Minutes January 2005

Minutes of the Meeting held on 17th January 2005 at 7pm in Birdham Village Hall

Present: Cllr Ms Huskisson; Cllr Tilbury; Cllr Meynell; Cllr Mrs Rees; Cllr Mrs Baillieu; Cllr Kyte; Cllr Drew;
Cllr Churchill In attendance: The Clerk, County Cllr Daws-Chew; a member of the press; District Cllr Davies; District Cllr
Jones; 2 members of the public

92-04cl. Apologies: were received from Cllr Mrs Parks.

93-04cl. Minutes of the Meeting held on 20th December 2004 It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Rees and
seconded by Cllr Meynell RESOLVED to approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 20th December 2004
and that they be signed by the Chairman.

94-04cl. Matters arising from the Minutes dated 20th December 2004
i) Min 83-04cl - code of Conduct training - Cllr Drew and Cllr Mrs Baillieu reported that for any
incident which may be reported to the Standards Board one could receive a phone call at home without any
warning. An Ethical Standards Officer may not even be legally trained. It could cost œ1000 to defend a case.
Questions over relationships and what constitutes a "friend". People do not have to respond when spoken to.
Agreed to take this up with the District Solicitor to say it is a point of English law that people should not
incriminate themselves, and possibly to write to the Standards Board for England to ask for it to be made
clear to anyone being investigated that they do not have to reply immediately. Need to look into cover for
corporate responsibility. Cllr Drew further reported that the trees on Westlands Lane are now very
dangerous.
ii) Min 84-04cl a iii) Stakeholder consultation 2004 - local Transport Plan 2006-2016 - Cllr Mrs Rees
reported that it should go in the correspondence file. She has highlighted some sections. A lot of mention of
buses, generally encouraging. Schools have a key role to play in transport. Cllr Mrs Rees will consult with Cllr
Meynell and Cllr Churchill before completing the response.
iii) Min 84-04cl ii) Facilities for Children and Young People in the Parish - Cllr Mrs Baillieu reported
she had responded to the questionnaire.
iv) Min 87-04cl v) Neighbourhood Watch - The Clerk reported that when she had put up notices on
the board on Crooked Lane on Monday 10th January she noticed that the remaining Perspex panel had been
hit in two places and had shatter marks on it.
v) Min 84-04cl c xi) Claytons Corner - the Chairman reported that he had spoken to Rodney Haggar
to ask about a mirror at the end of St James Close and the parking problems at the junction of Crooked Lane
and Church Lane. WSCC would not give permission for a mirror.

95-04cl. Clerk's Report including:
a) WSCC Reports, highway matters and correspondence
i) The Council has been informed about the Draft South East plan and that SEERA will be consulting the
public on this with a launch on 24th January 2005 and a 12-week consultation period. There will be workshops,
information leaflets etc. The County Council will also be holding public meetings, workshops and conferences
on the subject. If the Council would like a speaker from WSCC they may ask for one. After discussion it was
decided to ask for a speaker to address us for half an hour.
ii) The Council has been sent a copy of the Statement of Community Involvement: Preferred Option
Consultation Document. Comments are required by 18th February - Cllr Mrs Rees agreed to look at this for
the Council.
iii) Further information has been sent about ways to prevent waste, which will be placed in the
correspondence file.
iv) Councillors were reminded about the meeting on the A27 to be held at Donnington on 24th January at 7pm.
b) CDC Reports including correspondence
i) The Council has received information about the Joint Fund for Community Transport in Chichester District
which is a small grants scheme for not-for-profit organisations providing transport to residents of
Chichester District who are not able to access public transport services. This was noted and will be passed
to Manhood Mobility in case they have not seen it.
ii) CDC will be holding a number of workshops on the Local Development Framework which are open to the
public. The ones in this area are on Thursday 3rd February, 10.30-12.30 or 19.00-21.00 at Earnley Concourse
or in the Assembly Rooms on Saturday 5th February 10.00-12.00 or Friday 11th February 10.30-12.30 or
18.00-20.00.
c) Other related matters
i) Manhood Mobility has written asking for this year's contribution from the Council. After discussion the
Clerk agreed to check up what had been donated in previous years.
ii) Martlet Homes have written with a copy of their The Phoenix residents' magazine, which has been placed
in the correspondence file. It was agreed to ask to be on their mailing list. They also say that they have
funds available for estate based/community projects which will benefit residents and their children. It was
agreed that the clerk should write to ask whether some contribution to the fete would be considered
appropriate.
iii) The Clerk has received from the Conservancy by email a number of documents about the East Head
situation with a request that they be put on the web-site. She has forwarded them to Clive Loseby for that
to be done.
iv) Martlet Homes have also contacted the Clerk about a proposed scheme for parking at Farne Lane and
Farne Close. They will be holding a meeting on 25th January at 7pm in Birdham Village Hall to show residents
the proposals.
v) The Clerk has received an email from East Wittering and Bracklesham Parish Council about the setting up
of Community Speedwatch groups. The cost for setting up such a group would be œ1000, which would be
œ200 each if five parishes get together. If the Council would be interested in finding out more initially, PC
Hillman would give a presentation for the parishes, which East Wittering would arrange for us all. After
discussion it was agreed to attend a presentation.
vi) Chichester Harbour Conservancy has sent a copy of the Harbour AONB Management Plan for comments
by 4th February. There is a problem in that only one copy has been sent for three parishes - whilst West
Itchenor has their own access to a copy, Apuldram will need time to look at it as well - could the councillor
who replies on behalf of the Council please return it to the Clerk within 10 days so it can go to Apuldram?
Cllr Ms Huskisson agreed to look at this for the Council.
vii) The Clerk has received a letter from the Office of The Deputy Prime Minister about the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. The Clerk to the Council is to be the authorised qualified person to dispense
information, and the Chairman is to be the secondary authorised person.

96-04cl. Planning matters including CDC decisions
Planning Matters for Meeting of 17th January 2005

Plans to be considered by the Council:

BI/04/04199/LBC - Mr D Pick, re Whitestone Farm, Main Road, Birdham PO20 7HU - Change of use from a
loading bay/platform to a car park by reducing hits height and increasing its size. It was proposed by Cllr
Drew and seconded by Cllr Meynell RESOLVED NO OBJECTION

Decisions made by the Council to be ratified:

BI/04/04373/ DOM - Mr and Mrs J Lansley, Oakwood Cottage, Sidlesham Lane, Birdham PO20 7QL -
Raising of roof to provide living accommodation with dormers to South elevation and erection of
conservatory -
This application should be looked at in conjunction with BI/02/02566/ELD which granted retrospective
permission for the building described as Oakwood Cottage. In a letter to the District Council of the 9th
October 2002, Birdham Parish Council noted that "the subject of the application is a small building, used now
as a store. While the Council has no objection to this application [a certificate of lawful use], which follows
logically from the earlier one [removal of the agricultural tie on the main house: Oakwood], we would be
strongly opposed to any further development along the south side of Alandale Road which is outside the
Settlement Policy Area. [The Council] would not wish to see the subject of the present application sold
separately from the main house "Oakwood"".

In granting the application, however, the District Council went much further and granted not only the
application but, against the wishes of the Parish Council, turned what had been referred to in the application
as the "site" into a separate curtilage for the building.

This present application is the consequence of that action and Birdham Parish Council wishes to be entirely
consistent with its previous comments in OBJECTING to it. The proposed application is for a two storey
building which would be quite out of character with the south side of Alandale Road, where there are at
present no other houses. The present single storey annexe does not intrude into the open landscape; the new
one would. And it would also set a precedent for that side of the road such that, in future, there might be a
presumption to allow further development. The application also gives no indication of access to the proposed
development should it cease to be an annexe to "Oakwood" and become a separate residence. Birdham Council
would certainly be opposed to egress onto Alandale Road which would involve breaching a hedgerow and
bridging a ditch which, from the applicants' own researches, date back at least to 1793.

BI/04/04387/DOM - Mr and Mrs K Swayne, Pentlands, 5 Burlow Close, Birdham, PO20 7BS - Single storey
side extension and porch - The Council has NO OBJECTION to this application.

BI/04/04391/DOM - Mr and Mrs J Hayward, 9 Bell Lane, Birdham PO20 7HX - Alterations, single and two
storey extensions -
The proposed extension is not dissimilar to a number of others in this road and the materials match. Our one
concern was the shared entry between the two houses. We know that the owners of the next door house
(number 8 Bell Lane) have expressed some reservations since they became aware of just how close number 9
will be to the site boundary (20cms at the front and 70cms at the back). Nonetheless, a space of one metre
is maintained between the houses and, if the neighbours can agree, the Council has NO OBJECTION to this
application.

BI/04/04400/DOM - Mr D Mitchell, 8, Longmeadow Gardens, Birdham PO20 7HP - Single storey side
extension - The Council has NO OBJECTION to this application.

BI/04/04445/FUL - Mr and Mrs Gardner, Houseboat Willowbank (Formerly Inanda), Chichester Marina,
Birdham, PO20 7EJ - Erect new houseboat to replace the one which burnt down in Jan 2004 - The Council
has no objection to the design of the houseboat and is pleased that dark cladding will provide a contrast with
the neighbouring boat. We do feel that white uPVC windows will form a very stark contrast with the dark
cladding however, and would suggest that the window colour be reconsidered. It would have been better to
give us some clearer indication of the actual layout of the windows.

The fact that this boat is replacing another which was burnt out in a fire reminds us of the maintenance of a
fire gap between the boats. We consulted Premier Marinas on this subject and they found that there were
no regulations on the matter but said that in future they would regard three metres (as in the Caravan
Regulations) to be a sensible distance. We trust this will be observed on this occasion.

Apart from these points the Council raises NO OBJECTION to this application.

BI/04/04363/DOM - G. Pick, Brierey Cottage, Pinks Lane, Birdham PO20 7HX - Two storey side extension
and rebuilding and extending old barn -
We visited the site since this is clearly a significant development and lies outside the Settlement Policy
Area. We have no hesitation in registering NO OBJECTION to the application AS FAR AS THE MAIN
HOUSE IS CONCERNED. We see this as a thoroughly sympathetic development of the rather tumbledown
existing buildings and achieved without an increase in the building mass.

We did note on our visit that there was a floor slab for a building the size of a garage to the west of the
house and this is not shown on the plans submitted.

We are more concerned about the demolition and redevelopment of the Barn. The present structure clearly
has a limited life but it is single storey. What is proposed is two-storey as well as an extension of the
building. We would like to ensure that there is no potential to develop this building into a separate residence
by placing conditions on it that it must be used only for garaging and agricultural use and that it must not be
sold separately from the main house. We would OBJECT to a grant of permission without these conditions.

It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Rees and seconded by Cllr Drew RESOLVED to ratify the above decisions.

CDC Decisions

BI/04/03825/FUL - Birdham Parish Council re Birdham Village Hall - Extension to main hall, new roof and
internal alterations - PERMIT

BI/04/04002/DOM - Mr and Mrs Wigmore re Westlands Holt, Birdham PO20 7HJ - Extensions and
alterations, including first floor balcony and external staircase (Including amendment to balcony and
staircase) - PERMIT

BI/04/04007/FUL - Chichester Yacht Club, Birdham PO20 7EJ - Erection of temporary buildings during
construction period for rebuilding of clubhouse - PERMIT

Cornerstones - Pescotts Close - comments were made by a resident of the road who disagreed with the
Council's decision. As the plan is inaccurate the Clerk to draw this to the Planning Officer's attention and ask
to see an accurate one.
Enforcement - the Chairman has written to the Enforcement officers on 21st December re Broomer Farm,
the stable/hay barn and the track which have not had a planning application, ditch dug out and filled in with
hedge on it, and another small hay barn which has no plans. Wophams Nursery - permission has been granted
for several greenhouses, but there is no evidence of planning applications for some of the houses. Also
Birdham Fruit Farm.

97-04cl. Correspondence
Correspondence to be circulated includes:

WSCC - items about rubbish
WSCC Highways and Transport in West Sussex - Fact sheets
Clerks and councils Direct January 2005
Local Councils Update Issue 59
Local Council Review January 2005
The Phoenix Residents' Magazine - Winter 2004
The South East Plan - posters
Local Development Framework - posters

98-04cl. Reports:
i) Village Hall - the Chairman reported that the planning permission for the hall works had been
received. He further reported there will be a users' meeting tomorrow night and will be a meeting of the
trustees to produce a business plan. Cllr Meynell drafted a letter to a number of architects but has not yet
had time to look at these in detail. It was agreed to leave it to the sub-committee to decide on the best
quote.
The Village Hall trustees will need to be sure that they are not personally liable and the Council will look into
insurance against this.
ii) Play Area Report and Playing Field - the Clerk reported that Knights Fencing had been approached
to install the new goal posts and the sleeves have been done. Cllr Churchill reported everything seems to be
in order.
iii) Village Green and Pond - The Clerk reported that she had spoken to Trevor Leggo of SALC about
the insurance position of the pond, and he recommends that we ask Rospa to do a risk assessment of it prior
to having it added to the insurance schedule for the Public Liability insurance. This assessment should cost
around œ69. After discussion it was proposed by Cllr Huskisson and seconded by Cllr Drew RESOLVED to
ask Rospa for an assessment of the risks.
When Cmdr Clarke spoke to the Clerk this morning he was concerned about the fact that the weed in the
pond is now clogging the outfall. He is also concerned that the hedge where the field borders Court Barn
Lane has not been cut and this also affects the drainage , particularly the outflow under the culvert and the
drain from the north side of the field. Cllr Ms Huskisson then reported that the pond will be cleared on 30th
January but we need to negotiate access. The Clerk will check the landowner. The fence is not the agreed
two metres.
iv) Footpaths and bridleways - nothing to report
v) Neighbourhood Watch - Cmdr Clarke had had nothing to report. The chairman reported that the
poplar tree which had been attacked had to be cut down at a cost of œ225. Westlands lane trees.

99-04cl. 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 (December salary) 371.23
Standing Order to GE Capital Finance (photocopier payment, inc. 13.93 VAT) 93.52
DB Woodland Services (poplar tree) 225.00
CDC - grass cutting (inc. 26.25 VAT) 176.25
Southern Electric (street lights electricity, inc 4.51 VAT) 94.88

Receipts, current account (photocopies and phone bill, West Itchenor PC) 37.60
Receipts, Village Hall account - interest 59.68
Receipts, BRA - nil

Payments to be considered:

Mrs Geary - litter, January 65.00
Adrian Dover - grass and bus stop tidy, December 32.00
Mrs S Heasman - expenses 76.29
WSCC - streetlight maintenance (inc 21.77 VAT) 146.18
The Samaritans ( Sec 137, as previously agreed) 50.00

Notes:

Knights Fencing have quoted œ220 plus VAT for installing the new goal posts. In order to meet this month's
bills the Clerk has arranged for œ1000 to be transferred from the BRA to the current account on 20th
January.
It was proposed by Cllr Drew and seconded by Cllr Kyte RESOLVED to approve the financial report.

100-04cl. Reports of any meetings attended by Councillors - there were none.

101-04cl. To consider any urgent matters which the Chairman may wish to lay before the Council -
there were none

102-04cl. Public Session - Nothing was raised.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.05pm