BETCHWORTH PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of the MEETING of the BETCHWORTH PARISH COUNCIL held on MONDAY, 1st DECEMBER 2008 at 8pm in the Hamilton Room.
Present: Councillors Wilson, Innes, Chalker, Hardy, Higgins, Stimpson (part time), and the Clerk. Surrey County Councillor Helyn Clack also attended part time.
1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
(318) Apologies received from Councillor Hurman who was indisposed.
2 MINUTES
(319) The Minutes of the Meeting held on 3rd November 2008 were approved, and signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record.
3 MATTERS ARISING
(320) Councillor Higgins had arranged for the Reigate Area Conservation Volunteers led by Simon Elson to clear the Wear Mead Pond on Sunday 14th December. Arrangements had been agreed with Graham Manton of the Apley Estate. Budgeted funds were available to cover insurance, fuel and minor refreshments. Councillors were asked to make a supportive visit.
Action: Hot Refreshments, Chairman and Clerk
4 CRIME AND ORDER
(321) In the absence of PC Dominic Loraine there was no formal report of crimes in the area over the past month. Councillors were aware of a burglary in the vicinity of the Post Office, and wished to acquaint the Police with the removal of two dog signs from the Burial Ground gates.
(322) Councillor Hardy had received two different Police Safer Neighbourhood Newsletters in the past week. Helyn Clack advised that these were probably aimed at different neighbourhoods and had been duplicated in error. There was no intention to repetitively leaflet residents.
5 FINANCE
(323) Chairman was pleased to declare that the External Auditors had now apologised for missing the statement about the purpose of the Parish Reserves, and had amended their report so that their only comment referred to the need to increase the level of the Fidelity Guarantee.
(324) The monthly financial summary was briefly reviewed, as there was very little change from the previous month.
(325) The planned Finance Committee meeting had been cancelled. A new date of 9th Dec was agreed, venue subject to confirmation by Councillor Chalker. Action: Finance Committee
(326) A request for an affiliation fee for the Surrey County Playing Fields Association was declined.
(327) There was one account for payment
i.) Hamilton Room (17/11VP & 1/12) £29.00Councillors were concerned by the 30% increase in the Hamilton Room charges from 1/12/08, but approved the payment and the cheque was duly signed.
6 PLANNING
New Applications and Appeals
(328) MO/2008/1541/PLA Burleigh, Holmes Farm, Pebble Hill Road. First floor side extension. The extension was designed to link the existing garage to the house and provide improved bedroom accommodation above. No impact on neighbours or locality. No comment.
(329) MO/2008/0447 APPEAL APP/C362/A/08/2090058/NWF Hartsfield Manor, Sandy Lane, Betchworth. Change of use to conference/training centre and hotel. Council remained opposed to this change of use which resulted from a block policy by De Vere to up value their property. Agreed to send a follow up letter to the Inspector regarding the possibility of airport parking. Action: Clerk
Results
(330) MO/2007/1907 APPEAL Land adjacent to Acorns Infant and Nursery School, The Street, Betchworth. Provision of off-street parking for Acorns Infant & Nursery School. Dismissed. Understood that this would jeopardize any parking in this field in future. Grounds for dismissal were inappropriate development within the Green Belt without adequate special circumstances, and surprisingly adverse impact on highway safety.
(331) SCC/2008/0123 (MO/2008/1490/SCC) Reigate Road Quarry, Reigate Road, Betchworth. Retrospective application for the installation of a wheel washer. No Objection.
Other Matters
(318) SCC/2008/0124 (MO/2008/1481/SCC) Reigate Road Quarry, Reigate Road, Betchworth. Retrospective application for the installation of a mobile crusher and SCC/2008/0125(MO/2008/1490/SCC) Reigate Road Quarry. Reigate Road, Betchworth. Variation to Condition 3 of MO/06/0577 to amend the hours of operation. Letter received from Paul Kermode (Chairman of the Barley Mow Court Residents Association) requesting the Council’s support. Councillor Innes had contacted a number of residents in the vicinity and Atkinson House residents were known to have written a number of letters. Councillor Clack was planning to speak opposing the applications at the SCC Planning Meeting. (Probably 14/1/09). She undertook to establish if the latter application was for operation to 11.30pm, on weekdays plus 20 Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, or for up to 20 days per annum in total. It was pointed out that the road planings likely to be received were being stored temporarily and would not be processed on site nor used to fill the sandpit. The main problem was loss of amenity by the residents of Barley Mow Court due to noise at antisocial hours which was already being experienced from the Barley Mow site (to the west), and from Franks’ facilities (to the east). MVDC were considering the application on 3/12/08, and it was agreed that Councillor Innes and the Clerk would co-ordinate speakers for the January Planning Meeting. Action: Councillor Innes & Clerk
(319) Confirmed that Charman Associates would be attending the January Meeting to discuss their outline proposals for the Barley Mow site.
(320) MVDC Local Development Framework, Core Strategy
Councillors were advised that MVDC had issued the proposed submission draft. This was available for inspection and could be viewed on www.molevalley.gov.uk/ldf. Representations could be made until 9/1/09.
Action: Councillors to view & comment
7 HIGHWAYS AND FOOTPATHS
(321) Community Gang Works Schedule for w/c 1/12/08 received from Helyn Clack.
(322) Councillor Innes wished to record that despite the drain cleaning work carried out in August serious flooding had occurred again recently on the bends on Pebble Hill Road and also at the bottom of Pebble Hill. He would raise this as a safety issue at the DRTF Meeting on 3/12/09. Action: Councillor Innes
(323) He also reported that the level crossing queue warning system had been observed “flickering” into life recently, although it was very dim in daylight. Enquiries to be made at the DRTF meeting. Action: Councillor Innes
(324) Councillor Clack wished to know what Betchworth major maintenance works should be considered for inclusion in the 2009/10 budget proposals. The following three items were immediately suggested
a) Refurbishment and resurfacing of the School Path (a “town” path)
b) Drainage works for Pebblehill Road
c) Replacement of Level Crossing queue warning system
8 VILLAGE PLAN
(325) Questionnaire issued to all villagers, and returns are good. Data input will commence as soon as the spreadsheet is complete and analysis will follow in the New Year. Draft conclusions are expected to be available in February and will be presented to the Parish at a meeting in the Village Hall.
9 CHILDRENS HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
(326) Email from Nick Glover, introducing himself as the new Youth Development Worker, passed to Councillor Hardy.
10 GOULBURN GREEN
(327) Norbury Wood Products quote for three new seats on the Green was tabled. Decision deferred to next meeting pending installation shortly of a new seat on the School Path. Action: All, next meeting
11 ALLOTMENTS AND BURIAL GROUND
(328) Article in Parish Magazine re the missing dog signs had resulted in an email referring to another incidence of dogs in the Burial Ground. Signs had not re-appeared. Councillor Wilson to initiate replacements. Action: Councillor Wilson
12 ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Active Papers
(329) Chairman to consider any appropriate action arising from the CPRE “Stop the Drop” Toolkit. Action: Councillor Wilson
Passive Papers
(330) These were distributed to Councillors to study and report back.
Other Matters
(331) Letter received from Information Commissioner advising that the Council needed to adopt the New Model Publication Scheme along with a table of associated Information. Agreed to adopt the New Model Scheme without Amendment and to prepare the associated schedule for approval at the January Meeting. Charging to be at 30p a sheet. Action: Clerk & Chairman
(332) Clerk had been approached again to provide Emergency Planning Information. Council re-iterated its concerns, but agreed to invite Jenni Maynard (SCC Contingency Planning Officer) to the February meeting. Action: Clerk
13 DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
(333) Future meetings of the Council were confirmed as :-
Monday 5th January 2009 and
Monday 2nd February 2009
both at 8.00pm in the Hamilton Room. Action: ALL
Dorking Rural Transport Forum - Wed 3rd December at 10.00am, Newdigate
Action: Cllr Innes & Clerk
Parish Magazine Article for January Magazine (Deadline 7/12/08).
Action Chairman & Clerk
Parish Magazine Article for February Magazine (Deadline 14/1/09)
Action: Councillor Stimpson
Annual Parish Meeting Monday 27th April 2009
(334) Chairman closed the meeting at 9.50pm.
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