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West Chiltington Parish Council
Chairman’s report to Annual Parish Meeting, 13 April 2004
1. Parish Council
Last May an election was held for the Parish Council. 14 candidates
stood for the 13 seats – a healthy situation. Two new councillors were
elected: Celia Rayner, and Jonathan Trees, and both volunteered at their
first meeting to be our Tree Wardens.
I would like to thank all Councillors for their hard work during the
year, and particularly Neil Longson (Vice-Chairman) and Michael Jackson
(also our District Councillor). Thanks to Pat Arculus, our
County
Councillor
,
for taking up Parish concerns at County level, and for attending our
meetings when she can. Dennis Tyler continues as Rights of Way Warden,
inspecting and reporting on footpaths for us when there is a problem.
Thanks to Stephanie Dumbrill, Pavilion Cleaner, and Margaret
Pollack, our Litter Warden. Also to Ivan Pullen, who looked after the
flowerbeds at the car park until he retired last year, but who still does
occasional work for us on a contract basis. All help to keep Parish
facilities clean, tidy and attractive
The full Parish Council met on 6 occasions: the Planning Committee
11 times; Open Spaces Committee 3 times; and Finance Committee twice.
Other informal meetings were held with local sports clubs. Estelle
Warriner and Jonathan Trees attended meetings of the local association of
parish councils, and Members and the Clerk attended meetings of the Sussex
Rural Community Council, Sussex Association of Local Councils and various
consultative groups, and seminars for Councillors and Clerks.
2. What have we achieved in the last year?
Recreation Ground: We cleared substantial areas of overgrown vegetation
around the tennis courts where root penetration has regularly blocked and
damaged the drains, and overhanging branches shaded and dropped debris
onto the courts.
Sadly, we continue to suffer from vandalism, including vehicle damage to
store sheds.
Pavilion: The extension, and refurbishment, of the pavilion
was completed during the year. Thanks to HDC and NPFA for grants towards
the cost, and to the Cricket Club and Football Club for financial
contributions, and for carrying out some of the work themselves. We now
have a top-class facility, available for use by individuals and
organisations at times when not in use by the sports clubs.
The pavilion was officially reopened last November, by Vivien Lyth
(Chairman of HDC) who unveiled a plaque in the Pavilion to mark the
refurbishment.
Other Leisure facilities: The Council supported the expansion of
Chanctonbury Leisure Centre with a grant of £2,000. The Centre works with
the local school, and many Parishioners are members and users of the
Centre. The new extension was officially opened at the end of March.
Reading Room: A major refurbishment was undertaken to create a
Parish Office. All our records are now stored here, and the Council uses
it for most of its meetings. It also provides a much-improved environment
for the Silver Band to practise in. This work could not have been
undertaken without a grant from Horsham District Council.
Youth facilities: Michael Jackson has helped to set up a Youth Forum
to give youngsters in the Village a chance to express their opinions, and
to give them some ownership of/responsibility for local youth facilities.
The Council is currently considering a request for a youth shelter at the
recreation ground.
The Parish Council continues to fund the successful Youth Cinema,
and funded a “Free Tennis” initiative last summer for local
youngsters.
Highways/Footpaths: After pressing County Highways over a long period,
they eventually improved the drainage and surface of the southern section
of
Broadford
Bridge Road
.
WSCC repaired and reopened the footpath from Common Hill to
Monkmead
Lane
,
which had been closed for several years.
Celia Rayner planted up the grassed triangle at the Sunset Lane/Monkmead
Lane junction with daffodils after we resurfaced the vehicle track used by
local residents.
The Council supported the proposed reduction in speed limits in the
Village to 30 mph, and the introduction of 40 and 50 mph limits around
Broadford
Bridge
crossroads.
Planning: The Village Design Statement (VDS) was
published and adopted by HDC as Supplementary Planning Guidance. Our
thanks to Tony Salmon and his Working Group for all their work. Tony
Stevens, HDC Director of Planning, attended the November Parish Council
meeting to speak about the use of the VDS in the Planning process.
The Parish Council commented on 171 planning applications (2002 -
178), including more than 20 applications for new houses.
The Council objected to the possible building of a second runway at
Gatwick.
Communications: In order to improve the visibility of Council
activities, we have developed a Parish Council website (www.wchilt-parishcouncil.org.uk)
which holds agendas and minutes of Council and Committee meetings, details
of Parish Councillors and local organisations, photos of land and
buildings owned or managed by the Council, and links to other useful
sites.
The Council had a stall at the Fete & Flower Show last August. This
gave parishioners another opportunity to raise village matters with the
Council. Annual Reports were distributed, and books and mugs (still some
left if anyone wants them) were sold.
Budget: The Council set a balanced budget for 2004/5, with an increase of just
2.7% in the precept.
3. Plans for the coming year
Planning Gain: Now that the District Council has begun to levy a
charge on Planning Permissions for new houses, to be spent on village
facilities, the Parish Council will be involved in setting up a system for
the identification, and selection, of suitable schemes to benefit from
this money.
Recreation Ground: Remaining tree stumps from an area near to the tennis
courts will be cleared shortly and the area will then be levelled and
reseeded.
Having installed lockable gates at the entrances to the Recreation
Ground and Village Hall car parks, to exclude late night anti-social
drivers, we will set up a locking rota shortly.
Pavilion: After discussion with the Sports Clubs, we intend to
provide new furniture and floor coverings for the main room in the
pavilion.
Skate ramps: Extensive maintenance will be carried out shortly to
replace worn surfaces. We have researched the issue of soundproofing
thoroughly, speaking to contractors, ramp builders, other parish councils,
and considered foam injection, attaching thick foam rubber to underside of
ramp surfaces, filling the voids with sand or shingle, etc. All these
options have proved to be very expensive (£4,000+), and no contractor
will guarantee that his solution will reduce the noise. So we are now
considering planting a thick screen south of the skate park to absorb
noise.
Children’s Playground: Minor repairs, weed clearance, and repainting
of equipment should take place during the spring.
Museum: Following refurbishment to the Reading Room, the condition of the floor
in the Museum will be investigated, and repairs made as necessary,
including a new floor cover. Once this work has been completed, it is the
Council’s intention to improve access by possibly organising regular,
but limited, opening.
Youth facilities: The Parish Council will continue to support
the Youth Forum, Free Tennis in summer holidays, and the Youth Cinema.
James Mursell
Chairman
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