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West Chiltington Parish Council

MINUTES OF OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE MEETINGS

 

    Members of the Open Spaces and Environment Committee of West Chiltington Parish Council met informally at 10.00 am on Tuesday 19th July 2005 at the recreation ground, Mill Road, West Chiltington.

    Present: Neil Longson (Chairman), Celia Rayner, Peter Knowles, Ken Line, Pietro di Marino, Jonathan Trees.

    Also in attendance: Tony Thomas, Clerk to the Council.

    The Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed everyone. The members walked around the recreation ground and found the drain at the northern boundary blocked with leaves and weeds, and large areas of stinging nettles, both around the perimeter and down the centre of the area. The Chairman requested the Clerk to see if any "free" labour was available from either young offenders on community service or Ford Prison.

    Skateboard Ramp:

    An inspection of the skateboard ramp was carried out and the points noted in the NPFA report seen. The Clerk was asked to obtain from HDC names of suitable contractors to carry out the repairs.

    Basket Ball Court:

    Needs a new net and the surface has a hole requiring filling. The Clerk will investigate suppliers for the net and perhaps the hole could be attended to when the repairs are carried out to the ramp.

    Children’s Playground:

    An inspection was carried out of the playground using the NPFA report and it was agreed that repairs were required soon to keep the equipment in good condition, rather than having to face bigger repairs if the situation was allowed to continue. New children’s swing seats are required immediately as the current ones are dangerous. The Clerk would obtain quotes for the replacements. Pietro would arrange for one of his staff to give the equipment a clean which would make the area more attractive. The area needed weeding and the adjacent trees trimmed, Garden Care would be asked to quote for the work. Another gate should be provided at the far end to avoid possible bullying as highlighted in the NPFA report, Roger Watts would be asked to investigate as he installed the fence. Painting of the equipment could perhaps be arranged on a "free labour" basis as with the drain clearing.

    Tractor Shed:

    Jonathan thought the shed should be taken down and replaced with a wooden shed behind the skateboard ramp, other members mentioned the distinct possibility of vandalism and arson if it was hidden from view. It was estimated that a large shed could cost in the region of £10000/£15000, money which was not available. The roof is probably asbestos and needs attention by a qualified contractor for which the Clerk is seeking advice. Once waterproof it could be used far more by parties, who used the recreation ground and village hall, for storage. Its appearance could be improved with a coat of paint, and maybe some planters along the front, which would have the other benefit of minimizing damage from vehicles.

    Notice Board:

    The notice board facing the village hall entrance is very shabby with broken glass and missing door. It was agreed to have the sign and posts removed for safety reasons.

    Other Items:

    The post currently hanging on the rail to the cricket pavilion should be removed.

    The small trees in the corner to the right of the exit need cutting off to improve visibility when exiting. It might be better to remove one altogether as they are very close together.

    Litter bins want to be emptied more frequently in summer, replacements are required for those missing from the recreation ground. One of the two bins in Monkmead Woods has not been emptied for about six weeks. The Clerk would investigate the possibility with HDC for more frequent emptying, and to make sure all bins are emptied regularly.

    The gullies in The Hollows are full of leaves and debris, which during heavy rain will block the drains with the possibility of flooding. Can someone be persuaded to keep them clear?

    The hedge at Haglands Lane car park needs trimming back, the Clerk will instruct Garden Care to do this.

    It was noticed, and commented on by several people, that the Cricket Club were sprinkling the cricket square on Sunday 17th July for about two hours, it appears that are still allowed to do this despite the hosepipe ban that is in force.

    There being no other business the Chairman thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting at 11.30am.