city centre and turn it into a mobile attraction, I remain concerned regarding the future of St David’s Hall. I was a signatory of a letter to the Competition and Markets Authority, asking them to investigate the potential monopoly of large entertainment and cultural venues in Cardiff.
Taff River Clean-up
Following recent flooding that caused the Taff to burst its banks, lots of unsightly debris was left hanging on branches and stuck on the sides. I asked the Cabinet Member for Climate Change about when this would be cleaned up at a Full Council meeting. Despite being told that this would be rectified by mid-February, this was not the case with media stories covering the lack of progress. I raised this further with the Cabinet Member to chase-up efforts to re-beautify this year who told me they had been delayed by extra training and health & safety measures that are needed for such an operations.
Cold Calling Scam
PCSOs have told councillors that cold callers have been operating in Radyr last month offering to buy gold for cash. They appear to be targeting elderly residents. Residents should be vigilant and not allow cold callers into your properties. It is believed the scammers were in a van. I have posted on my social media the leaflet they were using to hoodwink residents.
Work with the Community Council
In addition to my attendance at Community Council meetings in my capacity as a County Councillor, I have been working on a sub-group level concerning the drafting of a scoping paper for the improvement of bus services in the ward, the installation of a new defibrillator, and meeting officials in regards to maximising Station Road as a destination.
Meeting with Walters
I met with a senior representative from the Walters site in Plasdwr. The company is behind a lot of the infrastructure installation on Llantrisant Road and I wanted to talk through the issues residents have had with the layout and ever-changing junctions. I stressed the need to keep residents informed and responding to their concerns, especially when visibility is involved given the safety implications. It seems that their work will come to an end in the summer as they look to exponentially decrease the amount of space they are working on.
Surgery
I held a surgery for residents at the end of the month. I will be hosting another in Morganstown Village Hall between 5:30-7pm on Wednesday 17th May.
Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones – February Report
Received by the Web Team on 6 March 2023
Former Chair of Radyr and Morganstown Community Councillor, supported of the Radyr and Morganstown Association, always willing to get involved, one of the familiar faces behind the hot burger stalls at the Festival events, Dr Ralph Vaughan, has died. He had a distinguished career as a Consultant Anaesthetist winning the Difficult Airway Society medal in 2010, a prestigious mark of excellence in his field. As a community, we all send our condolences to his wife Marilyn and his family.
The main topic this month as a Councillor has been the setting of the budget. As I write, the Council meeting that will be devoted to the budget has not yet happened. There have been some very hard choices. The fall-out from the Westminster Mini-Budget in the Autumn is affecting local authorities deeply. The Council has taken its lead from the public consultation it carried out, where the vast majority made it clear that education and children’s services should not suffer.
The proposed increase in Council Tax is 3.95%.
Radyr
Schools
The good news is that Brynderi Primary has had some of its structural issues improved (more to come in the next financial year) and at long last Radyr Comp has some more toilets for the students. There is a promise of a new teaching block at Radyr Comp in the coming year.
We are delighted that Redrow Plasdwr have committed to sponsoring almost half the cost of the new surface on the all-weather pitch at Radyr Comp. We should have more information about that soon.
Heol Isaf
The new traffic markings and restrictions are now in place. The first morning, the traffic ran smoother than expected. Please tell anybody you know who does park near the school to be aware that parking on the pavements can occur a fine from the police or from the council. It’s a fine designed to stop us parking on pavements because there are people with mobility issues who are forced to pull out into the road which leaves them very unprotected and there are families going to school with children in pushchairs who have to pull out into the road.
Playground Drovers’ Way SECOND PRIORITY
This is GOOD NEWS. But there are procurement issues. The job is scheduled to be finished in July, and all of us will be delighted to see the work start. Lights in Drovers Way via the Playground towards Plymouth Drive
The Parc Radyr Management Company is waiting for a final figure for an estimate for lights. Once this is received the PRMC will look for funding.
Willow Tree Pylon Park
Lovely to see the snowdrops are spreading that the primary children planted here. This year the children have chosen to plant snowdrops elsewhere. We will have to look out for them next year.
Pavements
We have (Cllr Davies and I) asked for some pavements to be repaired. We would like them all to be perfect but if we can get any improved that will be good. Please tell us if you think there is a street that badly needs repair.
Street Lights at the top of Brynderwen start of Drysgol Road
When first reported was told the fault was due to a break in the cable and so the job couldn’t be done immediately. Have repeatedly reported it. This week, I was promised that the cable would be put right on Monday. So hopefully by the time you read this report the lights will be working.
Ael-y-Bryn
After work by Welsh Water a hole was noticed by a resident in Ael-y-Bryn. It may have been there before. I reported it and sent the photos the resident had emailed to me. Was very impressed because the hole was fixed very quickly.
Plasdwr
Completing the road surface for Lon y Pererinion
This still hasn’t had a satisfactory outcome and I have raised the matter again. (yet again!)
Odour at Clos Parc Radur (A PRIORITY AGAIN)
Sadly, 15 th February reports of smells were back on Clos Parc Radur. I reported this and had correspondence back from Barratts which indicated the problem was being addressed. So far, we have gone two weeks since then with no further complaint.
Mobile Library
The mobile library is supposed to be coming to Parc Plymouth, still no firm date yet.
St Philbert’s Attenuation Tank
Have been advised that the work of replacing the existing two tanks will start after Easter so if anyone in St Philbert’s would like to organise a children’s Easter Egg hunt on the grassy patch that is possible.
Community Engagement Worker
I have been applying for grants to see if we can have a Community Engagement Worker part-time helping our new members of our community to find their feet. We have so much going on here, from bell-ringing at Christchurch (they would be thrilled to have more people in the community able to ring bells) to knitting circles in the Radyr Hub on a Monday morning.
The Sidings
No one has flagged up any problems this month which is great news. Have had correspondence which indicates that we may get a litter bin at the start of the wriggly path down to the river side.
Morganstown
Radyr Rangers (RR) THIRD PRIORITY
Mound Field and Radyr Rangers.
I have met with Radyr Rangers, TfW, Amey, Rachel Philips one of the Morganstown Community Councillors to discuss the Mound Field. TfW had indicated they would provide Radyr Rangers with a Changing Rooms/Club House as a way of thanking them for the disruption to their usual football activities on Mound Field. Radyr Rangers have 36 teams now and continuing to grow. Perhaps it is the Mound’s proximity to Gelynis Farm which the locals used to call Bale’s farm that works its magic. So many youngsters dreaming of wearing
the Dragon on their Chest. It doesn’t take much maths to work out that even if Radyr Rangers uses the Radyr Comp all-weather pitch for training, with a maximum of two teams on the pitch at a time, there is a need for another all-weather training pitch to make sure every team gets at least one training session a week.
As a club becomes more successful, it must have various facilities, one of which is a grass full-sized pitch. The one on the Mound Field is unplayable most of the year because it is poorly drained. The talks discussed ways forward for the Club House that is also a Community Asset, a properly drained pitch and a much smaller all-weather training pitch.
The Council does intent to upgrade all its skate parks on a rolling program. Ours is one of the most popular and best used skate parks. In the immediate future, (when you are having to make hard budget choices) there will be no change to the existing one.
The work at the moment is at the fact-finding stage. TfW made it clear they would help us as much as they can which is great news. Radyr Rangers have consulted with the three schools in Radyr and Morganstown, all of whom would be delighted to have more playing facilities available. Once Radyr Rangers have a firmer idea of what is possible to achieve, they intend to consult with you, especially those of you who live closest to the Mound Field. TfW have offered Radyr Rangers a grant to help with their Festival in May. All good news.
Morganstown Village Hall
We have been extremely lucky for many years to have had some very special people on the board of Morganstown Village Hall Management Committee. Some of them have whispered that they would love to step down and pass the baton on to other local people. So, if you would like to help, please let me know and I’ll pass your details on.
Throughout Radyr and Morganstown
Buses FIRST PRIORITY
I was one of four Councillors who attended a meeting with the CEO of Cardiff Bus and some of the senior staff.
It was interesting to learn about the problems the company is facing. I hadn’t appreciated that a subsidy known as Bus Emergency Scheme (BES) the Welsh Government gave during COVID was just about supporting the existing bus services in Cardiff. People are not using the buses as much as they did, especially from Monday to Friday and the older people who used to use their bus pass to have a day trip are still avoiding public transport if at all possible.
BES is due to finish in June. I have asked Mark Drakeford if there is any chance it could be extended further. It is on his list as one of the subsidies he would like to see continue but he can make no firm commitment to BES.
What can we do? We can write to Mark Drakeford as our MS and tell him how difficult it is already because the bus service is so depleted and can he help please. Do write to him and to your MP Kevin Brennan. If you are a proud possessor of a bus pass, do start treating yourself to a trip on the 63. The more of us that are seen on the bus, the better. And even if you don’t hold a pass, do use the bus if you can. It will all help.
In the meantime, I was one of several councillors on the Environment Scrutiny committee who asked if we could have a Task and Finish study on bus services in Cardiff. The proposal has been accepted and I expect to start being actively involved on that very soon.
I also attended a presentation about Allotments, Coed Caerdydd (the tree planting scheme, 20,000 planted last year) and the National Park City work which is all very positive.
Another presentation I attended was on the new Law re Voting. To vote for the Police Commissioner and to vote for your Member of Parliament you will have to have
identification on you when you go to vote.
We were told, it cannot be a Student’s ID card, but it can be a Proof of Age card.
This is the list on the Government web site.
- Various concessionary travel passes
- PASS cards
- Ministry of Defence identity cards
- Photocard parking permits issued as part of the Blue Badge scheme
- Driver’s licenses (whether this is all drivers’ licenses or only the ones with photos on, I don’t yet know)
- Passports
- Free Voter Cards, provided by local authorities.
Please make sure you and all the members of your family will be able to vote. This weekend I walked to the Chartists’ Cave above Trefil. They worked so hard for all men to have a vote (women’s suffrage came a lot later). Many of those men gave their life so we could vote. It is a very important right. So check you have the necessary ID.
Finally a reminder that:
Friday with Friends Good Neighbours at New School Rooms Christ Church Heol Isaf 2-4pm
There is a very warm welcome to anyone who would just like to come in and have a chat and a cup of tea.
Louise is running it for the Good Neighbours. She always makes everyone feel so welcome.
Warm Places Radyr Methodist Church Monday January 2 nd 10am-12 There is a very warm welcome here too!
The Library (now the Hub) is also a designated warm place and hot drinks are available there whenever the library is open.
Hope you all had a very Happy St David’s Day. It was good to see St David’s flag by the War Memorial as well as the Welsh Dragon.