YAPTON
PARISH COUNCIL
10 September 2001 - At a meeting of the Parish Council held at the Yapton &
Ford Village Hall.
Present: Mr Boxall, Mr Bryant, Mr Coe, Mr Haymes, Mrs Palmer,
Mr Ranceford-Hadley and
Mr Tompsett.
Also present: Mrs Freeman (County Councillor), Mr Bower (for item on Periodic
Electoral Review),
Mrs Goad and Mr Matthews (District Councillors), Mr Tyrrell (Clymping Parish
Councillor - for item on Co-ordinated Rural Transport Plan), Mr Tansley (Clerk
of the Council) and 3 members of the public.
Apologies for absence were received from Mr Caiger, Mr Fellows and Mr Rowlandson.
CHAIRMAN
116. In the absence of Mr Fellows, the meeting was chaired by the Vice-Chairman,
Mr Ranceford-Hadley.
MINUTES
117. Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2001 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.
MATTERS ARISING
Church Lane footpath - barrier (minute 92/2001)
118. The Clerk advised that because of the impact of the foot and mouth crisis, grant-aid for this year from the County Council's Parish Initiatives Fund was being limited to schemes involving the clearance of vegetation. Consequently the Council's application had been declined. Members agreed in the circumstances to finance the cost of a suitable barrier from the Council's own resources subject to consultation and agreement with the Chairman.
The Seagull Project (minutes 95 and 96/2001)
119. The Clerk advised that a final decision on the Council's application was
still awaited from the Landfill Tax Governing Body; meanwhile he had obtained
competitive quotes from three companies which specialised in providing and installing
play area equipment.
Tack Lee Road - Building Development (minute 97/2001)
120. The Clerk reported that the District Council's Enforcement Officer had advised that the garage at the rear of 25 Tack Lee Road did not require planning permission. The new entrance gate at 49 Tack Lee Road was still being investigated by the Planning Department.
Canal Road - dropped kerb (minute 99/2001)
121. The Clerk advised that the Area Highway Engineer had confirmed that the matter was still being pursued. The County Council were insisting that the works be carried out to their specification and if no action was taken in the near future a legal enforcement notice would be served on the resident concerned.
Community Police Officers (minute 102/2001)
122. The Clerk reported that County Councillor Mrs Freeman had sent him copies of correspondence she had had with the local Superintendent of Police which were available for members to read.
REPRESENTATIVE ON DOWNLAND AREA PARTNERSHIP PANEL
123. Mr Ranceford-Hadley advised that reluctantly he had decided to stand down as the Council's representative on the Downland Area Partnership Panel. There being no nominations/volunteers the Council decided to defer making an appointment in place of Mr Ranceford-Hadley for the time being.
COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS
124. Mrs Freeman (County Councillor) reported that Yapton Level Crossing was
to be closed for essential maintenance works during certain nights of the following
week. The County Council had agreed to impose a 40 mph speed limit along the
length of the B2233 between Yapton and Barnham which at present was not subject
to restriction.
125. Mrs Goad (District Councillor) reported that consideration was being given
to a one-way traffic system around Tack Lee Road. A byelaw covering drainage
had recently been passed and the appointment of a "Ditches Officer"
was to be made by the District Council.
CORRESPONDENCE
126. Receipt of the following correspondence was reported by the Clerk and action agreed as indicated:-
a) Clymping Parish Council - Joint approach to a co-ordinated rural transport
plan for the seven villages. Mr Peter Tyrrell, Clymping Parish Councillor, outlined
his Council's proposals for a separate transport study to be undertaken by the
7 villages and funded from Parish Council resources. Following discussion, members
however felt it would be wise to await the results of the County Council's own
transport study which was being extended to cover the rural Downland villages
before deciding, in consultation as appropriate with Clymping and neighbouring
Councils, on the best way forward. In the meantime the Clerk undertook to copy
to members the letter received from Clymping Parish Council which set out in
detail the background to their proposals.
.
b) Clymping Parish Council - suggestion that the next joint Question & Answer
session involving Clymping, Ford and Yapton Parish Councils should be held in
Clymping. Council members agreed to Clymping's proposal with Thursday 11 April
2002 being the preferred date with 18 April 2002 their second preference.
c) Arun District Council - Periodic Electoral Review. Mr Bower, Cabinet Member from Arun District Council was present for this item. The Council noted that the District Council's proposals, on which comments were invited, included a change in the Electoral Ward for Yapton. Currently there were 3 district councillors serving the ward comprising the parishes of Barnham, Yapton, Eastergate and Ford . The new proposals suggested a ward with 2 councillors comprising Yapton, Ford and Clymping, with the Hoe Lane area of Yapton being included in a new Felpham East Ward for district council electoral purposes.
In the ensuing discussion it was noted that the projected electoral figures showed that the new Yapton ward even with Hoe Lane included as part of the electrorate would still be 2.4% below the "Arun Average" figure and would be 4.8% below if Hoe Lane were excluded from the figures. In contrast, the Felpham East ward without Hoe Lane would be 0.9% above the Arun Average and 3.4% above if Hoe Lane were included as part of their electorate. Members also noted that historically Hoe Lane had always, since the Parish Council was first established, been part of the administrative Parish of Yapton.
Resolved - That whilst having no objection to the main proposal involving Yapton
ie that a new District Council ward comprising the parishes of Yapton, Ford
and Clymping be established, members were unaminous in their opposition to the
suggestion that the Hoe Lane area of Yapton be included within the new Felpham
ward.
d) Arun District Council - invitation to send a representative to a full Council
meeting on 17 October 2001 at 6.00 p.m. which would be devoted to the subject
of climate change and what the District Council and community could do to reduce
its impact. It was agreed that the Clerk should approach Mr Rowlandson to see
if he was able to attend.
e) Arun District Council - Plant a Bulb scheme 2001. The Council decided not to participate in the bulb planting scheme this year.
f) West Sussex NHS Health Authority - consultation on a proposal to dissolve
the three current NHS trusts covering West Sussex and set up a new organisation,
the West Sussex Partnership Trust, to provide certain NHS services across the
whole of West Sussex from 1 April 2002. The Council decided not to comment on
the Health Authority's proposals.
g) The Five Village Society - "Flix in the Stix" latest developments.
Mrs Joanna Williams outlined the current position. Local councils were being
approached to underwrite the cost of showing cinema films in their village halls.
The Council agreed in principle to support the scheme subject to receiving further
details of the costs involved.
h) West Sussex County Council - confirming a grant of £250.00 from the Parish Initiatives Fund towards new computer equipment for the Parish Council office.
i) Yapton Football Club - letter of thanks for the grant of £150.00 towards
the cost of the Club's new football posts.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
127. The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of meetings of the Planning Committee held on 9, 26 July, 5, 7 and 8 September 2001 and (b) details of the decisions made by Arun District Council in August 2001 on planning applications for Yapton (copies attached to minute book).
PLAYING FIELD
128. The Council were concerned about the safety hazards from an increasing usage of quad bikes on the playing field. It was pointed out that the riding of such machines on the field was not permitted under the byelaws. The Clerk was asked to contact the Police and request that appropriate action be taken against offenders.
VILLAGE HALL REPRESENTATIVES
129. Mr Coe reported that the plans for the new changing rooms were to be updated
and costed. Quotations were being obtained for the internal decoration of the
hall. The premises had been burgled in July. Mr Tompsett undertook to check
whether video evidence from CCTV cameras could be used to obtain prosecutions
against vandals.
FINANCE
130. Resolved -
a) That the Auditor's Certificate and Opinion on the audit of the Council's accounts for the year ended 31 March 2000 be received (copy attached to minute book);
b) That the financial statements for the months of July and August 2001 be adopted (copies attached to minute book)
131. The Council noted that the National Joint Council for Local Government
Services had reached agreement on rates of pay for Local Council Clerks applicable
from 1 April 2001. The award gave an increase of 3.5% in the Clerk's salary
from that date.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
132. The following matters/concerns were raised by Councillors and members of the public present at the meeting:
a) Both clocks on the Village Hall had once again stopped. The Clerk advised that he was in contact with the suppliers with a view to getting the latest problem resolved as quickly as possible.
b) Mr Coe advised that he had received letters from residents of Cobham Close concerning the new fencing which had been erected at the end of Loveys Road. It was agreed that the Clerk should reply and forward copies of the letters to the District Council's Housing Department which had arranged for the erection of the fence to screen off the field and stop rubbish tipping.
c) Concerns about the accumulation of rubbish from the Southern Co-op Store would be raised by the Clerk with the store's Marketing Manager.
d) The twitten footpath between Church Road and North End Road needed sweeping. The Clerk undertook to arrange with the District Council for this to be done.
e) A pile of concrete material had appeared at the rear of the village hall. The Clerk undertook to contact the District Council to arrange for its removal.
f) The rector, the Reverend Stephen Nunn, had been appointed to a new position as a prison chaplain in Portsmouth and he would be leaving the village at the end of the month. The Council agreed that a letter of thanks and best wishes be sent to Mr Nunn and his family.
g) The continuing problems associated with The Old Post Office, Cabco's taxi business and the lack of response over the requested parking restrictions in Church Road, Church Lane and North End Road were again discussed. It was resolved that the Parish Council should request a joint meeting with the appropriate cabinet members of the County and District Councils together with the Yapton representatives on those councils, with a view to seeking ways to resolve these issues as soon as possible.
CHAIRMAN