YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL
13 May 2002
- At a meeting of the Parish Council held at the Yapton & Ford
Village
Hall.
Present: Mr
Boxall, Mr Bryant, Mr Caiger, Mr
Coe, Mr Fellows, Mr Haymes,
Mrs Palmer,
Mr Ranceford-Hadley, Mr Rowlandson and Mr
Tompsett.
Also
present: County Councillor Mrs Freeman, District
Councillor Mr Matthews, Inspector Richards (Sussex Police), Mr Tansley (Clerk
of the Council) and 6 members of the public.
Apologies for absence were received from Mrs
Joanna Williams (Five Villages Society).
CHAIRMAN
54. Resolved - That Mr Fellows be re-elected Chairman of the
Parish Council for the
ensuing year.
VICE-CHAIRMAN
55. Resolved - That Mr Ranceford-Hadley be re-elected
Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council for the ensuing year.
APPOINTMENT
OF COMMITTEES
56. Resolved - That the membership of the
committees for the ensuing year be as follows:
Playing
Field: Mr Boxall, Mr Bryant, Mr Caiger, Mr Coe, Mr Tompsett
Planning:
Mr Bryant, Mr Haymes, Mrs Palmer, Mr Ranceford-Hadley,
Mr Rowlandson, Mr Tompsett.
Allotments: Mr
Caiger.
(The Chairman was an ex-officio member of each
Committee)
VILLAGE
HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES
57. Resolved - That Mr Boxall and Mr Coe be
re-appointed as the Council's representatives on the Village Hall Management
Committee for the ensuing year.
58. An
appointment to fill the remaining vacancy was deferred until the next meeting.
JOINT
DOWNLAND AREA COMMITTEE
59. Resolved - That Mr Haymes be appointed to
serve as the Council's representative on the Joint Downland Area Committee
which was being established for an initial trial period of one year to deal
with matters which hitherto had been considered by the County Council’s
Downland Area Committee and Arun District Council’s Downland Area Partnership
Panel.
MINUTES
60. Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2002
be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.
MATTERS
ARISING
Canal
Road – Dropped Kerb (minute 30/2002)
61. The
Clerk was asked to check to see whether there had been any further
developments.
Village
Hall – External Maintenance Programme 2002/2003 (minutes 33-34/2002)
62. The
Clerk reported that Ford Parish Council had agreed to meet 25% of the cost of
the external maintenance programme.
The Council noted that the weathervane and rooster on the Millennium
Clock Tower had recently been stolen.
The Clerk had made arrangements for these to be replaced and an
insurance claim was being pursued by the Village Hall Management
Committee.
Relocation
of recycling bins (minute 36/2002)
63. The
Clerk advised that he had written to Arun District Council asking that they
indemnify the Parish Council against any damage caused to the surface of the
access road by the recycling vehicles.
Direction
road sign, North End Road (minute 52d/2002)
64. The
Clerk reported on the response from the local traffic engineer. The Council considered that the original
sign was of metal construction and the Chairman offered to provide a digital
photograph of the post and its location to support this contention. The Clerk would respond accordingly.
COUNTY
& DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS
65.
County Councillor Mrs Freeman in her report referred to the role of as
special task force set up to consider the responses received to the County
Structure Plan. A tour of the county
was being arranged by the members of the task force.
66. Mrs
Freeman also expressed her personal disappointment that it had not been
possible for the village to come together to organise an event to mark the
Golden Jubilee celebrations although St Mary’s Church were organising a Golden Jubilee fete in June. She personally would be working towards
developing the links between the various village organisations in the future to
include the local primary school and youth club. She hoped for example that the school might provide regular
reports to the Parish Council on their activities.
67.
District Councillor Mr Matthews was concerned about the intended closure
of the Barnham Medical Centre and the impact that this would have not only on
their patients but also on the Yew Tree House Surgery in Yapton to where they
would be transferring.
68. The
Council noted that the Inspector’s Report on the Local Plan was expected to be
published on 28 May 2002.
REPORT
BY INSPECTOR RICHARDS, SUSSEX POLICE
69.
Police Inspector Richards reported to the Council on the new
neighbourhood policing strategy being introduced by the new Chief
Constable. Two new police officers were
to be added to the district manpower shortly to augment the efforts of the new
local officer, PC Richard Haynes. The
Chairman on behalf of the Council members welcomed this initiative which it was
hoped would bring positive results.
70. In
the ensuing discussion the recent spate of
vandalism involving digging trenches across the playing field was
mentioned as well as the continuing concerns about motorcycles being ridden
across the field and communication difficulties and delays in response to
telephone calls to the 0845 60 70 999 police contact number.
CORRESPONDENCE
71.
Receipt of the following correspondence was reported by the Clerk and
action agreed as indicated:-
a) Sussex Police – introducing the Performance
Plan for Policing Sussex 2002/2003
which had been published on the Internet at www.sussex.police.uk.
b) Sussex Police – invitation to send a
representative to a meeting to be held at Littlehampton Police Station on
Thursday 16 May at 9.30 am in connection with the establishment of a Priority
Crime Working Group covering domestic burglary, vehicle crime and violent crime
in a public place. Mr Haymes hoped
to attend the meeting.
c) Arun
District Council – to consider any nominations for this year’s Arun in Bloom
Competition (categories: business or
organisation (i) over 30 ft frontage (ii) under 30 ft frontage; private garden
(i)
over 30 ft frontage (ii) under 30 ft frontage). Mr
Ranceford-Hadley undertook to approach the school to see if they were
interested in being nominated.
d) Arun
District Council – provision of flagpole to commemorate the Queen’s Golden
Jubilee 2002. The Council agreed to
accept the District Council’s offer. It
was agreed that the flagpole should be erected adjacent to the entrance gate to
the playing field.
e) Arun
District Council – Noise Action Day – Wednesday 22 May 2002. The Council noted that the Action Day was
planned “to raise the awareness of the impacts of excessive noise in the
District and the simple measures that can be taken to avoid these”.
f) Halcrow
Group Ltd – Multi-Modal Transport Study – invitation to send a representative
to the next workshop to be held at The Assembly Rooms, Chichester, on 23 May 2002 at 5.30 pm.
It was noted that an exhibition on the local transport proposals was to be held
in Arundel Town Hall between 23 – 25 May 2002.
g) St
Mary’s Church, Yapton – request for financial support. A grant of £100.00 was approved by the
Council towards the upkeep of the fabric of the church and the maintenance of
the churchyard.
h) 1st
Yapton & Ford Scout Group – request for financial support. A grant of £100.00 was approved by the
Council.
i) National
Association of Local Councils – invitation to send representative to the
National Conference to be held in Preston in June2002.
j) Yapton
Community Pre-school – requesting siting of new accommodation on the playing
field for pre-school provision. The
Council felt unable to agree to the siting of any new building on the playing
field itself but indicated they would consider a proposal to locate such
accommodation on the large car park adjoining the playing field, subject to
planning considerations and agreement to the design of the building as well as,
if necessary, the approval of the National Playing Fields Association.
PROJECT
FOR NEW CHILDREN’S PLAY AREA/RESURFACING OF CAR PARK
72. The
Clerk circulated a note outlining the latest position concerning the proposed
financing of the project together with details of the timetable prepared by
Philip Acton of Philips Chartered Surveyors, for the invitation of tenders (copies attached to minute book). Mr Ranceford-Hadley pointed out the need
for the Council to follow established financial regulations covering the
tendering procedure.
73. Resolved -
a) That
the revised plans as set out involving taking out a new loan of £30,000
repayable over 25 years for the financing of resurfacing of the car park
project and rescheduling the Council’s existing loan of some £20,000 over 6
years, be approved;
b) That
the quotation and design from Playdale Playgrounds Limited for the provision of
the play equipment and safety surface be accepted;
c) That the quotation from SEC Lighting
Services for 2 street lamps sited either side of the new play area be accepted
subject to the outcome of the tendering process and the availability of funds;
d) That the Chairman be authorised to act on
the Council’s behalf (a) in accepting the lowest tender for the resurfacing
project and (b) in any other financial and planning decisions which may arise
relating to the overall project.
PLANNING
74.
The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of meetings of
the Planning Committee held on 11 and 20 March, 3 and 24 April and 9 May 2002 (copies attached to minute book) and (b)
details of the decisions made by Arun District Council in March/April 2002 on
planning applications for Yapton (copy
attached to minute book).
75. Mr
Ranceford-Hadley and the Clerk reported on the contents of a further
communication from the Area Highway Engineer concerning the efforts being made
by the County Council to resolve the various issues concerning the Old Post
Office (copy attached to minute book). It was noted that a meeting had recently
taken place with the proprietor and his solicitor involving a legal
representative from WSCC and the Highways Superintendent to try and resolve
amicably the continuing problems.
76.
Members noted that at the meeting a compromise solution had been
negotiated but they were concerned to hear that this still meant that goods for
sale would be allowed to remain on the footway outside the Old Post Office and
there was still no indication that the derelict vehicles to the west of the
premises were to be removed. It was
agreed that the Clerk should pursue these on-going concerns with the Area
Highway Engineer and at the same time raise the issue of insurance cover for
public liability in the event of an accident.
The Clerk was also asked to enquire about the proposed timetable for the
promised road markings outside the Shoulder of Mutton and Cucumber Public House
and at the entrance to Church Road.
PLAYING
FIELD
77. The
Council noted that vandals had dug trenches on the playing field on two
separate occasions. The police had been
informed.
ALLOTMENTS
78. Mr
Caiger reported that there had been 7 plots vacant in April but these had now
all been let to new tenants. All the
rentals for the year had been collected.
VILLAGE
HALL REPRESENTATIVES
79. Mr
Coe reported that at the last meeting Roy Phillips had indicated his intention
to resign as Chairman of the Village Hall Management Committee. The Annual General Meeting was scheduled for
30 May 2002 at which a new Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary would be
appointed.
FINANCE
80. Resolved – That the financial statements
for the months of January*, February*,
March and April 2002 be adopted (copies attached to minute
book). [*An adjustment had been
necessary to the statements for January and February approved at the last
meeting as one payment had been omitted];
81.
The Council noted that the audit of accounts for the year ended 31 March
2001 had been completed satisfactorily.
A copy of the District Auditor’s
report together with a summary of the major areas covered by the audit was received by the Council (copies
attached to minute book);
82. The
Clerk reported that the Audit Commission was introducing a new ‘lighter touch”
audit regime for local councils from 1 April 2002. It was noted that as part of the new arrangements the Council
must appoint an internal independent auditor to undertake various financial
tests and report to the members.
83.
Members agreed to accept the offer of the Audit Department of WSCC to
undertake an internal audit of the Council’s accounts for the year ended 31
March 2002. The audit was to be on a trial basis for one year
initially and at no cost, to enable
WSCC to assess whether a similar service might be offered to other parish
councils in West Sussex.
ANY
OTHER BUSINESS
84. The
following matters/concerns were raised by Councillors and members of the public
present at the meeting:-
a) Mr
Caiger reported that both of the Council’s street lights in Maypole Lane were
not working;
b) Mr Caiger advised that where the elms had
been pruned on the boundary of the car park,
further growth had occurred which needed to be cut back;
c) Mr Caiger asked whether it might be possible
to obtain a Preservation Order on the Victorian Letter Box situated outside of
the Bilsham Stores. The Council agreed
that the Clerk should pursue this possibility;
d) Mr
Caiger reported that there an accumulation of rubbish remained near the Old
Canal Bridge where the trees had been cut back by the County Council;
e) Mr
Dickenson, Chairman of Ford Parish Council, raised an issue concerning
consideration of planning applications which affect neighbouring parishes. It was felt that such applications should
automatically be made available by the Planning Officer to all parishes which
might be affected without payment of any fee.
The Clerk was asked to pursue the matter with the Planning Officer.
85. It
was agreed that follow-up action with regard to the matters raised should be taken by the Clerk as appropriate.
CHAIRMAN