YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

 

12 January 2004 - At a meeting of the Parish Council held at the Yapton & Ford Village

                             Hall.                  

 

Present:   Mr Andrews, Mrs Barnes, Mr Coe, Mr Faulkner, Mr Haymes, Mr Jones and

                Mr Taft.

 

Also present:     Mr Tansley (Clerk of the Council), District Councillor Mr Matthews

                         and 4 members of the public.

 

Apologies for absence were received from Mr Caiger, Mr Fellows and County Councillor Mrs Freeman.

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN

 

1.   In the absence of Mr Fellows, the meeting was chaired by the Vice-Chairman, Mr Haymes.

 

 

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

2.  Members were reminded to make any declarations of personal and/or prejudicial interest that they may have in relation to items on the agenda.   Mr Haymes declared an interest in agenda item 13 (a) Planning Committee and Mr Tansley (the Clerk) declared an interest in para 3(ii) website maintenance of agenda item 14 (a).   

 

 

MINUTES

 

3.    Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2003 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.               

 

       

MATTERS ARISING

 

Children’s Play Area – Signage (minute 162/2003)

 

4.  The Clerk reported that the sign next to the western gate had been replaced but unfortunately it had since been ripped off by vandals.    The large play area sign on the front fence had also been vandalised.  However the sign on the eastern gate remained in place.   The Council decided not to replace the two vandalised signs for the time being.

 

Felling of diseased elms in Church Road (minute 166/2003)

 

5.   It was reported that residents of The Limes and The Poplars had complained about the unsightly appearance of the bank now that the diseased elms had been removed.  The Council agreed to continue to monitor the situation.

Replacement of swing seats (minute 167/2003)

 

6.  The Clerk reported that arrangements had been made with Playdale Ltd, the suppliers of the play equipment, to replace the swing seats at the same time as other repair work was carried out by the firm.

It was expected that the work would be undertaken within the next fortnight.

 

Downview Way – sewerage problems (minute 174(e)/2003)

 

7.  The Clerk reported on the response received from Southern Water which suggested that the problems experienced had been caused by the private sewer from the Downview Estate on more than one occasion being blocked with fat.    A copy of the letter had been sent to the resident who had raised the matter with the Parish Council. 

 

8.  In the ensuing discussion the resident concerned indicated that she had also received a letter from the Head of Property Services at the County Council which reiterated the opinion that the problems arose from a lack of capacity in Southern Water’s public sewer in Burndell Road which at peak demand caused a back up and flooding in the private sewer in the Downview Estate. 

 

9.   The Council agreed that the Clerk should pursue the matter further with the Southern Water Authority. 

 

Traffic calming measures in North End Road (minute 174(g)/2003)

 

10.  The Clerk reported that a local resident had suggested that a 30 mph sign be installed as a reminder outside The Old Vicarage in North End Road.   The resident’s suggestion had been passed to the local Highway Engineer.   

 

Project for Teenagers’ Arena Meeting Point/Skateboard Facility (minute 177/2003)

 

11.  The Clerk reported that orders with the tarmac contractor and suppliers of the equipment had been placed.  A site meeting was being arranged and it was anticipated that the work would be completed by the end of March.

 

12.    The Council was pleased to hear that as a result the Christmas Raffle arranged by the local Co-op Store a sum of £471 had been raised towards the project. 

 

 

REPORTS FROM COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS

 

13.   District Councillor Mr Matthews advised that he would be away in New Zealand from the end of January for some three months.

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

14.    Receipt of the following correspondence was reported by the Clerk and action agreed as indicated:-

 

a) West Sussex County Council – enclosing a copy for consultation purposes of the 10 Year West Sussex Transport Plan.  The Council referred the document to the Planning Committee for any comments.

 

b) West Sussex County Council – Rights of Way Improvement Plan Survey.    Parish Councillor Mr Jones agreed to undertake the survey on behalf of the Council.

 

c)  Arun District Council – proposed Recycling Centre, King George V Playing Field.   The Council noted that the District Council Officers had recently reviewed the situation and had since come forward with two schemes for siting the recycling bins in the village.    

 

The Council discussed both options and agreed to support Scheme 1 which would locate the bins in the south western corner of the playing field car park.   A palisade fence was to be erected to create a compound which would contain and screen the bins in the car park.   The site would be serviced from Main Road via a newly created access path to the compound.  This would overcome the problem of potential damage to the car park surface by contractor’s vehicles.

 

It was noted that the construction work to create the recycling compound was expected to be completed by the end of March 2004.

 

d)     SITA Environmental Trust – confirming that a grant of £11,000 had been approved towards the replacement/upgrading of the central heating and hot water system in the Village Hall.  The Council was pleased to hear of the successful outcome of this application and thanked the Clerk for his efforts. 

 

It was noted that a meeting had recently been held with a consultant heating engineer involving representatives of the Village Hall Management Committee to discuss the project.   It was agreed that the heating engineer should be engaged to design and manage the project on behalf of the Council and Village Hall Management Committee.

 

e)   Mrs B J Gomersall (former litter warden) – letter of thanks for the presentation made to her at the last meeting in recognition of her services to the community.

 

f)  Grant-aid – requests for financial support were received from:

 

     i) 4SIGHT (West Sussex Association for the Blind).

 

     ii)  Outset - the West Sussex Volunteering Agency for Young People based at Lodge Hill Centre,        Pulborough.  The Agency aimed to “support and encourage young people aged 13 - 25 to make a

     personal, sustained commitment to volunteering by providing opportunities for them to perform a          wide variety of useful and  worthwhile tasks within the community”.

 

    iii) Littlehampton & District Victim Support - provides emotional support and practical guidance         to help people cope with the after-affects of crime.

 

15. Resolved – That grants of £50.00 each be awarded to 4SIGHT and Outset but that no grant be awarded to Littlehampton & District Victim Support.

      

 

POLICY SITE 6 – NEW HOUSING AND PROPOSED RELIEF ROAD FOR

FELPHAM/BOGNOR REGIS

 

16. The Council had before them and received copies of a Press Release and Question & Answer response paper by Arun District Council following the recent High Court Decision to squash that part of the Local Plan relating to the proposed additional housing development in the North Bersted section of Policy Site 6 (copies attached to minute book).  It was noted that amongst the consequences there could be a 2 year delay in the provision of the northern relief road.

 

17.  Parish Councillor Mr Taft reported that a meeting of the Policy Site 6 Advisory Group was due to take place shortly and the District Council was due to consider a report by the Head of Planning Services on future actions on 18 February 2004.

    

 

PROPOSED RELIEF ROAD FOR FELPHAM/BOGNOR REGIS

FOOTPATH/CYCLE TRACK CROSSINGS

   

18.   The Council had before them and considered a report from Parish Councillor Mr Taft (copy of report and map attached to minute book).

 

19.  Mr Taft reported that he had met recently with Derek Whittington, Chairman of Eastergate Parish Council.  Mr Whittington had been the main driving force to preserve the indicated cycle track route which was included in the County Council’s Structure Plan.  Mr Whittington had indicated that he had no objection to the alternative route suggested being incorporated once Site 6 and the new road was developed.

 

20.  Resolved – That the Council share the concerns expressed in the report and agree that appropriate representations should be made to the County Council’s Rights of Way Department concerning (a) the proposed re-routing of the cycle track and (b) the effect of the number of footpath crossings over the proposed Relief Road and asking what form the crossings might take over the new road ie bridges, light controlled or other. 

 

 

PAYMENT OF ALLOWANCES FOR MEMBERS OF PARISH COUNCILS

 

21. The Council had before them and considered a report prepared by the Clerk (copy attached to minute book).

 

22.   Resolved –

 

a) That the scheme for allowances and expenses for members of Parish and Town Councils as proposed by the District Council’s Parish Remuneration Panel be adopted;

 

b) That collectively current members individually renounce their entitlement to an allowance of £400 per annum for the 2004/2005 financial year.

 

 

 “DESIGN-A-FLAG FOR YAPTON” COMPETITION

 

23.  With reference to minute 178/2003, the Council had before them and considered three entries which had been received for the village flag competition.   As the competition and original closing date clashed with the busy Festive Season, the Council decided to extend the closing date to the end of February in the hope of attracting more entries.

 

PARISH COUNCIL NEWSLETTER

 

24.  With reference to minutes 179-180/2003, the Clerk advised that the Leaflet Bureau had indicated that it was no longer able to deliver the newsletter in Yapton because of the small numbers involved. As a result, at short notice and with the agreement of the Chairman, the Clerk’s wife had, as a “one-off” arrangement, undertaken the deliveries of the November/December edition of the newsletter for the same rate as had been charged by the Leaflet Bureau.  

 

25. Members discussed various other delivery/distribution options for the newsletter including using the Royal Mail door-step delivery service and the local primary school.  It was agreed that Clerk should explore these options and if none proved viable, in future copies of the newsletter would be made available to residents via local shops, doctor’s surgeries and other service outlets in the village. 

 

26.  The Council had before them and approved a draft of the 4th edition of the newsletter which it was proposed to distribute as soon as possible.

 

 

PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

27.  Mr Haymes declared an interest and left the meeting for the discussion on the Planning Committee’s report.

 

28. The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of meetings of the Planning Committee held on  10, 18 November 2003 and 22 December 2003 (copies attached to minute book) and (b) details of planning decisions made  by Arun District Council in November/December 2003 (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

PLAYING FIELD

 

29.  The Council agreed to defer until the next meeting the award of the grass cutting contract for the 2004 season.  

 

30.  It was reported that a quantity of hedgerow material had been dumped at the rear of the village hall.  The Clerk undertook to arrange for it to be removed.  

 

31.  The Clerk advised that the estimated cost of repairs as a result of vandalism to the equipment in the children’s play area was in excess of £800.

 

 

VILLAGE HALL REPRESENTATIVES

 

32.  Further problems with vandalism were reported including damage to the front door and broken windows and roofing tiles.  The ceiling in the club room toilets was black with damp mould as a result of rainwater penetration.

 

 

 

 

 

FINANCE

 

Precept for 2004/2005

 

33.  The Council had before them and considered a report prepared by the Clerk on setting the precept for 2004/2005.  The report included the revised estimates for 2003/2004 and the estimates of expenditure for 2004/2005 (copy attached to minute book).   The Clerk declared an interest in  paragraph 3, item (ii) concerning website maintenance, of the report. 

 

34.  Resolved – That the Council precept for the sum of £40,000 for 2004/2005 to cover (a) the estimated cost of maintaining existing services and (b) the additional items of expenditure as set out in paragraph 3 of the Clerk’s report.

 

35.  Resolved –

 

(a) That the financial statement showing the payments and receipts covering the period 1 November - 31 December 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 December 2003 be received (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

DATES OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS IN 2004

 

36.  With reference to minute 193/2003, the Council noted that the agreed programme of dates unfortunately clashed with the first four meetings of the Downland Area Committee in which members of the Parish, District and County Council were also involved.  

 

37.  The Council agreed the following revised dates for their meetings in 2004:

 

      Monday 15 March (instead of 8 March)

      Monday 17 May (instead of 10 May)

      Monday 19 July (instead of 12 July)

      Monday 13 September (no change)

      Monday 8 November (no change)

 

 

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

 

38.  The Council were advised that the double yellow lines at the entrance to Church Road had been obliterated by contractors as a result of the recent drainage works undertaken in the area.  The Clerk undertook to contact the local Highways Engineer to arrange for the double yellow lines to be reinstated.

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN