YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

 

9 March 2009 - 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 Caiger, Mr Faulkner,

Mr Jones, Mr Mills, Mr Taft and Mrs Wallbridge.

 

Also present:   County Councillor Mrs Freeman, District Councillor Mrs Neno,  Mr Heath from Green Issues Communications (for item 51), PC Self (for item 60 - 61), Mr Tansley (Clerk of the Council) and 9 members of the public.

 

Apologies for absence were received from PCSO Billingham.

 

 

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

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

 

40.  Mr Haymes declared a personal interest in agenda item 8(e) (Consultation on proposed installation of bus shelter in Canal Road) and a prejudicial interest in agenda item 12(a) (Planning Committee) as a member of the District Council’s Development Control Committee and took no part in the discussion/decision making on these items.

 

 

MINUTES

 

41.  Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2009 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.               

 

 

MATTERS ARISING

 

Street lighting in Hoe Lane, Flansham (minute 4/2009)

 

42.  The Clerk reported that the District Council had approved a grant amounting to one third of the total cost of the project from its Village Enhancement Scheme.  An approach to Barratts Homes, the developer of Site 6, for a contribution had been unsuccessful.   Subject to confirmation from the Flansham Residents’ Association that £1000 would be available from residents, an order would be placed for the work as soon as possible.

 

Allotments (minute 6/2009)

 

43.  The Clerk reported that a Community Countryside grant which covered the full cost of the quick thorn hedging had been approved by West Sussex County Council.   Unfortunately a section of the hedging which had been planted had since been taken by vandals.  The Council noted that there had been no further developments with regard to the possible purchase of the allotments site.

 

Dog fouling on playing field (minute 9/2009)

 

44.   The Clerk advised that large warning signs were available without charge from the District Council but they needed to be fixed to suitable metal posts.   The view of the dog wardens was that most dog owners nowadays were aware of their responsibilities. There was doubt whether signs were particularly effective in discouraging the small minority of owners who allowed their dogs to foul a public area and failed to remove the excrement.  

 

Bilsham Road Telephone Box (minute 11/2009)

 

45.  The Clerk confirmed he had reported the damage to British Telecom.

 

Canal Road Footpath (minute 12/2009)

 

46.  The WSCC Access Ranger had advised the Clerk that she hoped to include some clearance of the path when the footpath maintenance team visited Yapton in the summer.

 

Twitten footpath - obscured street light (minute 13/2009)

 

47.  The Clerk reported that the WSCC Highway Officer had been in contact with the owner of the overhanging tree who had undertaken to arrange for it to be trimmed back.

 

Warmere Court – re-build (minutes 17-18/2009)

 

48.  The Clerk reported on further discussions he had had with the Warings Contractors Ltd regarding their contactors’ vehicles being parked in the two village car parks.   An Open Afternoon was being arranged on Friday 27 March 2009 by Warings for people who live in the immediate vicinity of the site and all members of the Parish Council were invited to attend.   As part of the arrangements for the afternoon, members were pleased to hear that Warings would be presenting the Chairman with a cheque in recognition of the goodwill afforded to their operatives and sub-contractors in having access to the car parks for parking their vehicles over the period of the contract.   Warings had asked that the donation be used to improve the play facilities on the King George V Playing Field.

 

49.  Mrs Wallbridge reported that residents were concerned that damage had been caused to the Downview estate roads by the contractor’s heavy vehicles.  The Clerk undertook to follow this up with WSCC Highways.

 

Improvement projects (minute 37(d)/2009)

 

50.  The Clerk reported that he had submitted applications for grant aid to the District and County Councils towards the cost of upgrading the street lighting in Fairholme Drive.  It was expected that both applications would be considered by the Joint Downland Area Committee at its meeting on 30 March 2009.    The Clerk was working on a questionnaire for residents about possible improvements to the recreational facilities on the playing field which he hoped to include in the May or July issue of the newsletter. 

 

 

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

 

51.  Mr Phil Heath of Green Issues Communications advised the Council of his company’s interest in promoting, on behalf of the Church Commissioners and David Langmead, proposals for a Bognor Regis Eco Quarter, a “sustainable development of up to 2,500 homes with associated employment, community facilities and significant landscaped open space”, to be located to the north west of Chalcraft Lane, North Bersted.   Mr Heath replied to questions from councillors and members of the public about the proposals.

 

52.  Mrs Newman, Co-Chairman of CAFÉ, suggested that the rural inland parish councils located to the east of Littlehampton should consider getting together with a view to preparing a jointly agreed response to the consultation taking place on the proposals put forward by Arun District Council in its “Options for Growth”.  

 

53.  Following discussion and with the Council’s agreement, the Vice-Chairman undertook to attempt to convene such a meeting of parishes with a view to taking Mrs Newman’s suggestion forward.   It  was understood that this would not preclude the parish councils concerned from submitting individual and separate responses to the consultation exercise.

 

54.  Mr Bryan suggested that consideration should be given to moving/extending the concrete bollards to provide better protection for the new tree which had just been planted next to the village hall.

 

55.   Mr Bryan also suggested that “No Cycling” signs should be provided at either end of the public footpath which ran along the rear of the village hall as cyclists were a hazard to pedestrians and children who regularly used the path.

 

COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS

 

56.  County Councillor Mrs Freeman commented on the latest consultations taking place on the proposed Ford Eco-town and the “Options for Growth” proposals of Arun District Council to which she said she would be personally responding.   Mrs Freeman also advised that she had recently been approached by a parent living in Tack Lee Road who was concerned that her children’s free bus passes might be withdrawn by the County Council.  She further advised the Council that the local NHS “Fit for the Future” campaign was being replaced by a new campaign “Fight for the Future” to ensure the retention of A & E and other essential services provided at St Richard’s Hospital.

 

57.  Mrs Freeman went on to say she was pleased to report that Mr Bryan had agreed to become a governor of Yapton CE Primary School.   However there was still one other vacancy for a Local Authority Governor at the school.   A local resident had approached her about the possibility of WSCC providing a footpath along Church Road and Church Lane and/or reducing the speed limit and she was looking into this.  She was still pursuing the possibility of a pedestrian crossing being provided for North End Road.  The County Council had agreed a budget for 2009/10 which overall represented a 3.2% increase on the previous year.

 

58.  District Councillor Mrs Neno reported on the current consultation taking place on the District Council’s proposals in “Options for Growth” on meeting the demand for new homes in the future.  She also advised on the Gipsy, Traveller and Travelling Show people Sites Survey which had been undertaken and on which public consultation was now taking place.  She concluded by saying that the District Council had determined a budget which meant a 3% increase over last year in its share of the Council tax for the coming financial year.

 

 

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 23 February 2009 (copy attached to minute book).

 

60.  PC Self commented that Local Action Teams were being set up to deal with anti-social behaviour and similar problems in the coming summer months.

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

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

 

a) NHS Primary Care Support Service – Consultation on Application for Preliminary Consent to be included in the West Sussex PCT Pharmaceutical List – Aroschem Ltd, Meadowcroft Surgery, Bilsham Road, Yapton.   The Parish Council resolved not to object to the application providing it would not be disadvantageous/prejudice the existing dispensing services offered on site  to patients at the Yew Tree surgery.

 

NHS Primary Care Support Service – Consultation on Application for Preliminary Consent to be included in the West Sussex PCT Pharmaceutical List – Shoo 434 Ltd in the vicinity of Main Road, Yapton.  The Parish Council noted that no definite location for the new pharmacy had been identified and no assurances had been given about the retention of the present dispensing services offered at the Yew Tree and Meadowcroft surgeries.  On balance therefore the Council took the view that should the PCT be minded to approve the Aroschem Ltd application, it could not support the provision of a second pharmacy in the village.

 

c) Arun District Council – Options for Growth Public Consultation (copy attached to minute book).  The Chairman of the Planning Committee reported on a meeting of the Local Strategic Partnership  meeting of stakeholders which he had attended on 3 March 2009 .  The Parish Council agreed that the Planning Committee should prepare a response to the District Council’s proposals based on supporting “ Option 1” and taking into account the views expressed at the LSP meeting.

 

d) Arun District Council – Gipsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Survey Consultation (copy attached to minute book).  The Parish Council resolved to make no comment on the proposals as set out.

 

e) Arun District Council – Consultation on proposed installation of Bus Shelter – Canal Road/The Pines, Yapton.  The Parish Council shared the concerns of local residents about the possibility of anti-social behaviour and disturbance should a bus shelter be located in Canal Road.    Members  noted that the Clerk was in contact with Stagecoach, the bus operator, to see if an alternative site might be put forward which was on the 66/66a bus route.

 

f) Arun District Council – Consultation on application for Premises License at The Barn, Hoe Lane, Flansham.  The Parish Council considered that the type of entertainment envisaged in the license was entirely inappropriate for this quiet residential and rural locality and resolved to object to the application.

 

g) Arun District Council – Invitation to attend Arun Clean & Safe Grant Award Ceremony at The Body Shop International Trading Post, Rustington, on 19 March 2009.

 

h) Arun District Council – enclosing Fuel Poverty Advice leaflet.  It was suggested that a summary of the leaflet might be included in a future issue of Yapton News & Views.

 

i) Yapton Youth Centre – enclosing a DVD documentary on Yapton Village Life produced by the youth club members.

 

j) St Mary’s Yapton and St Andrew’s Ford Parochial Church Council – letter of thanks for the framed street map of Yapton.

 

k) Blood Donor Service – confirming planned visit of mobile blood donor van to the village hall car park on 19 March 2009.

 

 

FORD ECO-TOWN PROPOSAL

62.   With reference to minutes 22-23/2009, the Council noted that the Government had decided following receipt of the full written judgement on the recent legal proceedings on its eco-towns programme that the deadline for comments on the draft Planning Policy Statement, the Sustainability Appraisal and on the recently published financial viability study on prospective eco-town locations, should be extended to 30 April 2009. 

63.  It was noted that that Planning Committee had earlier that evening considered and approved a first draft prepared by the Chairman of a response to the consultation documents.   A final draft, once approved, would be circulated to all members in due course.

 

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF MEMBERS/STAFF

 

64.  The Clerk reported that he would be attending a Networking Day for Clerks on 31 March 2009 at which guidance and training would be given on the new Power of Well Being which would be available, subject to meeting the necessary training requirements, to parish and town councils.

 

 

PARISH COUNCIL NEWSLETTER (YAPTON NEWS & VIEWS)

 

65.  Details of the contents for the March 2009 edition (35th issue) of the newsletter were reported to the Council.

 

 

PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

66.  The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 12 January 2009 and (b) details of planning decisions made by Arun District Council in December 2008 and January/February 2009 (copies attached to minute book).

 

 

PLAYING FIELD  

 

67.   It was reported that moles were still active on the playing field.  The Clerk conrfirmed that he had asked Mr Kennedy to deal with the problem.

 

68.  The Council agreed that anti-vandal paint should be applied to the upper sections of the lighting columns in the children’s play area to discourage vandals from tampering with the CCTV security cameras.   The Clerk advised that an order had been placed for a replacement climbing frame ladder and a new gate catch for the children’s play area.  Mr Caiger expressed concern about the time it took to get this type of repair work completed.

 

 

ALLOTMENTS

 

69.  Mr Caiger reported that all the allotment rentals had been received for the 2009/10 financial year.

 

 

VILLAGE HALL

 

70.   Mrs Wallbridge reported on a special meeting of the Village Hall Management Committee at which Louise Beaton, Village Halls Adviser, had given advice and made suggestions on what could be done to increase income through increased marketing of the village hall.   Plans for the 20th Anniversary Weekend celebrations were well advanced and would be publicised around the village.  It was hoped that the Parish Council would enter a team for the Quiz Night to be held on 24 April 2009.

 

 

JOINT DOWNLAND AREA COMMITTEE

 

71.  Mr Taft reported on the meeting held on 12 January 2009.  He had been unable to attend the 10 February 2009 meeting due to the flooding problems on that night.

 

 

FINANCE

 

72.  With reference to minute 223/2008, the Council noted that following arbitration an additional 0.3% had been agreed for the 2008/2009 pay award for local government staff making the total increase for the year of 2.75% payable from 1 April 2008.

 

73.  Resolved –

 

(a) That the financial statement showing the payments and receipts covering the period 1 January – 28 February 2009 be adopted (copy attached to minute book);

 

(b) That the summary of income and expenditure over the various budget heads for the period 1 January – 28 February 2009 be received (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

 

74.   The Clerk advised that he had been in contact with Trevor Leggo at the Sussex Association of Local Councils, and it was hoped that that Lord Lytton, President of the National Association of Local Councils, would be able to attend the Annual Parish Meeting to be held on 12 May 2009 to present the Council with its Quality Council certificate.   It was also planned that evening to show the DVD documentary on Yapton Village Life which the youth club members had produced.    The Council agreed that if possible, to facilitate showing of the film, arrangements should be made by the Clerk for the Annual Parish Meeting to be held in the Youth Club premises instead of the usual venue in the village hall.

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN