PARISH OF WEST CHILTINGTON

 

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING 17th APRIL 2007

 

The Annual Parish Meeting for the Parish of West Chiltington was held at 7.00 pm on Tuesday 17th April 2007 in the New School Hall, West Chiltington Community School, East Street, West Chiltington. About 24 residents and guests were in attendance.

 

The Chairman of the Parish Council, Harvie Steele, presided. He welcomed all present and apologised that our guest speaker Mr Will Jones, Arboricultural Officer for Horsham District Council was sick and therefore unable to attend.

 

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

Apologies received from Neil Longson, Celia Rayner and Pat Arculus.

 

2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

 

These were available at the start of the meeting. The minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 11 April 2006

were agreed at the Parish Council meeting on the 9th May 2006 and signed by the Chairman on that date.

 

3. MATTERS ARISING

 

There were no matters arising from the minutes.

 

4. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 

 

The Chairman had presented a written report for attendees of the meeting but gave a brief synopsis to the meeting. The Chairman thanked all the Parish Councillors for their support during the year with particular thanks to Dennis Tyler (Vice-Chairman) and Michael Jackson, who is also our District Councillor. Thanks were also given to Pat Arculus, our County Councillor, for her attendance at meetings and her support at County level who was unable to attend due to another meeting. Thanks were also given to the Clerk, Litter Warden and Cleaner for their work over the year.

 

He also gave special thanks to the three retiring councillors Peter Knowles, Celia Rayner and Estelle Warriner for their contribution to the council, in Peter and Estelle’s case for 20 years.

 

Because there were only 13 candidates for the 13 seats the election is uncontested and all candidates were elected. He welcomed the attendance of the 3 new councillors elected Amanda Apps, Simon Booth and Ruth Simmonds who will take up their positions at the first meeting on the 8th May 2007

 

 The Council continued to support the sports clubs by improving the facilities in the pavilion in the recreation ground, and this year planned to renovate the storage shed, refurbish and renew the playground equipment and undertake repairs to the skate-ramp.

 

The plans for the refurbishment of the museum and provision of a toilet were still progressing and quotations for the work were being considered and funding has been agreed from Section 106 funds.

 

The Chairman asked if there were any questions.

 

In answer to a question from the floor from Andrew Apps “what were Section 106 funds?” he answered that they were a contribution made by the developer of new dwellings towards community facilities and transport improvements to compensate for the increased pressure placed on the parish facilities by increasing numbers of residents.

 

Peter Longley said that the footpath to London Copse from East Street contained 7 stiles and from Knowe Top bungalow 2 stiles to the copse making it very difficult for the less able to visit the wood and admire the daffodils and bluebells. He asked if the Parish Council now that they would save money by not holding a poll would consider paying for kissing gates to be installed if the land owner would not change the stiles. The Chairman said it was the responsibility of the landowner and as the fields were being used by livestock stiles were more practical and secure than gates and he was doubtful whether the Parish Council were authorised to carry out such work and was worried about setting a precedent for other paths. He was also concerned about the branches lying by the side of many of the lanes causing damage to cars and the Clerk informed him that the new Highway Rangers had been requested to carry out removal work and clear the drains and gullies.

 

Another resident raised the problem of poor visibility when exiting Brambledown Lane into Common Hill. Visibility to the right was extremely restricted and an accident was likely to occur, particularly as traffic is often travelling in excess of the speed limit and asked whether the owners of the property on the corner could be asked to trim back their trees. The Clerk agreed to investigate and see if a solution could be reached to reduce the problem.

 

Barry Wright, representing the West Chiltington Rural Preservation Society, had presented the Clerk at the beginning of the meeting with a list of questions needing answers and a timetable for implementation. They centred on the adoption by Horsham District Council of the Local Development Framework (LDF) and the implementation of policy CP5. The Parish Council were asked to answer in due course what revisions were to be made to the planning system, how would the Village Design Statement need to be amended for incorporation into the new planning policy and did the Parish Council have any information on the activities of the tree surgeons acting for EDF who were cutting down all trees under power lines to 3 metres.

 

David Jenkins, District Councillor and Head of Strategic Planning at Horsham District Council was asked to comment by the Chairman. He stated that West Chiltington was now a Category 2 settlement in the LDF which requires all new developments to meet identified local needs for housing. A survey should be undertaken to identify those needs and Horsham District Council would issue guidelines to Parish Councils. The Village Design Statement would also have to be changed to integrate with the new policies and a parish working group would be set up once the necessary changes had been identified. No directives would be issued until after the forthcoming elections.

 

The Clerk reported that following discussion with Will Jones it seems EDF have a statutory right to cut the trees to any height required, but would take into consideration any trees subject to a TPO.

 

William Marsden thought the Parish Council had not done enough to stop development, particularly along Harborough Hill. Michael Jackson refuted that suggestion and said the Parish and District Council had objected to and refused a number of applications in the area but could only object on genuine planning grounds and that to risk being over turned at appeal due to not applying planning policy correctly would be both costly and leave the council with no control over the development.

 

Following the earlier question about footpaths it was pointed out that a number of paths were overgrown and in need of clearing. The Clerk said that WSCC were responsible for maintaining and clearing paths but due to budget constraints this would only take place every 18 months. He said Coldwaltham had a system of reporting problems by a number of volunteer footpath wardens back to the Clerk and questioned whether a similar scheme could be set up in West Chiltington. A number of residents thought this a good idea and volunteered to clear overgrown paths and the Clerk said he would raise the subject in the next Newsletter.

 

 

5. CLERK’S FINANCIAL REPORT

 

The Clerk had prepared a written report for the meeting containing details of receipts and payments and bank balances at the 31st March 2007. Receipts were higher than the previous year at £59,573, but expenditure was also higher at £51,751 due increased cost of electricity for the pavilion and Reading room and increased grants.  The Council’s reserves had increased by almost £8000 and the unallocated reserves by £4000, more in line with previous years. Although the Parish Council Precept had risen by £0.90 on a Band D property (3.98%), it still remained the ninth lowest of the Horsham District Parishes, 50% less than the average of our neighbouring parishes and two thirds of the average for the Horsham District.

 

 

6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

There being no further formal business the Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 8.15 pm.

 

 

Chairman…………………………………………Date……………………

 

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