WEST TYTHERLEY & FRENCHMOOR PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of Council Meeting held on Monday, 12 September 2005, at 1930h in King Edward’s Hall
Present: A.Bowditch (AB) (Chairman); T.Mousley (TM) (Vice-Chairman); L.Bowditch (LB); S.Dowding (SD); J.Guy (JG); L.Marsden (LM); D.Lyon (Clerk);
plus Councillor Neville Whiteley (TVBC) and four members of the public.
Apologies: D.Rimmington
1.
Minutes of
Council Meeting held on 11 July 2005
It was proposed by LB and seconded by SD that these be signed by the Chairman as a true record of the Meeting
2.
Matters
Arising
7.4 It was agreed that an Honorarium to the value of £20 should be given to Robert Horsford (Internal Auditor) in appreciation of his work Action TM
11.2 Clerk reported that he had not yet discussed the problem with the Norman Court farm manager Action Clerk
3.
Police
3.1 Clerk read out an open letter he had received from Mr Gribble concerning the opening times of Stockbridge police station. It was agreed that this should be forwarded to Romsey police station under a covering letter, copied to Stockbridge Parish Council. Action Clerk
4. Report from HCC - Nil
5.
Report from
TVBC
5.1 NW reported that the new licensing system was now working well; the Council spending a considerable amount of time on each application, and, as in one case in Romsey, being prepared to refuse a licence.
5.2 The local Standards Board had been reformed with three new members, all ladies.
5.3 He had attended the recent annual Standards Boards conference where it emerged that central government was keen to see issues resolved at the local level, with only the most difficult cases being referred to London. He noted that there was no parish council representation on Standards Boards anywhere in the U.K. although parishes generated the largest number of complaints.
5.4 New arrangements for refuse collection would be tried out in Andover (Charlton) and Baddesley.
5.5 He was dealing with the issue of grass cutting at Pragnell’s Cottages and the Dean Road sign.
5.6 JG raised concerns that TVBC is not consulting parishes sufficiently, giving as examples the proposals for fortnightly waste collection and the new system for dealing with planning applications. The TVAPC was not proving an effective forum for making parish council views known to TVBC. A direct approach to the TVBC CEO was recommended by NW who confirmed that once decisions had been taken by TVBC there was little possibility of their being re-examined. He noted that many Borough Councillors did not have parish councils in their wards. He agreed to look further into the problem of consultation with parish councils.
6.
Correspondence
6.1 Clerk reported that all recent correspondence had been circulated for information and that there were no matters outstanding requiring council decisions
7.
Finance and
Cheques
7.1 It was proposed by TM and seconded by SD that the following cheques be signed
Planning Aid South CQ.No. 000355 £100.00
King Edward’s Hall W.Tytherley CQ.No. 000356 £300.00
D.Lyon (Clerk) Wages & Expenses CQ.No. 000357 £510.17
Test Valley School (Prize) CQ.No.000358 £50.00
8.
Planning
8.1 Planning applications – these were now being dealt with by TVBC on a three-week cycle which meant that the Parish Council needed to be prompt with its response. It was agreed that the order for circulating documents around the Council should be changed to AB/LB/TM/JG/SD/LM/DR/DL to speed up the response time.
8.2 JG reported that he had attended the briefing meeting on the Public Consultation on District-Level Targets for Housebuilding. Before the Council could make its formal response more information was needed from TVBC planners on where, within Test Valley, more houses might be built in rural villages. Action Clerk to write to Mrs Winter
8.3 Old Nails The TVBC refusal of permission to demolish and replace this property was the subject of an appeal by the owner. JG reported that he was liaising with TM to prepare the Council’s response to the Inspector.
8.4 MOD Dean Hill – East Dean Parish Council believes that before the site was requisitioned by MOD before WWII there were a number of public footpaths crossing it. East Dean are requesting copies of old maps which might show these paths.
8.5 The Black Horse – AB reported that he had been informed by the owners that they intended to apply for planning permission to convert the derelict barn to residential use.
9. Parish Plan
9.1 JG reported that he was still receiving replies to his questionnaires.
9.2 He had sent a cheque for the £600 grant to the Clerk to be credited to the Council’s account and ring-fenced for expenditure on plan preparation (including £50 towards the contribution being made to Planning Aid South – para.7.1 above).
10.
Recreation
Ground
10.1 Clerk reported that he had visited the IOG Saltex Exhibition at Windsor Race Course and had discussed play area surface materials with a number of firms. He would summarise the information he had received for consideration by the Council
Action Clerk
11.
Highways
& Footpaths
11.1 Mobile home abandoned on Frenchmoor Lane; AB reported that he had spoken to Councillor Woodhall about the problem and TM reported that HCC Legal Department were considering civil proceedings against the owners, as no criminal offence had been committed.
11.2 SD reported that the traffic mirror at Beale’s Court was broken. It was agreed that he should investigate the cost of a replacement Action SD.
11.3 AB reported that there was a problem with unauthorised parking at the village shop. Apart from a disabled bay and standing for the shop’s own vehicle, parking here was restricted to the residents of Pragnell’s Cottages – shop customers should park in the lay-bys across the road.
12.
Test Valley
Association of Parish Councils
12.1 JG reported that he, together with AB and SD, had attended the TVAPC meeting on 8 September where the Council’s proposals for change in the way the Association operates, originally tabled at the May meeting, were discussed under Agenda Item 7.1. The proposal was presented by SD and aimed to get a debate going. There appeared to be general agreement that change was necessary, although the degree of enthusiasm varied. It was agreed that there should be an open forum at the start of each meeting, although JG hoped this would be more formal than the coffee-drinking session seemingly envisaged by some at the meeting. The possibility of a web-site was also discussed. No action plan emerged from the discussion and to move matters forward JG suggested that Dun Valley PCs, together with Stockbridge PC, should be contacted to make a joint approach to the CEO, (regarded as the key to any move for change), together with David Bidwell (Chair of the Association) Action JG
13.
Refuse
Collection
13.1 It was agreed that JG should draft a letter to the TVBC CEO expressing concern at the lack of consultation on this matter for signature by AB Action JG and AB
14.
Public
Telephone at King Edward’s Hall
14.1 The proposal by BT to convert this to a cashless phone (phone cards only) had been circulated to Councillors and to the Hall Committee. There was general agreement that the proposal was unacceptable. Action Clerk to reply to BT
15. HAPTC AGM on 8
October 2005
15.1 The Chairman agreed to represent the Council, possibly accompanied by the Clerk Action AB and DL
15.
AOB –
There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 2125h.
Signed
A.Bowditch (Chairman) Date