The Annual Parish Meeting for the Parish of West Chiltington was held at 7.30 pm on Monday 11 April 2005 in the Church Hall, Church Street, West Chiltington. About 40 residents and guests were in attendance.

The Chairman of the Parish Council, James Mursell, presided. He welcomed all present, especially our principal guest, Councillor Sheila van den Bergh, Chairman of Horsham District Council.

Margaret Johnson, Chairman of West Sussex County Council: Gail and David Vickers: Rev’d Kevin and Gill O’Donnell.

These were available at the start of the meeting. It was proposed by Douglas Andrews, seconded by Estelle Warriner and agreed nem con that they be signed as a correct record of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 13 April 2004.

There were no matters arising.

The Chairman thanked all Parish Councillors and employees for their support, and noted the Council’s achievements over the past year. At the recreation ground, there had been further clearance of overgrown vegetation, the mole infestation had been eradicated (for the time being, at least), one of the major land drains had been cleared, substantial repairs had been completed to the skate ramps, new floor coverings had been laid in the pavilion, the Cricket Club had repaired the former Meals on Wheels hut, and the Football Club had erected a set of practice goalposts for public use.

The Council had supported other local leisure facilities through grants to the ever-popular Youth Cinema, to the West Chiltington Youth Football team, and to enable the School to provide a room for use by all community groups as part of the project to build a new hall.

The museum had been cleared in preparation for refurbishment. Gina Wilmshurst, the Assistant Curator from Storrington Museum, was conserving and repairing the museum exhibits, and the Chairman thanked Mary Eames and Maureen Tully for their help with this work.

After several years of lobbying, 40 and 50 mph speed limits had been introduced around Broadford Bridge crossroads, and the limit in the built up areas of the Parish reduced to 30 mph. The area covered by the limit has also been extended.

The County Council had inspected and cleared the Parish rights of way. Celia Rayner single-handedly planted over 700 daffodil bulbs in the Sunset Lane/Westward Lane area. Fly-tipping of garden refuse was becoming a problem. Cuttings had been dumped at the allotments, at the recreation ground, and on roadside verges. Residents were requested to assist by reporting any incidents to the District Council on 01403 733144.

Planning matters continued to occupy much of the Council’s time, and 2004 had its fair share of contentious planning applications. The Parish Council commented on 149 planning applications in the year, including more than 16 applications for new houses. The Council supported the Preservation Society’s application to create a Conservation Area in the Birch Tree, Bower and Grove Lanes area.

As for the future, the Council had set a balanced budget for 2005/6, with an increase of only 2.3% in the Parish Council's charge to local council taxpayers. As well as its routine expenditure, the Council intended to provide new furniture in the pavilion, and would continue to support activities, such as the Youth Cinema, which provide a direct benefit to Parishioners. It was hoped that, after many months of uncertainty, substantial funds would soon be available through the planning contributions system to enable us to carry out a number of capital projects which in the past would have been financed through the precept and grants from other bodies.

These projects were refurbishment of the museum to display the collection more effectively and in more suitable conditions, and to install a lavatory and wash-basin in the building: construction of a toddler playground in Church Meadow if the Church authorities agreed, and with financial assistance from the District Council: and supporting the Village Hall Committee’s plans for refurbishment and possible extension of the Village Hall. The meeting supported all these projects.

In his concluding remarks the Chairman spoke of the Parish Council’s unique rôle in the community, its democratic basis and the open way in which it conducted its business, its ability to improve local facilities and the local environment, and above all its independence. He regretted that this was in danger of being eroded through the growing number of central government initiatives and through over-reliance on planning contributions to fund projects in the Village. It was vital that the Council kept control over its finances, so that it could undertake projects which were of benefit to its Parishioners. Planning contributions were controlled by the planning authority, and should not be relied upon as regular sources of income. The Parish Council had scope to increase its precept, to raise more income from local Council tax, and to re-assert its financial independence. The Chairman hoped that the Council would take these factors into account in considering its future finances.

The Parish Clerk reported on the Council’s accounts. Receipts and payments were both much reduced in 2004/5 from the previous year because of the extensive work to the pavilion and Reading Room in 2003/4. The Council’s reserves were healthier than they had been a year ago, but the working balance was still lower than it had been in previous years. The Parish Council tax levy in 2005/6 showed only a small increase, and was one of the lowest Parish charges in Horsham District.

Questions were subsequently raised from the floor about the use of section 106 (planning gain) funds. Michael Jackson said that the District Council was working on a protocol to cover all aspects of section 106 agreements. All projects proposed by local groups would have to come through the Parish Council, for later consideration by a District Council committee. The Silver Bands would be kept fully informed of the progress of work to the museum, and the Band’s store cupboard would be preserved in the Reading Room.

The meeting supported the application of section 106 funds to finance repairs and refurbishment of the museum, construction of a toddler playground in church Meadow, and refurbishment and possible extension of the Village Hall.

(i) Geoff Adams spoke about the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, which the Parish Council supported financially.

(ii) Angela Prokopowicz asked if the Parish Council would resurface the drive from Mill Road to the Clubhouse. It was agreed that the Finance Committee would consider the matter when they met to discuss the 2006/7 precept.

There being no further formal business the Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 8.35 pm.

Chairman…………………………………………Date……………………

Councillor Mrs van den Bergh thanked the Council for inviting her to the meeting. This was the first Parish Council she had visited in her second term as Chairman of the District Council, and she was pleased to have attended a meeting in such an attractive part of the District.