YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

 

14 May 2007 - At the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council held at the Yapton & Ford Village Hall.                  

 

Present:    Mr Andrews, Mrs Barnes, Mr Bryan, Mr Faulkner, Mr Haymes, Mr Jones, Mr Taft and Mrs Wallbridge.

 

Also present:   County Councillor Mrs Freeman, District Councillor Mr Forester, Mr Tansley (Clerk of the Council) and 16 members of the public.

 

Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Parish Councillors Mrs Abbott and Mr Caiger.  

 

 

MR MICHAEL FELLOWS

 

Before the start of the main business meeting, Mr Haymes made a presentation on behalf of the Council to Mr Michael Fellows who had retired in May 2007 from the Parish Council having served over 16 years as its Chairman.   Mr Haymes paid tribute to the immense contribution which              Mr Fellows had made to the community and to his considerable achievements throughout his period of office.    As well as presenting Mr Fellows with a framed painting of his house in Church Road by local artist David Day, Mr Fellows heard that it had been agreed to mark his retirement from the Council by naming the new housing development off Burndell Road, as Fellows Gardens. 

 

 

CHAIRMAN

 

84.   Resolved - That Mr Haymes be elected Chairman of the Parish Council for the ensuing year.                   

 

 

VICE-CHAIRMAN

 

85.  Resolved - That Mr Faulkner be elected Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council for the ensuing year.                   

 

 

DECLARATIONS OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE

 

86.  All Councillors present signed a declaration of acceptance of office.

 

 

CODE OF CONDUCT

 

87.  The Council noted that the Government had recently issued a revised Model Code of Conduct which applied to all local councillors and came into effect on 3 May 2007 (copy attached to minute book).   The revised model code was intended to replace that previously adopted by the Parish Council on 14 January 2002 and provided “a clearer, simpler and more proportionate code” with amended rules on personal and prejudicial interest to remove the current barriers to councillors speaking up for their constituents, for example on planning matters.

 

88.  Resolved – That the revised Model Code of Conduct including paragraph 12 (2), which gave members with a prejudicial interest the same rights as members of the public to speak to a meeting on the issue and then leave before the main discussion and vote, be adopted.

 

PARISH AND DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTIONS

 

89. The Council received the results of the uncontested elections for Yapton Parish Council (a) for the Yapton Village Ward and (b) for the Hoe Lane Ward (copies attached to minute book).

 

90.  The Council noted that Mr Christopher Forester and Mr Stephen Haymes had been elected as District Councillors for the Yapton Ward in the elections held on 3 May 2007. 

 

91.  The Chairman welcomed Mrs Wallbridge to her first meeting as a Parish Councillor.

 

 

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

92.  Members were reminded to make any declarations of personal and/or prejudicial interest that they may have in relation to items on the agenda.    

 

 

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES

 

93.  Resolved - That the membership of the committees for the ensuing year be as follows:

 

Playing Field:   Mr Caiger, Mr Jones

 

Planning:          Mr Faulkner (Chairman), Mr Andrews, Mrs Barnes, Mr Jones, Mrs Wallbridge.

 

Allotments:       Mr Caiger.

                        

(The Chairman would be an ex-officio member of the Playing Field and Allotments Committees)

 

 

VILLAGE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES

 

94.  Resolved - That Mr Bryan, Mr Haymes and Mrs Wallbridge be appointed as the Council's representatives on the Village Hall Management Committee for the ensuing year. 

 

 

REPRESENTATIVE ON JOINT DOWNLAND AREA COMMITTEE

 

95.    Resolved - That Mr Taft be appointed as the Council's representative on the Joint Downland Area Committee for the ensuing year. 

 

 

REPRESENTATIVE ON POLICY SITE 6 ADVISORY GROUP

 

96.    Resolved - That Mr Taft be appointed as the Council's representative on the Policy Site 6 Advisory Group for the ensuing year. 

 

 

MINUTES

 

97.  Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2007 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.               

 

 

MATTERS ARISING

 

Arena Sports System (minutes 46-47/2007)

 

98.  The Clerk reported that following completion of a further application to the District Council, a grant of £500 towards the project had been received from the Council’s Clean & Safe Grant Fund.   An earlier application to the Council’s Crime & Disorder Partnership had been unsuccessful.

 

99.  The Council noted that there had been no response to the suggestion that a 5-a-side football tournament be organised to mark the completion of the Arena Sports enclosure.

 

WSCC Community Grants Scheme (minute 50/2007)

 

100.  The Council was pleased to hear that a grant of £450 had been awarded from the Community Grants Scheme which would cover the cost of a new street lamp in Maypole Lane.  An order had been placed with a contractor.

 

Part-time Litter Picker (minute 55/2007)

 

101.  The Clerk reported that the work being done by Mrs Smithers was much appreciated within the village with a number of letters of thanks being received.

 

Charitable Status of King George V Playing Field, Yapton (minute 63(c)/2007)

 

102.   The Clerk reported on the advice he had received from Sussex Association of Local Councils and the Charity Commission.  The view of the Charity Commission was that as the field was already dedicated as a King George V Playing Field and protected as such “in perpetuity”, it would be an unnecessary encumbrance to also apply for it to be retained on the register of charitable trusts.

 

103.  Resolved -  That the Council request the Charity Commission to remove the King George V Playing Field at Yapton from the Central Register of Charities.

 

Distribution of Yapton News & Views (minute 70/2007)

 

104.  The Clerk reported that following appeals for volunteers to deliver the newsletter to households, a good number of the roads within the village were now being covered.   Distributors were still required for the roads off Bilsham Road including West View Drive, Cherry Avenue, Mill View Road and The Millers estate.   

 

Allotment site in Loveys Road (minute 73/2007)

 

105.  The Clerk reported that the Housing Department of Arun District Council wished to retain the small allotments site in Loveys Road under its own management as it had potential for development for housing purposes although they accepted that it had been recently neglected.

 

 

COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS

 

106.  County Councillor Mrs Freeman commented on a number of County matters including:

 

(a) the timetable  for the drainage works on the Downview Estate had been set back by a couple of weeks;

 

(b) for the benefit of the whole community, she again urged the Village Hall Management Committee to reconsider its decision not to accommodate the Children’s Centre in the village hall;

 

(c) the proposal to develop the Bilsham Road Industrial site for housing purposes would create additional pressure on the roads and the village should be protected against unnecessary further development;

 

(d) the County Council would be closely involved in the consultation due to take place on the future of role of  St Richard’s Hospital and its A & E Services;

 

(e)  a definitive statement on proposed highway improvement works at the Comet Corner junction was being prepared at County Hall and was expected to be available in 2 – 3 weeks time.  

 

107.  The Chairman introduced and welcomed Mr Forester who had been elected as one of the two  District Council  members for the Yapton Ward.

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

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

 

a) WSCC Highways and Transport – advising of possible future changes to the Parish Council “Footway Lighting” agreement with WSCC.  Members were satisfied that the present arrangements worked well and indicated they would be happy to consider entering into an agreement along the lines of option 1 as set out in the letter, subject to further information being made available in due course on the financial implications.

 

b) Arun DC – Training for the new Code of Conduct.  Members indicated their individual preferences for the training sessions being offered by the District Council on the new Code of Conduct.  The Clerk stated that it would be advisable for members not to complete their return for the Register of Members’ Interests until after the training had taken place. 

 

c) Arun DC – Street Scene Enhancement – extension of graffiti and fly-posting removal service to cover Yapton.    The Clerk reported that a number of public areas in the village with graffiti problems had already been reported by him.  These were in the process of being dealt with by the Bognor Regis Town Force which was providing the service in Yapton on behalf of the District Council.

 

d) Three boys resident in Foundry Road – request for extra skateboarding facilities on the playing field.    The Council agreed that the Clerk should explore the possibility of obtaining grants from the SITA Trust and WSCC’s Community Grants Scheme to provide dual-purpose play equipment for the children’s play area to cater for the needs of disabled children as well as able-bodied children. The possibility of securing funding for extra skateboarding equipment would be explored at the same time.

 

 

REVIEW OF STANDING ORDERS AND FINANCIAL REGULATIONS

 

109.  The Clerk advised that the Council was required periodically to review its Standing Orders and Financial Regulations, copies of which were tabled and were included in the Members’ Information File. 

 

110. The current Standing Orders were approved by the Council on 4 November 2002.   The following amendment was proposed:-

 

Present wording:

 

Item 14 Disorderly Conduct

 

a) All members must observe the Code of Conduct which was adopted by the council on 14 January 2002, a copy of which is annexed to these Standing Orders

 

Proposed wording:

 

a) All members must observe the Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 14 May 2007, a copy of which is annexed to these Standing Orders.

 

111. No changes were proposed to the Financial Regulations which were adopted by the Council on 13 January 2003.

 

112. Resolved -

 

(a) That following a review of the Council’s Standing Orders the proposed amendment as set out in minute 110/2007 above be adopted;

 

(b) That following a review no changes be made to the Council’s Financial Regulations which had been adopted by the Council on 13 January 2003.

 

 

FLAGPOLE

 

113.  The Chairman volunteered to arrange for the appropriate flag to be flown on the Council’s flagpole on National days and other occasions.

 

 

PARISH COUNCIL NEWSLETTER (YAPTON NEWS & VIEWS)

 

114.  Details of the contents of the May 2007 edition of the newsletter which had been prepared by the Clerk were reported to the Council.

 

115.  The Council agreed that the Clerk should apply to the WSCC Community Grants Scheme for a grant towards the continuing production costs of the newsletter.   It was a publication which was widely read and appreciated within the community and although part of the costs were offset by advertising revenue, the opportunities to expand the advertising base within Yapton and the surrounding area were necessarily limited.

    

         

PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

116.  The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 20 April 2007 and (b) details of planning decisions made by Arun District Council in March/April 2007 (copies attached to minute book).

 

 

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

WEEKLY LIST NO 16

 

117. The Council considered the planning applications on weekly list No 16 (copy attached to minute book).

 

118. Mr Haymes, as a member of the District Council’s Development Control Committee, declared an interest and took no part in the consideration of the two applications and subsequent voting on the resolutions.  Mr Andrews, Mrs Barnes and Mr Faulkner all declared personal interests in Planning Application No Y/29/07/ and took no part in the consideration of the application and subsequent voting on the resolution.

 

Planning Application No Y/27/07/

[Demolition of existing outbuilding (used for taxi business) and erection of single garage for domestic use – Victoria House, Main Road, Yapton]

 

119. Resolved – That no objection be raised to Planning Application No Y/27/07/.

 

Planning Application No Y/29/07/

[Single detached dwelling and garage – land south of Church House, Church Lane, Yapton]

 

120.  The Council noted that a number of applications for development on the Church House site had previously been considered including (a) a proposal for 6 houses in 2001 (b) a proposal for 2 houses in 2002 (c) a proposal for 4 houses (subsequently amended to 3 houses) in 2002 and (d) a  proposal for 2 houses in 2004.  On each occasion the Parish Council had registered its objection to the development and the District Council’s Development Control Committee had, on each occasion, refused the application.

 

121. In January 2003 the Planning Inspector had dismissed two appeals for 2 and 4 houses on the Church House site. In May 2005 a further appeal for 2 detached houses on the site was once more dismissed.

 

122.  Mr Knott, speaking on behalf of a number of local residents present at the meeting, re-affirmed the residents’ strong opposition to development of the Church House site and sought the Council’s support for their views.  The Council had received copies of a number letters of objection from residents had been received as well as one from The Five Village Society.

 

123. Resolved - That a strong objection to application Y/29/07/ be submitted Planning Officer at Arun District Council on the following grounds:

 

a) The land is not identified in the County Structure Plan or Local Plan for residential development;

 

b) The development would seriously and adversely impact on the character and appearance of the Yapton Conservation Area which is based around St Mary’s Church and which includes Church House, a listed building and its environs.  The proposed development would destroy the “loose grouping and setting of buildings” in the area; it would neither “preserve nor enhance the character and appearance” of the locality and would be detrimental and harmful to the neighbourhood (Policy CH8);

 

c) The development would materially harm the character and appearance of Church House itself, a fine a widely recognised example of a Georgian Grade II Listed Building (Policy CH9).  The present mature setting of Church House with its “grand drive” approach driveway to the elegant façade would be lost;

 

d) The proposed development of the Church House site would be a loss of amenity to existing residents of The Poplars, Church Lane, Church Road and St Mary’s Meadow; any new building on the site would destroy views to the south as well as the mature landscaping and general sense of openness and greenness which prevails in this historic part of the village;

 

e) The Inspector’s Report when the last appeal for Y/34/04 was dismissed states “…the proposed development would be harmful to the character and appearance of the conservation area and would fail to preserve the setting of the listed building.  It would therefore conflict with Structure Plan Policy B3, with Local Plan Policies GEN7, DEV10 and AREA2 as well as with the advice in PPG15”.  In the opinion of the Parish Council these reasons may be similarly applied and are equally valid to Planning Application Y/29/07.      

 

 

VILLAGE HALL

 

124.  Mr Faulkner reported on the last meeting of the Village Hall Management Committee as follows:

 

a) The latest accounts showed a credit balance of £8109.59;

 

b) A Drama Group had made a regular booking of the hall from September;

 

c) The current hiring rates were under review. An analysis of rates charged elsewhere had shown that the Village Hall rates were amongst the cheapest around;

 

d) It had been proposed that the facilities available at the village hall should be advertised in a future issue of Yapton News & Views;

 

e) The insurance arrangements for the hall were being reviewed following comments put forward by the Clerk;

 

f) The next meeting was scheduled for Tuesday 29 May at 7.30 pm. The Annual General Meeting had been fixed for Wednesday 20 June at 7.30 pm.

 

125.  It was noted that the CO2 fire extinguisher was missing in the small hall.   The Chairman of the Village Hall Management Committee who was present at the meeting indicated that this was the result of a recent act of vandalism.  The replacement of the extinguisher would be attended to as a matter of urgency.

 

126.  County Councillor Mrs Freeman suggested that the Committee should consider the possibility of inviting Flix-in-the-Stix to show films at the Village Hall as elsewhere this was proving successful.   

  

 

JOINT DOWNLAND AREA COMMITTEE

 

127. Mr Taft asked County Councillor Mrs Freeman whether there had been any further developments with regard to the proposal for a further Waste Transfer Plant at Ford.     She undertook to check and advise the Clerk on the latest position.

 

 

FINANCE

 

Audit of Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2007. 

 

128. The Council were reminded that in connection with the audit arrangements, an Annual Return had to be completed by the Parish Council. This included (i) a report by the Internal Auditor (audit to be undertaken shortly by WSCC Management Audit Section) (ii) an explanation of any significant variances between 2005/06 and 2006/07 financial years and a bank reconciliation statement and (iii) a Statement of Assurance to be signed by the Chairman on behalf of the members.

 

129.  Resolved – That the Statement of Accounts prepared by the Responsible Financial Officer for the year ended 31 March 2007 together with the accompanying Statement of Assurance, as completed and signed by the Chairman, be approved (copies attached to minute book).

 

 

Financial Statements

 

130.  Resolved –

 

(a) That the financial statement showing the payments and receipts covering the period 1 March – 31 March 2007 be adopted (copy attached to minute book);

 

(b) That the summary of income and expenditure over the various budget heads for the financial year 2006/2007 be received (copy attached to minute book).

 

Bank Signatories

 

131.  Resolved –   That Mr. Haymes (Chairman), Mrs Barnes and Mr Caiger be appointed as the bank signatories, with any two of three being authorised to sign cheques on behalf of the Council.

 

  

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

 

132.  Continuing concern was expressed about a problem with speeding vehicles along North End Road.  The Clerk undertook to check with the police on the latest position with regard to the possibility of operating a mobile speed indication device along this section of road.

 

133. There was concern about builders’ debris including broken glass being left outside the village hall.  This had been reported but no action had been taken.  The Chairman of the Village Hall Management Committee undertook to ensure that in future such debris was removed by the contractor concerned whenever maintenance work was being done to the Village Hall.    

 

134. It was suggested that the Village Hall Management Committee should obtain a suitable receptacle to be sited outside the hall to enable smokers who used the hall to dispose of their cigarette ends.

 

135.  The public footpath at the rear of the village hall was being partially obstructed by overgrown hedgerow from the Youth Centre.  This problem had already been reported by the Clerk and would be followed up again.

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN