BETCHWORTH PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of the MEETING of the BETCHWORTH PARISH COUNCIL held on MONDAY, 6th OCTOBER 2008 at 8pm in the Hamilton Room.
Present: Councillors Innes, Chalker, Hardy, Higgins (part time), Stimpson, the Clerk and Councillor Derrick Burt (Chairman of MVDC). PC Dominic Loraine also attended part time.
Vice Chairman Councillor Innes took the chair and welcomed Councillor Burt to the meeting.
1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
(238) Councillors Wilson and Hurman.
2 MINUTES
(239) Paragraph 221 of the Draft Minutes was amended to refer to the School Footpath Hedge, and to include a caveat to the secondment to make this conditional on the Council having an appropriate power. The Minutes were then approved and signed by the Vice Chairman as a true and correct record.
3 MATTERS ARISING
(240) Weir Meade Pond Councillor Higgins had written to Graham Manton advising on the proposed modus operandi.
(241) Rice Bridge In the absence of Councillor Wilson, discussion was deferred until the next meeting.
(242) Dogs The Chairman had purchased and installed two dog hooks at the Post Office and also two dog signs in the Burial Ground. Costs to be advised.
Action Chairman
4 CRIME AND ORDER
(243) PC Dominic Loraine reported that three crimes had been recorded in the area over the past month. These consisted of the arrest of the occupants of a crashed stolen vehicle on Pebblehill/Station Road, and two burglaries, one at the Red Lion and the other at St. Michael’s Church.
(244) PC Loraine was questioned about a recent mugging in Buckland.
(245) Noted that the Surrey Police Authority had gratefully acknowledged the Council’s letter of support re the inappropriate capping of the 2008 Police Precept.
(246) A new Speedwatch rota had been published and was about to come into operation. A further training course was scheduled for 22nd October and volunteers were being sought.
5 FINANCE
(247) The monthly summary was reviewed and noted without comment.
(248) The following accounts were approved for payment and cheques duly signed:-
Hamilton Room (15/9VP & 6/10) £25.00
D Ellott (Grnds Mtce Sept) £522.39 (incl £77.79 VAT)
(249) A provisional date for a Finance Committee Meeting was set for Monday 17th November at Little Coombe. Action: Councillor Chalker to confirm date & venue
6 PLANNING
New Applications and Appeals
(250) MO/2008/1226/PLA 14, Oakley Gardens, Betchworth. Conversion of roof space over existing garage to playroom. No comment.
(251) MO/2008/1265/CAT 19, The Walled Garden, The Street, Betchworth Fell 1 No. Mimosa tree in rear garden. No comment.
Results
(252) MO/2007/1907/CU Land adjacent to The Acorns Infant School. Provision of off-street parking for the School and Nursery. “Deemed refused”.
(253) MO/208/1121/PLA Flat 3 Brockham Park House, Rykens Lane. Replace kitchen window with French door. Approved with Conditions.
(254) MO/2008/1083/PLA & MO/2008/1084/LBC Woodstock Farm, Gadbrook Road, Betchworth. Restoration of barn and demolition of adjacent outbuilding. Construction of open fronted three bay garage with storage over. Approved with Conditions.
(255) MO/2008/1072/PLA 9 New Cottages, The Coombe, Betchworth. Erection of single storey side extension. Approved with Conditions.
(256) MO/2008/1177/PLA 8, Oakley Gardens. Erection of a summerhouse in the rear garden. Approved with Conditions.
Other Matters
(257) Council had been advised of the death of Mr. Alan Weller. It was unclear how to progress the outstanding matters at Betchworth Quarry. Agreed to write to Nionisle registering the matters still under discussion. Action: Clerk, letter
(258) Clerk reported continuing problems with waste handling and recycling at the Barley Mow. Residents had consulted Sir Paul Beresford who had turned up evidence of previous enforcement action by MVDC (already known), but failed to provide any alternative way forward.
Action: Clerk, Contact MVDC Enforcement Officer
(259) There was a report that two further lorries were applying for ‘O’ Licences at the Barley Mow. Clerk to establish situation and independently endeavour to rationalize lorry routing clockwise or anti-clockwise. Action: Clerk
(260) Suggested that Speedwatch should be used on the western stretch of Old Reigate Road. Understood that this would be difficult due to lack of a safe location for Operators. Action: Clerk to Contact PC Wheeler
7 HIGHWAYS AND FOOTPATHS
(261) Councillor Innes requested that signage directing walkers onto the elevated section of the North Downs Way (parallel with Pebble Hill Road) should be improved, as he frequently had to redirect walkers who were at risk by walking in the road. He also referred to problems with wing mirrors on the very narrow section of pavement where this section emerges. Action: Clerk
(262) Reported that the drain just north of the Pebble Hill bends had flooded the road again recently, despite the drain clearance carried out in August.
Action: Clerk to complain
(263) School Footpath Hedge. Order placed with Mattree and work now scheduled for October due to adverse weather recently. Councillor Higgins had provided information about the limited powers of the Council to cut this vegetation. Agreed to seek agreement of the Goulburn Estate for this work. Action: Clerk
(264) Order placed for Maurice’s Seat, although Norbury Products had now offered a superior alternative model at the same price, as the Walton Model was still undergoing design modifications. Agreed to accept the alternative Tilford Bench, and enter negotiations for three further benches for the Goulburn Green. Action: Clerk
8 WEBSITE
(265) There was no feedback regarding the new website at www.betchworth-pc.gov.uk and it was suggested that the site should now be publicized in the Parish Magazine. Councillor Hardy warned that the possible inclusion of the Parish Magazine could cause problems, as people were unwilling to have their phone numbers published.
9 VILLAGE PLAN
(266) The Steering Group would meet on October 8th to arrange distribution of the questionnaires. It was expected that these would all be issued and collected by mid November.
10 CHILDRENS HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
(267) Councillor Hardy was still investigating the Insurance position. She tabled the programme for Christmas which sadly excluded Carol singing at Broome Park. Risk assessments were awaited from Philippa Schaefli.
11 GOULBURN GREEN
(268) The Wates Volunteers had proved very energetic on September 19th and had cleared the road/river edge in Wonham Lane and uncovered the “Betchworth Pike”. They had also filled the dip in the Goulburn Green and cleared vegetation along the wall of the Burial Ground. The work had been very well organised and executed. A number of appreciative comments had been received and the Council wished to send a letter of thanks to Jim Gear and his colleagues who had all worked so hard.
Action: Clerk, letter
12 ALLOTMENTS AND BURIAL GROUND
(269) Two applications for additional memorial inscriptions were approved :-
i) Leslie Heaton Taylor 2000, add
“Sybil Annie Taylor 1915 – 2008 Remembered with Love”
ii) Ellen Mary Baillie, add
“also her husband Robert Henry 1913 -2008”
13 ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Active Papers
(270) Communications received requiring a Council response were distributed, as per Appendix 3 (Active Items) and resolved as follows:-
i.) Surrey Rural Housing Conference on 14/11/08 in Shere Village Hall. Action: Councillor Innes to attend with the Clerk or Paul Potter
ii.) Forum of Parish Councils 19/11/08 at Brockham at 7.30pm.
Action: Councillor Wilson & Clerk to attend
iii.) GACC AGM 13/11/08 in Crawley at 7.30pm
Action: Councillor Innes to attend
iv.) Consultation on Partial Review of Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation. No volunteers.
v.) Dept of Communities and Local Government consultation on The Making and Enforcement of Byelaws. No volunteers.
vi.) SCAPTC AGM Wednesday October 22nd. No volunteers.
Other Matters
(271) Councillor Higgins explained that his purchase of Betchworth Castle for £1 would potentially unlock significant charitable contributions for the maintenance of this last fortified mansion in Surrey. He sought the Council’s support for his bid to COMMA for funding this year. Councillors voted unanimously to support his application.
(272) Councillor Higgins would contact Claire Saunders (SCC Rights of Way Officer) to see if a second application to COMMA could be achieved by the Nov 7th deadline for the unfunded work on the Bridleway to Brockham.
Action: Councillor Higgins
Passive Papers
(273) These were distributed to Councillors to study and report back.
14 DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
(274) Future meetings of the Council were confirmed as :-
Monday 3rd November, & Monday December 1st both at 8.00pm in the Hamilton Room. Action: ALL
(275) The new Rural Area Forum would meet on Wednesday 22nd October at 7pm in Ockley Village Hall. Action:Chairman or Clerk to attend
(276) Parish Magazine Article for November Magazine. Action Councillor Wilson
(277) Vice Chairman closed the meeting at 9.40pm.
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