Minutes May 2004

Minutes of the Meeting held on 17th May 2004 at 7pm in Birdham Village Hall

Present: Cllr Tilbury; Cllr Mrs Baillieu; Cllr Mrs Rees; Cllr Kyte; Cllr Churchill; Cllr Mrs Parks; Cllr Drew; Cllr Ms Huskisson.

In attendance: The Clerk; District Councillor Peter Jones; a member of the press

12-04cl. Apologies were received from: Cllr Meynell.

13-04cl. Election of the Chairman of the Council and to receive Declaration of Office Nominations for the Chairman of the Council were called for. Cllr Mrs Parks proposed and Cllr Mrs Rees seconded, Cllr Tilbury was nominated. It was
RESOLVED that Cllr Tilbury be elected Chairman of the Council.
The Declaration of Office was read, signed by Cllr Tilbury and received.

14-04cl. Election of the Vice-Chairman of the Council and to receive Declaration of Office Nominations for the Vice-Chairman of the Council were called for. Cllr Drew proposed and Cllr Mrs Baillieu seconded, Cllr Mrs Rees was nominated. It was
RESOLVED that Cllr Mrs Rees be elected Vice-Chairman of the Council.
The Declaration of Office was read, signed by Cllr Mrs Rees and received.
The Chairman thanked the Vice-Chairman for all her work during the past year.

15-04cl. To appoint representatives to outside bodies
i) Playing Field – left in abeyance until further notice
ii) Civil Protection Emergency Planning – Cllr Mrs Parks
iii) Village Hall Trustees – appointment of four members – Cllr Tilbury, Mrs Rees, Ms Huskisson and Kyte were agreed.
iv) Manhood Mobility Volunteer Service Ltd – Cllr Mrs Rees

It was proposed by Cllr Drew and seconded by Cllr Churchill RESOLVED to approve the above nominations.

16-04cl. Approve and sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on 19th April 2004
In item 3-04cl line 3 should read after E Wittering and “more than” not “around”. In item 10-04cl after Alandale Road, should read “means that there” not “so”. Also Cllr Drew was present. With these alterations it was proposed by Cllr Ms Huskisson and seconded by Cllr Mrs Rees RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 19th April 2004 be approved and signed by the Chairman.

17-04cl. Matters arising from the Minutes dated 19th April 2004
i) Minute 11-04cl Tree Wardens – there has been no progress on this, but they are still interested.
ii) Minutes 10-04cl Law-suit – for procedural reasons the Lansleys had to go to court to get a decision about the ditch outside their house. This is all a formality, but case has been postponed.

18-04cl. Clerk’s Report including:
a) WSCC Reports, Highways matters and correspondence
i) Consultation process for the Materials Resource Management contract – details have been received and placed in the correspondence.
ii) Draft Policy on Coastal and Riverside paths in West Sussex – all paths which have been eroded by the sea or affected by sea level rise will be considered individually, but the intention is to maintain each path as close to the original route as possible or practical. The policy is set out in a paper, and comments are required by 4th June. Cllr Mrs Rees agreed to look at this and respond for the Council.

b) CDC Reports including correspondence
i) Information has been received on when and how to apply for discretionary grants for the year 2004-5.
ii) Information on the meeting of the Standards Committee which was held on Friday 14th May has been received. This was noted.
iii) The Clerk has had information on how to run a safe “Spring Cleaning” session, including health and safety and risk assessment aspects. The Council decided it would rather do something informal about litter.
iv) Planning Training for Parish Councils – this letter refers to the planning training held by CDC recently. In addition, the Council has decided to re-structure its Development Control Committees to even out the workload, but this does not affect Birdham. They also attach a guidance note on Lawful Development Certificates. Clerk to file this for future use.
v) Following from that the Council has also received a letter which explains that it is not possible at present to adopt Parish Plans as Supplementary Planning Guidance. This would be placed in the correspondence file for councillors to read.
vi) A Tree Preservation Order has been placed on five trees, a sycamore, two horse chestnuts, a silver birch and a weeping willow at Magherymore, Church Lane. This was noted.
c) Other related matters
i) SALC will be running a training day on topical land and legal issues including employment law on Tuesday 8th June in Cranleigh, Surrey from 9.30 to 16.30. The Clerk would like to attend and has asked West Itchenor, who have agreed, to pay one-third of the £50 cost. It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Rees and seconded by Cllr Kyte RESOLVED that the Clerk should attend.
ii) SALC has also asked whether the Council would be willing to have its details on their web-site. It was decided that this would be a good idea.
iii) The Clerk has received a copy of a letter from Peter Dawson of West Wittering to Martin Daws-Chew about East Head and Coastal Path Erosion. This was noted in the context of the proposed new cycle path.
iv) The Environment Agency has offered the Council a copy of FloodPACT which is a CD-rom containing a video explaining about flood processes, risks etc. The Council decided to obtain one.
v) The Society of Local Council Clerks is holding a Regional One-Day Conference on Thursday 17th June in Canterbury on fundraising including how to make an application for lottery funding. The cost would be £40 as the Council does not belong to this association. This was noted.
vi) Sussex Police Authority will be holding a public consultation meeting on Wednesday 19th May at The Venue on Spur Road at 7pm. If anyone wishes to ask a question it must be submitted in writing in advance (by e-mail if possible). This was noted.
vii) The National Playing Fields Association will be holding their AGM on 24th June at 1.15pm at the University of Surrey. This was noted.
viii) Zurich have sent the Inspection Report for the Play Area, and as usual they have found that the governor on the roundabout was not working correctly and that some of the rubber tiles need sticking down. The Clerk has notified the company who look after the area for us and they will deal with it next time they are in the area.
ix) The Countryside Agency has sent a copy of the conclusive map of registered common land and open country for the area which includes Birdham. This was noted.
x) The Clerk reminded the Council that the next meeting of the Peninsula Community forum will be held at Birdham Village Hall on Wednesday 2nd June at 7pm. Help would be needed with serving teas etc beforehand, and all councillors will be welcome to attend.
19-04cl. Planning Matters including CDC Decisions
A paper detailing planning matters had been circulated to all councillors.

Plans considered by the Council since the last meeting to be ratified:

BI/04/01305/DOM – Mr M Holmes, Belland House, Main Road, Birdham PO20 7BY – Detached garage – NO OBJECTION.

BI/04/01348/DOM – H I Borkowska, South Bell House, Bell Lane, Birdham PO20 7HE – Addition of a single-storey conservatory to annexe – NO OBJECTION but would wish a condition to be placed on the permission that the annexe should never be sold separately from the main house.

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

CDC Decisions:

BI/04/00746/FUL – E Allman and Co Ltd, Main Road, Birdham – Amendment to approved scheme for replacement of sub-standard industrial unit – PERMIT

BI/04/00781/DOM – Dr and Mrs A Murphy, Fieldings, 2 St James Close, Birdham PO20 7HE – Single storey side extension – PERMIT

BI/04/00759/FUL – Mr and Mrs S Crossley, Birdham Fruit Farm, Martins Lane, Birdham Po20 7AU – Change of use of vacant farmland to residential access and drive (using existing access) through field to residential curtilage and associated paddock known as Birdham Fruit Farm – REFUSE

BI/04/00753/OUT – Mrs S Vernon, Margherymore, Church Lane, Birdham PO20 7HQ – Demolition of existing garage/workshops and proposed two detached bungalows with 3 no. garages and access - REFUSE

BI/04/00864/DOM – Mr N Froy, re The Studio Cottage, Church Lane, Birdham, PO20 7AT – Single storey extension to side of existing property - PERMIT

20-04cl. Correspondence
Correspondence includes:

Clerks and Councils Direct May 2004
Local Council Review May 2004
Playtoday May/June 2004
Spotlight April 2004
Sussex Safety Camera Partnership’s First Year Review
English Nature – Southern Nature Spring 2004
West Sussex Health and Social Care NHS Trust Briefing
WSCC Consultation process for the Materials Resource Management Contract

21-04cl. Reports
i) Village Hall – the Chairman tabled a paper (attached).
It was proposed by Cllr Tilbury and seconded by Cllr Mrs Rees RESOLVED unanimously to agree that the architect be asked to approach the Quantity Surveyor for a costing to be produced based on:

· The outline shape for the Hall shown in drawing 03.11/SK08
· The new roof, as agreed with the structural engineer, Peter Willmott
· The new wall on the playing field side
· The removal of the stage
· The necessary extension/replacement of the floor
· Such minimal reference to the internal re-ordering of the Hall as is necessary for the provision of the Disabled Toilet and the dividing wall at the north end of the main hall.

ii) Play Area Report and Playing Field – local youths have damaged the palings round the playing field. Agreed to ask Knight Fencing to provide palings and ask Mr Geary to put them on.

iii) Village Green and Pond – no news

iv) Footpaths and bridleways – no report

v) Neighbourhood Watch – Cmdr Clarke had reported that a compressor had been stolen from Birdham Pool. The Chairman was contacted about a fight in Florence Close on weekend of 8th May. The police were called and the Chairman was also asked about residents in Florence Close, who may have been socially vulnerable. He has also spoken to Martlet Homes about the situation.

22-04cl. 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 (April salary) 377.30

Receipts, current account (Photocopies and contribution to phone
bill from West Itchenor PC) 24.64

Receipts, Village Hall account – none

Receipts, BRA account – none

Payments to be considered:

Adrian Dover (grass, April) 80.00
Principal ( quarterly copy charges, includes £8.30 VAT) 55.73
Allianz Cornhill Insurance PLC 1383.11
Mrs Geary (litter, May) 65.00
Mrs S Heasman (see separate sheet for details) 59.72

Notes: After looking again at the sums involved, the Clerk transferred £7000 to the BRA account, and £4352 to the Village Hall account last month. However, having received the invoice for the insurance, she has arranged for £1500 to be transferred back from the BRA to the current account with effect from 18th May to meet the bills expected this month. She would like the Council’s approval to sign up to the AQA Clerk’s qualification at a cost of £55, of which west Itchenor will pay a third. It would also be appropriate for the Council to approve in advance the payment to CDC for the grass-cutting for April which is due any day and was approved when the quote was accepted.

It was proposed by Cllr Drew and seconded by Cllr Kyte RESOLVED to accept the Financial Report.

This is the meeting at which the Council decides which charitable bodies to support this year. For information, the following were supported last year: 4Sight, Chichester Ship Canal Trust, Manhood Mobility Volunteer Service, Citizens’ Advice Bureau, The Samaritans. It was also suggested at a previous meeting that the Council might wish to consider joining the Campaign for the Preservation of Rural England, which will cost about £25 per year.
It was agreed to take this at the next meeting.

Birdham Parish Council has been selected this year as one of the 5% who will receive a slightly more detailed audit. The Clerk is in the process of doing a risk assessment for the audit and hopes to have everything ready for the Council to see at the next meeting.

23-04cl. Reports of Meetings attended by Councillors
Annual Meeting with the parishes – report by the Clerk had been circulated.

24-04cl. To consider any urgent matters which the Chairman may wish to lay before the Council
The Chairman has been invited to the launch of the Rythms of the Tide Management Plan at the Harbour Conservancy. He has also looked at the CD-rom on Drainage in the Manhood. All water on west of Birdham Straight drains into Birdham Harbour and the east side into Pagham Rife. Some of the information about Birdham is inaccurate, so he has tried to get it corrected. Maybe it is time to tell the whole village about the state of the village hall, and to set up a newsletter committee. It was agreed to put this on agenda for next meeting.

25-04cl. Public Session The Chairman may get an invitation to lunch with the County Council Chairman.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.57pm