Minutes May 2009

Birdham Parish Council

Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 18th May 2009 at 7pm in the Main Hall at Birdham Village Hall

Present: Cllr Tilbury; Cllr Ms Leach; Cllr Meynell; Cllr Mrs Parks; Cllr Churchill

In attendance: The Clerk; 3 members of the public; District Cllr Montyn;

12-09cl. Election of Chairman It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Parks and seconded by Cllr Meynell RESOLVED that Cllr Tilbury be elected Chairman of the Council. Cllr Tilbury read and completed the Declaration of Office which was witnessed by the Clerk. He gave notice that he intends to stand down in a year’s time.

13-09cl. Election of Vice-Chairman It was proposed by Cllr Tilbury and seconded by Cllr Ms Leach RESOLVED that Cllr Mrs Parks be elected Vice-Chairman of the Council. Cllr Mrs Parks read and completed the Declaration of Office which was witnessed by the Clerk.

14-09cl. To appoint to outside bodies
i) Play Park – Cllr Churchill
ii) Civil Protection Emergency Planning – Cllr Mrs Parks
iii) Village Hall Trustees – Cllr Ms Huskisson, Cllr Mrs Cobbold, Cllr Tilbury and Jan Rees
iv) Manhood Mobility Volunteer Service – Cllr Ms Leach
v) Peninsula Community Forum – Cllr Tilbury; the Clerk; Cllr Ms Huskisson
It was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Mrs Parks RESOLVED to make the above appointments.

15-09cl. Apologies were received from Cllr Mrs Cobbold; Cllr Howat

16-09cl. Declaration of Interests Cllr Meynell declared an interest in respect of Forge Cottage.

17-09cl. Approve and sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on 20th April 2009 It was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Ms Leach RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 20th April 2009 be approved and signed by the chairman.

18-09cl. Matters arising from the Minutes
i) 4-09cl Dean Miles – the youth worker from East Wittering has contacted the Clerk and asked if he could return and speak again to the Council. After consulting with the Chairman it was decided to ask him to come to the June Meeting, which he is happy to do. This was noted.
ii) 5-09cl a)i) Seat by bus shelter – Cllr Tilbury reported that the seat at the Bird and Ham is not used, and could be moved. Cllr Meynell has done a drawing which can be passed to the Highways department.
iii) 5-09cl b)ii) Questions to the Peninsula Forum – the Clerk reported that she had sent the questions about looking at the Manhood as a whole to the Forum’s Clerk as requested.

19-09cl. Clerk’s Report including:
a) WSCC Reports, highways matters and correspondence - none
b) CDC Reports including correspondence:
i) CDC has sent a notice that there will be a temporary road closure on Shipton Green Lane on Monday 25th May for their village fete. This was noted.
c) other related matters:
i) Carlo Gargiulo has contacted the Clerk about giving information to the Council about grants for insulation particularly for the over seventies. He would like to speak to a meeting, but the Clerk is unsure how relevant this would be to the Council and wondered if he had a poster she could put up instead. However, he appears only to have a letter to give out to those in the appropriate age group which is not helpful as the Council does not have an office to which the public can come. After discussion it was decided to note this.
ii) CPRE are asking how much the Council pays for its litter bins to be emptied and whether we have particular problems with litter. The Clerk is happy to answer on behalf of the Council.
iii) The Equality and Human Rights Commission has sent information about the forthcoming Equalities Bill and the Public Service Duty which will be involved. This was noted.

20-09cl. Planning matters including CDC Decisions:
i) A paper listing planning matters had been circulated to all councillors
Plans considered by the Council since the last meeting to be ratified:

BI/09/01293/OUT – 4, The Triangle, Westlands Lane, Birdham – Residential 1 no. dwelling house and garage – NO OBJECTION

BI/09/01556/TPA – 17 Pipers Mead, Birdham – Crown reduced by 20% overall and crown raise up to 4m on 1 no. oak tree within Group 2 – NO OBJECTION
It was proposed by Cllr Churchill and seconded by Cllr Meynell RESOLVED to ratify the decisions taken since the previous meeting.

Plans to be considered:

BI/09/01580/DOM – Coppers, Westlands Estate, Birdham – Demolition of garage and store. Erection of single storey extension to form additional accommodation. It was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Mrs parks RESOLVED NO OBJECTION.

CDC Decisions:

BI/09/00787/FUL – Land south of Withdean (formerly Cowdry Nursery) Sidlesham Lane, Birdham – Construction of a new access – WITHDRAWN

BI/08/05159/FUL – Grevillea, Main Road, Birdham – Removal of agricultural occupancy condition – REFUSE

BI/09/00961/DOM – Cross Lanes, Batchmere Road, Birdham – Demolition of existing garage and construction of replacement garage - PERMIT

ii) The Clerk has received a copy of a letter sent by the Borthwicks of Rowan Nursery about planning application BI/09/01556/TPA. This was available for councillors to read.
iii) The Clerk had been considering the idea of putting up information about planning applications weekly, and felt that it could potentially cost the Council up to £15 a week or £756 a year as it would take an hour to produce a list and travel to Birdham to put the list up in any week in which an application was published. She feels that this would not be cost-effective for the Council. After discussion it was decided to leave things as they are.
The Chairman has written to both the local paper and the district council about the stopping of the provision of information in the local paper.
iv) The appeal by Birdham Fruit Farm about the re-use of their existing property has been allowed. This was noted.
v) English Heritage have replied about Forge Cottage and it has not been listed.
vi) The Chairman has had a letter about unsightly caravans. He has contacted CDC Environmental Health Department, and he has copied the enquiry to the enforcement department. This was noted.

21-09cl. Correspondence
Correspondence to be circulated includes:

Emails forwarded to Councillors since the last meeting:
25/4 – Chichester Harbour Photo Competition; 27/4 – West Sussex Rural Forum; 29/4 – Invitation to joint stakeholder meeting; 29/4 – mobile skate park; 2/5 – Chichester Harbour Events May; 6/5 – E-Bulletin 1 May 2009; 6/5 – Heart of the Village Campaign; 9/5 – State of the Environment Report; 12/5 – West Sussex PCT e-bulletin no 42.

Correspondence to be circulated:

Chichester Canal News April 2009
Clerks and Councils Direct May 2009
AIRS Newsletter April 2009
CDC Chichester Garden market flyers
Partnership news April 2009

22-09cl. Reports:
i) Play area and Playing field – the Clerk reported that Playsafe had repaired the gap in the rubber crumb. Cllr Churchill reported that it is fine at the moment.
ii) Village green and pond – Cllr Tilbury reported that he will be meeting with Adrian Dover tomorrow about the pond.
iii) Neighbourhood Watch – Ann Bromley had reported that coin boxes had been broken into at Briedham pool and coins stolen; a blue Renault had been driving in an anti-social manner – the driver has a section 59 warning in place. A shed has been broken into in Florence Close and a strimmer, hedge trimmer and chainsaw were stolen. Thbis is probably linked to other events in the West Manhood. Two suspicious males in a white Transit were spotted in Birdham, people should be aware of this. Shoplifters in Birdham Stores stole dishwasher tablets and deodorant, enquiries are on-going. A dinghy was stolen from the Marina in April or early May.
iv) Tree Wardens – no report

23-09cl. Finance
i) A financial situation report had been circulated to all councillors.
Payments since the last meeting to be ratified:

Clerk’s salary (April) 556.72
Principal 1 Ltd (copier service contract, includes 8.82 VAT 67.64

Income

Current account (Apuldram copies and phone) 14.23
Deposit account – nil
Village Hall account – nil

Payments to be considered:

Mrs Geary, litter, May 70.00
Adrian Dover, grass cutting 94.00
Playsafe Playgrounds, repairing rubber crumb, includes 15.00 VAT 115.00
MH Kennedy and Son Ltd, grass cutting, field, includes 48.00 VAT 368.00
Broker Network Ltd, Insurance for PC 1310.47
Ellie O’Flanagan, internal audit 100.00
Clerk’s expenses includes 3.19 VAT 37.98

Notes: In order to pay the above accounts the Clerk has transferred £2000 from the deposit to the current account today.

It was proposed by Cllr Churchill and seconded by Cllr Ms Leach RESOLVED to approve the financial report.
ii) Audit – copies of the internal audit had been circulated to all councillors. It was a) proposed by Cllr Mrs Parks and seconded by Cllr Ms Leach RESOLVED to approve the audit and b) it was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Churchill RESOLVED to agree the statement of governance.
iii) Donations made under Section 137. The Clerk had circulated a list of payments made in the previous year and it was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Churchill RESOLVED to make the following payments in the year 2009-10:
The Samaritans £250
Chichester Ship Canal Trust (membership) £15 plus £85 donation (total £100)
4Sight £100
Victim Support £100
Manhood Mobility Volunteer Service £450
Citizens’ Advice Bureau £500
RNLI £60

24-09cl. Reports of meetings attended by councillors
i) Manhood Mobility AGM – Cllr Tilbury reported that he had attended this and his picture was in the paper. A very heartening report from the officers. Tom Jones has stood down and his place has been taken by Stuart Dobbin.
ii) Cllr Tilbury attended the first stakeholder meeting of the Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust. In the medium term they will apply to be a foundation hospitals trust. Long term is to achieve university hospital status under the aegis of Brighton University. In the short term they will try not to upset the status quo as far as the two hospitals are concerned. Last part of the meeting concentrated on the role of stakeholders in the hospitals, which will meet together once or twice a year. High on aspiration, efforts at openness.

25-09cl. Public session

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.30pm