YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

Also present:   County Councillor Mrs Freeman, Mr Tansley (Clerk of the Council) and 3 members of the public.

 

Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Parish Councillor Mr Caiger, District Councillor Mrs Neno and PCSO Neil Billingham.

 

 

 

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

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

 

123.  Mr Haymes declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 14(a) (Planning Committee) as a member of the District Council’s Development Control Committee.   Mr Taft declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 15(a) (Policy Site 6 Advisory Group meetings) insofar as he resided within the Policy Site 6 development area.

 

 

MEMBERSHIP

 

124.  No nominations were put forward for the casual vacancy.  The item would be carried forward to the next meeting and the vacancy would again be advertised in Yapton News & Views.   

 

 

MINUTES

 

125.  Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 May 2008 and the special meeting held on 27 May 2008  be approved as correct records and that they be signed by the Chairman.               

 

 

MATTERS ARISING

 

Lighting of Arena Sports Area on playing field (minute 87/2008)

 

126.   The Clerk reported that planning approval for the proposed floodlights had been approved conditionally and an order had accordingly been placed with Southern Electric Contracting Ltd.  The condition relating to the planning approval was that “the floodlights permitted shall not be operated at any time otherwise than between the hours of 7.00 and 23.00 daily.” 

 

127.  The Council noted that a grant of £500.00 towards the project had been approved by the District Council under its Clean and Safe Grant scheme. 

 

 

 

Proposed Eco-town at Ford (minutes 91-92 and 96(i)/2008

 

128.  The March and Rally which had been organised by the CAFÉ (Campaign against Ford Eco-town) group had been very well supported with an estimated 2000 residents from Clymping, Ford and Yapton in attendance.  A delegation of residents had since visited Westminster to lobby Members of Parliament and whilst at the Houses of Parliament, representatives from CAFÉ had been invited to see the Housing Minister, The Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP.    It was understood that a decision on the short-listed towns had been deferred and would not now be made until the New Year.   The Housing Minister was intending to visit a number of proposed sites for eco-towns, including Ford, in July.    

 

WSCC: Fly the Sussex Flag (minute 96(a)/2008)

 

129.  The Chairman reported that further investigation had revealed that the flags had fixings which were unsuitable for the flagpole and the Council’s order had therefore been cancelled.

 

Bisham Industrial Estate – Appeal by Gladedale Group Limited (minute 96(e)/2008)

 

130.  The Clerk reported that the Parish Council had been invited to give evidence at the Public Enquiry.  Mr Faulkner, Chairman of the Planning Committee, and the Clerk would attend the enquiry.

 

Parish Initiatives Fund – grant towards newsletter production costs (minute 103/2008)

 

131.    The Council’s application for a grant had been deferred for consideration at the October meeting of the Joint Downland Area Committee.

 

5% spot check audit (minute 111/2008)

 

132.  The Council noted that the 5% spot check audit by Mazars, the External Auditor, which had recently been completed, had involved the Clerk in significant extra work.

 

Planning Application No Y/29/08/ (minutes 118 - 121/2008)

 

133.  The Council noted that application Y/29/08/ for a detached dwelling and garage on land at Church House in Church Lane had been refused planning permission by the Planning Officer at Arun District Council under delegated powers.

 

 

COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS

 

134.  County Councillor Mrs Freeman commented on a number of County matters and mentioned also that there were vacancies for two Local Authority representatives on the Governing Body of Yapton CE Primary School.   Mr Bryant indicated a possible interest in filling one of the vacancies and as a next step he would arrange to visit the school to find out more about the role.

 

135.  The Chairman updated members on the latest position from the District Council’s point of view concerning the proposed Ford Eco-town and Policy Site 6.  

 

 

REPORT FROM SUSSEX POLICE REPRESENTATIVE

 

136.  The Council had before them and received a report by PCSO Billingham covering the period       1 May to 30 June 2008 (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

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

 

a) Boundary Committee for England - draft recommendations on the future electoral arrangements for West Sussex County Council.   The Council noted that 71 single member divisions were proposed with boundary changes in certain areas.  No change was proposed for the Middleton division which encompassed Yapton.

 

b) Sussex Association of Local Councils – invitation to send a representative to attend a meeting to discuss the possibility of re-establishing the Arun District Association of Local Councils.

Mr Faulkner volunteered to attend.

 

c) Arun DC – invitation to send representatives to a presentation on the district-wide Strategic

Flood Risk Assessment by consultants to be held on Thursday 31 July 2008 from 6.00 – 8.00 pm at the Arun Civic Centre, Littlehampton.   Mr Faulkner had already indicated he would attend.

 

d) Aldingbourne Parish Council – Eco-town at Ford (copy attached to minute book).

 

e) Ford Parish Council – request for a contribution to the cost of hiring a coach for the Ford Eco-town campaign visit to Westminster on 30 June 2008.

 

138.  Resolved – That a contribution of £160.00 be made towards the coach hire and authorised as a Section 137 payment being regarded as being of direct benefit to the inhabitants of the area.

 

 

IMPROVING THE STREET SCENE/COMMUNITY SAFETY PROJECTS IN YAPTON

 

139. With reference to minutes 97-99/2008, the Clerk reported that WSCC had approved a grant of 40% instead of the expected 50% towards the cost of replacing the bus shelter in Bilsham Road.   The reduction in the level of grant was due to the high number of applications which had been received  by the County Council.  That meant that the Parish Council would have to find an additional £480 if the project was to go ahead.

 

140. Members noted that the Clerk had also been in discussion with County Council officers about implementing the 2nd phase of the community safety street lighting scheme for the Loveys Estate which had been deferred last year due to lack of funds.  The cost of completing the project to bring the whole of the street lighting on the estate up to County standards would be in the region of £10,500 and WSCC, on a partnership basis, had asked if the Parish Council would be willing to make a contribution to ensure the work could be completed this year.   Once completed the responsibility for maintaining all the street lights on the Loveys Estate would then pass to the County Council.

 

141. The Council noted that the total cost of the replacement bus shelter was £4804 + VAT of which WSCC would fund £1921.60 (40%) leaving a balance of £2882.40 for the Council to finance.   It was understood that a contribution of £1050 from the Parish Council (ie 10% of the total cost) towards the cost of the street lighting scheme would be acceptable and would enable the work to be completed this year.

 

142.  Resolved - That both projects be supported, as set out in minute 140/2008 above, with allocations from the Council’s reserves.     

        

 

 

 

APPLICATIONS FOR GRANT-AID 2008/2009

 

143.  The Council had before and considered a schedule prepared by the Clerk setting out details of the applications for grant-aid received from local organisations and charitable bodies for the 2008/09 financial year (copy attached to minute book).

 

144.  Resolved – That grants totalling £625.00 as indicated below be made to the following organisations listed on the schedule:-

 

·         4SIGHT (West Sussex Association for the Blind)           £75.00

·         Home-Start Arun                                                         £75.00

·         Sussex Air Ambulance                                                 £100.00

·         Bognor Regis Citizens Advice Bureau                           £75.00

·         Village Friends                                                             £150.00

·         Yapton & District Cottage Gardeners’ Society               £100.00

·         Yapton Youth Centre                                                   £50.00

 

 

PARISH COUNCIL NEWSLETTER (YAPTON NEWS & VIEWS)

 

145.  Details of the contents of the July 2008 edition of the newsletter which had been compiled by the Clerk were reported to the Council.  The newsletter comprising 24 pages, once again featured a number of items and letters concerning the proposed Eco-town at Ford including pictures taken at the March and Rally on 7 June 2008.

 

 

MEETING OF QUALITY PARISH COUNCILS IN ARUN DISTRICT

 

146.  The Council had before them and received the notes of the meeting of the three quality councils in Arun with senior officers from Arun District and WSCCC held on 22 May 2008 (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

147.  The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 12 May 2008 and (b) details of planning decisions made by Arun District Council in April/May/June 2008 (copies attached to minute book).

 

 

PLAYING FIELD

 

148.  The Clerk reported further that there had been a further incident of vandalism damage in the children’s play area with one of the wooden supports to the small slide being ripped out.    The parrot seesaw had been repaired by Playdale Ltd.  However a replacement aluminium plank for the wooden one which had been supplied in error by Playdale was awaited. The metal one had been ordered as it would be less prone to vandalism.

 

 

VILLAGE HALL

 

149.  It was reported that in the absence of any volunteers, John Bryan had agreed to act as Chairman for the meeting.  Susan West had agreed to take over as secretary.  Roy Phillips had been co-opted as a member of the Village Hall Management Committee.   A sub-committee had been set up to consider the hall’s finances and hiring rates.     

POLICY SITE 6 ADVISORY GROUP

 

150.  Mr Taft reported that Barratts, the developer, had fenced off and secured the Felpham site but further work had been suspended pending a review in 6 months time.

 

 

JOINT DOWNLAND AREA COMMITTEE

 

151.  Mr Taft reported on the meeting held on 23 June 2008.   It was noted that the Committee had agreed that in future the chairmanship would rotate between the three tiers with the District Council chairing and a representative from a town or parish acting as vice-chair for the forthcoming year.   Norman Dingemans from the District Council had been appointed to take over from Deborah Urquhart as chair with Len Prior from Findon Parish Council serving as vice-chair in the ensuing year.

 

 

FINANCE                  

 

152.  Resolved –

 

(a) That the financial statement showing the payments and receipts covering the period 1 April – 30 June 2008 be adopted (copy attached to minute book);

 

(b) That the summary of income and expenditure over the various budget heads for the period 1 April – 30 June 2008 be received (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

EMERGENCY PLANNING

 

153.  Mr Faulkner referred to a day seminar for Clerks and Councillors arranged by Arun District  Council which he had attended.  At the seminar it was suggested that towns and parishes should review the arrangements for emergency planning in their localities.  The Council agreed to discuss the matter at its next meeting in September.

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN