Plus: Jayne Edwards (Footpath Warden); Jane Gimpel (Chair, West Dean PC); Sgt.Philip Anstee & P.C.David Turpin (Romsey Police Station) and one member of the public
Apologies: L.Marsden, Councillor N.Whiteley (TVBC)
Open Forum
1.Minutes of Council Meeting held on 13 September 2004
It was proposed by JG and seconded by LB that these be signed by the Chairman as a true record of the meeting.
2.Matters Arising
3.1 Clerk reported that Inspector Funnell had contacted him on Superintendent Wakefield's behalf, and that he had circulated a file note on Funnell's comments.
8.1 Clerk reported that he had discussed the role of Councillors on planning committees with the Ag. Head of Legal Services (TVBC)
11.2 (2.7.1) AB reported on the meeting at the Primary School on 28 September to discuss traffic problems in the vicinity of the school. The school proposed to involve the children in a survey of the problems and to form a committee to consider these and possible solutions. Volunteers were needed for the committee and LB agreed to represent the PC on it.
3.Police Report
3.1 Sgt.Anstee gave an update on arrangements for policing in the Romsey area, which had not been affected by Supt. Wakefield's recent review. Sector policing had now replaced resident beat officers and Romsey now comprised five beats, four urban and one rural beat. The Romsey establishment though had been reduced from 30 officers to 28 but all the constables were available for patrol duties. Covering the rural beat under Sgt.Anstee will be three beat officers, currently P.C.s Turpin, Morse and Day (from January). They will operate a three shift system, with a maximum of 16 operational hours per day (allowing for training, rest days and leave). There will be no night time beat patrols; cover will be maintained at night by the 24 hours per day emergency response teams (comprising 5 teams of two officers – currently PCs Alan Ware and A.N.Other for the rural beat which had been assigned the former Stockbridge-based 4x4). Thus one sergeant and 5 PCs cover the vast area of the rural beat.
3.2 P.C. Turpin discussed the issues relating to contact with the police. The 0845 number linked to the Communications centre at Netley which covered the whole county. The Romsey area desk at Netley also covered Hedge End and Botley. If a caller on 0845 to Netley asks for extn. 734 he will be put through to Romsey and extn 132 will give P.C.Andy Preston (Station Administrator) and 124 will give the Station Enquiry Office. An e-mail address is being set up to cover the rural beat and officers can be contacted via this. The rural beat includes Mottisfont, the Wellows, Broadlands and our United Benefice villages – a total of 75 sq.miles. During a shift the patrol will visit all the villages on the beat at least once and probably twice. P.C.Turpin is also the Wildlife Crime Prevention officer. Neighbourhood Watch liaison is the responsibility of an officer in Eastleigh; P.C. Turpin's role here is newsletter distribution and liaison with local groups. On the question of police attendance at monthly parish council meetings P.C. Turpin reiterated the suggestion made earlier to the Clerk by Inspector Funnell that this should be quarterly in future unless there is something urgent to be discussed. TVBC funded the mobile police office but there appeared to be little demand for this in the rural areas, though the police would now like to resurrect the scheme.
4.Report from HCC Nil
5.Report from TVBC Nil
6.Correspondence
6.1 Notification had been received of the following meetings
9 November Test Community Catchment Area Meeting Stockbridge – SD and Clerk to represent PC if possible
16 November Test Valley Area Committee Andover
16 November Test Valley School Prize Giving – AB to represent PC
24 November AGM of Transport Forum
7.Finance & Cheques
7.1 It was proposed by DR and seconded by TM that the following cheque be signed
Clerk (D.Lyon) Wages and Expenses CQ.No. 000329 £246.39
8.Planning
8.1 Jane Gimpel (Chair, Dean Hill liaison group) gave an update on developments at the former MOD Munitions site at Dean Hill. At Hillside Close 4 houses were being bought by an investor; 5 remained for sale and 7 were being bought by Testway Housing. Services had been connected and the pavement repaired. Street lighting remained undecided – residents wished to retain the MOD lighting but this conflicted with HCC policy on street lighting in rural areas. The former owner issues had not yet been completely resolved, but MOD Estates were now targeting May 2005 for completion of the sale of the site. There was strong interest from one potential buyer in the tunnels which he proposed to use for document storage. He is in discussions with Hampshire Wildlife Trust to see if this use can be reconciled with the Trust's ambitions for the site. The next meeting of the liaison group was provisionally scheduled for 1st December.
8.2 JG raised the question of liaison with TVBC during the period when Councillor Whiteley's duties as Mayor reduced the time he could devote to his constituency's affairs. Action JG and TM to draft a letter for the Clerk to send to Mr Whiteley on this issue.
8.3 TVS.01406/3 & 4 Permissions
9.Parish Plan
9.1 JG reported that people to take responsibility for the design and production of the final document had been identified. Dr Parrott had agreed to produce a brief history of the village and four volunteers had agreed to take photographs of significant features of the village and its environment.
10. Recreation Ground
10.1 JG volunteered to refurbish the iron-frame seat on the recreation ground and proposed that a plaque should be attached to the seat to commemorate the fact that a local resident – Roger East – had the honour of being a linesman at the 2004 FA Cup Final. This was agreed.
10.2 TM reported that he was investigating sources and prices of basketball equipment. The play area required a repeat order for wood chips Action Clerk
The latch on the small gate still did not close properly Action AB
11. Highways and Footpaths
11.1 The Footpath Warden reported no new problems on footpaths
11.2 Clerk reported on discussions he had held with Mr Langton (HCC Highways) regarding the lengthsman issue. Mr Langton said that HCC had done a comparison between their system of road maintenance with that of Wiltshire which had retained lengthsmen and had concluded that the Hampshire system was both more effective and more economic. Subsequently the HCC Highways Committee had approved the present policy and had rejected the introduction of lengthsmen.
11.3 Mr Langton suggested that the PC appoint a local coordinator to liaise with Andrew Milne (newly appointed Assistant Chief Engineer Test Valley) and not to hesitate to request even trivial-seeming jobs to be dealt with. He also suggested that the PC should meet Mr Milne on an annual basis.
11.4 It was agreed that the clerk should act as local coordinator and interface with Mr Milne. Councillors should report details of road work needing to be done at monthly meetings, and an agenda item would be added specifically for this purpose. Action Clerk to inform Mr Milne of this arrangement and Action all councillors to monitor the condition of parish roads.
12. AOB
12.1 JG reported that he had looked at local flood risk assessments on the Environment Agency's website. He provided printouts for circulation to councillors.
There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 2050h
Present:A Bowditch (AB) Chairman); T.Mousley (TM) (Vice-Chairman); L.Bowditch (LB); J.Guy (JG); D.Rimmington (DR); D.Lyon (Clerk)