YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

 

11 May 2009 - At the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council held at the Yapton & Ford Village Hall.                  

 

Present:    Mr Andrews, Mr Caiger, Mr Haymes and Mr Mills.

 

Also present:   PCSO Billingham (Sussex Police), District Councillor Mr English, 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 Councillors Mrs Barnes, Mr Bryan, Mr Faulkner, Mr Jones and Mr Taft and from District Councillor Mrs Neno.

 

 

CHAIRMAN

 

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

 

76.   The Chairman thanked members for their continued support and welcomed District Councillor Paul English to the meeting.  Mr English was one of two District Councillors who had been elected to serve the Felpham East Ward which included Hoe Lane in Flansham and which was also in the administrative area covered by Yapton Parish Council.      

 

 

VICE-CHAIRMAN

 

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

 

 

MEMBERSHIP

 

78.  The Council noted with regret the resignation of Mrs Wallbridge as a member of the Parish Council due to increasing family commitments.  Notice of the casual vacancy for a Parish Councillor would now be advertised, following which, if there were no requests for an election, the vacancy could be filled by co-option.     

 

 

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

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

 

80.  Mr Haymes declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 20(a) (Planning Committee) and took no part in the discussion/decision making on this item.    

 

 

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES

 

81.  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, Mr Mills.

 

Allotments:       Mr Caiger.

                        

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

 

 

VILLAGE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES

 

82.  Resolved - That Mr Haymes be re-appointed as one of the Council's three representatives on the Village Hall Management Committee for the ensuing year.  Appointments to fill the two other vacancies would be carried forward to the next meeting.

 

 

REPRESENTATIVE ON JOINT DOWNLAND AREA COMMITTEE

 

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

 

 

REPRESENTATIVE ON POLICY SITE 6 ADVISORY GROUP

 

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

 

 

REPRESENTATIVES ON POLICE NEIGHBOURHOOD MANAGEMENT FORUM

 

85.    Resolved – That Mr Bryan and Mr Caiger be appointed as the Council’s representatives on the Yapton, Ford and Clymping Police Neighbourhood Management Forum for the ensuing year.

 

 

MINUTES

 

86.  Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 2009 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.               

 

 

MATTERS ARISING

 

Street Lighting in Hoe Lane, Flansham (minute 42/2009)

 

87.  The Clerk advised that the installation of the new street lights in Hoe Lane had been completed the previous week.   A contribution of £1000 had been received from the Flansham Residents’ Association and the old columns were being sold to residents for £60.00 each.

 

Bilsham Road Telephone Box (minute 45/2009)

 

88.  The Clerk advised that he had reported the damage to British Telecom some 2 months ago and BT had indicated that the repair work would be undertaken “as a priority”.  As nothing had been done he would chase the matter up.

 

Downview Estate Roads (minute 49/2009)

 

89.  The Clerk confirmed that this was now being followed up by WSCC Highways on the completion of Warmere Court.

 

Improvements projects (minute 50/2009)

 

90.  The Clerk reported that the District Council had approved a grant of £1984 towards the cost of improving the street lighting in Fairholme Drive. The Clerk had also submitted an application  to WSCC for a grant from its Safety Committee. This had since been approved on the basis  that the design and project management work would be undertaken by the County Council with a contribution of  a third of the overall cost being met by the Parish Council.

 

91.  With regard to possible improvements to recreational facilities on the playing field, the Clerk advised that an invitation to residents to put forward suggestions for improving the facilities was being included in the next issue of Yapton News & Views.

 

Consultation on “Options for Growth” (minutes 52 - 53/2009)

 

92.   In the Vice-Chairman’s absence, the Clerk reported that a meeting of local parishes had taken place with Nick Herbert MP as a result of which a joint statement on behalf of Aldingbourne, Barnham, Clymping, Eastergate, Ford and Yapton Parish Councils had been submitted to Arund District Council as part of the consultation exercise (copy attached to minute book). 

 

“No Cycling” sign (minute 55/2009)

 

93.  The Clerk reported that there was an existing old sign at the Main Road entrance to the footpath and he had asked WSCC if this could be renewed and a new sign provided at the Church Road end.

 

Premises Licence application for Hoe Lane (minute 61f/2009)

 

94.  The Clerk reported that the application to the District Council had been withdrawn together with an application to WSCC for a licence to hold civil marriage and civil partnership ceremonies in The Barn premises.

 

Blood Donor Service (minute 61k/2009)

 

95.  The Clerk reported that a further visit of the mobile blood donor van had been arranged for Friday 10 July 2009.  The visit would be advertised in the next newsletter.

 

 

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

 

96.  A question was raised about whether it might be possible to improve the security of Public Footpath nos 166 and 167 particularly where Footpath 166 ran along the rear of properties in Fairholme Drive.   Residents were concerned that motorbikes were being persistently ridden along these paths and there was concern that their might be an accident involving pedestrians and young children who regularly walked along them.  It was felt that some sort of barrier at either end of the paths should be considered as a means of discouraging the motorcyclists.

 

97.  The Clerk and County Councillor Mrs Freeman undertook to pursue the matter with the Public Rights of Way Department at County Hall. 

 

 

COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS

 

98.  County Councillor Mrs Freeman reported that in her capacity as the local County Council representative for the area she had submitted her own comments for the 2nd round of consultation taking place on the Ford eco-town proposal.  She congratulated both the Parish Council and CAFÉ on their comprehensive and well reasoned separate submissions.  

 

99.  In the absence of District Councillor Mrs Neno, the Chairman read a report Mrs Neno had submitted for the meeting (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

REPORT FROM SUSSEX POLICE REPRESENTATIVE

 

100.  The Council had before them and received a report by PCSO Billingham covering the period       1 March to 30 April 2009 (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

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

 

a) Equality and Human Rights Commission – advising on Public Sector duties to pay “due regard” to race, disability and gender equality matters.

 

b) Arun District Council – Review of Drainage Problems in Arun.  In addition to the two areas identified in Yapton, members reported that the entrance to Giles Close and opposite the Olive Branch PH in North End Road were also prone to regular flooding/drainage problems.

 

c) Arun District Council – Prospective installation of one S106 Bus Shelter, Main Road, Yapton.  The Parish Council welcomed the plans by the District Council for a replacement bus shelter of timber construction to be provided outside Dyers Croft in Main Road, Yapton.    

 

d) Arun District Council – Footpath Diversions arising from Policy Site 6 approval and the construction of the new Relief Road.     The Council supported the proposed diversions subject to any comments from the Parish Council Ward member for the Hoe Lane.

 

e) CAFÉ – acknowledgement from the Communities and Local Government Department of postcards sent by residents to the Eco-Towns team as part of the consultation exercise.

 

f) Planning Inspectorate – advising that the Planning Inspector had dismissed an appeal against the decision of Arun District Council to refuse planning permission for the erection of a 3 bed detached dwelling and garage on land at Church House, Church Lane, Yapton.

 

 

FORD ECO-TOWN PROPOSAL

 

102.  With reference to minute 63/2009, the Council received and fully endorsed the Planning Committee’s response to the 2nd stage of consultation on the Government’s proposal for eco-towns (copy circulated to all members). 

 

 

THE POWER OF WELL BEING

 

103.  The Council had before them and considered a report prepared by the Clerk following his attendance at a briefing session organised by the Sussex Association of Local Councils on the extension of the Power of Well Being to town and parish councils (copy attached to minute book).

 

104.  Resolved – That for the time being no action be taken to pursue the matter further.

 

 

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF MEMBERS/STAFF

 

105.   The Clerk reported on his attendance at a Planning Seminar arranged by the District Council at which Karl Roberts, the new Assistant Director Planning Services and Housing Strategy, and Nikolas Antoniou, the new Head of Development Control, had been introduced.    The District Council was again reviewing the number of planning applications which went to Committee with the aim of streamlining the present arrangements particularly with regard to individual householder applications.

Changes to the planning appeals system had been introduced by the Planning Inspectorate from April 2009.  These were designed to cut bureaucracy, reduce delays and  provide a  quicker procedure for householder appeals to be dealt with purely on the basis of the existing written evidence submitted by all parties..

 

 

PARISH COUNCIL NEWSLETTER (YAPTON NEWS & VIEWS)

 

106.  Details of the contents of the May 2009 edition (36th issue) of the newsletter were reported to the Council. 

 

107.  The Council noted that a request has been received from Ford Parish Council to extend the coverage of the newsletter to include Ford.  Deliveries to households would be arranged by Ford PC and the Council had asked if 4 additional pages of copy could be made available in each  issue which would be dedicated to news of Ford Parish Council and would include councillors’ names and contact details.

 

108.  In the ensuing discussion, members were concerned to preserve the identity of the two villages and were reluctant to increase the present size of the newsletter.  Rather than adding to the number of pages in the newsletter, it was suggested that the Parish Council might wish, as an alternative, to agree to publish in each issue the contact details of the Clerk of Ford Parish Council together with the Council’s website address and invite the Council to provide articles/items for inclusion in the newsletter which would then be included at the Editor’s discretion.  

 

109.  The Council agreed that the Clerk should put this suggestion to Ford Parish Council together with details of the additional printing and editorial/production costs involved.

 

 

PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

110.  The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 27 April 2009 and (b) details of planning decisions made by Arun District Council in February/March/April 2009 (copies attached to minute book).

 

 

PLAYING FIELD

 

111.  Mr Caiger reported that children had been lighting barbecues at the far end of the playing field.

 

 

ALLOTMENTS

 

112.  The Council agreed that in view of the demand for allotment plots and the length of the waiting list, priority in future should be given to Yapton residents.

 

 

VILLAGE HALL

 

113. The Chairman reported on the 20th Anniversary Celebrations which had been arranged to raise funds for the village hall.   Some £654 profit had been made from the various events including a successful and well attended Quiz Night and Jumble Sale, both of which it was intended to repeat in the Autumn.  A Valentine’s Night Dance was also planned for next year.   The Chairman also reported on the current finances.  In view of the size of the gas bills received a check was to be made as to whether the gas boiler could be regulated so that it was not fully operational when the hall was not occupied.  

 

 

POLICE NEIGHBOURHOOD  MANAGEMENT FORUM

 

114.  Mr Caiger reported on the meeting held on 18 March 2009.

 

 

FINANCE

 

Audit of Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2009 

 

115. The Council was 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 (the audit for the current year had already been undertaken by WSCC Internal Audit Services) (ii) an explanation of any significant variances between 2007/08 and 2008/09 financial years and a bank reconciliation statement and (iii) an Annual Governance Statement to be signed by the Chairman on behalf of the members.

 

116.  Resolved  -

 

a) That the Statement of Accounts prepared by the Responsible Financial Officer for the year ended 31 March 2009 together with the accompanying Annual Governance Statement, as completed and signed by the Chairman, be approved (copies attached to minute book);

 

b) That the continuing appointment of WSCC Internal Audit Services as the Council’s internal auditors be confirmed and that the letter of agreement dated 18 March  2009 from them setting out the terms be duly signed (copy attached to minute book);  

 

Financial Statements

 

117.  Resolved –

 

(a) That the financial statement showing the payments and receipts covering the period 1 March – 31 March 2009 be adopted (copy attached to minute book);

 

(b) That the summary of income and expenditure over the various budget heads for the financial year 2008/2009 be received (copy attached to minute book).

 

(c) That the “Spent vs Budget” statement for the financial year 2008/2009 be received (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN