The Annual Parish Council Meeting of West Chiltington Parish Council was held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 10 May 2005 in the Parish Office at the Reading Room, Church Street, West Chiltington.
Present: James Mursell (Retiring Chairman), Neil Longson (Vice-Chairmen), Celia Rayner, Estelle Warriner, Michael Jackson, Peter Knowles, Ken Line, Pietro di Marino, Paul Royce, Harvie Steele, Dennis Tyler, Roger Watts.
Also in attendance: Peter Evans (Clerk), Tony Thomas (Clerk Designate), 2 members of the public.
The Retiring Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed everyone.
1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
It was proposed by Estelle Warriner, seconded by Neil Longson and resolved unanimously that Harvie Steele serve as Chairman of the Parish Council for the municipal year to May 2006. Harvie thanked members and signed his Declaration of Acceptance of Office as Chairman.
2. ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN
It was proposed by Celia Rayner, seconded by Pietro di Marino and resolved unanimously that Neil Longson serve as Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council for the municipal year to May 2006.
Neil proposed a vote of thanks to James Mursell for his contribution to the Council and to the Village in 6 years as Chairman of the Council. On behalf of the Council he presented James with a set of books as a token of appreciation.
The Clerk outlined the procedure for appointing a new member to the Council. If local electors did not request a by-election, the Council would co-opt a new member.
Peter Evans was standing down as Clerk at the end of June. Neil thanked him for his work for the Council, and presented him with a carriage clock on behalf of the Council.
3. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Jonathan Trees, County Councillor Pat Arculus.
4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
It was proposed by Roger Watts, seconded by Dennis Tyler and resolved to approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 8 March 2005 as a correct record of the meeting. The Chairman signed the minutes.
5. MATTERS ARISING
(i) Annual Parish Meeting (minute 3(ii), 8 March 2005: the meeting had been well attended, with some 40 local residents present, despite the absence of a guest speaker. The County Times had carried a full report of proceedings.
Copies of the reports to the meeting were still available from the Clerk.
6. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEES AND OTHER BODIES
It was agreed that the Chairman of the Council did not need to chair each committee, and the Vice-Chairman offered to chair the Open Spaces Committee.
The following appointments were then made for the municipal year to May 2006:
Planning Committee: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Celia Rayner, Estelle Warriner, Michael Jackson, Pietro di Marino, Paul Royce, Jonathan Trees, Dennis Tyler, Roger Watts.
Finance Committee: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Estelle Warriner, Michael Jackson, Roger Watts.
Open Spaces & Environment Committee: Vice-Chairman, Celia Rayner, Ken Line, Peter Knowles, Pietro di Marino, Jonathan Trees. The Vice-Chairman would act as chairman of the Committee.
Horsham Association of Local Councils: Estelle Warriner, Jonathan Trees.
Village Hall Committee representative: Estelle Warriner.
Smyth Trust: Parish Council appointments - Alma Steele, Gail Vickers, Estelle Warriner, Tony Thomas.
Transport Representative: Peter Knowles.
Rights of Way Warden: Paul Royce.
Tree Wardens: Celia Rayner, Jonathan Trees
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS
(i) Finance Committee
(a) Planning Gain: members noted the latest correspondence from the District Council about use of planning gain funds for museum refurbishment. The Council’s Surveyor was to inspect the building shortly, with the intention of producing a schedule of works and budget prices.
It was agreed that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman would attend the meeting with the Surveyor, and other members were welcome to attend if they wished.
(b) Payments and Receipts: the Clerk reported payments and receipts since the last meeting, the accounts summary at 31 March 2005, and transactions since 1 April and balances to date.
It was proposed by Roger Watts, seconded by Michael Jackson and agreed to approve the list of payments made from 9 – 31 March totalling £5595.60.
It was then proposed by Ken Line, seconded by Michael Jackson and agreed to approve the list of payments made from 1 April – 10 May totalling £4732.89.
(c) Bank Accounts: the Council’s bankers had now supplied an application form for a Special Interest Bearing Account (SIBA). It was agreed to open the account and update the list of current signatories as soon as the bank had sent a new mandate form.
(d) Audit 2004/5: the external audit had been arranged for August. The 2004/5 accounts were closed and balanced, and copies had been circulated at the Annual Parish Meeting.
Peter Anderson, Clerk to Thakeham PC, would carry out the internal work shortly.
(i) Open Spaces
(a) Cricket Pavilion: a date had yet to be fixed for a meeting with the sports clubs. Pietro di Marino offered to act as one of the Council’s representatives, along with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Michael Jackson.
The Croquet Club had received a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions about disabled access to the pavilion. It was agreed to discuss the matter with the sports clubs, and to ask the Surveyor for suggestions.
The plumbers had attended to a blocked lavatory in the pavilion. If responsibility lay with one of the sports clubs, Michael Jackson suggested that the club concerned be asked to meet the cost of the work.
(b) Toddler Playground, Church Meadow: Estelle Warriner and Michael Jackson had attended the PCC meeting in March, at which the PCC agreed to lease part of Church Meadow to the Council for construction of a playground. The Church’s solicitors had subsequently asked the Parish Council to provide them with funds of some £1,700 for work on drawing up a 10-year lease, and on a licence to lay out the playground. The Clerk had sought the views of the District Council’s Officers on what was proposed.
Members thought the costs quoted were somewhat high. Michael Jackson suggested that the Clerk ask the District Council’s Legal Staff if they would be prepared to take on the legal work.
(c) Hayling Pond Green: the Clerk had spoken to the owners of an adjacent property, whose building materials had been stored on the Green. The area affected would be reinstated when building work was complete.
(d) Tennis Club: the Club had written to ask the Council to 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.
(e) Extinguishment of right of way: members had no objection to a proposal from the County Council to extinguish a bypassed and unused stretch of a bridleway from the corner of Threals Lane to Thakeham.
Similarly members had no objection to a proposal for a minor diversion of a bridleway at Gay Street Farm.
(f) Fly-tipping: the District Council was concerned about the prevalence of fly-tipping in the area. Members of the public were encouraged to report any incidents to the District Council. It was agreed to draw attention to the problem in the Parish Magazine report.
8. REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE – NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
The Clerk read a letter from the local Neighbourhood Watch organiser about the activities of the group and its funding. Members recalled that they had given a grant of £130 to the Group a year ago. It was proposed by Michael Jackson, seconded by Pietro di Marino and agreed to give a grant of £100 to the Group.
9. APPOINTMENT OF PARISH CLERK
As Chairman of the appointing sub-committee, the Vice-Chairman introduced Tony Thomas, who had been appointed Parish Clerk from 1 July. Tony was currently working alongside the outgoing Clerk, and looked forward to working with the Council.
The Clerk would supply Tony’s contact details to members.
10. PLANNING MATTERS
(i) Planning list: members noted the list of planning applications, decisions and appeals since the last meeting.
Michael Jackson commented a number of applications:
- a new application was expected now that DC/05/0148, for erection of 2 detached dwellings on land north of Longmead and Inglewood and Careys, Haglands Lane, had been refused
- it was assumed that application DC/05/0665, for retention of 1.8 metre high fence and gate at East View, Harbolets Road, had been refused on highways grounds
- if DC/04/2430, for demolition of existing dwelling garages and erection of 2 dwellings with garages at Greenways, Lordings Lane, were permitted, a section 106 agreement would be negotiated to ensure that any damage to Lordings Lane was repaired
(ii) Tree Preservation Order: the District Council had confirmed a TPO on 2 oak trees at Kensington Close.
(iii) Planning Committee meeting: it was agreed to hold a meeting of the Planning Committee on Tuesday 24 May.
11. CORRESPONDENCE
(i) The Sussex Association of Local Councils were holding training courses in June, October and December.
(ii) The County Council had given notice of the closure of Smock Alley for bridge repairs for 7 weeks from 9 May. Roger Watts was concerned that closure would have an adverse effect on local businesses, and asked if the work could be carried out later in the year.
The Clerk would speak to the Highways Inspector.
(iii) The County Council sought the Council’s views on introducing a speed limit in Gay Street. The preliminary view of the Parish Council was that the introduction of a lower limit was not necessary, as the width and characteristics of the road did not encourage speeding; and the number of road signs which would have to be erected, to show the new limit, would be harmful to the rural character and visual amenities of the area. The views of local residents would be sought before the Council responded formally.
(iv) Formal notice of the new speed limit at Broadford Bridge had been received.
(v) Contact details for the local Police and Community Support Officers would be provided to all members.
(vi) The County Council’s latest newsletter on waste management was available.
(vii) The Rural Housing Trust had supplied a handbook on shared equity schemes, of interest to anyone wishing to buy a property in Steele Close.
(viii) The District Council invited members to attend the civic service at St Mary’s Church Horsham on 19 June.
(ix) Local Council magazines were available for members.
12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS AT THE CHAIRMAN’S DISCRETION
(i) Ken Line said that rats were in evidence at the allotments. The Clerk would ask the District Council to recommend a pest control operative.
(ii) Paul Royce offered an aerobic digester free to a good home.
(iii) Michael Jackson asked what funding had been provided for pavilion furniture. The Clerk would check the budget.
(iv) A firm of highways contractors was prepared to infill the chippings dump in Southlands Lane – at a price. The Parish Council had always understood that the work would be carried out at no cost to the Council, and the Clerk had asked for a breakdown of what the cost might be. The Parish Council had earlier proposed to carry out some of the work as volunteers.
(v) Estelle Warriner reported on 2 close-boarded fences, recently erected at properties in The Common and in Monkmead Lane. Both had been referred to the Enforcement Officer at the District Council.
(vi) Roger Watts circulated a copy of a newsletter produced by a neighbouring parish council. It was agreed that it would be useful to produce a similar newsletter to publicise the next parish council elections in May 2007.
(vii) Neil Longson suggested that the summer holidays free tennis scheme at the recreation ground should be better publicised. Michael Jackson regretted that take-up in the past had been disappointing. He suggested that the Council pay to the Tennis Club only the actual cost of hire of the courts for free tennis, rather than a grant.
ADJOURNMENT
Maureen Tully was concerned that removal of part of the partition wall in the Reading Room would reduce the space available for displaying exhibits. The precise internal reordering of the building was still subject to agreement, and Maureen was invited to attend the forthcoming meeting with the Council’s surveyor.
Ann Salmon suggested that more storage space be provided in the Parish Office. Some storage facilities had already been provided and there was money in the current year’s budget for more.
13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Next Parish Council meeting – Tuesday 12 July at 7.30 pm in the Reading Room.
There being no further business the Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 9.35 pm.