Minutes March 2005

Minutes of the Meeting held on 21st March 2005 at 7pm in Birdham Village Hall

Present: Cllr Tilbury; Cllr Drew; Cllr Mrs Rees; Cllr Mrs Baillieu; Cllr Ms Huskisson; Cllr Meynell; Cllr Churchill

In attendance: District Cllr Jones; the Clerk and two members of the public.

114-04cl. Apologies were received from Cllr Kyte and Cllr Mrs Parks

115-04cl. To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 21st February 2005 It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Rees and seconded by Cllr Drew RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 21st February 2005 and that they be signed by the Chairman.

116-04cl. Matters arising from the Minutes dated 21st February 2005
i) Min 105-04cl v) Code of Conduct - the Clerk reported that she had received a reply from the District Solicitor which says that while councillors have a duty to cooperate with the Ethical Standards Officer or his Investigator, there would be no objection to the Councillor agreeing to a more convenient time to discuss the matter by telephone or to arrange to meet them at an agreed time without being obstructive, which is a criminal offence. The Principal Legal Advisor at the Standards Board also advises that information obtained by an Ethical Standards Officer's investigation must not be disclosed unless certain provisions apply, so councillors must not discuss these matters except with their legal adviser. It was agreed to send copies of the letter to all councillors with their next set of papers.
ii) Min 105-04cl vi) Martlet Homes - Cllr Mrs Rees reported that she had drafted a letter to be sent about the fete.
iii) Min 105-04cl vii) Repairs to notice board - the Clerk reported that she had chased up Mr Talbot about this.
iv) Min 106-04cl c ii) Criteria for Review of National Park or AONB - Cllr Ms Huskisson reported that there was nothing to comment on.
v) Min 106-04cl c ix) South East Development Plan - it was agreed that councillors would send their responses to the Clerk and she with the Chairman would write a response.

117-04cl. Clerk's Report including:
a) WSCC Reports, highways matters and correspondence
i) The Council has been notified about the Route Speed Management Schemes which are to be imposed on the A286. If the Council has any comments they need to be made by Thursday 24th March. It was agreed that the Chairman would reply to this.
ii) West Sussex Structure Plan 2001-2016 - this document has been received and has been placed in the correspondence file for circulation.
iii) Information about the Mobile Household Waste Service has been received and a copy placed on the notice board by the church.
iv) There is to be an Equine Road Safety Event at the All England Jumping Course at Hickstead on 1st June. This was noted and would be placed on the notice board.
b) CDC Reports including correspondence
i) The Council has received a Burial Grounds Survey, which wishes to know if there are any burial grounds, including disused ones, within the parish, but excluding the one owned by the Church, which has been surveyed separately. It was agreed that there was no such ground in the parish.
ii) The Flooding Survey is due to be returned at the end of this month. Cllr Mrs Rees will send it off.
iii) A copy of an LDF background document - Assessment of Community Facilities has been sent to the Council. It has been placed in the correspondence file.
c) Other related matters
i) defra has written about rolling out broadband to rural communities - this includes a CD Rom which has been placed in the correspondence file.
ii) SALC has sent details of courses to be held - on 10-12 June there will be a course for Councillors and clerks, and advanced councillors' training will be held on 28-30 October and 2-4 December. Further details will be available in due course.
iii) The Highways Agency has replied to the Council's letter about the A27 proposals and said that the comments will be taken into account when analysing the responses.
iv) Manhood Mobility has written to thank the Council for the donation of £100.
v) Action in Rural Sussex has appointed a rural housing enabler, Carol Booker, who has written to introduce herself, and offers to work with the Council to help with the provision of affordable housing. It was decided to invite her to the July meeting.
vi) The Clerk has attended two training sessions since the last meeting - one on the new salary scales for Clerks, which will entail re-calculating the rate at which the clerk will be paid in future, and one on the AQA certificate, which has changed its name to Cilca, and which she hopes will help her with her work for this qualification.
vii) The Clerk has received a letter from a resident of Cherry Lane thanking the Council for having had the speed restriction signs in Church Lane up-dated, and adding that he would himself undertake to cut back the brambles around the restricted bend warning sign in the ditch. It was agreed to reply and thank him.

118-04cl. Planning Matters including CDC decisions
A Planning paper had been circulated to all councillors.
Plans to be considered by the meeting:

BI/05/00705/FUL - Mrs S Vernon re Shepherds, Alandale Road, Birdham - Conversion of sub station to dwelling - It was proposed by Cllr Tilbury and seconded by Cllr Drew RESOLVED NO OBJECTION but the Council would wish to draw attention to the dormer windows on the first floor which some feel are architecturally inappropriate and could be improved.

BI/05/00799/DOM - Mr and Mrs P Lake, 70, Crooked Lane, Birdham PO20 7HA - single storey side extension, front cross over and hardstanding - It was proposed by Cllr Drew and seconded by Cllr Mrs Rees RESOLVED NO OBJECTION.

BI/05/00763/DOM - Kenneth Swayne, Pentlands, 5, Burlow Close, Birdham PO20 7ES - Addition of bedroom and bathroom to side of bungalow and a detached garage - it was proposed by Cllr Mrs Baillieu and seconded by Cllr Mrs Rees RESOLVED NO OBJECTION

Plans considered since the last meeting to be ratified:

BI/05/00566/FUL
Westlands Lane, Birdham

Birdham Parish Council wishes to OBJECT to this application. We stated our objections when the first application was made and would refer you back to them. We feel that, although some of our points have been met and the details of the environmental plan are clearer on the new application, we are still unhappy about this development. A picturesque pair of farm labourers' cottages, built about a hundred years ago, which make an important contribution to the mix of dwellings in the village, will be demolished to make way for this new build. The cottages have largely maintained their original integrity and in our view could qualify for Listing. A rebuild on an adjacent site would be an unnecessary erosion of a village feature.

BI/05/00507/FUL
Unit at Elstead, Birdham Road

The Council, which has always been unhappy about the development of this site, does NOT OBJECT to the resting of the car park but is concerned about the visual intrusion of the parked cars into the landscape at this point. The site is clearly visible from the road and footpath adjacent to Chichester Marina and the view has been of open landscape until now. The other car park at Martin's Barn is surrounded by an earth and grass bank to minimise the intrusion into the landscape. We would like to see this done with the new car park too.

It was proposed by Cllr Churchill and seconded by Cllr Drew RESOLVED to ratify the decisions made since the last meeting.

CDC Decisions:

BI/04/04445/FUL - Mr and Mrs Gardner, Houseboat Inanda, Chichester Marina, Birdham PO20 7EJ - Erection of new houseboat to replace the one burned down in January 2004 - PERMIT
BI/04/04373/DOM - Mr and Mrs Lansley, Oakwood Cottage, Sidlesham Lane, Birdham PO20 7QL - Raising of roof to provide living accommodation with dormers to south elevation and erection of conservatory - PERMIT

A copy of a letter sent to CDC has been received drawing attention to the removal of hedgerow at North Cottage, Sidlesham Lane. It was decided note this.
The Greenlines Nursery application is being sent to committee and the responses from the applicant were read out by the chairman.

119-04cl. Correspondence
Correspondence to be circulated includes:
Defra - Making sense of broadband (CD-rom)
CPRE - Houses and Gardens 2005
Harbour Bus timetable
Clerks and Councils Direct March 2005
Playtoday March/April 2005
Icis spring newsletter
Chichester Ship Canal Trust Newsletter Spring 2005
CPRE Sussex Review Spring 2005
Harbour Views and events 2005
Local Council Review March 2005
West Sussex Structure Plan 2001-2016
WSCC Forward Plan of Key Decisions April - July 2005
Action in Rural Sussex - Information

120-04cl. Reports:
i) Village Hall - the Chairman reported that progress has been made, and various ideas about what might be done are circulating. Building Regulations permission is being applied for. Cllr Mrs Rees felt that the plans should go on the web-site for the public to see.

ii) Play Area Report and Playing Field - Cllr Churchill reported that the roundabout needs some regulation. The report from CDC said that the spring on the gate was broken.

iii) Village Green and Pond - the Chairman reported that the Village Green does indeed belong to the Parish Council since 1967.
iv) Footpaths and Bridleways - there was nothing to report
v) Neighbourhood Watch - there was no report

121-04cl. Finance
A financial situation report had been circulated to all councillors.
Payments made since the last meeting to be ratified:

Standing order to Saskia Heasman (February salary) 371.23
Chichester District Council (building regs re Village Hall) 398.80

Receipts, current account (photocopies, West Itchenor PC and Apuldram Parish meeting
56.10
Receipts, Village Hall account - nil
Receipts, BRA (interest) 46.80
Receipts, National Savings (interest for 2004) 167.12

Payments to be considered:

Mrs Geary, litter, March 65.00
Mrs S Heasman, expenses 44.43
SALC - subscription (includes 40.28 VAT) 296.43
SLCC - conference fee for Clerk (agreed at February meeting) 33.00
Victim Support Sussex (agreed at February meeting) 50.00
The Samaritans (agreed at June meeting 04) 50.00
4Sight (agreed at June meeting 04) 50.00

Notes

Notice has been given to transfer £1,000 from the BRA with effect from today, and also £398.80 from the Village Hall account for the building regulations money.

It was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Mrs Rees RESOLVED to approve the Financial Report.

122-04cl. Reports of any meetings attended by Councillors
There were none.
123-04cl. To consider any urgent matters which the Chairman may wish to lay before the Council Newletter - mentions ditches and drainage, there are problems with ditches which are blocked.

124-04cl. Public session Nobody wished to comment.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.57pm