Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on the 16th March 2015

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on the 16th March 2015

Birdham Parish Council

 Minutes of the

Meeting of the Parish Council

 held on Monday 16th March 2015

at 7pm in Birdham Village Hall

 Present:                     Cllr Pocock (Chairman), Cllr Hamilton (Vice Chairman), Cllr Finch, Cllr Brooks, Cllr Ayton and Cllr Firmston

Apologies:                   Cllr Barker, Cllr Cobbold, Cllr Montyn (WSCC & CDC) and Cllr Marshall (CDC)

 In attendance:             The Clerk, and 16 members of the public.

Absent:                        Cllr Churchill

124-14 Public Question time in accordance with Standing Orders 1d -1l:

          A resident asked about the parking arrangements for the redevelopment of the Marina. It was suggested by the Chairman that as this application was decided two years ago the best place to find the information would be the CDC Planning web site.

A resident suggested that the owners of the Church Field should be asked to cut back their hedges which were becoming both an eyesore and a danger to pedestrians.                    

125-14 Declaration of Interests:

There were no declarations of interest given.

126-14 Approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on the 16th February 2015.

it was resolved to adopt the minutes of the 16th February 2015 as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

127-14 Matters arising from the minutes of the 19th November 2012:

Minute 89-12 - Land Bequest. The Clerk said that had chased the Land Registry Office and the solicitor in attempt to speed things up but had been unsuccessful however, he would continue to press both organisations.

128-14 Clerks’ Report:

i)       WSCC – The Clerk reminded members that at the last meeting he had given information concerning the cuts to the Fire Service. It now appeared that the initiator of the letter to us was becoming somewhat bothersome in his approach to WSCC and others.

ii)      CDC – Nothing to report

iii)     Reports from Members of WSCC/CDC – In the absence of both Cllr Montyn and Cllr Marshall, Cllr Hamilton reported that the Traveller Site at Westhampnett had opened which now meant that the Police had greater powers to move on Travellers.

She went on to say that with effect from the 1st of April it was now permissible to put items such as margarine and yogurt pots into the recycling bin which had not been possible until now.

iv)     Other related matters –

129-14 Finance and Corporate:

i)    To receive and approve the financial report.

The Clerk presented the financial reports for the month of March (shown at annex a). The current balances are as follows;

Balances held at Bank £40076.19
Designated Funds £21063.13
Ring Fenced Funds £13033.00
Available Funds £  5980.06
Creditors £  2790.79

The Clerk offered to answer any questions that Councillors may have.

It was resolved to adopt the Financial Report.

ii)   A hard copy of the 2013 Model Standing Orders with amendments having been circulated to all members it was duly resolved to adopt the 2013 amended Model Standing Orders.

iii)  The date of the Annual Parish Meeting of the 13th April 2015 was noted.

130-14Update on the Neighbourhood Plan

Cllr Finch said the Plan had been out to consultation with CDC for the required number of weeks which ended on the 28th February. No material comments had been made or changes required so the Plan was now to be submitted for examination by an independent examiner. Should the examiner find no faults then the plan will be submitted to referendum.

In the meantime a number of examiners had submitted their CV’s and of those submitted it was felt that Mr John Glester more closely fitted the requirements of Birdham Village.

It was therefore proposed and resolved that Mr John Glester be appointed the independent examiner of Birdhams Neighbourhood Plan.

131-14 Planning matters including applications and CDC delegated decisions:

i)              Planning Applications to be decided.

BI/15/00433/PLD - Mr & Mrs Alexander Blackwood 2 Oakmeadow Birdham

Replace existing conservatory with single storey rear extension. No Objection.

BI/15/00525/TPA - Mr Andrew Grafham 2 The Saltings Birdham

Crown reduce by 30% and remove dead and crossing branches on 1 no. White Poplar tree (T1) subject to BI/90/00028/TPO. The Council are to content to leave the decision to the CDC Tree Officer.

BI/15/00534/DOM - Mr & Mrs N Von Schirnding Hammonds Farm  Westlands Lane Birdham

Single storey rear extension, alterations to an existing fireplace and the reduction in rear garden ground levels and closing off of existing pedestrian access. No Objection.

BI/15/00535/LBC - Mr & Mrs N Von Schirnding Hammonds Farm  Westlands Lane Birdham

Single storey rear extension, alterations to an existing fireplace and the reduction in rear garden ground levels and closing off of existing pedestrian access. No Objection.

BI/15/00614/FUL - Birdham Farm, Birdham Road, Birdham

Proposed field gate access - creation of new access with hard standing, post and rail fence and gates. The Council raised No Objection to this application provided that it was conditional that the application was for agricultural purposes only.

BI/15/00723/FUL - Ayton, Main Road, Birdham

Variation of Condition 2 of planning permission BI/14/04049/FUL - To reference amended plans showing the inclusion of a small single storey rear porch/bootroom on plot 1 and plot 2, plan numbers being 0829/DPA11 rev04, DPA12 rev04, DPA13 rev04, DPA14 rev04, DPA15 rev04 and DPA17 rev04. No Objection.

 It was resolved to authorise the Clerk to notify Councils decision to DC Planning.

ii)             Delegated Decisions to be noted.

BI/14/02662/OUT  Koolbergen And Ramsay Bell Lane Birdham

Outline application for the erection of 81 houses, B1 floor space, retail and open space with the retention of 1 dwelling. Refuse

The delegated decisions were noted.

132-14 Correspondence – Not previously circulated:

There was none.

132-14 Reports:

i)      Play Area and Playing Field. – A meeting with Sovereign Play and a Landscape Architect has been arranged to design the possibility of an improved play/healthy environment for all age groups of Birdham.

ii)     Village Green and Pond. – Cllrs Hamilton and Firmston have worked on the Village Green, drawing up a plan of planting and areas of land that should not be mown.

iii)    Condition of Village Ditch/Drain Network. – Mr Barrington in giving his report said that he was becoming remarkably frustrated had the inability of WSCC to give the answers and follow-up that was required to resolve the Walwyn Close situation. He had asked Cllr Montyn to chase up the work required to complete the 20 point plan that had been agreed with WSCC against which some 13 points were still outstanding.

An Op Watershed application had been made for the Walwyn Close work. However, the Clerk had raised the point it was expected that the Parish Council would fund the VAT element of any invoice as they are able to reclaim it. The problem was that the VAT element of any such invoice equated to as much as the Precept which, in the short to medium term would mean that the Council would not be able to pays its bills. A compromise with WSCC had been arranged where WSCC would fund the VAT on the understanding that the Parish, once it had been reclaimed, would refund WSCC. It would require a resolution by Council to do this.

It was resolved that Birdham Parish Council would refund the claimed VAT directly to WSCC in respect of any invoices pertaining to the Walwyn Close project.

iv)    Police and Neighbourhood Watch – In giving her apologies PCSO Bainbridge asked for the following comments to be made.

Please accept my apologies for this meeting.  There have been very few, incidents being reported from Birdham, which is good! The only significant one that comes to mind is a phone call to an elderly resident claiming to be from a bank and that his account had been accessed.

The caller wanted to make further checks on his account and asked for details and sent a courier round to collect his bank card.  Luckily, this was not collected successfully.  Please could you remind all to never disclose bank details, or indeed any private and personal information to an unknown caller, even one claiming to be a bank/organisation including the Police.

I still hold my Meet Me in Person meetings at 11am Wittering Medical Centre, 11:30am EW Library.

The next Neighbourhood Management Panel Meeting is on Monday 11 May at 7pm in East Wittering Fire Station.  I am mindful that there will be an election on 7th May and would like to invite any Birdham parish councillor who is responsible for Policing and Neighbourhood Watch, that they would be more than welcome to join the meeting.

v)     Communication Working Groups – Cllr Finch asked for as many volunteers as possible to get the delivery of the Parish Council Newsletter out as quickly as possible.

vi)    Other -

a)     Members and residents were reminded that the Elections would be taking place on the 7th May.

b)    Cllr Ayton who was to comment on footpath 39 asked that this item be deferred to another meeting and that the Clerk be asked to contact WSCC for a definitive answer to the question of signposting this pathway.

133-14 Reports of meetings attended by Councillors;

          The Chairman said that attended the Manhood Peninsula Forum. The Fire Service who were due to speak did not arrive and the Police emphasised the cuts that are being made to the Sussex Police Service.

134-14 Items for inclusion on the next agenda:

135-14 Date of Next Meeting:        

20th April 2015 at 7pm in Birdham Village Hall

 

There being no further business to discuss the meeting was declared closed at 8.23pm

 

Signed ___________________________   Dated ____________________

 

Chairman

 

Annex A

 

Financial Statement as at 16th March 2015

£
Bank Accounts as at 31st March 2014

21689.56
Receipts to date

64058.01
Expenditure to date

45671.38
Balance

40076.19
Represented by;
Current Account (Barclays Community A/c)

14552.36
Deposit Account (Barclays Premium Business A/c)

18713.02
National Savings

6810.81
Total

40076.19
Less
Reserve @ 50% of Precept

21063.13
Loan Reserve for half year
Outstanding Cheque/s -
Total

21063.13
Ringfenced Funds
Op Watershed

6768.00
New Homes Bonus

6265.00
Available Funds Total

5980.06
 
Signed
Clerk to the Council
16th March 2015
Payments to be considered
B Geary (Litter Picking)

70.00
Clerks Expenses (Telephone/stationary etc.)

206.80
SSALC

54.00
AMS Contracting (Pond)

2400.00
Cllr Finch (Instantprint) Newsletter

59.99
Total

2790.79