YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL
14 March 2005 - At a meeting of the Parish
Council held at the Yapton & Ford Village Hall.
Present: Mr
Fellows (Chairman), Mr Andrews, Mrs Barnes, Mr Caiger, Mr Coe, Mr Faulkner,
Mr Haymes and Mr Jones.
Also
present: County Councillor Mrs Freeman, Inspector Mark
Hammond, PCSOs Ian Buckman and Richard White from Sussex Police, Mr Tansley
(Clerk of the Council) and 6 members of the public.
Apologies for absence were received
and accepted from Parish Councillor Mr Taft.
DECLARATIONS
OF INTEREST
34. Members were reminded to make any declarations of personal and/or
prejudicial interest that they may have in relation to items on the
agenda.
MEMBERSHIP
35. As there were no nominations at the meeting, it was agreed that
the vacancy for a co-opted member should be publicised in the next Parish
Council newsletter which was due out shortly.
MINUTES
36. Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 10 January
2005 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the
Chairman.
MATTERS
ARISING
Provision of gas-fired central heating/hot water system for Village Hall
(minute 6/2005)
37. The Clerk reported that a meeting involving representatives of
the Village Hall Management Committee and the heating consultant engineer had
recently been held at which the tenders submitted by Edgar & Wood and A D
Broughton Ltd had been considered in detail.
Following discussion it had been decided, subject to confirmation on
funding, to award the contract to A D Broughton Ltd and a letter of intent had
accordingly been sent to the successful contractor. The quote submitted by A D Broughton Ltd provided for the
installation of a gas-fired system based on condenser boilers with three
separately controlled zones. It was
hoped also to provide a wall kettle boiler for the kitchen which, although
expensive, would overcome the problems of condensation caused by the tea urns.
38. Since that meeting the Clerk had heard that an application for
an “Awards for All” Lottery Grant had
been successful and therefore funding for the project was now secure with
grants from the SITA Environmental Trust (£25,000), Awards for All (£5,000) and Ford Parish Council (£1000)
having been confirmed.
Sports Equipment Store (minute 7/2005)
39. The Clerk reported on quotes received for work required to adapt
the equipment store at the rear of the village hall to accommodate goal
posts.
40. Resolved – That the
lowest estimate received from A Boxall, Builder & Decorator, be accepted.
Proposed police/community
“drop-in”centre at the Co-op Store (minute 8/2005)
41. The Chairman reported that
the further meeting planned for 10 March 2005 had had to be postponed. It was hoped to arrange an alternative date
as soon as possible.
Calendar for Yapton Competition (minute 9/2005)
42. The Clerk reported further income totalling £45 from sales at the
school and village stores had been received.
External redecoration of the Village Hall (minute 24/2005)
43. The Clerk reported that Ford
Parish Council had confirmed that the Council would contribute 25% of the
cost.
Budget report 2005/2006 – Street Lighting Maintenance Contract (minutes
29 -31/2005)
44. The Clerk reported that he had arranged to meet with the County
Council’s Street Lighting Superintendent to survey the condition of all the
Parish Council maintained street lamps prior to a contract being drawn up for
the future maintenance of the lamps by WSCC.
Planning enforcement issues – minute 34(b)/2005
45. The Clerk reported that the advertising boards were being
investigated by the District Council’s Planning Enforcement Officer. The coaches had since been removed from
the site.
REPORTS FROM COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS
46. County Councillor Mrs Freeman reported that work was underway to
further investigate the drainage problems on the Downview Estate; it was
recognised that the problems needed to be resolved before the re-building of
Warmere Court got underway. A
decision from the Cabinet Member on highway improvements to the Comet Corner
junction was expected shortly.
47. District Councillor Stephen Haymes reported that the District
Council’s tax increase had been limited to 4.7% following public consultation
on the level of services to be provided in 2005/2006. The new arrangements for refuse collection introduced at the end
of February had experienced some teething problems but it was hoped these would
be resolved shortly.
CORRESPONDENCE
48. Receipt of the following correspondence was reported by the
Clerk and action agreed as indicated:
a) Minister of State at the Home Office to Howard Flight MP - supporting
proposed police/community drop-in centre at Yapton (copy attached to minute
book). The Council welcomed the
Government’s support for this project.
b) WSCC Planning Services – enclosing copy of the West Sussex Structure
Plan 2001 – 2016 which had been adopted on 25 October 2004. The adopted Structure Plan was part of the
statutory development plan and would be used by the County Council and district
and borough councils in determining planning applications.
c) WSCC County Secretary – County Council Local Committees – the letter
proposed extending the principle of local area committees, piloted in the
Downland Area, to cover the whole of the county. The Council noted that it
was proposed that the parish of Middleton-on-Sea should be included as part of
the area covered by the Downland Area Joint Committee.
d) WSCC Highways – consultation on street lighting operation times. The Council agreed that the questionnaire
accompanying the letter should be circulated to councillors to enable them to
indicate their preferences.
e) WSCC County Librarian – consultation on new visiting times of Mobile
Library Service to Yapton. Currently
Wednesday 3.05 to 4.30pm; proposed (from April 2005) Wednesday 3.15 to 4.30 pm
in order to accommodate a change in time at the previous stop. The Council noted the slightly revised
times which would be publicised in the next Parish Council newsletter.
f) Arun District Council – enclosing details of the Chairman’s Charity
Concert to be held at Arundel Castle on Saturday 9 April 2005 at 7.30 pm.
g) Young resident – application for grant-aid towards cost of
participating in Tall Ships Voyage as part of her Gold Award for the Duke of
Edinburgh scheme. The Council
approved a grant of £100.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
49. The Council noted that the Minister of the Crown had authorised the post holders of the Clerk to the
Council and the Chairman of the Council as the “qualified persons” for Yapton
Parish Council for the purpose of Section 36 of the Freedom of Information Act
2000.
50. The role of the qualified person was ‘to decide in their
reasonable opinion whether information is exempt from public disclosure’. The Act provided that information was exempt
for the purposes of a Parish Council, if in the reasonable opinion of the
“qualified person” disclosure of the information under this Act would, or would
be likely to, inhibit:
·
the free and
frank provision of advice; or
·
the free and
frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation, or
·
the effective
conduct of public affairs.
QUALITY PARISHES INVESTMENT FUND
51. With reference to minute 13/2005, the Council was pleased to hear
that a grant of £5000 from the Quality Parishes Investment Fund had been
confirmed by the National Association of Parish Councils. Following consultation with the Chairman
this was being used to finance the provision of a disabled access at the rear
of the village hall with the balance being used to purchase new IT equipment
and furniture for the Parish Council Office and the proposed Community
“drop-in” centre in Yapton. The Clerk
confirmed that the grant would be paid in the current financial year rather
than at the end of April as previously notified.
PARISH COUNCIL NEWSLETTER (YAPTON NEWS & VIEWS)
52. A proof copy of the March 2005
issue of the newsletter was circulated at the meeting and approved by the
Council.
53. The Clerk indicated that it was his intention to submit Yapton News and Views as an entry for
the National Association of Local Councils’ Newsletter of the Year Award
Competition 2005.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
54. Mr.Haymes declared an interest because of his membership of the
District Council’s Development Control Committee and temporarily left the
meeting taking no part in the consideration of the Planning Committee’s report.
55. The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of the
meeting of the Planning Committee held on 21 February 2005 and (b) details of
planning decisions made by Arun District Council in January/February 2005 (copies attached to minute book).
PLAYING FIELD
56. Mr Coe reported that motorbikes and moles were continuing
nuisances on the field.
ALLOTMENTS
57. Mr Caiger reported that all the rentals for 2005/2006 had been
received. There were currently two
plots available to let (one full size and one half size). These would be
advertised in the Parish Council newsletter.
VILLAGE HALL REPRESENTATIVES
58. Mr Coe reported that the kitchen ceiling needed renovation and
redecoration as a result of problems with condensation caused by the use of the
tea urns. The external lighting which
was vulnerable to vandalism also needed updating.
SUSSEX POLICE REPRESENTATIVES
59. Inspector Mark Hammond introduced himself as the senior police
officer based in Littlehampton with responsibility for policing in Yapton and
the surrounding villages. Inspector
Hammond explained that in future the policing emphasis locally would be on
providing a community based service with local officers working in and getting
to know the particular problems within each locality. Nieghbourhood Area Police Committees would meet regularly with
Council representatives to ensure the needs of each community were being met.
60. Police Community Support
Officers Ian Buckman and Richard White outlined some of the work they were
doing locally and the powers they had to deter crime and anti-social behaviour.
JOINT DOWNLAND AREA COMMITTEE AND UNITY COMMITTEE
61. The Council had before them and
received a report from Mr Taft on the meeting of the Joint Downland Area
Committee held on 17 January 2005 (copy
attached to minute book).
62. Mr Faulkner reported on his attendance at a meeting of the Unity
Committee held on 11 February 2005 which had been attended by Nick Gibb
MP. There was continuing pressure for the
Bognor Regis Relief Road to be provided before the Site 6 housing development
got under way. A proposal to organise
a day outside the Tesco Store in Bognor
Regis to collect signatures for a petition about the Relief Road had
unfortunately fallen through as the Tesco management was unable to give
permission.
FINANCE
63. Resolved –
(a) That the financial statement
showing the payments and receipts covering the period 1 January – 28 February
2005 be adopted (copy attached to minute
book);
(b) That the summary of income and
expenditure over the various budget heads for the period from 1 January to 28
February 2005 be received (copy attached
to minute book).
NEW SALARY STRUCTURE AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE FOR CLERKS
64. With reference to minute 33/2005, the Council agreed to set up a
special Working Group to review and make recommendations to the Council on the
Clerk’s salary and conditions of service following the introduction of the new
national grading structure and conditions of employment for clerks effective
from 1 April 2005. The special Working
Group would comprise the Chairman, Mr Caiger, Mr Coe and Mr Haymes.
THE FLYING FORTRESS : FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
65. The Chairman congratulated local resident Mrs Roberts on the
recent opening of this new facility at Ford aimed at providing a wide range of
activities for children of all ages.
He wished the project every success.
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
66. The following matters/concerns were raised by members of the
public present at the meeting:-
a) the highway verge at the
entrance to Church Lane had been churned up by heavy vehicles.
b) there was continuing concern
about the development at the end of Cinders Lane; it was agreed that the Clerk should take up the matter again with the District Council’s Planning
Officer.
c) roaming dogs and dog fouling
were once again causing problems on the
playing field.
CHAIRMAN