Minutes of the meeting of Maresfield Parish Council

held on Tuesday 21 October 2003 in the Conference Room, Nutley War Memorial Hall

Present:  Cllr P Tester (Chairman), Cllr H Fry, Cllr J Gutteridge, Cllr G Hardy, Cllr S Leaney, Cllr K Ogden, Cllr T Sparrow, Cllr C Stephens, Cllr R Street, Cllr R Tester, Cllr Miss M Thomas, Cllr Mrs S Weekes, Cllr R Woodgate.  District Cllr F Brown, District Cllr Hollins, District Cllr Mrs S Martin.  County Cllr T Reid.  Clerk: Sue Wilson, Clerk (in training) Anthony Allen. 

There was one member of the public present, Mr Dennis Stevens of 9 Millwood Close.

Mr Stevens said he had received a letter distributed by Mr J Foster to residents of Millwood Close regarding the experimental partial closure of School Hill, Maresfield by a barrier.  He said he was concerned that this would result in additional traffic using Millwood Lane where residents already suffer from speeding traffic, particularly in the morning and evening.  Mr Stevens had drawn a plan showing alterations to the junction of the A272 at Ringles Cross which he felt would benefit all residents of Maresfield.  Several copies of the plan were passed to Councillors and Mr Stevens described what he envisaged including the construction of a slip road for the users of School Hill.

The Chairman thanked Mr Stevens and said the plan would be passed to the Council's Traffic & Environment Working Party.

The Chairman opened the meeting.

1.1            Apologies for absence were received from Cllr W King, District Cllr N Buck and District Cllr Mrs P Kennedy.

1.2            Declarations of interest.  There were none.

1.3       Any other personal matters.  There were none.

2.1            Minutes of last meeting for approval.  Cllr Fry asked that the second paragraph of number 6 (TEWP) on page 3 be amended by replacement of the words "with irritation that" with the word "since" and the word "as" in the second line with the word "although".  Clr Sparrow proposed the minutes be adopted.  This was seconded by Cllr Gutteridge and agreed.  There were no amendments to be made to the minutes for the Emergency Meeting held on 6 October 2003.  Cllr Ogden proposed they be adopted.  This was seconded by Cllr Street and agreed.

2.2            Matters arising from those minutes.  Cllr P Tester reported that the references received for the new clerk were fine.

3            Reports by and questions to:

3.1            County councillor.  Cllr Reid reported that it is budget time at the County Council.  He said that inflation was running at about 8.5% on highway maintenance costs,

there had been a big jump in the cost of a renewed street lighting contract and an 18% increase in bus running support costs. 

Regarding traffic, the County Council is to hold a speed conference as a further step towards working with communities.  The police are also to work with the County Council, although Superintendent Nick Wilkinson had advised that he only has four officers on at any one time and they are permanently occupied with accident investigation.

Cllr Reid had met with his opposite number at West Sussex County Council (WSCC) for further dialogue on the possible building of 2,500 houses on the south west edge of East Grinstead.  Discussion included the proposed East Grinstead Relief Road and the resulting increase in traffic using the A22 through Forest Row and Nutley.  Cllr Miss Thomas asked whether the road building was inevitable and questioned whether the traffic could be diverted from Forest Row.  Cllr Reid said that WSCC had, for the first time, admitted there would be problems which would be difficult to ameliorate, atlhough all implications are being studied.  Cllr Fry said that the potential additional traffic through Nutley would need to be studied.  Cllr Sparrow asked Cllr Reid to let the Parish Council have any figures which are available.                                                                                             Action: Cllr Reid

Council Meeting minutes 21 October 2003                                                             Page 2

The Waste Local Plan enquiry at Lewes has concluded and a revised plan should be available early in the summer of 2004.

Cllr Reid also spoke about the costs to individuals and organisations when travellers takeup residence.  There had been two instances of this at Bellbrook Industrial Estate, after which the clean-up had cost £25,000.  The County Council are looking at different ways of approaching this problem.  Cllr Weekes remarked on the quantities of rubbish which had been dumped in the river at Bellbrook.  Cllr Brown said the laws are very strict in Southern Ireland so more travellers are coming to Britain.  He said it is essential for the police to take action.

3.2            District councillors.  Cllr Mrs Martin reported on the Royal Mail proposal to close four nearby Post Offices.  They appear to have a policy of concentrating Post Offices in the larger towns, to the detriment of old age pensioners and local shoppers in smaller urban and rural areas.  Cllr Ogden said residents should lobby the Royal Mail as Maresfield residents had in order to keep their Post Office.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has requested that 3,000 questionnaires be sent to residents in the Wealden Area, seeking their views about the quality of life locally and about the services provided by WDC, including refuse collection and recycling facilities.  Cllr P Tester said he had seen the paper collection truck by Nutley Post Office and noticed that the paper was being loaded into an ordinary dustcart.  In his view, this was not recycling.  Cllr Hardy remarked on the untidy state of the Crowborough recycling area.

The WDC Comprehensive Performance Assessment is continuing.  It is essential for WDC to participate fully and become a highly rated council or they could receive less government funding in the future.

Cllr Hollins reminded Councillors of the District/Parish Conference on 29 October and Cllr Mrs Martin advised there would be a one-day conference entitled 'Tackling Fuel Poverty Day' on 31 October 2003.  Cllr Mrs Martin promised to send some information about this to the Clerk, who had not been notified.                                                Action: Cllr Mrs Martin

4.1            Committee reports and minutes; Report, questions and issues:

1            Environment and Maintenance.  Cllr Miss Thomas referred to page 3 and queried the status of the track between Clockhouse Lane and School Lane.  She had ridden along the track in the past and queried whether it would be possible to clear it for future riding.  She was advised that, although it is not the responsibility of the Parish Council, riders could form a working party to clear it for use, if they wished.

Cllr R Tester reported a letter which had been received from a parishioner who was complaining that the Maresfield Recreation Ground had been taken over by the football club.  Cllr R Tester took the view that this was a matter for the Maresfield Recreation Ground Committee to resolve, although he was aware that they needed the revenue generated by the activities of the football club.

Cllr R Tester advised that a letter had been sent to Compass Components who have been parking a van on the Recreation Ground.  The Davies & Tate van is no longer parked there.

2            Finance & General Purposes.  Cllr Sparrow said that all issues relating to finance had been dealt with.  He reminded Councillors that requests for grants and donations from outside organisations should be received by the end of October. 

3            Planning.  No questions were raised.  The Chairman said there would be a closed session at the end of the Council meeting to advise all Councillors of the discussion which took place in the closed session of the planning meeting on 30 September 2003.

4            Civil Emergency.  Cllr Street had prepared a report of the meeting on 16 October 2003 and talked Councillors through the various matters.

Council Meeting minutes 21 October 2003                                                             Page 3

5            Parklands Play Area Sub-Committee.  Cllr Gutteridge reported that a letter had been received from Zurich Insurance stating they would insure the Parish Council in respect of the indemnity sought by Wealden District Council (WDC).  It was hoped to sign the Lease shortly.

6            Traffic & Environment Working Party.  The Clerk had received an email from the Chairman of TEWP requesting Councillors to recommend that Maresfield Parish Council register for the Community Speed Watch Initiative.  This was proposed by Cllr Sparrow, seconded by Cllr Fry and agreed.

7            Ashdown Business Park Working Party.  Cllr P Tester, the Chairman of this Working Party, said letters had been sent to East Sussex County Council (ESCC) and WDC, pressuring them to follow the original brief which does not include a waste site.

4.2            Outside bodies reports:

1            Ford's Green Committee.  Cllr R Tester had nothing to report as the next meeting was due to be held in two days' time.

2            Maresfield Conservation Group.  Cllr Woodgate said there was no further news to report.

3            Maresfield Recreation Ground Committee.  Cllr R Tester had nothing to report as he had been absent from the recent meeting.        

4            Wealden District Association of Local Councils.  There was nothing to report.

5, 6, 7            Action in rural Sussex, Wealden Local Strategic Partnership and Sussex Association of Local Councils.  Cllr Sparrow had nothing to report.

Cllr Fry had attended a meeting of the Police Authority at Uckfield where a lot of the discussion had centred on the problems caused by travellers.  [Inspector] Wilson had said the police have six priorities but these do not include speeding.  Cllr Fry said he thought this scandalous.

Cllr Fry also reported that he was no longer chairman of the Crowborough Road Residents Association because he didn't agree the priorities of the group.  He advised he had written to the Ashdown Forest Superintendent, Hew Prendergast, stating that neither the Parish Council nor TEWP adequately represented the Crowborough Road Residents Association.  He reminded Councillors that the Chairman, Cllr King, had said it was the Parish Council's policy to involve subsidiary bodies in relevant projects.

5            Chairman's Report.  Cllr Sparrow asked to reinforce the Chairman's plea for early consideration of ideas for the Annual Assembly.  Cllr Hollins suggested Mr Prendergast would be a good speaker.

Cllr Fry said he would like to know how many other Councils are participating in the Quality Council scheme.  Cllr Sparrow said he would try to get this information.

                                                                        Action: Cllr Sparrow

6          Clerk's Report.  The Clerk had nothing to add to her written report.

7            Payments to be made: for approval.  After studying the list, Cllr Hardy proposed the payments should be made.  This was seconded by Cllr Sparrow and agreed.

8          Other items:

1            Information to parishioners: Issues as to its adequacy.  It was decided to put this on the next agenda for discussion after Parish Matters has been distributed.

Council Meeting minutes 21 October 2003                                                             Page 4

2            Portfolios.  Cllr Sparrow reminded Councillors that they should complete the form, as most had not done so.                                           Action: Councillors

3            Chairman's meeting with neighbouring parish chairmen.  Cllr Sparrow said he felt the chairman should be thanked for holding the meeting as it had been planned before but never done.  Councillors agreed.

4            Noticeboards outside Parish Office.  It was agreed that this matter needed to be progressed as it had been agreed with the Social Club before the Parish Council had taken occupation of the office.            Action: Cllr Sparrow

Cllr Mrs Weekes said she thought the Council ought to hold a Christmas Party as she felt more interaction was needed between Councillors.  She kindly agreed to organise it.  Cllr Street felt it should be arranged for the New Year and Cllr Sparrow, the chairman of the Finance & General Purposes Committee, said it would have to be self-financing.                                                       Action: Cllr Mrs Weekes

The meeting went into closed session.

After the discussion, the Chairman reminded Councillors that the Code of Conduct covered this item and it was therefore confidential.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.30pm.