Minutes of Maresfield Parish Council meeting on Tuesday 17^th October 2006

in the Village Hall, Maresfield

Present:            Cllr W King (Chairman), Cllr H Fry, Cllr G Hardy, Cllr J Gutteridge, Cllr R Tester,

Cllr C Stephens, Cllr C Stevenson, Cllr P Tester, Cllr Mrs V Taylor, Cllr R Street, Cllr K Ogden, DCllr J Hollins, CCllr T Reid, Mr T Allen (Clerk), Mrs C Goossens (Asst Clerk)

Harry Hudson – Green Issues, Community Consultation Advisor for Persimmon Homes

A.         Public Session:- None.

1159.   To approve apologies for absence and to note other non-attendance.  

DCllr F  Brown, DCllr N Buck, DCllr Mrs P Kennedy, DCllr Mrs S Martin, Cllr M Cranfield

The Chairman reported two resignations from Council, Stephen Leaney, for health reasons and Tim Sparrow for personal reasons.

CCllr F Whetstone joins the meeting.

1160.            Declarations of interest – None.

1161.            Minutes:-

1.      Minutes of the previous Meeting (19^th September 2006) for adoption.

The minutes were Adopted.

2.      Matters arising from those minutes.

·         Millpond Depot – it was noted that no early morning or late night noise has occurred in recent weeks.

·         Fords Green Play Area – Requisite work on the swings has been completed.  The large slide will be worked on at a less busy time of year.  The roundabout is being worked on at present.

·         Deer fatalities – Cllr Stevenson recently contacted Sussex Camera Partnership to enquire whether their data takes account of deer collisions.  The SCP stated that they not take these numbers into account. 
It was noted that a deer had a few hours ago been hit on the Maresfield/Uckfield by- pass. 

CCllr Reid said deer sightings are being reported quite frequently on the road north of Eastbourne.  ESCC Officers are proposing a scheme for the A22 especially north of Nutley i.e. Forest Row to Nutley (Millbrook Hill Area) to warn motorists that this is a particularly dangerous part of road i.e. high possibility of deer on the road.  CCllr Reid confirmed that he has asked Officers to discuss the scheme with the Parish Council with a view to attaining useful local knowledge.  It was noted that Fred Marshall at Chuck Hatch is an expert on deer.  It was acknowledged that relatively speaking this isn’t a huge problem for Maresfield Parish, more so for Forest Row and Hartfield.

CCllr Reid stated that at present, ESCC is not considering the recommendation of an advisory speed in the specific problem areas.  There is reluctance to slow traffic on a major road such as the A22 and it is thought not to be effective on a relatively straight stretch of road.  The primary aim of the exercise is to warn motorists.

1162.            Reports by and questions to:-

1.      County Councillors.

CCllr Reid made the following comments;

·   With regard to budgeting for the coming year, ESCC is looking for improvements in both productivity and efficiency and is ensuring all avenues for legitimate income are investigated.  Service offering is under review either via cuts or by looking at means of increased efficiency.

·   ESCC and WDC are currently in consultation regarding development contributions to infrastructure measures.  CCllr Reid is currently carrying out a review as infrastructure is already in deficit.

·   Highways department reports that it proposes putting a traffic sign at the entrance to Fairwarp village alerting heavy goods vehicles to the difficulty of accessing the A26 through the village.  CCllr Reid has urged Officers to contact the Parish Office in this regard to make sure that the signage is put in the correct place.

·   Millpond Depot noise issues resulted from Polish workers bringing in aggregate but this programme is now complete.

CCllr Whetstone made the following points:

·   With regard to the Fairwarp HGV signage, it may be that a sign is needed at the A26 end of the village as well as on the B2026

·   ESCC recently made a press release talking of giving more back-up to primary carers.  Many people have been carers for some time without realising it.

CCllr Reid:

·   Maresfield Waste Site – a Section106 Agreement was last week signed by all parties, however, there are some conditions which still need to be agreed.

·   Maresfield Business Park – WDC and the private developer have come to an agreement whereby the developer can buy the land currently under WDC’s ownership.

Cllr Ogden enquired whether in relation to a recent meeting on traffic measures that he and the Chairman had with ESCC Highways, CCllr Reid had received any feedback.  CCllr Reid stated that he was unaware of this meeting and the Chairman confirmed that not even a note has been produced in the five weeks since this meeting to discuss issues relating to increased traffic generated from all future developments.

2.      District Councillors.

DCllr J Hollins raised the following issues:

• Congratulations to Maresfield Parish Council for attaining Quality Status.
• The Local Non Statutory Plan and the LDF Statement of Community Involvement have now been published.
• The recent electric blanket testing as supported by Maresfield Parish Council has once again been a huge success.
• Extension of kerbside recycling to rural areas.
• Wealden’s Gardens of National Historic Importance.

Cllr Ogden voiced his concerns regarding affordable housing and enquired whether WDC was similarly worried.  He understands from other councils that immigrants from Eastern block countries are being allocated temporary housing which then makes them eligible for affordable housing.  The worry is that there are individuals from certain areas on housing waiting lists who are losing out as a result of this process.

DCllr Hollins agreed that this is indeed a National problem which needs sorting out.  He reported that there are currently 2700 people on the housing waiting list but does not know specifically how many people have specified that they wish to live in Maresfield Parish.

ACTION:  DCllr Hollins to establish current figures and find out whether this is a substantial issue within Wealden.

Cllr Stevenson reported that he recently asked WDC if Planning Decision Notices could be received electronically, thus far he has not received any positive feedback in this regard.  WDC seem to have a large IT budget but are not passing any of the benefits onto the Parish Council’s. 

ACTION:  Cllr Stevenson to approach Mr Raymond Parsons (Member for Forest Row and WDC Portfolio Holder for IT).

It was noted that this may be an appropriate theme for the next Parishes Conference.

The Chairman stated that he has written to Wealden’s Chief Executive regarding the Sustainability Analysis enquiring whether the team at WDC is up to the task; water was not considered but biodiversity in the form of trees was.

DCllr Hollins reported that one of the Scrutiny Groups has specifically been looking at the issue of water supply and he has personally approached David Cameron on the subject of development prior to the necessary infrastructure being in place. 

It was noted that there is too much compartmentalised thinking; schools, doctors and roads all need early consideration.

1163.            Council bodies:  Actions, minutes and reports by, and questions to, Chairmen:-

1.                        Environment:-

Cllr Ogden complimented and thanked the team for keeping everything going and progressing matters in his absence.

                                                                    I.      Parklands Play Area (to receive report on progress)

It was noted that a reply has been received from the Forest Park residents and that this will be before the Environment Committee for consideration at its next meeting.  WDC advice was that planning permission was not required if the apparatus wasn’t above a certain height and none of it is.

Cllr Cranfield has visited the play area on numerous occasions and has witnessed the policing and locking of the facility at the appropriate times.

                                                                  II.      Maresfield Bowls Club site improvements
(to receive report; to decide whether to accept or not the proposal)

The following points were noted in discussion:

·       Councillors continued to have doubts about the proposals at the last Council meeting and referred the issue back to the Maresfield Recreation Ground Committee.

·       Cllr R Tester confirmed that Maresfield Recreation Ground Committee agrees to the proposals of the Lawn Bowls Club to move the fence out.  Whilst there will be a gate it will not be locked and the Bowls Club have confirmed that are happy to throw it open to other users of the recreation ground.

·       There is currently an L Shape and the Bowls Club want to square it off.  Members of the club currently park on the land in question anyway.  They will take out the fence currently up close to the building and clear out the area behind the clubhouse.

·       Cllr Ogden confirmed that he has visited the site and it is a rubbishy area they want to park their cars on and would relieve pressure on the other car parking area.  Complaints have been received of cars parked against the fence during the summer because the glare from the sun blinds the cricketers.

·       Mr Miller of the Lawn Bowls Club has today met with WDC Planning Officer’s to discuss plans to redevelop the clubhouse and these were considered to be a vast improvement on the existing facilities.

·       The proposed fence would enclose a greater area than at present but to the benefit of the cricketers.

ACTION:  Clerk to check that permitting the Lawn Bowls Club to carry out changes as requested is within the remit of the Parish Council as Trustee of the recreation ground.

                                                                III.      Adoption of Emergency Plan

The document was Adopted.  Thanks were expressed to the Assistant Clerk for her work in pulling this document together.

                                    The following points were also noted in discussion:

·       Re item 5.2 in the minutes of the last Environment meeting, the Assistant Clerk was elected as Civil Protection Officer but as a member of the public and not in her capacity as the Assistant Clerk.

·       Concern was expressed that people are contracted to cut the grass within the Parish three times a year regardless as to how much the grass grows in the year.  Perhaps ESCC should consider revising the contract so that the grass is cut when it reaches a certain length.  It was noted that other Councils do manage grass cutting contracts in this way.  Hartfield Parish Council is also thought to be unhappy with grass cutting standards and it has been suggested that the current contract is reviewed by ESCC.  Contracts should include clearing up, especially when the grass is long.

2.                        Finance & Administration:-

                                                                    I.      Month 6 Financial Reports.

Cllr Street stated that in general terms the budget is on target.

The last meeting of the Finance and Administration Committee dealt with bids by the spending committees for next years budget.  This information has now been fed into the system and at next meeting on 14^th November the Committee will start trimming the budgets to fit in with spending restrictions for next year. 

Cllr Street stated that it is therefore vital that Chairmen of spending committees or a briefed representative attend this next meeting.

                                                                  II.      Maresfield Recreation Ground access
(to consider recommendation as to action)

Cllr Street reported that there was concern at the last Council meeting that the Parish Council had not heard from Mr Watts’s solicitors regarding the meeting they proposed at which it was hoped an informal resolution of the access issue could be reached. 

The Clerk contacted the Parish Council’s solicitor who confirmed that now the right of access has been challenged, the matter cannot be left unresolved.  The fact that the challenge has arisen, the Parish Council has six years from the time of Mr Watts’s challenge to establish the prescriptive right or it is liable to lose it. 

It was noted that the £500 budgeted for this item for the coming year seems to be a small amount for legal fees and costs incurred at the Land Registry.

The vehicle access is what is currently under dispute, however, there is no legal impediment stopping the Parish Council from building a new access onto the recreation ground.

The Parish Council should approach the land registry with a view to obtaining assistance / guidance to pursue this prescriptive right and have it recognised by virtue of the statutes that exist. 

Cllr Street proposed that the Parish Council continues to contest its right to the vehicular access onto Maresfield Recreation Ground.  This was seconded by
Cllr P Tester and Agreed by all.

3.                        Planning:-

The following points were noted in discussion

·   Mobile telephone masts – O2 recently made an application for a mast at Tyelands Farm, Nutley, they were ill-prepared in their presentation and have decided to withdraw the application.  However, it would not be surprising if a further application in Nutley were to be made.

·   T-Mobile has gone to appeal on their application to upgrade their site in Nursery Lane, Maresfield.

·   WDC Officers will recommend refusal of the application for housing development at the Grampian Site at the next Wealden District Council planning meeting this Thursday.  Cllr Ogden informed Council that he will be speaking at this forthcoming meeting about the likely increase in traffic through Maresfield Village as a result of such a development.

ESCC Highways department has reviewed the possible traffic implications resulting from development on the Grampian site, but only in relation to the effect on Five Ash Down.  A development of 140 houses is likely to generate approximately 860 vehicle movements daily although this number is far greater than the estimates submitted to date.

                                                                    I.    Persimmon Homes South East Ltd – development at Park Farm
(to note anticipated planning application; to consider action required)

  It was Agreed to also consider and discuss item 1169 at this point in the meeting.

  The Chairman referred Councillors to the fourth paragraph of his note of 11^th October 2006 and asked if they felt in a position to make a decision at this stage as to the approach / reaction of the Parish Council to the plans of Red Tree.  By a show of hands it was established that the majority did not.

Persimmon has not yet made a planning application but indicate they are likely to do so within a matter of weeks.

The following points were noted in discussion:

·       The proposed development is yet another cul-de-sac, contrary to the wishes of many who responded to a recent Maresfield Conservation Group survey.

·       Although in line with Government guidelines, the housing will be high density.

·       The quality of the houses in such a cramped area will be questionable.

·       First impressions suggest that this is an urban/estate site unsuitable for a rural area.

·                  There will be no cohesion into village community life.

·       There will be a parking provision of 1.5 spaces per household which is thought to be inadequate when you consider that some of the larger houses may have 3 or 4 cars and this doesn’t allow for visitor parking either.

·       The development will create around 640 additional traffic movements daily which added to the 560 onto Batts Bridge Road at present will total around 1200 traffic movements per day.

·       The merit of putting build-outs and additional planting in Field End to control the traffic is questionable and may result in greater danger for the many children who are used to playing happily in a quiet cul-de-sac. 

·       The developer was not amenable to suggestions that heavy plant accesses the site via the bypass.

·       The contribution from the developer towards infrastructure costs will be £1600 per household.

·       There have been various amounts quoted with regard to the Section 106 monies to be paid.

·       The Parish Council should look at the Red Tree proposals in greater detail.  It is important that there is planned housing within the Parish rather than ad hoc developments being thrust upon the villages. 

·       On a positive note, the developers have reduced building line from what was originally planned.  However, one would have hoped that the development went forward to the LDF so that greater benefit could be attained for the village.

·       The land that has been saved should indeed be saved forever.

·       Persimmon continues to have an option on the remainder of the land at Park Farm even though this is declared as open space in the Local Plan.  This land needs to be open space in perpetuity.

·       In addition to the impending application by Persimmon, Red Tree are working on a very extensive scheme covering a much larger area of land from the bottom of Field End around the houses, behind the recreation ground and down to the A22.  The aim of Red Tree is to produce a more traditionally styled development, with sinuous streets i.e. principles not dissimilar to Poundbury and the same as the development at Sherford which is in fact a Red Tree development.

·       The Persimmon scheme will almost certainly kill the Red Tree development i.e. making it impossible to run a road from south of the village out onto Batts Bridge Road.

·       Persimmon and Red Tree could work together towards a better development for Maresfield village.

·       If Persimmon make an application it must of course be subjectively considered. Even though the proposal is for a cul-de-sac development, the alternative may be a rat-run i.e. an alternative means of going from A-B through Maresfield Village.

·       The size of the roadway access from Batts Bridge Road limits the number of houses to 80.

·       The Parish Council will raise its concerns regarding density of houses, insufficient number of car parking spaces with the larger issues of infrastructure i.e. roads are cramped, no doctor, no dentist, no water etc. to support additional housing when the planning application is considered. 

·       It was Agreed that the Parish Council should fully engage and be ready for a planning application from Persimmon but should also look at the possibility of a Red Tree development. 

4.                        Strategy

The next Strategy meeting is scheduled for 13^th November and the committee will then consider how it proceeds without Tim Sparrow at the helm.

ACTION:  Clerk to add to agenda election of additional Parish Councillor to this committee.

                                                                    I.      Maresfield Parish Integrated Traffic Management Assessment
(to receive and note)

The Assistant Clerk reported that the Strategy Committee at its last meeting decided it was happy with the document as it stands and that it will continue to grow and develop as further research and work is carried out.   The document was distributed with the meeting papers for Councillors to note.

A speed/volume measuring device has this week been put in situ at the top end of the Nutley to monitor traffic movement through the village.  Cllr P Tester has suggested that this equipment be moved to the bottom end of the Nutley at the end of the monitoring period for fullness of data collection. 

ACTION:  Asst Clerk to contact Phil Henty with this request.

1164.      Outside bodies’ reports:-

It was noted that Tim Sparrow has resigned from the LSP, SALC and AIRS and the Parish Council will therefore need to review its representation within these groups. 

ACTION:  Clerk to advise

1.            Local Council Support Policy Review Summary

It was noted that the Parish Council should appoint a lead Councillor for Community Safety.  Cllr King proposed Cllr Fry, this was seconded by Cllr P Tester and Agreed by all.

A number of recommendations detailed in the review summary require investigation from a Parish Council point of view. 

ACTION:  Cllr Fry to review and see if any of the recommendations are applicable to Maresfield Parish Council.

The Clerk reported that PCSO Juniper is happy to help with any issues re CADDIE.

1165.            Chairman’s Report – followed by questions to Chairman.  No Items.

1166.            Clerk's Report – No report for October.

The Assistant Clerk reported the following:

-          Uckfield Town Council has sent an invitation to its Quality Council Awards Ceremony on 27^th October.

-          There will be a Sussex Police Authority meeting on Thursday 9^th November which Cllr Fry will attend.  Anyone else interested in attending should let the Parish Office know.

1167.            Approval of payments to be made.  Payments totalling £3324.12 were Approved.

1168.            Communications:-

1.      Autumn edition of The Parish Matters. 

The Assistant Clerk reported that this document requires final proofing before being sent to the printers.

2.      Other communication matters

The new kerbing at the Duddleswell Crossroads means that lorries and larger vehicles are now in some cases overriding the kerbstones and pass within 2 or 3 feet of the finger post and it is only a matter of time before it is knocked and damaged.

ACTION:  Clerk and ESCC to note.

1169.   Red Tree / Markstone Development in Maresfield – See Item 1163.3.I.

1170.   To review the payment of Councillors Basic Allowances

This item was carried over from the last Council meeting awaiting advice from SALC.  Feedback is still awaited but the Clerk hopes to have answer by the next meeting.

CCllr Whetstone leaves the meeting.

1171. Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 – review whether Council should use Fixed Penalty Notice Powers.

Councillors Agreed to support the recommendation as outlined in the paper i.e. that Maresfield Parish Council should not use its Fixed Penalty Notice Powers, and to review this position again within the next year.

1172.   Date of next meeting -  21^st November 2006 (Fairwarp).

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 21.27.