March 2023 – County Councillor Reports
Below are the monthly reports from your County Councillors for the Radyr & Morganstown Ward.
Cllr Calum Davies – March report
Received by the Web Team on 10 April 2023
Drover’s Way Park
I am delighted that underlying drainage works has finally commenced, paving the way for a new, refurbished park. This work should be completed by the end of June – should there be no delays – and construction on the playground is scheduled to follow imminently, taking three months to complete. Whilst I had initially hoped the park would be in place for summer, that we have now broken ground is a major milestone meaning the community will have the park it has been promised sooner rather than later. This was not the achievement of any one person and I thank all those who have played their part in getting the project this far.
Budget
The Council has raised Council Tax by 3.95% for the coming financial year. I opposed this on the basis that it has already gone up by around 50% since 2012, when Labour won control of the Council, through above-inflation annual increases on a regular basis. I spoke in favour of a Conservative amendment that would have seen a Council Tax freeze this year without cutting frontline services. We also called for black bin bag collection to remain at a fortnightly basis as they are threatened with moving to three-weekly. Our proposal, should it have passed, also meant keeping St David’s Hall in Council hands for the following year. However, as part of my committee work, I was pleased to see that budgets schools and children’s services are much improved, as they should be.
Radyr Rangers
Cllr Lloyd Jones and I met with representatives from Radyr Rangers, Transport for Wales, and Cardiff Council to progress moves towards a club house on Mound Field. We are hoping there will be an engagement process with stakeholders soon that will allow the organisations to get an idea of what the community think of potential proposals that are still being devised.
Gelynis Farm Bridge
I met with Cardiff Council officers and Transport for Wales to hear more about the proposed bridge over the railway at Gelynis Bridge. The bridge is necessary to provide road, foot, and cycle access with the existing right of way being reconfigured to work around the increase in rail services on the lines. My main concern has always been over the gradient of the bridge and whether it is compatible with equalities law and making it accessible to wheelchair users. I continue to monitor the situation.
23/00320/PRAP proposal for 15m 5G mast on Heol Isaf/Min y Coed junction
The application regarding a 5G mast on the junction when Min-y-Coed meets Heol Isaf was refused for a second time. For your information, the applicant can either appeal the decision or submit an alternative application in an attempt to overcome the Council’s concerns. This could be an alternative site, reduced height of the mast, etc. but it will be for the applicant to decide how they wish to progress this. A few residents had said it would be preferable for the mast to be sited the other side of the road. However, this may prove problematic due to tree coverage and the lack of space given the ravine there. I have myself suggested an alternative location down the road out of view of homes.
Waste collection
Garden waste collection has restarted on a fortnightly basis residents will be glad to note. However, I have received negative feedback on the rolling out of the new recycling regime in the ward. If you have any issues, do let me know so I can report this to the Council and scrutiny committees. The new regime would see the end to green bags with mixed recycling and the introduction of multiple caddies and bags for separated recycling. This is to improve recycling rates, but I am concerned that this will actually have the opposite effect. The scheme is being rolled out incrementally so some properties will already be subject to the new regime, while others are not.
Ralph Vaughan
I was saddened to hear about the passing of community councillor Ralph Vaughan. Ralph had been a stalwart of Radyr & Morganstown for many years and I know just how much people in the area will dearly miss his dedication as well as the story he always had up his sleeve. The large crowd at his funeral is testament to his many years of dedication.
Surgery
I will be hosting my next surgery in Morganstown Village Hall between 5:30-7pm on Wednesday 17th May. No appointment necessary but do email me in advance if you’d like. Residents are politely requested to understand that the time available to them is subject to the number attending.
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 Supporting Young People and Tackling Poverty. This month I asked:
- When will drainage works begin on Drover’s Way Park and when will the works begin on refurbishing the park?
- How will the Council assist Cardiff Bus in preserving routes and service frequency with the Welsh Government’s Bus Emergency Scheme due to end in June 2023?
- What assessment has the Council made of the contribution of cycle lanes to road congestion and what data has it collected on the use of cycle lanes over the last five years?
- What action is the Council taking to assist Radyr Rangers in securing a lease for Mound Field and what timelines can it outline for completion?
- What progress has been made in tailoring the new recycling regime to those who live in HMOs, apartment blocks, and properties converted into flats?
Answers can be found here on the written questions section of the Council meeting agenda.
Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones – March Report
Received by the Web Team on 8 April 2023
I ran the Cardiff 10K in a Guide Dog suit to raise money for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal. Thank you to everybody who sponsored me. It was very hot inside the fur coat but mercifully it didn’t rain, and the weather was kind to me. The Just Giving page is still open. It’s under Lord Mayor Cardiff and then if you scroll down you’ll find me, including photos of me running in with the dog’s head on!
Radyr
Heol Isaf
There is no easy solution to the parking problem outside the school. Did wonder if we could set up a scheme where the sixth formers could link up with individual people in Heol Isaf and the surrounding streets, matching a sixth former to a person. I can think of several elderly people who would enjoy chatting to a youngster and who wouldn’t mind that youngster parking by their house. Could that be a way forward?
Playground Drovers’ Way SECOND PRIORITY
This is GOOD NEWS and we have seen workmen on site.
Lights in Drovers Way via the Playground towards Plymouth Drive
The Parc Radyr Management Company is still waiting for a final figure for an estimate for lights. Once this is received the PRMC will look for funding.
Pavements
Please let me know if there are pavements you feel badly need attention.
Street Lights at the top of Brynderwen start of Drysgol Road
Last time I checked there were three lights not working. I understood that the cable had been broken in many places, but I don’t understand why the job has not been completed. Will continue to ask.
Plasdwr
Completing the road surface for Lon y Pererinion
This I suspect is probably linked to the work that needs to be done in St Philberts. It’s becoming obvious that Redrow don’t want to come in and do one job and then return and do similar work with the same equipment in another street. In the meantime, we have residents with osteoporosis who dread driving out of the street.
Odour at Clos Parc Radur
Have now gone a month with no complaints.
Mobile Library The mobile library is supposed to be coming to Parc Plymouth, still no firm date yet.
St Philbert’s
Attenuation Tank
Discovered that a planning application has gone in for a new design for the tank.
Turning points for Bin Lorries
This has come up since March. I have raised the issue.
Community Engagement Worker
Would love to get funding for us to have a Community Engagement Worker in Plasdwr. Had one grant application turned down last week but will continue to look. If anyone knows a possible funding source, please let me know.
The Sidings
Sadly, there was a horrible accident on the bridge as you enter The Sidings. I have been down and looked to see if there is an obvious solution that would prevent another accident. Remember that speed bumps installed in an area I lived in before I moved to Radyr were hated by older people and did not deter those who loved going fast. In fact, they would deliberately go fast over them to get that G force feel.
Know that many of you cycle along the old cart road between the river and the supporting wall for the City Line down to Danescourt. Have noticed that the river is eroding the bank in several places. Investigating at present but think the landowner is Taylor Wimpey and the responsibility for the river bank is either Taylor Wimpey’s or Natural Resources Wales.
The maintenance men working in De Clare Drive on the communal space advised me they were making things good ready for the Council to take over. Have not had any information from the Council on this at all but will ask.
Morganstown,
Radyr Rangers (RR) THIRD PRIORITY
Mound Field and Radyr Rangers.
We have had another meeting with Radyr Rangers, TfW and the Council. We are lucky because we have an expert on sports pitches living in Morganstown close to Mound Field who has already given us a lot of advice. Funding will be our biggest problem. Know that the Radyr Rangers intend to have an engagement session inside the TfW engagement session on April 12th 16:30 pm to 19:30 pm. Come along and chat to the Radyr Rangers and share your ideas.
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.
Save Cwm Farm
No one is sure whether the land that was up for sale will come back on the market. However, the group is setting itself up as a Charity, which means they would be able to apply for grant funding. There is a Facebook page Save Cwm Farm and the group would love to have even more supporters.
Bethel Chapel
Saddened to see it has been vandalised recently. The Community Council has asked Cardiff Council if they can help. There has been a site visit of the Community Council with Officers recently.
Throughout Radyr and Morganstown
Buses FIRST PRIORITY
There are many rumours about the buses. BES (Bus Emergency Scheme) that was put in place to help during Covid is due to finish 24th July 2023. This will make it difficult for Cardiff Bus Company. Whether it will affect Radyr and Morganstown we don’t know. We are going to start another petition and it would be helpful if you could write to Mark Drakeford and Kevin Brennan copying me in, telling them what problems it will give you.
Think the way forward will be to work out the extra costs that will arise if there is no bus service, and the impact on lowering our carbon footprint.
I do try to monitor the Facebook groups that I know exist and are well used by residents in Radyr and Morganstown.
But I did need to set up a Facebook page where you could post directly to me. Done at last, so please follow me at Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones
Community Art
We would love to have help putting up artwork to celebrate our different high days and holidays. Do please volunteer. You can contact me on Helen.LloydJones@cardiff.gov.uk, text me on 07977395625 or message me via Facebook to Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones
Finally
A Happy and Blessed Easter to you all, Happy Passover, Happy Eid al Fitr and for those of you who welcome your New Year in during April happiness to you too.