Minutes June 2008

Minutes of the Meeting of Birdham Parish Council held on Monday 16th June 2008 at 7pm at Birdham Village HallPresent: Cllr Tilbury; Cllr Mrs Parks; Cllr Churchill; Cllr Ms Leach; Cllr Meynell

In attendance: The Clerk; County Cllr Daws-Chew; PCSO Rose Bainbridge; 3 members of the public

26-08cl. Apologies were received from: Cllr Howat

27-08cl. Declaration of Interests - No declaration was made.

28-08cl. Approve and sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on 19th May 2008. It was proposed by Cllr Tilbury and seconded by Cllr Ms Leach RESOLVED to approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 19th May 2008 and that they be signed by the Chairman.

29-08cl. Matters Arising from the Meeting dated 19th May 2008
i) Min 12-08cl and 13-08cl Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman. The Clerk reported that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman had both now signed their Declaration of Office.
ii) Min 18-08cl i) Village sign - it was decided to postpone this item to the next meeting
iii) Min 18-08cl ii) food put out in field - the clerk reported that she had been unable to progress this without the letter from a councillor to distribute to the area concerned.
iv) Min 18-08cl iii) Play England - Cllr Churchill reported that they might provide grants - he will follow this up.
v) Min 19-08cl b i) Rural Enabling Officer - Cllr Tilbury reported that he had met with Sam Irving from CDC. His task is to provide affordable housing in the village which could be built outside the built-up area, and can only be used for those who live within the parish or have a close connection with it. He was interested in two sites and was looking further into them.
vi) Min 24-08cl i) Canal - the Clerk has now discovered to whom she should write about the houseboats on the Canal. She has also asked to Chairman of the Ship Canal Trust if a speaker may be available for the July meeting and is awaiting a reply. One of the other officers of the Trust has told the Chairman that they have no policy at all as regards the houseboats at present.
vii) Min 18-08cl iv) Lay-bys - the Chairman had obtained some information which he had passed to Cllr Howat for his comments. Cllr Howat was not present. Both District Cllr Montyn and District Cllr Moss are pursuing this at CDC. Cllr Howat to speak about this next time.
viii) St Richards Hospital - the Chairman had written on behalf of the Parish to protest when the decision was known. This was noted.

30-08cl. Clerk's Report including
a) WSCC Reports, Highways Matters and correspondence
i) The Council has been asked to send a delegate to a Minerals and Waste Development forum to be held at Oving Village Hall on Wednesday 16th July from 7-9.30pm. No councillor was available to attend.
b) CDC reports and correspondence
i) The Parish Council has been invited to send a representative to a Consultation meeting on a Strategy for Public Art in Chichester District. The Clerk had circulated this information as the first meeting is tomorrow and Cllr Howat has agreed to attend for the Council. This was noted.
ii) Having been told at the Peninsula Community Forum that parishes may now obtain local maps from the District Council, the Clerk has requested copies of maps covering Birdham Parish and has received a reply. She will have to complete a license form before any maps can be released. This was noted.
iii) The agenda for the Standards Committee was received and has been placed in the correspondence file. Councillors are advised to read this as it contains information about new roles and procedures for the Standards Committee. This was noted.
c) other related matters
i) Portsmouth Water has sent document on Water Resources in the South East and this will be placed in the correspondence file.
ii) The Environment Agency has sent a copy of the Pagham to East Head Coastal Defence Strategy summary document. This will be placed in the correspondence. There is also notification of the exhibitions to be held in various locations around the area. Small flyers with this information on are also available. This was noted.
iii) The South East Sustainable Futures Group has sent a copy of the South East Regional Sustainability Framework which has been placed in the correspondence.
iv) The Scouts have requested the use of the playing field on Saturday 21st June. The Clerk has been in touch with their organiser and told them that it will cost £30 for the day. She will send the money when they are sure they do not have to cancel because of bad weather. Clerk to look into a hiring document for letting out the field.
v) The Clerk has been approached by a member of West Wittering's Bo Sierra Leone project to ask if the Council would be willing to let the playing field out for a family circus on either 16th September or 1st October. Both these dates are weekdays, and they are looking to arrive in the morning, perform in the afternoon and stay overnight with their vehicles. After discussion it was decided that the Chairman would offer to meet him in the second half of next week.
vi) The Clerk is proposing the following dates for meetings for the rest of the year: 21st July; 15th September; 20th October; 17th November and 15th December. These are all the third Monday in the month and do not fall in school holidays apart from the July date. These dates were approved.
vii) The Clerk is requesting councillors not to telephone her after 9pm or at the weekend except in dire emergency or by previous arrangement. This was noted.
viii) Going Dutch II - Councillors are invited to attend the final session of this event. If they wish to book places they were given the information of who to contact. This was noted.
ix) It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Parks and seconded by Cllr Churchill agreed to purchase a copy of New Governance and Accountability for Local Councils.

31-08cl. Planning matters including CDC decisions
A paper detailing planning matters had been distributed to all councillors.

Plans to be considered:

BI/08/02108/DOM - Locks End House, Lock Lane, PO20 7BB - garage. It was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Tilbury RESOLVED NO OBJECTION on planning grounds but would wish a condition to be placed on any consent that this extension or any other to this house cannot be sold or used separately from the house.

BI/08/02179/FUL - Widdicombe, Main Road, PO20 7BY - replace with new two-storey dwelling. It was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Mrs Parks RESOLVED NO OBJECTION on the assumption that this is the first stage in the development of the site.

Decisions made since the last meeting to be ratified:
BI/08/02109/DOM - Cornerways House, 15, Greenacres, Birdham PO20 7HL - Two storey side extension - The Council has NO OBJECTION to this revised application.

BI/08/01359/COU
Premier Business Park, Birdham Road, Birdham

(Note that the address was given as Appledram on the copy we had. That is wrong)

This is an amended application for a change of use from office space to car sales showroom. The unit forms part of Premier Business Park, involves no change to the exterior appearance of the building, and the Council has NO OBJECTION to the application. We would draw the attention of the Planning Officer to the fact that some of the car parking shown had already been part of a previous application on this site and there may be double-counting here. There is abuse of the conditions on parking on this site. We have pointed out previously that, contrary to conditions, the adjacent motorhomes business displays vehicles for sale in what was allocated as car parking and the boat business (which belongs to the applicant) is now parking boats on the car parking at the side of one of the units. We also hope that the conditions will include an environmental plan and limitations on advertising, which have also been the source of local irritation on this site.
It was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Churchill RESOLVED to ratify the decisions taken since the last meeting.

CDC Decisions:

BI/08/01165/DOM - 16, Walwyn Close, PO 20 7SR - Rear extension with rooms in roof above - PERMIT

BI/08/00583/DOM - Coombers Barn Farm, Birdham Road, PO20 7BX - erection of steel and glass balustrade over sun room - PERMIT

BI/08/01560/DOM - Moorings, Cherry Lane, PO20 7AR - single storey extension, internal alterations and "conservatory styled" addition - PERMIT

BI/08/01776/DOM - Rose Petal House, Crooked Lane, PO20 7HB - single storey flank and rear extension - PERMIT

The Chairman and Cllr Meynell had been approached by a resident about the dinghy park in Lock Lane. He has been approached to take more boats on the site. Problems of loss of green space, also question of erection of a building, which would involve electricity or generator and this would also be a problem. Suggested they should draw up a plan, consult with Harbour Conservancy and then submit it in due course. This was noted.

32-08cl. Correspondence
The following emails were forwarded to Councillors since the May meeting:

22 May: Almodington road closure notice; 29 May: St Richards to lose full services;
30 May: SHRAP Conference notice; Board Meeting will be live on the Web; Chichester Harbour Events; 6 June: Pagham to East Head Coastal Strategy; 12 June: Manhood Road Safety Group minutes; 13 June: Play England; 14 June: Fit for the Future E-Bulletin 33

Correspondence to be circulated includes:

CPRE Sussex Review Summer 2008
CPRE Fieldwork June 2008
Local Councils Update June 2008
Play England - various booklets and Play Today May 2008

33-08cl. Reports
i) Village Hall - the Chairman said he had nothing to report
ii) Playing field and play area - the new hut has been erected and the contents of the old hut and the old hut itself have been removed. Play area now quite clear. Hedge beside play area has brambles - ask A Dover to cut them back.
iii) Village green and pond - the Chairman has written to the PCC about re-planting the twisted willow.
iv) Neighbourhood Watch - PCSO Bainbridge reported two incidents of criminal damage to vehicles on Crooked Lane near Chaffer Lane. Also reports of youths chatting near the field. When police pass, they take names. Some residents have asked for the floodlight to be switched off after midnight, or even 10pm. Clerk to find out who owns the flood light. There was a street briefing in Florence Close and hope to have another one at the other end of Crooked Lane.
v) Tree Wardens - no report
34-08cl. Finance, including approval of audit
i) A Financial Situation Report had been distributed to all councillors.

Payments made since the last meeting to be ratified:

Clerk's salary May 543.24

Receipts, current account - nil

Receipts, Village Hall account - nil

Receipts, deposit account - nil

Payments to be considered:

Mrs Geary, litter, June 65.00
Geof Muffet, erection of shed etc 695.00
The Information Commissioner - renewal under Data Protection Act 35.00
Clerk's Expenses (includes 3.57 VAT) 42.22
Mrs E O'Flanagan (Internal Audit) 100.00
The Samaritans 100.00
4Sight 100.00
Victim Support 100.00
Manhood Mobility Volunteer Service 300.00
Citizens' Advice Bureau 300.00
RNLI 60.00
(the above six as approved under Minute 23-08cl iii) in May)

Notes: The donation to the Ship Canal Trust will await the membership of the Council becoming due in August. The Clerk has applied for a refund of £647.95 VAT which should be in the account shortly.

It was proposed by Cllr Leach and seconded by Cllr Churchill RESOLVED to approve the Financial Report

ii) It was further proposed by Cllr Churchill and seconded by Cllr Mrs Parks RESOLVED to approve the audit and the statement of assurance in the audit report.

35-08cl. Reports of meetings attended by Councillors
i) Peninsula Community Forum - Cllr Tilbury reported that there was discussion about the PCT's decision at this. The forum also discussed the community strategy. Figures were produced on the levels of deprivation in this area but were relatively meaningless. David Loseley gave a presentation on the Coastal Strategy.
ii) West Sussex County Committee Strategy meeting prior to County Local Committee South - Cllr Tilbury reported that a letter would be sent about the hospital. There was a Fire and Rescue Service presentation. The County is to provide £55,000 to support rural village shops. Discussion on traffic orders, very little cash, so lobbying will raise the priority for these.

36-08cl. Public session
County Cllr Daws-Chew mentioned the dinghy park at Shipton Green with reference to the Dinghy Park at Lock Lane. A resident spoke about flooding from land drains, and after the last lot of rain every ditch was brimful. At start of July the Pitt Report will be in the public domain. There will be statutory duties on landowners to keep their ditches and conduits clear.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.50pm