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Wales Online
15-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
The row over a Welsh village field that's set to rumble on
The row over a Welsh village field that's set to rumble on There are plans to redevelop the field but a campaign group want it to be protected for the community A member of Vale of Glamorgan Council's public protection committee, Cllr Chris Franks, raised concerns about the selection of a chair for the public enquiry (Image: Ted Peskett ) A Welsh community's fight to protect a field in their village from development has taken another turn. The Save Sully and Lavernock Group submitted an application in 2021 to turn a piece of land off South Road in Sully, known as Glebe Fields, into a village green after it was considered for development by Vale of Glamorgan Council. Campaigners, who hope turning the field into a village green will protect it, have been told that their application will now go to a public enquiry. Members of Vale of Glamorgan Council's public protection committee were told in a meeting on Tuesday, May 13 that the enquiry will allow the application to be dealt with transparently after the charity that owns the land objected to it. However, one councillor raised concerns about how the council will be able to come across as fair and transparent when it is the sole trustee of the charity, Vale of Glamorgan Welsh Church Fund, and when it is the one appointing an independent chair for the enquiry. Cllr Franks said: "Is that a good look? Will people understand the fine differences between the trust and the council when the trust is made up of councillors? "How can members of the public be reassured that the independent chair is in fact independent and will judge the matter in an impartial manner?" Article continues below Vale of Glamorgan Council considered Glebe Fields as a candidate site for its local development plan (LDP). Council's use LDPs to decide which sites can be used for future development, including house building and industrial or commercial activity. A GoFundMe page set up by campaigners to raise funds ahead of a public enquiry said Glebe Fields has been used for leisure activities by the local community for centuries and that a successful village green application will give residents continued "unrestrained" use of the land for leisure. Vale of Glamorgan Welsh Church Fund objected to the village green application with its chief argument being that it doesn't think enough people use Glebe Fields for sports and other pastimes. A solicitor at Vale of Glamorgan Council, Jocelyn Ham, said the local authority will appoint a suitably qualified independent chairperson from a group of barristers specialising in town or village green applications. In response to Cllr Franks' comments, she said: "We will approach a number of counsel... firstly I suppose [to] ask them about their availability. "The very nature of their role is they are independent anyway and further to that... we are acting then as the registration authority. "I don't see how else we can overcome a perceived perception of not being impartial." Ms Ham went on to add: "We will have a procurement set up for all of our matters when we need to instruct a barrister so we will probably select somebody from that list. "They will be an expert in that particular area and they will understand the need to be impartial in making recommendations to the committee." The Church of England in Wales was disestablished under The Welsh Church Act 1914 and its property and funds were distributed to various trusts. Each of these trusts, overseen by councils in the areas they correspond to, look after the property and funds and make grants for a wide range of purposes including supporting education, social and recreational facilities, charities, healthcare and the arts. Article continues below Vale of Glamorgan Council's website describes The Welsh Church Act fund in the county as a charitable trust that's independent of the council. The Charity Commission's website has Vale of Glamorgan Council listed as the sole trustee of Vale of Glamorgan Welsh Church Fund.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Polk County wildfires: Out-of-state agencies arrive in NC
Officials said Monday that three wildfires in Polk County near Hendersonville have now burned over 5,200 acres. The North Carolina Forest Service and local units have been fighting the Black Cove Fire, the Deep Woods Fire, and the Fish Hook Fire for days now. Out-of-state help was on the way this week to help in the air and on the ground. PAST COVERAGE: Western NC wildfires prompt evacuations, damage buildings and vehicles Several restaurants in the area were also pitching in to help by feeding first responders and people forced to evacuate. One chef says these meals mean more because he's a former firefighter. 'It means a whole lot to me because I know what they're going through right now,' David Ashmore, executive chef at Green River Eddy's Tap Room & Grill, said. 'This is a small community where everyone comes together and helps out.' The Federal Emergency Management Agency also approved money to help the state's response. Both North and South Carolina have statewide burn bans in effect. That's on top of local municipalities that have issued their own. On Sunday, The Charlotte Fire Department put more restrictions in place including a ban on any open burning within 100 feet of a dwelling, such as backyard fire pits. READ MORE: Charlotte Fire Marshal issues local burn ban Shelters opened over the weekend for those displaced by the fires. 'It was chaos,' said Chris Franks, who tried to save his son's home along Fish Hook Lane last week but was unsuccessful due to the strong winds. 'We were up here trying to put the fire out and couldn't get it out. The fire department came and the winds picked up. After that happened, it was all she wrote.' Chris Franks showed Channel 9′s Dave Faherty the remains of his son's home, which was destroyed by the wildfire along with their cars and a neighbor's garage. Less than a mile away, a mountain home that had just sold was also destroyed by flames overnight. Amanda Skutthes, a renter in the area, expressed concern for the community, saying, 'I just feel bad for all the people that live here with Helene and this back to back. I really hope that the beauty can stay intact.' Residents were seen moving their RVs and equipment away from the flames to prevent further loss. Faherty was in Polk County last week as fire crews from Charlotte, Cleveland County, and Grover tried to contain the wildfires. They were working to protect structures such as a Baptist church using water from the Green River. Faherty spoke with officials at a staging area for the North Carolina Forest Service and volunteer departments. 'It's what we train for. We're sad that it happens but we're all glad to join in together and work as one team,' said Assistant Chief Jimmy Hensley of the Grover Fire Department. Faherty saw people scrambling to move campers and other equipment away from the fires. Residents told Channel 9 winds reached 40 miles per hour overnight Thursday, causing spot fires across the mountainside. Polk County officials said as many as seven buildings have burned in the three fires. Neighbors spoke with Channel 9 Friday and said they were concerned about the winds picking up again. 'Just keep everything away from the brush line as best we can,' one resident said. 'The winds down here have really pushing the fire even more. WATCH BELOW: York County firefighters assist in battling wildfires in Horry County
