Minutes Oct 2006
Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 16th October 2006 at 7pm in the Main Hall at Birdham Village Hall.
Present: Cllr Tilbury; Cllr Mrs Rees; Cllr Ms Huskisson; Cllr Drew; Cllr Meynell; Cllr Mrs Parks; Cllr Kyte; Cllr Churchill
In attendance: The Clerk; a member of the press; a member of the public; District Cllr Montyn and two tree wardens.
60-06cl. Apologies None were given.
61-06cl. Declaration of interests None was declared
62-06cl. Approve and sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on 18th September 2006 Min 52-06cl iv) should read “Cllr Drew offered to ask Mark McTaggart to come to address the Council”. With this alteration it was proposed by Cllr Mrs Rees and seconded by Cllr Drew RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Meeting held on 18th September 2006 and that they be signed by the Chairman.
63-06cl. Matters arising from the Minutes dated 18th September 2006
i) Min 52-06cl
ii) Trees along the Canal – the Clerk reported that she has heard from another resident of Lock Lane whose trees have been attended to by a tree surgeon. She has also been asked if the trees have TPOs on them as some of them, which are dead, were about to be cut down when residents of the Marina stopped the work as they said there was a TPO on the trees. She has asked the Tree Wardens for advice and Marianne has said that there may be a TPO on them. The Clerk has checked with the CDC Tree Officer and he has said they can be cut down if they are dead, he just needs to be notified of it. Mr Mahaddie thinks the trees at the bottom of his garden are not his. The Clerk to write to check up if he has now found proof that the trees are not his. ii) Min 52-06cl
iii) Facilities for young people – It had been agreed to keep this item on the agenda so that it would not be forgotten in the budgeting round. The chairman has looked at a design for a games wall and has discussed this with Knights Fencing. It would cost £980 plus VAT including installation. It may be also possible to get a grant from CDC towards part of the cost. Agreed to enquire about grants and planning permission, consult about position and consider it at the budget meeting.
iii) Min 52-06cl iv) Village Action Plan – Cllr Drew reported that he will try to get Mark McTaggart to the November meeting, or if that is not possible, the January one. iv) Min 53-06cl
iv) SALC and AIRS AGMs – the Clerk reported that the AGM had been interesting and that the workshop on engaging with young people was very interesting.
v) Min 53-06 (c) vi) Gypsies and caravan sites – Cllr Mrs Rees reported that she had emailed a response. There is a need for another 38 sites in West Sussex.
vi) Min 58-06cl Emergency Planning – Cllr Mrs Parks reported that she had contacted Ian Taylor. He will meet with her informally when he returns from his holiday. 64-
06cl.Clerk’s Report including:
a) WSCC Reports, highways matters and correspondence
i) The Council has received a copy of the Statement of Involvement: First Review – Submission Stage and the Minerals and Waste Development Framework. Comments should be received by 10th November at the latest. Cllr Tilbury agreed to look at these for the Council.
b) CDC reports including correspondence
i) CDC would like the Council’s views as to where permanent and transit sites for travellers might be placed along the A27 corridor. The closing date for comment is 27th October at this stage. Further comments may be made formally during the public consultation starting 19th January 2007. It was agreed to await the public consultation.
ii) The Council has been asked for comments on the Draft Local Biodiversity Action Plan. The closing date for comments is 20th October. Cllr Huskisson agreed to look at this and comment for the Council.
iii) The planning department at CDC has written to prepare the Council for a further move towards sending most paperwork by email. There will be training sessions for Clerks on this and the Clerk has decided to attend one on the morning of 6th November. This was noted.
c) Other related matters
i) Information has been sent about the Examination in Public of the Local Development Framework. This was noted.
ii) SLCC have asked if any councillor or the Clerk would wish to attend a South East Regional Conference on Partnership, Performance and the Practitioner. It was agreed not to send anyone.
iii) Tom Jones of MMVS has written to thank the Council for the donation to their funds. This was noted.
iv) Chichester Citizens’ Advice Bureau has written to thank the Council for their donation. This was noted.
v) Chichester Ship Canal Trust has also written to thank the Council for their subscription and donation. This was noted.
vi) Action in Rural Sussex has sent a large amount of information on Village Halls which will be passed to Cllr Mrs Rees for the Village Hall Committee. The rest of the information will be placed in the Correspondence. There is also a consultation on AirS Role in the Voluntary and Community Sector, also in the correspondence.
65-06cl. 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/06/04047/FUL – Mr and Mrs S Crossley, Birdham Fruit Farm, Martins Lane, Birdham PO20 7AU – Replacement drains/service trench We are surprised to see that the service trench to the property does not lie under the long-established drive past Martins Lea but on the evidence presented to us the Council raises NO OBJECTION to this application.
BI/06/04323/DOM – Ms CL Mordue, 2 Whitestone Farm Cottages, Main Road, Birdham PO20 7HU – Vehicular access from A286 onto property as shown on plan 1 as none currently exists. The Council wishes to OBJECT to this application. Whitestone Farmhouse has been divided into three small properties and numbers 1 and 3 lie adjacent to the yard shown to the south east of the building on the plan. Number 2 lies at the north side of the building and a few years ago a patch of what had formerly been agricultural land was fenced off to provide a garden cum paddock adjacent to this property. We can only assume that rights of access along the lane leading to the farm were established when the building was divided and that parking on the tarmaced hard standing in the yard was also agreed. The proposed entrance would lead into the garden cum paddock. No details are shown of the nature of any intended driveway to the cottage. On the evidence shown here the Council is The entrance would also be onto the busy A286 where the Council has opposed a number of other entrances because the volume of traffic makes driving out onto this road hazardous and this is increased if there is a number of small entrances of this sort. No visibility splaying is shown and this would involve further erosion of the hedge. It was proposed by Cllr Churchill and seconded by Cllr Meynell RESOLVED to ratify the decisions taken since the last meeting.
Plans to be considered:
BI/06/04614/DOM – Mr and Mrs Jenkins, Bulrush Barn, Cowdry Farm, Birdham PO20 7BX – single storey extension to form new sitting room and hallway. It was proposed by Cllr Meynell and seconded by Cllr Drew RESOLVED NO OBJECTION.
CDC Decisions
BI/06/03644/DOM – Mr R Manning, 2 Bell Lane, Birdham – Remove existing garage and replace with new garage and workshop – PERMIT
BI/06/03523/DOM – Mr and Mrs A Hobbs, Loxworth, Main Road, Birdham – Single storey rear extension and front and rear dormers in connection with loft conversion - PERMIT
BI/06/02973/ELD – Dinghy Pen, Lock Lane – use of land for storage of boats/dinghies – PERMIT
BI/06/03176/FUL – Bank Machine Ltd, Birdham Stores – installation of ATM – PERMIT
BI/06/03232/FUL – land south of Manhood End Farm, Birdham Road, PO20 7BX – amendments to dwelling approved under BI/00/02704/REM – PERMIT
BI/06/03397/TPA – Beechway, Martins Lane – Crown reduce by 25% 1 no. oak tree (T2) subject to TPO/30/BI - PERMIT
66-06cl. Correspondence Correspondence to be circulated includes: ICIS News Autumn 2006 Chichester Harbour Press Releases 3 October and 5 October Action in rural Sussex – Building a better Community 75th Anniversary edition Celebrating 75 years of service to Sussex SEERA – Voice Spring 2006; Scrutiny Report 2005-6; Annual Report 2005-6 SALC – Annual Report and Accounts 67-06cl.
Reports
i) Village Hall – the Vice Chairman reported that there will be new bank accounts, including a maintenance account. There will be a meeting tomorrow where they hope to see that they now have enough money to do this. The nursery would like to lay a grass-crete area outside the Sandle Room as a play area. There will be a fund-raising event in the new year. The hall is being used more than it was before the refurbishment. The Clerk reported that the repair work to the fence had been completed and paid for.
ii) Play Area and Playing Field. The Clerk reported that she had spoken with Foster Playscapes about the roundabout and they had suggested sticking a further layer of rubber to the tiles on the base if the council wishes to continue to use the roundabout, at a cost of £450 - £500, and that demolishing the roundabout and making the ground safe would be in the region of £600. After discussion it was decided raise the level and go ahead with this. Cllr Churchill reported that the grass was cut outside the play area but not inside it. There seems to be some rust on the tops of the swings – Foster Playscapes to be asked to deal with this. There has been a lot of litter in the play area.
iii) Village Green and Pond - the Clerk reported that Knight Fencing had been asked to carry out he work to extend the fencing at the front of the pond. They have said that they will do it on 10th November – there was a delay because the form the Clerk had signed was either lost in the post or in their office. It was agreed that the Clerk ask Adrian Dover to cut the edges of the pond at the beginning of November.
iv) Neighbourhood Watch - Wendy Pitty had nothing to report.
v) Tree Wardens – they have received the forms to fill in for the trees that have been given by the County Council. Three or four might be put on the playing field, possibly as shelter for the nursery children. They would probably be oak and hazel. The tree map Marianne made will be framed and put in the Hall.
68-06cl. Finance A paper detailing financial matters had been circulated to all councillors.
Payments made since the last meeting to be ratified:
Clerk’s salary 485.37 WSCC
Street Lighting maintenance including 66.85 VAT 448.84
Knight Fencing Ltd repairs to playing field fence inc 31.50 VAT 211.50
Adrian Dover – grass, August 84.00
EA Chiverton Ltd building works including 725.73 VAT 4872.73
Birdham Village Hall rental of hall 84.00
Receipts, current account, precept 18377.00
W. Itchenor phone bill and copies and playing field rent for car boot sales 40.90
Receipts, deposit account – interest 49.00
Receipts, village hall account – interest 16.11
Payments to be considered:
Mrs Geary, litter, October 65.00
Adrian Dover, grass, September 123.00
Southern Electric – electricity for street lighting inc. 7.14 VAT 150.10
Mrs S Heasman clerk’s expenses 94.04
St James Church – churchyard upkeep, donation 300.00
Notes: the Clerk has been waiting in the hope of receiving the final account from Chiverton’s before moving the money from the current to the other accounts. However, to gain as much interest as possible she will now move £9000 to the Village hall account. At the end of this month she will reclaim the VAT paid since 31st March this year It was proposed by Cllr Tilbury and seconded by Cllr Mrs Rees RESOLVED to approve the Financial Report
69-06cl. Reports of Meetings attended by Councillors
Cllr Mrs Rees reported on the Rhythms of the Tide Conference – the Clerk will circulate her report to all councillors. CAB annual meeting – Wayne Hemingway had been the speaker and he had some revolutionary ideas about planning. It might be possible to ask the Peninsula Community Forum if he could be asked to speak to them.
70-06cl. Public Session A resident has phoned to say he would support any reduction of speed limits anywhere in Birdham. Speeding in Earnley – Birdham should be in contact with them over this. The contact is Chris Bayley from Earnley PC and Cllr Drew will contact him. There is a question over who is responsible for maintaining and clearing the drainage ditch on the road between the roundabout and Pipers Mead. The District Council engineer is looking into this.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.32pm