Minutes of the Maresfield Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 20^th November 2007 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall, Maresfield

Present:         Cllr K Ogden (Chairman), Cllr A Clarke, Cllr J Gutteridge, Cllr R Street, Cllr J Handley,

Cllr H Fry, Cllr D Barlow, Cllr P Harris, Cllr Mrs V Taylor, Cllr C Stevenson,
DCllr Mrs S Martin, CCllr T Reid, CCllr F Whetstone and Mrs C Goossens (Asst Clerk)

A.        Public Session – None.

1338.   To approve apologies for absence and to note other non-attendance.           

Cllr D Finch, Cllr W King, Cllr R Galley, Cllr Mrs Penfold, DCllr Buck, DCllr Hoy and Mr T Allen (Clerk).

1339.   Declarations of Interests – None.

1340.   Minutes of the previous meeting held on 16^th October 2007:-

1.    For adoption.  The minutes were Adopted.

2.    Matters arising from these minutes – None.

1341.   Reports by and questions to:-

1. County Councillors.

CCllr Reid made the following comments:

o    ESCC is still awaiting details of its grant allocation for the next 12 months budget.  The Chancellor made a statement last month at National level but information pertaining to local level grants is not expected until the beginning of next month. 

o    The Minister for Housing will comment on the South East Plan in January 2008, of particular interest will be her comments relating to recommended housing numbers for building in the South East in next 20 years and a commitment to providing the necessary infrastructure to mitigate for these houses.

o    The Sub-National Economic Review is looking at how the regions of England generate their wealth and how this can be redistributed or spent by National Government. 

o    The Post Office recently made a release detailing the branch closures in Sussex, the closest to Maresfield Parish being in the Framfield Road, Uckfield.

o    Developers who have proposed 1200 houses at Downlands, South of Uckfield are to appeal against WDC’s decision.  The decision by Inspector will be important, if contrary to local feeling, local council must do everything possible to ensure the best possible outcome i.e. ensure that at the very least the necessary infrastructure is provided and in place to support additional housing.

Cllr Barlow reported the following regarding the North Wealden Community Transport Partnership:-

o    It is hoped that in the next few days the NWCTP will become a limited company.  A business plan has been prepared which the trustees are currently looking at.   A meeting with Mr Don Benn is scheduled for 5^th December to discuss the possibility of obtaining S106 monies from the Morrisons and Lidl developments in Crowborough. 

o    Discussions are also being held with Southern Rail regarding the possibility of using currently vacant office space at Crowborough Station to house the NWCTP. 

CCllr Reid congratulated those involved in driving forward the NWCTP programme to the point it has already reached.  Furthermore, he encouraged the new company to contact and meet with ESCC’s Senior Member for Transport, as in the coming financial year, Matthew Lock will be working with Officers to look at a local community transport schemes.

CCllr Whetstone made the following comments:

o    The Forest Plan originally scheduled for release in November 2007 may be delayed.  This document will outline how the Forest will be managed over the next three years.

o    Some work for the winter has already commenced on the Forest.

2. District Councillors.

DCllr Mrs S Martin reported on the following issues:-

o                              Housing delivery

o                              Government grant to WDC

o                              Board of Conservators of the Ashdown Forest

Cllr Stevenson joined the meeting.

The following points were also noted in discussion:-

Cllr K Ogden noted that for a long time now he has been concerned that the government will not be able to fund the affordable homes planned and indeed it has recently been reported that there will be a £56m shortfall over the next three years.

DCllr Mrs Martin noted that the number of houses and subsequently the number of affordable houses being built is so much lower than planned because the Government is constantly changing the goal posts in terms of numbers proposed i.e. developers presume that projections will be higher than 29,000 homes and developers will therefore be drawing up new plans to have more houses on allocated sites.

1342.   Council bodies:  Actions, minutes and reports by, and questions to, Chairmen:-
1. Environment.

Cllr Barlow reported the following points in relation to the last meeting of the Environment Committee:

o        John Wood, WDC’s Emergency Planning & Business Continuity Officer, made a presentation about Emergency Planning and briefly reviewed the Parish Council’s Emergency Plan, making a number of suggestions as to how it might be updated and improved.

o        Concern remains with regard to the condition of some of the equipment at Fords Green play area.  Enquiries have been made regarding the cost of replacement equipment as some items are no longer serviceable.

o        During his weekly visual inspections at Fords Green Play Area, Cllr Barlow has found evidence of beer and wine consumption.  He has reported this to the Clerk who in turn has informed PCSO Juniper who is looking into the matter.

o        The bus shelter and the Victorian lamp at the recreation ground in Maresfield have recently been vandalised.  It was noted that Isfield Parish Council are also currently experiencing similar vandalism problems.

o        Re Item 6.1 on the minutes of the last Environment Committee meeting, Cllr Fry stated that he was not aware that he had been asked to carry out the weekly visual inspections at Maresfield Recreation Ground.  He added that he would be happy to consider carrying out these inspections.  ACTION:  Asst Clerk to give Cllr Fry the necessary information.

            2. Finance & Administration:-

                        I.          Month 7 Financial reports.

Cllr Street reported that there are no concerns and that the budget will probably will be closer to target this year than in previous years.

Cllr Fry noted that very little money has been spent on projects in the current financial year and that this is a matter that ought to be considered

Cllr Street stated that this is an issue to be addressed by the individual spending committees.

II.            Budget/Precept 2008/09.

Cllr Street reported that the  F&A Committee is currently tailoring the proposal it will put before Council at its December 2007 meeting which will form next years budget and on which the Parish Council’s application for the Precept will be based.  It is expected that there will be a 1.5% increase in the Precept which was the target which had been decided on.

                        III.        Proposal that ‘The Parish Matters’ is published bi-annually.

Cllr Street stated that it has become increasingly difficult to publish The Parish Matters four times a year especially with regard to obtaining quality material/articles for it.  The Clerk feels that it would be a more worthwhile document if produced twice yearly i.e. one issue in late spring/early summer and another towards the end of the calendar year to comment on performance during the previous period. 

It was noted that the Parish Council’s Quality Status would not be jeopardised by reducing the number of publications from four to two particularly as it publishes regular monthly reports in each of the three Parochial Church magazines.  Furthermore, the Conservation Groups in each of the villages regularly publish circulars.

Cllr Fry noted that the alternative to producing TPM twice a year would be to try to make it more informative and continue to publish four editions year or to make it smaller if there is insufficient material.

Furthermore, this may be the only communication that many parishioners receive and they would therefore surely like to see it four times a year.

CCllr Whetstone stated that the Conservators of the Forest would welcome the opportunity to put something in the Parish Newsletter.  ACTION:  Clerk to contact Hew Prendergast.

Cllr R Street proposed that the Parish Matters be reduced to two editions per year.  This was seconded by Cllr Gutteridge and Agreed by majority (8 in favour and 1 against).

            IV.        Environmental considerations and cost savings.

Cllr Street noted that this is an issue the Council needs to address and that each committee should put the item on its agenda for discussion.  ACTION:  Clerk.  One issue which may arise is that of training. 

As a Parish we ought to be seen to be encouraging parishioners to make environmental savings wherever possible.

            3. Planning.

Cllr Stevenson reported the following:

o        He extended his thanks to Cllr Mrs Taylor for chairing two recent Planning Committee meetings in his absence.

o        Planning Inspectors have dismissed O2’s appeal for a telephone mast at Tyelands Farm.  This means that the applicant has had three refusals to date.  Cllr Stevenson noted that he is unhappy about the mechanism of the appeal process i.e. the submission by Wealden to the appeal. For example the Inspector noted Wealden Officers suggested that an alternative site at Outback Farm could be looked at in conjunction with street-works poles.

o        The last Planning Committee meeting was held here in Maresfield Village Hall and some thirty members of the public attended to give their view regarding the change of use application for the recently re-sited Post Office in Maresfield.  All those in attendance supported the application.  Councillors voted unanimously in favour of this application and it is hoped that WDC will delegate the decision rather than put it to Committee.

o        Cllr Ogden reported that there have been no further developments with regard to a recent complaint against him to the Standards Board by the owners of Hillend Farm, Nutley.  He has been interviewed and refutes all allegations made against him.

            4. Strategy.

Cllr Barlow reported the following points in relation to the last meeting of the Strategy Committee:-

o        Youth - Cllrs Harris and Mrs Penfold spoke of ongoing work with Rev. Jon Hobbs and Mr & Mrs Hacker regarding efforts to engage with the youth of the villages.

o        Youth - Mrs Smith indicated in a report that she is not very happy with “some of the goings on” in church by the young people attending the youth group in Nutley.

o        Road Safety Issues – Cllr Stevenson has set up a Speedwatch exercise.

Cllr Stevenson reported that he has circulated to all members of the Strategy Committee a report regarding the recent Speedwatch exercise in the Parish.  The exercise was carried out in locations in Fairwarp, Maresfield and Nutley. Three vehicles were recorded exceeding the speed limit by 10% in Nutley, six vehicles in Fairwarp and none in Maresfield. (It was noted that when volunteers removed their hi-visibility jackets and stood out of view they recorded 22 vehicles exceeding the limit in Maresfield, however, this data will be discounted by local Police as correct procedure was not adhered to).

Police confirm that warning letters have been sent to the nine offenders recorded in Nutley and Fairwarp.

It was noted that there is now momentum in relation to Speedwatch exercises in Maresfield Parish Council.  Buxted Parish Council has not, as yet, carried out a Speedwatch exercise. 

Other topics of discussion included Affordable Housing, the North Wealden Community Transport Partnership, Mothers and Young Children, Carers and engaging with the Police.

1343.   Outside bodies reports:-

            1. WDALC – A written report was circulated with the meeting papers.

Cllr Street reported with regard to comments relating to attendance at WDALC management committee meetings that he was unable to attend the last two meetings due to conflicts with Parish Council committee meetings.  He suggested that it may be appropriate for a deputy to be appointed. 

            2. AiRS – A written report was circulated with the meeting papers.

1344.   Consultation on the Fire Authority’s Integrated Risk Management Annual Action Plan.

ACTION:  Cllr Fry read and comment.

1345.   Chairman’s Report followed by questions to Chairman.

The Chairman encouraged all Councillors to review the Code of Conduct and suggested that if anyone has misplaced the relevant paperwork they should ask the Clerk for a replacement.  Furthermore, Councillors were reminded to always declare an interest when appropriate.

Trevor Scott, WDC, will attend a meeting in the New Year to provide a refresher for Councillors.

Other key points of order Councillors should remember in relation to Committee meetings:-

o        Always clearly raise hand when asked to enable the Clerk to accurately record the results of the vote. 

o        All comments / observations should be addressed to the whole Committee through the Chairman.

o        Apologies for absence should always be reported to the Clerk in advance of meetings.

1346.   Clerk’s Report followed by questions to Clerk - None.

1347.   Payments to be made: for approval - Payments totalling £5,594.95 were Approved.

1348.   Communications - None.

1349.   Date of next meeting – 18^th December 2007 (Fairwarp).

 

There being no further business the meeting closed at 20.35.