WEST TYTHERLEY & FRENCHMOOR PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of Council Meeting held on Monday, 11 September 2006, at 1930h in King Edward’s Hall.
Present: A.Bowditch (AB)(Chairman); T.Mousley (TM) (Vice-Chairman); L.Bowditch (LB); S.Dowding (SD); D.Rimmington (DR); D.Lyon (Clerk) plus seven members of the public.
Apologies for Absence: J.Guy, M.Woodhall
Declarations of Interest: None
1. Minutes of Council Meeting held on 10 July 2006
It was proposed by LB and seconded by DR that these be signed by the Chairman as a true record of the Meeting.
2. Matters Arising
7.4 Honorarium presented to Robert Horsford by TM
8.1 Clerk reported new circulation arrangement implemented
8.2 Dunn Valley Group meeting attended by JG and AB on 8 August 2006
10.1 New gate closure damaged beyond repair; it was agreed to abandon this method of gate closure
10.2 Pending
11.1 Clerk reported that HCC Highways had informed him that the arboricultural department would be asked to inspect the sycamore tree. Also, drains had been recently flushed at Stony Batter, and local grips would be cleared soon.
11.3 Pending while Clerk contacts Scouts Lane/West Dean road residents
12 Clerk reported that West Dean resident Sandy Lamb had expressed an interest in being coopted and would have attended the meeting but for a business commitment; she hoped to attend the October meeting.
13.1 Clerk reported that he and SD had been in contact with Councillor Woodhall who advised proceeding cautiously with regard to donations to the Air Ambulance charity. He thought that sustainability was likely to be a problem with an air ambulance given the running costs involved. SD reported that he had spoken to the fund raisers and was told that these costs could amount to up to £1 million per annum, including £40k per month to lease a helicopter (which costs £515 per hour for fuel). Wiltshire had reduced the costs of running the service by sharing the helicopter with the police, but this had sometimes led to a conflict over priorities. Helicopters cannot operate after dark (effectively confined to 1000h to 1800h). Experience elsewhere suggests that 40 per cent of calls are to road traffic accidents, 20 per cent to “country pursuits” and only 5 per cent to medical emergencies. The lottery was not interested in providing funding and it was suggested that any HCC funding would be very limited. Never-the-less it was hoped to establish the service by March 2007. It was agreed not to contribute to the fund-raising charity at this stage.
3 Police Report None
5. Report from TVBC None
6. Correspondence
6.1 Consultation on provision for gypsies and travellers (SEEDA) on circulation for comment
6.2 Request for donations from Hampshire Youth band – on circulation for comment.
7. Finance & Cheques
7.1 It was proposed by TM and seconded by SD that the following cheques be signed
UAC Ltd., Basketball post & net CQ.No.000397 £548.78
D.Lyon (Clerk) Wages & expenses CQ.No. 000398 £536.34
8. Planning
8.1 06/01903/FULLS Summerdene W/D permission
06/01381/FULLS Park Cottage W/D refused (Planning Control Cttee)
06/02255/FULLS Norman Court Studd Farm – PC objection
06/02581/FULLS 3 Frenchmoor – on circulation for comment
06/02114/FULLS Dean Hill Park – PC no objection
8.2 Dunn Valley Group Meeting (report on circulation). The Chairman explained that this meeting had been convened to consider the proposal by the Head of Planning (TVBC) to review the “brown line” policy governing new building in Test Valley villages. This was an opportunity for electors to express their views to the Parish Council. There were two possible approaches to permitting more new building in the villages, either by extending the linear frontages covered by the existing brown line or by allowing development in new areas within a notional village envelope.
9. In the absence of JG discussion was deferred, but the Chairman stressed the need for the involvement of electors, now more important given the possibility of policy changes already referred to in 8.2.
10. Recreation Ground
10.1 Clerk reported that TVBC had agreed to provide a grant of the lower of £4,755 or 50 per cent of the cost of resurfacing the children’s play area. A grant for the same purpose to cover the rest of the cost has been applied for from the National Lottery “Awards for All” fund. Meanwhile LB reported that the play area needed new wood chippings as a matter of urgency. It was agreed to postpone a decision on this until the October meeting by when, it was hoped, there would be news of the Lottery Grant application, which, if successful, could allow the resurfacing work to be done before winter.
10.2 The new half basketball pitch will be tarmaced shortly. TM has volunteered to mark it out Action TM. It was agreed that a short ceremony would be held on a suitable Saturday to inaugurate the new court. Action Clerk to invite the Romsey Advertiser.
11. Highways and Footpaths
11.1 The Chairman expressed his thanks to Peter Robinson for cutting back branches on trees obscuring the highway at Stony Batter.
12. Councillor Vacancy (see 2.(12) above
13. Core Training Clerk reported that HAPTC was organising further training for Councillors
14. TVAPC Meeting on 7 September 2006
SD attended this meeting and gave a short report. Superintendent Anne Wakefield had talked on current police priorities (Counter Terrorism, Emergency Responses and gun crime being the top three) and the role of the new Community Support Officers. It appeared that West Tytherley residents had not received so-called “Whirly Wheels” from TVBC giving quick access to information concerning domestic waste disposal and recycling Action Clerk
15. AOB
There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 2022h.
Signed
A.Bowditch (Chairman) Date