YAPTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

 

12 July 2010 - 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 and Mr J Mills.

 

Also present:  District Councillor Mrs Neno, PCSO Matthews, Mr Tansley (Clerk of the Council) and 6 members of the public.

 

Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Parish Councillors Mr Caiger and Mr Taft. County Councillor Mrs Coleman also sent her apologies.    Members agreed to send a message and flowers to Mr Caiger wishing him a speedy recovery as a result of the problems he was experiencing with the loss of his sight.

 

 

 

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

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

 

109.  Mr Haymes declared prejudicial interests in agenda item 10 (Applications for Grant-aid) insofar as it related to the application for funding from the Peregrine Explorer Scouts and in agenda item 12a (Planning Committee) and took no part in the discussion/decision making on these items.   Mr J Mills declared a personal interest in agenda item 10 (Applications for Grant-aid) insofar as it related to the application for funding the Yapton & Ford Local History Group of which he was a member.

 

 

MINUTES

 

110.  Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 10 May 2010 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.               

 

 

MATTERS ARISING

 

Angels Nursery Site in Barnham (minute 75/2010)

 

111.  The Chairman reported that the County Council was appealing against the decision of the District Council to refuse planning approval for housing on the site.

 

Village Hall - external maintenance contract (minute 77/2010)

 

112. The Clerk advised that the repairs to the guttering and downpipe had been undertaken but the guttering had since been damaged on two further occasions.   A quote from John Atkinson, Painter and Decorator, had been received for the repair work which included replacement of the broken glass in the fire door to the small hall.  The Council agreed to accept the quotation in respect of the broken glass but deferred a decision on the guttering pending exploring options for either protecting it from further damage or replacing the plastic guttering with an stronger alternative.  

 

 

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

 

113. A concern was raised by a resident about problems with youths congregating on parts of the Loveys Estate.  PCSO Matthews undertook to follow the matter up.

 

114. Another resident reported and expressed concern that the Stagecoach 700 Bus Service between Bognor Regis and Littlehampton had been reduced from a quarter hour service to a half hour service through the village.  The Clerk undertook to contact Stagecoach to establish the reasons for the change and advise the resident accordingly.   

 

115.  A resident reported that the Council's campaign to reduce incidents of dog fouling on the playing field appeared to have met with little success and the problem still remained. Members felt that the Dog Wardens should make a more visible presence in the village, particularly on the playing field, with a view to identifying and prosecuting the culprits as this was the only way they felt to get the message across to recalcitrant dog owners.   The Clerk was asked to contact the District Council and make these points and seek the Council's continuing support for the campaign.

 

 

COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS

 

116.  District Councillor Mrs Neno commented on the Civil Parking Enforcement arrangements which were coming into force and on an LDF seminar on housing numbers which was held last week.

 

 

REPORT FROM SUSSEX POLICE REPRESENTATIVE

 

117.   The Council had before them and received a report from PCSO Matthews covering the period from 2 April 2010 to 30 June 2010 inclusive (copy attached to minute book).    PCSO Matthews commented on aspects of his report as well as other issues and replied to questions.

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

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

 

a) Arun District Council – Civil Parking Enforcement.  The Council noted that with effect from 5 July 2010 the District Council, in partnership with WSCC, had taken over responsibility from the Police for enforcing on-street parking controls in the area.  A copy of an explanatory leaflet had been distributed to members and the new arrangements would be publicised for residents in the next issue of Yapton News.

 

b) Headteacher, Westergate Community School – Six Villages Sports Centre.  The Council noted that the Governing Body, in association with WSCC, had agreed to pursue a third party tendering agreement to continue the provision on the school campus of the Six Villages Sports Centre. 

 

c) Walberton Action Group - Walberton's Green Day:  23 October 2010.  Details of this planned event were circulated to members.

 

 

SKATE PARK PROJECT

 

119. With reference to minute 82/2010, the Council had before them and considered a progress report by the Clerk on the proposed skate park for Yapton (copy attached to minute book).

 

120. Resolved - 

 

a) That the action taken by the Clerk to secure the necessary finance to enable the skate park project to go ahead in the current financial year be endorsed and that the funding arrangements as set out in the report be approved;

 

b) That Gravity Engineering Ltd be approved as the preferred contractor to design the skate park to be constructed on the King George V Playing Field;

 

c) That the new facility be called and signed the 'GO YAPTON! skate park';

 

d) That the Clerk be authorised to let the contract in consultation with the Chairman subject to final negotiation with the preferred contractor as to the design and costs involved.   

 

 

APPLICATIONS FOR GRANT-AID 2010/2011

 

121.  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 2010/2011 financial year (copy attached to minute book).

 

122.  Resolved – That grants totalling £500.00 as indicated below be made to the following organisations listed on the schedule:-

 

  • 4SIGHT (West Sussex Association for the Blind)   £75.00
  • Peregrine Explorer Scouts                                      £100.00
  • Village Friends                                                         £75.00
  • Yapton & Ford Parochial Church Council (towards

the upkeep of the churchyard)                                 £150.00

  • Yapton & Ford Local History Group                      £100.00

 

 

PARISH COUNCIL MAGAZINE (YAPTON NEWS)

 

123.  Details of the contents of the July edition (43rd issue) of Yapton News were reported to the Council.    The Clerk advised that the latest issue should be available for delivery to households by the end of the week.

 

 

PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

124.  The Council had before them and received (a) the minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 14 June 2010 and (b) details of planning decisions made by Arun District Council in April/May/June 2010 (copies attached to minute book).

 

 

PLAYING FIELD

 

125.  There was nothing to report.

 

 

ALLOTMENTS

 

126.  The Clerk reported that work on the installation of the security fencing was being planned for the early Autumn. 

 

 

VILLAGE HALL REPRESENTATIVES

 

127.   Mr J Mills gave a verbal report on the last meeting of the Village Hall Management Committee.  The AGM had been held on 8 June 2010.  The financial position of the hall was much improved and a programme of internal refurbishment/essential repairs was underway.   

 

 

FINANCE

 

128.  Resolved

 

(a) That the financial statement showing the payments and receipts covering the period 1 April – 30 June 2010 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 2010 be received (copy attached to minute book).

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN