November 2022 – County Councillor Reports
Below are the monthly reports from your County Councillors for the Radyr & Morganstown Ward.
Cllr Calum Davies – November report
Received by the Web Team on 9 November 2022
Drover’s Way Park
Following the frustrating news that the tendering process did not attract bids within the allocated budget for the works to fix the problems underneath the grounds of the park, I asked the Council whether the Welsh Government would be forthcoming with additional funds. I am very disappointed to discover that the Council has approached the Welsh Government about potential funding and “received confirmation that there are no further funds available to be granted to the Council to help meet the shortfall in the budget required to implement the scheme”. Whilst I am pleased that “the Council is actively exploring options for funding the balance of the scheme from within its own budgets,” I wrote to both Mark Drakeford MS, Andrew RT Davies MS, and Joel James MS about this.
Meeting with Headteacher and governors at Radyr Comprehensive School
It was great to meet the Headmaster and Chair of Governors at Radyr Comprehensive School earlier today. There were several areas of discussion, chief among them facilities, school places, and transport. I will be acting on Andrew Williams and David Silver’s concerns to ensure pupils and staff get the resources they need to continue their great work.
Clos Parc Radur roadworks
After meeting with residents in the area concerning the roadworks occurring on Clos Parc Radur, the Council have informed me that contractors will do better to ensure work does not start before 8am; make efforts to keep residents better informed of timescales and the nature of nearby works; review the signage on Llantrisant Road to ensure better visibility; and avoid taking HGVs further into residential areas than absolutely necessary.
Morganstown Village Hall sign
I am delighted that I have successfully had the previous signs for Morganstown Village Hall replaced. Previously, the placing of the sign was misleading, directing people to a private residences. The new placing of the sign should now prevent this as well as looking nice and new.
Developments near Llantarnam Drive
I visited residents who expressed their issues with the state of the land behind Llantarnam Drive where building works as part of the Plasdwr Development is going on. I have asked Plasdwr for information on their plans and vision for the beautification of the area once finished as there are concerns this area would be unsightly and could encroach on the privacy of nearby residents.
Traffic Calming Measures in Radyr Sidings
I have asked the Council whether they would be inclined to install the following traffic calming measures on De Clare Drive, Radyr on the approach into the Sidings estate: Speedbumps on De Clare Drive on the approach into the Sidings estate; Mirrors in De Clare Drive on the junction opposite Goetre Fawr; and Wooden bollards on the grass verge in this same area
Roads on the estate are also narrow with very little room to pass with many cars parking on the road, meaning the likelihood of collisions increases with speeding. The estate is access only to residential properties and these measures would work to enforce speed limits.
Children and Young People Committee
We scrutinised the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services on his department. I remain concerned with the heavy reliance on agency social workers needing to be deployed, the use of unregulated care settings for looked-after children, and failure to meet statutory duties. Officers in the department have an unenviable task, operating in difficult circumstances, but we as council tax payers and residents demand high standards from the local authority’s political leadership. I also raised some of these matters in full Council.
Call for foster parents
In Radyr and Morganstown, the Council has three in-house foster carers but we know that three children and young people have been placed with carers registered with an Independent Fostering Agency. Cardiff’s Fostering Team are keen to identify individuals who may be interested in offering a home, care and support to our children and young people when they need it most. In particular we are keen to ensure that our foster carers represent our City as much as possible through breaking away from the stereotype and having foster carers from different backgrounds regardless of their age, marital status, religion or ethnicity. So, if you are in a position to be a foster parent, please do contact Cardiff’s fostering team. Find all the information you need here.
Coed Caerdydd
Coed Caerdydd is a 10-year programme to increase the number of trees in Cardiff. Below is their tree planting programme for Radyr & Morganstown for the next six months.
Meadowfield Way green (19 Nov) – community event
Ysgol Bryn Deri (9 Dec) – school event
Morganstown Play Park (9 Dec) – community event
Radyr Medical Centre (TBC March)
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:
- Will the Council reaffirm its commitment to undertake the necessary works on Parc Radur following a second failed tendering process?
- Will the Council seek more funds from the Welsh Government to complete the promised works on Parc Radur?
- What actions is the Council undertaking to ensure that all children can attend a school close to where they live in the county’s boundaries?
- How is the Council ensuring that developers are communicating appropriately with residents in neighbourhoods adjacent to their sites?
- What is the Council’s assessment of the Welsh Government’s Arbed and Nest schemes’ effectiveness in meeting its objectives in Cardiff?
Answers can be found here on the written questions section of the October Council meeting agenda.
Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones – November Report
Received by the Web Team on 11 December 2022
Thank you to all of you who played your part in making Remembrance Sunday so special. And a very big thank you to Ian Ogden. He has organised our Remembrance Sundays for several years and he had told the community that 2022 would be the last he would organise. He will be missed.
Redrow at Plasdwr
Temporary Junction Clos Parc Radur and Llantrisant Road.
Have been told that the next phase will finish in January and the junction should be working by March.
Completing the road surface for Lon y Pererinion
I have been told that there is an issue between Redrow and Bellway which is preventing this being solved. Have spoken to Bellway and Redrow. Apparently Redrow needs to put the next layer of the road in and then Bellway will do the final layer. When? Will raise it again at our December’s meeting with Redrow.
Signage
Have not noticed any improvement
Section 106
We were advised that Redrow had just released another tranche of Section 106 money.
Odour at Clos Parc Radur FIRST PRIORITY
The good news is that the manholes and drains no longer seem to bubble sewage when it rains. The bad news is that the occasional very unpleasant odours persist and there are other drainage issues appearing. Will continue to flag these issues up.
Christmas Tree
Redrow intend to put up a Christmas tree on the Heol Isaf, Llantrisant Road junction
Bollard removed for Santa
Redrow intend to remove a bollard for Santa’s sleigh!
Mobile Library
Provided we can work out where the mobile library can park, the mobile library will start visiting Parc Plymouth in February. The library carries books in many languages including Chinese!
The Sidings
We now have a new contact for TfW who has visited some of our residents, who have experienced significant disruption with the installation of the Metro.
Morganstown,
Radyr Rangers (RR)
This has been the main focus of my work during November. There is a funding opportunity deadline in mid-December which if we are lucky could significantly help our youngsters have decent facilities for playing football. A full-sized football pitch they could use somewhere in Radyr and Morganstown would be a step in the right direction. Both Cllr Davies and I attended a Drop in Session re Neighbourhood Renewal Funding to gain advice. We are working together to help the RR. In the meantime, the club are working on preparing other bids and Cardiff Council has spoken to the FAW and reassured the FAW about the Council’s desire to support RR in their bid for a lease. Because of this FAW are willing to accept bids from RR. The Sport Leisure and Development Officer has met me on site to discuss options and has also been in contact with RR. RR are also being pro-active.
Flooding by Pughs Garden Centre
The relevant officer from Cardiff Council met me at Pughs and ways forward are being considered. It would be good if we could sort out the defective drain in summer 2023.
Flooding under the Motorway Bridge
Not forgotten. Hopefully we will get the Council to look beyond the bridge to see if the stream is blocked. Again a summer project.
Radyr
Radyr Comprehensive
The school is still struggling without the toilets promised. The last meeting sounded more positive. The All-Weather Pitch (where they used to play football) has been declared unsafe and will need either a short-term fix or ideally a proper long-term fix. Have been looking for possible ways of funding this.
Playground Drovers’ Way
This is GOOD NEWS. The funding has been found for the Drainage work needed on the park by Drovers’ Way. A contractor has been chosen. We anticipate that work will start in January. (It’s really December’s news but we have seen the designs for the playground and they are super) Have removed it from my priority list because it is happening.
Artwork on the Penrhys Pilgrimage Way in Hermit Woods
This has been vandalised again and will be taken down as soon as possible. Pity. The students’ work was brilliant.
Planning Application Pentwyn
Despite objecting to this application, it was passed.
Throughout Radyr and Morganstown
Buses SECOND PRIORITY
Have been looking to see if there were any funds we could draw down to improve the bus service. Have flagged up the need.
Pavements
Many of you have reported pavements in poor condition. Apparently, we are down to be looked at in January. If there are any that you consider very bad, please let me know.
Drains
Do have a look at your drains. It’s worth clearing them of leaves. If you can see that the drain is blocked (and many are) can you let me know please? I need street name and exact location. If you could download Google Street and move the little man to the exact location of the drain, take a screen dump, and then send the details that would be very helpful.
Halloween
The Police Halloween workshop worked well, and the children enjoyed. Many thanks to Jen Alcock and her colleagues from the Neighbourhood Policing Team.
The Halloween event in Windsor Gardens was rained off but we did have many positives. Radyr Comprehensive had decorated the pumpkins imaginatively and they were fun to look at. Radyr and Morganstown Association had put everything in place so we could have music and a BBQ and Radyr and Morganstown Community Council had been willing to fund the costs.
The few teenagers we did see around were delighted to have some of the breadrolls that we knew we couldn’t keep and asked us could we try again next year. Something to look forward to in 2023
Recycling and the Pilot scheme.
We are about to have more houses included into the recycling scheme. Happy to have feedback from you. Have been told that if you follow the instructions carefully and don’t put the Tetrapacks in the recycling bags but in the black bin, the black bin fills up very quickly.
Overgrowth
The Council has been working on cutting back the overgrowth.
Green Bins
Can never remember such a mild autumn and so few leaves falling in October. We have a need for garden waste collection in our ward. Some local authorities ask you to pay if you want your garden waste collected. Others ask you to contact them when you need your garden waste collected so the pick up lorries don’t make wasted journeys. What are your thoughts?
Steps above Radyr Weir
These enable paddle boarders to get onto the Taff. They aren’t in our ward, but they are used by many of you. I was invited to attend a meeting with the Whitchurch councillors and interested parties and hopefully they will find a way to repair or replace the steps. Or even better make a disabled friendly entry to the river.
Lights in Drovers Way towards Plymouth Drive
We are aware that the path is dark. Have met with Centregreat and asked for an estimate re the cost of installing lights. The suggestion was to have almost bollard like installations that cast light down on to the path.
Women’s Aid event at Radyr Hub
The star of the event was Marcelle Davies who had made a phenomenal number of orange flowers that we could wear to raise awareness of the problems of domestic abuse. Giselle Warren spoke of her experiences at Women’s Aid Cardiff. Thank you to everyone who had helped put the event together.
Friday with Friends Good Neighbours at New School Rooms Christ Church Heol Isaf 2-4pm
The word is clearly getting out. There is a very warm welcome to anyone who would just like to come in and have a chat and a cup of tea (or coffee) and even a biscuit or sometimes cake! Louise is running it for the Good Neighbours. She always makes me feel so welcome, I’m sure she extends the same welcome to everybody. So do pop along. Everybody is welcome.
Interview for S4C and possibly BBC Wales
I was interviewed in the field beside Pant Tawel near the old Goetre Fawr farm about the replacement local development plan. I explained that anyone can recommend that a piece of land could be used for development. In the case of the land, we are so keen to protect it wasn’t the council that suggested it as a candidate site. I want to hold on to what little green space we have. It is so important for our health and well-being to have green spaces that we can access.
Beti George, Huw Onllwyn Jones and Allan Cook were all interviewed.