YAPTON
PARISH COUNCIL
8 September 2003 - At a meeting of the Parish Council held at the Yapton &
Ford Village Hall.
Present: Mr Andrews, Mrs Barnes, Mr Caiger, Mr Coe, Mr Faulkner, Mr Haymes and Mr Taft.
Also present: County Councillor Mrs Freeman, District Councillor Mr Matthews,
Mr Tansley (Clerk of the Council) and 1 member of the public.
Apologies for absence were received from Mr Fellows, Mr Jones and Mr Tompsett.
CHAIRMAN
129. In the absence of the Chairman, the meeting was chaired by the Vice Chairman,
Mr Haymes.
MEMBERSHIP
130. With reference to minute 98/2003, two nominations were received for the two vacancies for co-opted members. The nominees, who were present at the meeting, each gave a brief resume of their background.
131. Resolved - That Mr Mark Andrews from 1 The Poplars, Yapton and Mr Richard Taft from Holly Tree Cottage, Hoe Lane, Flansham, be co-opted to serve as Parish Councillors for the four year term of office ending in May 2007.
132. At this point Mr Andrews and Mr Taft took their seats on the Parish Council and signed undertakings to observe the Council's Code of Conduct. The new members also noted that they were required to complete the Register of Members' Interests.
REPRESENTATIVE ON JOINT DOWNLAND AREA COMMITTEE
133. With reference to minute 99/2003, the Council agreed to defer the appointment of a representative until the next meeting.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
134. Members were reminded to make any declarations of personal and/or prejudicial interest that they may have in relation to items on the agenda. There were no declarations of interest.
MINUTES
135. Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 July 2003 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.
MATTERS ARISING
Children's Play Area - Signage (minute 104/2003)
136. The Clerk reported that unfortunately that one of the small signs had been vandalised. Arrangements would be made for this to be replaced.
"Walking Bus" to local school (minute 106/2003)
137. County Councillor Mrs Freeman reported that she had still to make contact with the Headteacher.
Church Road - Drainage Works (minute 113(a)/2003)
138. It was reported that there was a possibility that completion of the drainage works might be delayed beyond the scheduled date.
Retirement of Litter Warden/Arrangements for Replacement (minute 117-118/2003)
139. The Clerk reported that Mrs Gomersall had indicated that she would be relinquishing her contract as the Council's litter warden on 21 September 2003.
140. One person had contacted the Clerk expressing an interest in taking on the work but only for 6 hours a week initially on a job share basis. Efforts had been made to contact the Ford Prison Community Service Officers without any success.
141. The Clerk had accordingly pursued with the District Council's Cleansing Operations Manager the possibility of Verdant taking on the litter collection work in the village on a rechargeable agency basis. A meeting was scheduled to be arranged for Friday 12 September 2003.
142. Resolved - That the Chairman and Vice-Chairman be authorised to approve a contract with Verdant to cover litter collection on the playing field and Bilsham Road bus shelters within the budgeted costs.
Flagpole Repairs (minute 122/2003)
143. The Clerk advised that the Chairman had lowered the pole and undertaken the necessary repairs.
DISTRICT COUNCILLOR'S REPORT
144. District Councillor Mr Matthews reported that he had received complaints about problems with breakdowns in the electrical circuit in the village hall. It was noted that the Village Hall Management Committee had already arranged for an electrician to inspect the system.
CORRESPONDENCE
145. Receipt of the following correspondence was reported by the Clerk and action agreed as indicated:-
a) West Sussex County Council (Lt Col Tex Pemberton, Cabinet Member for Strategic
Environmental Services) - Junction A259/B2132 Comet Corner (copies of correspondence
attached to minute book);
The Clerk advised that as part of the co-ordinated campaign, an Action Group
supported by Middleton-on-Sea Parish Council was arranging for a petition to
be presented to Tex Pemberton at County Hall, Chichester, on 19 September 2003
at 2 pm at County Hall. It was hoped as many people as possible would attend.
County Councillor Mrs Freeman stated that a review of the capital costs had
recently been undertaken with the result that it was now estimated that a roundabout
would cost in the region of £1m and traffic signals £500,000.
b) West Sussex County Council (Highways) - plans for felling diseased elms
in Church Road & Main Road. The Council noted the position. The Clerk agreed
to liaise with the Highways Department about the timing of the tree felling
in Church Road in view of possible delays with the on-going drainage works taking
place nearby.
c) West Sussex County Council (Highways) - advising that counts of traffic movements
in the Downland Area were currently being undertaken with a view to arranging
a meeting of representatives all local councils and the Police to discuss possibilities
for the routing of HGVs in the area. Mr Taft agreed to be the Council's representative
at the meeting when it was convened.
d) West Sussex County Council (Rights of Way) - advising that the annual programme
of routine maintenance work to public rights of way would be undertaken shortly
in Yapton. Members reported a number of public footpaths which required attention.
e) West Sussex County Council (Social & Caring Services) - enclosing a consultation booklet on plans for transferring the Care Homes for Older People to the private sector (copy of relevant pages re: Warmere Court attached to minute book). District Councillors Haymes and Matthews reported on their attendance at a Public Consultation meeting on the plans in Chichester on 3 September 2003. The Council noted the proposal to temporarily relocate the residents of Warmere Court to a new home in Southbourne whilst the Yapton home was being rebuilt. It agreed that the Parish Council in their response should seek assurances from the County Council (a) about the arrangements for continuing medical care for residents (b) about the travel arrangements being made for friends and relatives to visit the home in Southbourne, many of whom were elderly and frail themselves and (c) whether it would be possible to retain in some form the conservatory which had been provided at Warmere Court as a result of local voluntary fund-raising efforts.
f) Arun District Council - enclosing consultation questionnaire on Council Finance. The Council agreed their response (copy attached to minute book).
g) Arun District Council - invitation to send a representative to the "State of the District Debate" to be held on 17 September 2003 from 2.00 pm to 8.00 pm at the Arun Civic Centre in Littlehampton.
h) Arun District Council - giving details of Housing Needs Survey being undertaken in the district.
i) Arun District Council - enclosing copy of the Council's Best Value Performace
Plan 2003/2004.
PROJECT FOR TEENAGERS' ARENA MEETING POINT/SKATEBOARD FACILITY
146. The Council were pleased to hear that the Sussex Police Authority had
approved a grant of £2000.00 towards the project from its Joint Initiatives
Fund. The one remaining grant application, to the SITA Environmental Trust,
was due to be determined by the Trust's Board on 23 September 2003.
147. The issue of public consultation about the project was raised County Councillor
Mrs Freeman. It was felt however that there had already been substantial information
provided to the community prior to the Council's decision to seek grant-aid
for the project. The project had also been mentioned in the Council's first
Newsletter and further information was to be included in the next edition. There
had been no adverse responses received apart from those local residents who
were opposed to siting the skateboard facility on the large car park.
PARISH COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
148. The Council discussed the first edition of the Council's newsletter, a
copy of which was intended to be delivered to every household in the village.
The Clerk advised of the unfortunate difficulties which had arisen over the
distribution arrangements and the Council noted the proposals made by the Guardian's
Leaflet Delivery Service to compensate for the delivery failures in certain
parts of the village.
149. The Council agreed that for the 2nd edition extra copies of the newsletter
should if possible be made available at local shops, public houses and at the
village hall. The Clerk had arranged for copies of the first newsletter to be
distributed to residents of Hoe Lane as this was not included in the Guardian's
normal delivery arrangements. Mr Taft undertook to cover this area in the future.
150. The Council had before them and approved a draft of the 2nd edition of the newsletter which would be distributed in October. It was agreed that as far as possible the newsletter should be published on a bi-monthly basis to follow-on from the Parish Council meeting in the previous month. The Council were pleased to hear that a grant of £125.00 had been approved by WSCC from its Parish Initiatives Fund towards the printing and distribution of the first edition of the newsletter.
151. Resolved - That the cost of producing and delivering the future editions of the newsletter (estimated at £150.00 per month) be covered from contingency funds in the current financial year.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
152. The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of meetings of the Planning Committee held on 1 and 12 August 2003 (copies attached to minute book) and (b) details of planning decisions made by Arun District Council in June, July and August 2003 (copy attached to minute book).
PLAYING FIELD COMMITTEE
153. The Clerk reported that he had ordered two new swing seats to replace those that had been vandalised. Repairs were also having to be made to the picnic tables and to the seesaw due to vandalism.
154. Resolved - That the moles contract with the Arun Pest Control Service be
renewed for a further year.
155. The Clerk was asked to stress to the moles contractor the need for a more regular inspection of the field particularly before football matches at weekends.
VILLAGE HALL
156. The Village Hall Management Committee representatives reported on estimates
obtained for the provision of a gas supply to the village hall and the installation
of a new gas fired central heating and hot water system. Regrettably, after
much work by Mr Faulkner in preparing the application to the Countryside Agency
for grant-aid, the application had been turned down. The Clerk undertook to
contact the SITA Environmental Trust to see whether they would consider funding
the project. District Councillor Matthews
suggested an approach for grant-aid might also be made to the Zurich Municipal
Insurance Company as he believed the Company, in their former guise of Municipal
Mutual, used to offer financial assistance to village halls.
FINANCE
157. Resolved -
(a) That the financial statement showing the payments and receipts covering the period 1 July - 31 August 2003 be adopted (copy attached to minute book);
(b) That the summary of income and expenditure over the various budget heads for the period up to 31 August 2003 be received (copy attached to minute book).
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
158. There were no matters raised by members of the public at the meeting.
CHAIRMAN