Present: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and 16 other members.
Apologies were received from Denys Williams, W.D.H. Williams, E. Jones, Betty Jones and Valerie Hughes.
Minutes of the 1984 Annual Meeting were received and adopted.
Matters Arising: None.
Chairman’s Statement: The Chairman commenced by reporting on the abandonment of the Pembrey and Burry Port tourism development plans by Llanelli Borough Council on 30th July 1984, but since their low in relations between the authority and our society, better co-operation seems now to be forthcoming with an invitation to comment on the South Llanelli Local Plan. The Cefn Sidan Beach Oil Cleaning Experiments in November aroused much adverse publicity but the Chairman was glad to be able to say that the Nature Conservancy Council’s and our own decisions not to oppose them seems to have been justified by events. He went on to express appreciation to recorders and officers and committee members of the society for their unfailing service. Finally he read the resolutions abandoning the Tourism Plans from the minutes of the Borough Council of 30th July.
Secretary’s Report: The start of the society’s second decade has been marked by its apparent increase in influence, with membership not now confined to South-east Carmarthenshire, the newsletter with significant increase in content and frequency under the editorship of Ian Morgan, an increase in invitations from outside organisations for our observations on many projects, and co-operation with other nat¬uralists groups in arranging joint meetings. During 1984 there had been seven indoor and ten outdoor meetings (which the secretary described with the aid of slides after coffee). The secretary, like the chairman, commented on the apparent new spirit of co—operation with the planning authority after the Pembrey Saltings propos¬als and he listed the planning applications on which the society had submitted observations, The society continues to be represented on the R.A.F. Pembrey Sands Conservation Group, the Carmarthenshire F.F,W.A.G. and the Carmarthenshire Conser¬vation Committee of the West Wales Trust for Nature Conservation.
The secretary concluded by echoing the chairman’s thanks to the officers and committee and especially to Mrs. D. Hopkins (treasurer) and Ian Morgan (for Newsletter, recruitment, research and recording). He also expressed appreciation to the typists (Olive Webb and Daphne Hughes), the refreshment ladies and all those without whom the affairs of the society would not function so smoothly.
Treasurer’s Report: The accounts of the society were received and adopted. The balance on 31st December 1984 was £852.39. Membership had increased during the year to 136 names which include family memberships consisting of two or more persons. Gratitude was expressed to Mrs. Vaughan for her generous donation.
Reserve Warden’s Reports
Upper Lliedi Reservoir (Mr. M.H. Williams). The promised hide has still not materialised, presumably because of W.W.A. reorganisation. Trouble has continued with unauthorised visitors and badger/fox digging has occurred adjacent to W.W.A. property. The Great Crested Grebes nested but were unsuccessful in rearing young due to the introduction of a boat by the fishermen (with W.W.A. permission). A pair of Common Sandpipers reared three young, the first record for the reserve. Siskin’s were present early and late in the year. Scaup, Redpolls and Red Breasted Merganser were present before Christmas. Nestboxes are now reduced to 21; one gnawed by a squirrel, another rotted, success rate roughly similar to 1983. Mr. Williams emphasised that entry is restricted to permit-holders.
Lower Lliedi Reservoir (Mrs. Mary Williams) Increasingly suffering from disturbance from the many visitors but the island at the top end is largely intact and not too disturbed. Mrs. Williams proposed that wardening the reserve in future would be done jointly by herself and her husband.
Stradey Reserve (Mr. I.K. Morgan) The Wild Service Tree continued to flourish but suckers produced in the last couple of years were grazed off by sheep. Butterflies and Dragonflies were particularly frequent. The large area of regenerating oak/rowan woodland on neighbouring land of Rhos fans was bulldozed in June which is a great loss to the area and drainage on Gelli Fawr Farm, nearby, has seriously depleted the colony of the dragonfly Orthetrum coerulescens.
Ffrwd Farm Fen (reported by I.K. Morgan) The Floating Club Rush has reappeared on the reserve, in great abundance, in the ditch dug two years ago. The Marsh Pea, Frogbit and other reserve specialities continue to flourish. Notable dragonflies recorded on the reserve during the year included the Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense), Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea) and the Emperor (Anax imperator), also recorded were the Short Winged Conehead (Conocephalus dorsalis) and the fenland hoverfly Tropida scita. Reed Buntings, Reed and Sedge Warblers nested on the fen in the summer and a male Marsh Harrier visited in December.
Factory Road Reserve (F.H. & O. Webb) Grazing was again excluded in 1984 and the Bloody Cranesbill has regained ground in consequence. It is proposed that grazing not be permiitted in 1985 but the situation will be kept under review.
Election of Officers: The number of nominees for officers and committee members equalled the number of posts and the following members were therefore elected unopposed: F.H. Webb (chairman): C.F. Street (vice chairman): R.D. Pryce (secretary): Mrs .D. Hopkins (treasurer): I.K. Morgan, Mrs. M. Williams, Dr. P.A. Jones, D.H. Williams, I. Cadogan, R.H. Davies, E.J. Smith, W.D.H. Williams, G. Harper (committee members), Dr. R. Meade (N.C.C. observer), E. Jones(auditor), G.D.V. Williams (solicitor).
Adoption of Draft Rules: Following lengthy discussion and several amendments the Draft Rules were adopted and are appended hereto.
Any Other Business: The Treasurer proposed that annual subscriptions be increased as follows (previous amounts in brackets). Ordinary Member £1.50 (£1), a Family Member £2.50 (£1.50), Junior, Student, Senior Citizen, Registered Unemployed Members 0.75 (0.50). The proposal was adopted on a majority vote.
Following a break for coffee, the secretary showed slides of the society’s field meetings during 1984.
