YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL

10 March 2008 - At a meeting of the Parish Council held at the Yapton & Ford Village Hall.

Present: Mr Haymes (Chairman), Mr Andrews, Mr Bryan, Mr Caiger, Mr Jones, Mr Taft and Mrs Wallbridge.

Also present: Mr Tansley (Clerk of the Council) and 1 member of the public. Mr Tyler (Chairman of Arun District Council) and Ms Neno (Prospective Conservative candidate for the vacancy on the Yapton Ward of Arun District Council) were also in attendance for the latter part of the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Parish Councillor Mr Faulkner. County Councillor Mrs Freeman, Sgt Stobart and PCSO Billingham from Sussex Police also sent their apologies.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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

41. Mr Haymes declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 12(a) (Planning Committee) as a member of the District Council’s Development Control Committee. Mr Taft, as a resident of Hoe Lane, declared a personal interest in agenda 13(a) relating to Policy Site 6.

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

42. Concerns were expressed about continuing problems with obstruction along Burndell Road caused by contractor’s vehicles from the Osborne Homes building site. There was also damage to the highway verge at the entrance to the Downview Estate. The Clerk advised that the police had already been alerted and were monitoring the situation. The County Council’s Highway’s Department had also been given an assurance that the contractor would make good any damage to the highway verge/footpath on completion of the contract.

43. It was reported that the mini-roundabout at Sparks Corner needed re-marking.

44. Concerns were raised about the apparent lack of progress with the conversion of the Old Post Office premises in Main Road. The scaffolding had been in place for some time and the adjoining footway alongside the building was not always safe or accessible for pedestrians.

45. The Clerk undertook to follow up these matters up with the Highways Department as appropriate.

MINUTES

46. Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2008 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.

MATTERS ARISING

Pedestrian Barrier for Church Road (minute 6/2008)

47. The Clerk reported that the Highways Department had suggested closing off the access altogether with some chestnut paling fencing installed near the top of the bank. Members felt that this would not last and requested that a section of Bacorail safety fencing should be installed at the base of the bank which would still allow access by foot and would match the existing provision along this stretch of Church Road.

Village Hall Publicity/Fund raising (minute 8/2008)

48. A total of £520 had been raised at the Race Night held on 16 February 2008 towards Village Hall and Church funds. The Church had since agreed that its share of the profit should be donated to the Village Hall. The Council recorded their congratulations and thanks to Mrs Wallbridge for her efforts in organising the Race Night.

Replacement cooker for village hall (minute 9/2008)

49. Mrs Wallbridge reported that the matter had been resolved and cooking facilities were once again available in the village hall.

West Sussex Tree Wardens – Trees for Shade 2007-8 Scheme (minute 10-11/2008)

50. The Clerk reported that he was still waiting to hear finally from Mrs Abbott’s family. Meanwhile, at the suggestion of Mr Caiger, an approach had been made to WSCC for a further grant from its Trees for Shade scheme. The application had been successful and Mr Caiger and Mr Jones had since planted a second Copper Beech tree on the grassed area between the village hall and the Main Road bus stop.

Vacancy for District Councillor - Yapton ward (minute 14/2008)

51. The Chairman reported that a bye-election had been called for Thursday 20 March 2008. The election was being contested by three candidates representing the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and British National Parties.

Lighting of Arena Sports Area on playing field (minute 17g/2008)

52. The Council were pleased to hear that a grant of £1500.00 had been awarded by the Joint Downland Area Committee towards the cost of the lighting project. The Clerk had since met on site with a representative from Southern Electric Contracting Ltd who had recommended that low level floodlighting rather than ordinary street lanterns be installed on 6 metre columns as this would give better illumination to the playing area without being too intrusive. The estimated cost in the region of £3400.00 for installing floodlighting, was comparable to the cost of two street lights. If floodlights were installed it was proposed that these should be sited on two columns at the southern end of Arena Sports Area with the lights themselves pointing northwards. It was possible that planning permission would be needed and the Clerk would check on this with the District Council.

53. Resolved – That the Clerk be authorised to proceed with the arrangements as set out above on the basis of installing timer-controlled floodlights rather than streetlights to illuminate the Arena Sports Area.

Village Hall – replacement of Church office window (minute 25b/2008)

54. The Clerk reported that following the receipt of estimates he had placed an order with Sussex Plastics Ltd for a replacement double glazed unit to be installed at a cost of £378.00 + VAT.

Security arrangements for Children’s Play Area (minute 35-36/2008)

55. The Clerk reported that a grant of £125.00 had been awarded from the District Council’s Clean and Safe Grant scheme towards the cost of installing surveillance cameras for the children’s play area. Before the cameras could be installed there was a need to re-position one of the street lamps and he was currently in discussion with Southern Electric Contracting Ltd on the responsibility for this.

MEMBERSHIP

56. As there were no nominations for the casual vacancy on the Parish Council, it was agreed to re-advertise the position in the next issue of Yapton News & Views.

REPORTS FROM COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS

57. The Chairman in his capacity as a District Councillor reported that the District Council element in the Council Tax for 2008/09 represented an increase of just under 3% compared with an overall average of increase of 4.5%.

58. The Chairman also reported that work on building the Waste Materials Recycling Facility on the Ford Airfield site had commenced. The estimated “start-up” date for the new facility was November 2008. Contractors’ vehicles were being routed via Church Lane, Clymping.

REPORT FROM SUSSEX POLICE REPRESENTATIVE

59. The Council had before them and received a written report from PCSO Billingham covering the period 1 January to 29 February 2008 (copy attached to minute book).

CORRESPONDENCE

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

a) West Sussex NHS Primary Care Trust. Enclosing copies of the “Fit for the Future” Consultation feedback reports, for information.

b) West Sussex County Council – Electoral Review. Advising that the County Council had recently approached the Electoral Commission to request an electoral review in the County Council’s area, capable of being implemented in time for the May 2009 County elections. This request had since been agreed and the timetable for each stage of the consultation process was noted by the Council.

c) Arun District Council – Arun Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment. Advising that the District Council was undertaking a detailed study to identify sites which might have potential for future housing development. The letter invited Parish Councils “to submit details of any site they know of, or have an interest in, which is capable of accommodating 6 or more dwellings”.

d) Arun District Council – Joint Downland Area Committee - Pilot Scheme for Three Tier Voting.

Resolved – That Mr Taft be confirmed as the Council’s representative on the Joint Downland Area Committee (JDAC) and that he be authorised to vote at meetings of JDAC on behalf of the Parish Council on the District’s delegated matters.

e) Arun District Council – The Code of Conduct. A copy of the DVD “The Code Uncovered” issued by

the Standards Board for England had been made available to Parish Councils for the benefit of members. The Clerk undertook to circulate the DVD for councillors to see.

f) Arun District Council – Trialling of Mobile Speed Indication Device. Members noted that bookings were now being invited for the scheme. The Council had previously indicated an interest but the protocol drawn up by the District Council provided that those participating must have Public Liability insurance cover of £10m. The cost of extending the Council’s present cover to this level would be £236 per annum and in the circumstances it was agreed not to pursue the matter further.

g) Local resident – Proposed improvements at Comet Corner junction. The Council noted the views and comments expressed by the resident which for the most part accorded with their own concerns, on the basis of which representations had already been made to the County Council’s Highway’s Department (minute17b/2008 refers).

ECO-TOWN SUBMISSIONS FOR THE FORD AREA

61. With reference to minute 20/2008, the Council noted that the Chairman had written to Caroline Flint MP, the newly appointed Minister for Housing and Planning in the Department of Communities and Local Government, and appealed to her to “protect the countryside and village life” to the west of Arun by rejecting the two bids which had been submitted to establish an Eco-Town based on the Ford Airfield site.

62. The response from an official in Caroline Flint’s Department was noted and received (copy attached to minute book). The official concerned had since indicated that “We hope to publish the shortlist of schemes for public consultation shortly, although the exact date is not yet known.  We have previously stated early to mid March as our aim”.

PARISH COUNCIL NEWSLETTER (YAPTON NEWS & VIEWS)

63. Details of the contents of the March edition (29th issue) of the newsletter which had been compiled by the Clerk were reported to the Council.

PLANNING COMMITTEE

64. The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 14 January 2008 and (b) details of planning decisions made by Arun District Council in December 2007 and January/February 2008 (copies attached to minute book).

65. The Council were advised that it was understood that the Gladedale Group Limited were intending to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate against the refusal of the District Council to allow planning permission for a development of 59 houses to be built of the Bilsham Road Industrial site.

PLAYING FIELD

66. It was reported that moles were still active at the far end of the field.

ALLOTMENTS

67. Mr Caiger reported that with the aid of Community Conservation grant from WSCC he had arranged for quick-thorn hedging to be been planted along the entrance boundary of the Cinders Lane site to help improve security.

68. As the demand for plots continued unabated, the Council agreed that in future priority should be

given to Yapton residents on the waiting list when any vacant plots were re-let.

VILLAGE HALL

69. Mrs Wallbridge reported on the last meeting of the Village Hall Management Committee as follows:

a) The possibility of a community service team from Ford Prison taking over responsibility for cleaning the village hall premises was being explored.

b) A water leakage problem in the chair-store cupboard was being investigated.

c) Notice had been given that a number of regular bookings would be moving next door to the new Children’s Centre when it opened. Private bookings of the hall were however up.

d) The latest accounts showed a net balance of £5536.00.

e) Mr Bryan’s report on the Health & Safety conditions in the hall was to be considered at the next meeting on 7 May.

f) The AGM had been fixed for 4 June 2008.

POLICY SITE 6 ADVISORY GROUP

70. Mrs Wallbridge who had deputised for Mr Taft at the meeting held on 14 February 2008 reported that the developer was intending to address tree protection problems by planting mature replacement trees where appropriate. There was also discussion at the meeting on water and drainage problems and on highway issues including footpaths and cyclepaths.

JOINT DOWNLAND AREA COMMITTEE

71. Mr Taft reported on matters discussed at the meeting held on 21 January 2008. He had raised the problem of the severe flooding in Hoe Lane (which at the time had just occurred) and had sought the Committee’s support for appropriate measures to be put in place to ensure that the eastern area of the Site 6 development was protected from flooding in the future.

POLICE FORUM MEETING FOR YAPTON, FORD AND CLYMPING

72. Mr Caiger reported on the meeting of the local forum held on 6 February 2008. The Council was disappointed to hear that no senior member of the police had been able to attend the second meeting at Clymping even though the date had been fixed for some time.

FINANCE

Financial Statements

73. Resolved –

(a) That the financial statement showing the payments and receipts covering the period 1 January - 29

February 2008 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 - 29 February 2008 be received (copy attached to minute book).

CHAIRMAN