Minutes of the Meeting of Maresfield Parish Council held on

 Tuesday 18 January 2005 in Fairwarp Village Hall

Present:  Cllr W King (Chairman), Cllr P Tester (Vice-Chairman), Cllr J Gutteridge,

Cllr K Ogden, Cllr R Street, Cllr H Fry, Cllr C Stephens, Cllr S Leaney,

Cllr Mrs S Weekes, Cllr Ms M Thomas. DCllr J Hollins, DCllr Mrs S Martin,

DCllr Mrs P Kennedy. CCllr A Reid. Clerk: Tony Allen.

Public Session – Mrs P Kennedy asked for a progress report regarding the replacement of the hedge at the play area on Maresfield Recreation Ground. ACTION: Clerk to provide Mrs Kennedy with an update.

1.         Apologies for absence - Cllr R Tester, Cllr T Sparrow, Cllr G Hardy.

DCllr F Brown, DCllr N Buck.

2.         Declarations of interest – None.

3.         Minutes:-

                        3.1       Minutes of the last meeting (21 December 2004) for adoption – These were Adopted.

                        3.2       Matters arising from those minutes – None.

4.         Reports by and questions to:-

                        4.1       County councillor – CCllr Reid made the following points:-

• The County Council was still working on the budget for 2005/06
• An increase in Council Tax of 4.5% had been recommended to Cabinet. This increase would have been reduced to 2.5% had ESCC received the requested level of grant from the Government. ESCC’s grant was the lowest of all Counties in England. Dialogue with Government on this issue continues
• The SEERA South East Plan for additional economic growth would be out shortly for consultation, with information and a questionnaire being sent to all households. It was essential that the focus was not just on housing growth alone, but that the additional infrastructure required was considered in parallel
• Still to speak to the Sussex Police Authority regarding the Parish Council’s issues
• ESCC would shortly be considering the Onyx planning application for a waste site at Maresfield Camp. This site was not the recommended site in the Waste Local Plan
• ESCC had raised some issues with Government concerning the Waste Inspector’s report, including revised recycling numbers

                        4.2       District councillors – DCllr Mrs S Martin made the following points:-

• Following a Government grant of £200K, the Council Tax increase for 2005/06 was only 3.5%; without this grant the increase would have been 5.5%
• Greater efficiency, some planned staff cuts and reductions in some grant funding had also contributed to a low increase in Council Tax
• There had been no changes in the response times for planning applications; the 13 week response time only applied to major applications
• The current cost to WDC for managing car parking was approx. £500K. If charging was introduced this would net approx. £650K. The public are to be consulted on this issue and this has not been assumed as an income stream for 2005/06

DCllr J Hollins made the following points:-

• Grants were available for people in need, e.g. domestic abuse sufferers and the elderly. Leaflets containing details available from WDC
• Licensing was under DCllr Hollins Portfolio
• Work was ongoing on youth, Safer Wealden Partnership and car parking charges
• Affordable Housing policy was constantly under review

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5.         Council bodies actions, minutes and reports by, and questions to, Chairmen:-

                        5.1       Business Park Development Sub-Committee – Cllr P Tester stated that, in conjunction with the Planning Committee, work was focusing on the recent application received from Onyx for a waste facility at the Business Park site.

                        5.2       Civil Protection – Cllr Street stated that a report would be available after the Committee’s next meeting on 20^th January 2005.  

                        5.3       Communications Team – Cllr Leaney stated that the timetable for the next edition (February 2005) of Parish Matters had been set and the content discussed. Cllr Leaney would be talking to Committee Chairman shortly to finalise the content.

Cllr Fry reported that the ‘skeleton’ of the Parish Council’s web site (www.maresfieldparish.org.uk) was available to view. Cllr Fry stated that Andrew Wallace had done a lot of work on this project and that additional information was being loaded onto the site such as Councillor details and meeting minutes and agendas.

                        5.4       Environment & Maintenance – Cllr P Tester stated that he had taken over Chairmanship of this Committee to allow Cllr R Tester to become Chairman of the Traffic & Transport Committee. Cllr P Tester reported that a quote was expected from EDF energy for the street light in the Nutley Memorial Hall to be adopted as part of the Parish Council’s contract. Cllr P Tester stated that a report of footpath inspections by Councillors had yet to be produced. CCllr Reid suggested that the bid for the ESCC Village Maintenance Team resource should be put in early in order to secure their services for the maximum possible time.

DCllr Hollins left the meeting.

                        5.5       Finance & Administration – Cllr Street stated that the Budget and Precept had been finalised, as agreed at Council’s last meeting, and that he supported the Chairman’s proposal that Committee Chairman become more involved in the setting and monitoring of budgets for their Committees. Cllr Street stated that a Work Group was being formed to deal with the appointment of an assistant for the Clerk, but that one more Councillor was needed to join this Group. ACTION: Volunteers to contact Cllr Street.

                        5.6       Parklands Play Area Sub-Committee – Cllr Gutteridge stated that the next meeting, planned for 24^th January 2005, had been postponed due to the urgent work required on the Onyx waste site planning application. Cllr Gutteridge confirmed that the concerns of the Forest Park residents over the siting of the equipment at the play area were being fully addressed.

                        5.7       Planning – Councillor Ogden made the following points in relation to the Onyx waste site planning application:-

• This was a major issue for the Village of Maresfield and beyond
• The proposed site was outside of the ESCC Waste Local Plan process and was not included in the Waste Planning Inspector’s report. A letter had already been sent stating this to ESCC
• ESCC policy was that a waste site should be located closest to the main source of waste and therefore a site nearer Uckfield town should be sought, e.g. Bellbrook Industrial Estate, which would also allow the use of rail transport to then be explored
• Only 9 people would be employed by this development
• It was possible that the travellers would have to be moved
• The proposed site indicated that the transport of waste by railway had not been considered
• Predicted noise levels at the proposed site and at the south end of Maresfield exceeded Government recommendations
• The quoted figures for tonnage and vehicle movements were questionable, and as a commercial company, Onyx may seek to bring in more waste in the future. Vehicle movements did not account, for example, for the increased road journeys the public would have to make to reach an out of town site

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• A Village Meeting was being planned in Maresfield for 1 February 2005
• A visit to Burgess Hill, where there was similar facility to that proposed by Onyx, was being planned
• The impact on the Fire Services training site was thought to be minimal
• Traffic access to the site was inadequate and the costs of improvement could be a big impediment to any development’s profitability
• A Working Group had been formed to progress this issue and work out a detailed response, with this Group including members of the Maresfield Conservation Group
• The Chief Executive and senior Officers at WDC had promised full support

CCllr Reid offered his help with this case, noting that this application would be judged against ESCC’s Waste Local Plan.

                        5.8       Policy Committee – Cllr Ms M Thomas reported as follows on the Committee’s last meeting held on 12^th January 2005:-

·         Councillors Expenses - It was agreed not to recommend payment of the Councillors Basic Allowance at this stage and that action should be taken to explore the possibility of the expenses rules being expanded to cover all Councillors expenses.

·         Standing Orders – The Committee had looked at the issues of the Parish Council’s culture and changes to Standing Orders, as outlined in the recent report by the Clerk of Lewes Town Council. Proposed changes to Standing Orders based on this, as well as the issues of closed session meetings and the Freedom of Information Act would be part of a future report to be put to Council.

5.9       Strategy Sub-Committee – The Clerk stated that there was no report in addition to the circulated minutes of the last meeting. Cllr P tester suggested that a Working Group be formed to discuss the request for help received from the Nettlefold Trust. This was agreed – members to include Cllr P Tester, Cllr T Sparrow and the Clerk.

·                     Consultation on NHS proposed service changes – It was agreed that responses to this consultation should be sent to Cllr Sparrow before the next meeting of the Sub-Committee which would then finalise the response for approval at Council’s February 2005 meeting. ACTION: All.

                        5.10     Traffic & Transport Committee – The Clerk stated that the next meeting was on 8^th February 2005 and that the responses to the Committee’s consultation exercise were currently being analysed.

6.         Outside bodies’ reports:-

                        6.1       Ford's Green Management Committee – Cllr P Tester stated that there was no report to make, but that the woodchips were to be topped up at the play area.

                        6.2       Maresfield Conservation Group – Cllr Gutteridge stated that the full focus of the Group was on the Onyx waste site application with discussions to continue at the Group’s next meeting on 19^th January 2005.

                        6.3       Maresfield Recreation Ground Committee – No report or issues raised.

Re. Items 6.4 – 6.7, the Chairman read out a report forwarded by Cllr Sparrow, reproduced in the relevant sections below:-

                        6.4       Wealden District Association of Local Councils - No meetings/actions since last Council meeting.

                        6.5       Action in rural Sussex - No meetings/actions since last Council meeting.

                        6.6       Wealden Local Strategic Partnership - The focus of the LSP in the coming year will be to ensure that the major organisations delivering services in Wealden work together to improve the infrastructure (all aspects including health, safety, education, leisure, etc.) IN ADVANCE of any agreement to increase the number of houses.  Also LSP will strive to ensure that the Local Development Framework activities are properly co-ordinated and not duplicated.

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                        6.7       Sussex Association of Local Councils - No meetings/actions since last Council meeting.

7.         Chairman's Report – The Chairman reported that he had attended WDC’s presentation for Beacon status, with regard to its Affordable Housing initiatives, and stated that it had gone well; the results to be announced in March 2005.

The Chairman’s note on greater Councillor involvement in budgeting was well received and it was noted that there was room for more effective budgeting processes to be adopted.

The Chairman referred to his note on the forthcoming Annual Assembly, asking Councillors for help and ideas by the end of January 2005. ACTION: All.

The Clerk gave an update on the co-option of a new Councillor, to fill the vacancy created by Mr Woodgate’s resignation, stating that to date approx. 6 Parishioners had expressed an interest. Interested Parishioners would be supplied with details of roles and responsibilities and invited to a meeting to discuss the matter further with the Clerk and one or two experienced Councillors. Following this there would be a selection process held in the public session of a forthcoming Council meeting.

8.         Clerk's Report – Re. Item 3, Cllr Leaney stated that the Times article which put Parish Councils in a bad light, could be how some Parishioners view Maresfield Parish Council, and that effort should be expended to rectify any such perception.

CCllr Reid left the meeting.

9.         Payments to be made: for approval – These were Approved.

10.       Crime, Disorder & Substance Misuse Audit 2004 – response to The Safer Wealden Partnership – It was agreed that, in addition to the selected ’highly agreed’ priority of “Targeting those people who supply illegal drugs within our neighbourhoods”, the following issues of concern to Parishioners should also be selected:-

·         “Reducing peoples fear of anti-social behaviour by improving their neighbourhoods, making people feel safer”

·         “Burglary of peoples homes “

·         “Burglary other than peoples homes such as shed outhouses commercial premises etc.”

·         “Crime involving peoples vehicles”

Action: Clerk to return questionnaire.

It was agreed that the proposed covering letter should also be sent, with amendments made to indicate that the PCSO had now made contact, and to express the Parish Council’s support for the ongoing work to identify likely criminals while young, and to seek to head them away from crime. ACTION: Clerk to send with the questionnaire.

11.       Tsunami relief work – In response to the Chairman’s note of a discussion with Mrs Helen Compson, concerning the proposed visit by Dr Dias of the Forest Row GP Practice to Sri Lanka, it was agreed to support a response seeking more information. ACTION: Chairman.

DCllr Mrs S Martin left the meeting.

12.       Closure of Maresfield Historical Society – transfer of assets – It was agreed that the Parish Council was not set up to receive theses assets, which would be better passed to a Village group or society. ACTION: Chairman to respond.

13.       Date of next meeting – 15 February 2005 (Nutley)

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 21:46.