Crowhurst Parish Council

Minutes of the Meetingheld on Monday

21 March 2011 at 7.30pm in Crowhurst Village Hall

Present: CouncillorsMr S Baldry,Mr S Blackford, MrR Cousins (Chair), Mr A Stainsby,

Mrs B Van Moppes

In Attendance: County Councillor Mrs K Field, District Councillor Ms A Davies, Pat

Buckle, Clerk

Item No: / Action By
1
2
3
4
4.1
4.2
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.3
4.4
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
6
7
8
9
10
11
11.1
11.2
12
13
13.1
13.2
14
14.1
14.2
14.3
14.4
14.5
14.6
14.7
14.8
15.
15.1
15.2
15.3
15.4 / Public Questions- None
Apologies –Councillors Mr M Hudson and Mrs R North, PCSO Maureen Baker.
Disclosure of Interests
Item5.7. – Councillor Steve Baldry declared a personal and prejudicial interest because he is a Governor of the School.
Minutes
The minutes of themeetings on21 and 28 February 2011and financial appendix were agreed and signed by the Chairman as a true record.
End of Minutes of Previous Meeting
Planning
Notifications from Rother District Council
RR/2010/2973 Ridge End, Forewood Lane (Mr O Keast-Butler)
New garage/workshop. Single storey with 45 degree
pitch wooden shingle roof. Granted with conditions
Applications
RR/2011/177Shirley, Sandrock Hill (Mr M Anley)
Install to rear of property a 5kw ATR source heat pump
to provide space heating and hot water. To be placed
on ground outside of home. Noise levels to be kept to
a minimum. Around 45 decibels. External wiring from
unit to inside of property will be encased in white
trunking.
Councillor Alan Stainsby visited the property and spoke to neighbours who had no objections. Some concern was expressed about the likelihood of flooding in this area of the village. Councillor Alan Stainsby recommended support of the application subject to the installation being at the rear of the property and consideration being given to it being raised above flood level.
Proposed by Councillor Alan Stainsby, seconded by Councillor Steve Blackford and unanimously agreed.
RR/2011/203Gable End Cottage, Old Forewood Lane(Mr A
Standen)
Add porch roof above the existing raised decking area
to the front of the property.
Councillor Steve Baldry visited the property and spoke to the neighbour who had no objections. He therefore recommended support of this application.
Proposed by Councillor Steve Baldry, seconded by Councillor Rick Cousins and unanimously agreed.
Outstanding Matters - None
Planning Correspondence - None
End of Planning Matters
Finance
Receipts
Hastings YFC for Use of Recreation Ground in February 2011 18.00
Crowhurst FC – Final Payment of Fees for 2010/11 Season117.59
Bexhill YFC – Use of Recreation Ground for November/
January 2011 110.00
Cheques for Authorisation at this Meeting (21 March 2011)
chq no. Payee Details Gross £ VAT
(reclaimable)
596EDF Energy – Quarters Electricity
for Pavilion 142.636.79
597C J L Newton – New Lock for Pavilion
Ladies Toilet 75.23
598P Cochrane – January – March Litter
Clearing & Bin Emptying 227.50
599P Buckle – March Salary, Office
Allowance & Expenses for 2010/11 503.25
DDBroadband Charge for March 22.00 4.40
Bank Reconciliation – February 2011 – Noted without comment.
Transport Fund
A request had been received from Crowhurst Brownies for assistance with coach travel to London to see a play which explores themes of friendship, acceptance, trust and tolerance; the principles of Guiding.
Councillor Alan Stainsby proposed £100, seconded by Councillor Rick Cousins and unanimously agreed
Resolved: A grant of £100 be made to Crowhurst Brownies towards the cost of a coach to London.
Insurance
Following receipt of the annual premium of £2,527.49p for 2011/12 from Aon Ltd., the Clerk had requested quotations from two other insurance companies dealing with parish councils. These were £1,461.49p from Zurich Insurance and £1,802 from Came & Co., (brokers for Aviva). The Clerk presented Council with a comparative breakdown of cover for each company and it was decided to accept the quotation from Zurich Insurance.
Proposed by Councillor Rick Cousins, seconded by Councillor Alan Stainsby and unanimously agreed.
Resolved: To accept the quotation from Zurich Insurance of £1,461.49p.
Crowhurst Flood Group
Members had been forwarded an email from Mrs T Hoad stating that because the Flood Group was not a formally constituted group, it was unable to store or insure a water pump. After some discussion it was agreed that this was a necessary piece of equipment for the safety of the village and the Parish Council would therefore store and insure it.
Proposed by Councillor Alan Stainsby, seconded by Councillor Steve Blackford and unanimously agreed.
Resolved: Parish Council to buy, store and insure a petrol water pump for village use.
Fundraising Through Websites
Councillor Steve Baldry declared a personal and prejudicial interest as a School Governor. He explained the possibility of using a website that gave a percentage of the cost of goods purchased to the school. He then left the room at 8.05pm. The Clerk pointed out that Council was not allowed to fundraise and it was decided not to pursue this.
Councillor Steve Baldry re-entered the room at 8.10pm.
End of Financial Matters
Recreation Ground – Nothing to report
Playground
Councillors Weekly Inspections
In the absence of Councillor Rachel North the report for February/March 2011 was deferred.
Councillor Steve Baldry to inspect in March/April 2011.
End of Recreation Ground Matters
Village Maintenance Team
Members were presented with a list of proposed items to be forwarded to the Maintenance Team and these were agreed with no additions.
Proposed by Councillor Steve Baldry, seconded by Councillor Rick Cousins and unanimously agreed.
Resolved: The Clerk to forward the list to ESCC Village Maintenance Team.
Parish Assembly – 4 April 2011
The Chairman presented his proposed annual report for the Parish Assembly which was agreed without amendment.
Parish Council Website
In an email dated 14 March 2011, Councillor Steve Baldry had suggested that an email circulation list be set up for information received by Parish Council which may have wider village interest, or a link on the website where this information could be found. It was pointed out that the website was for Parish Council business and was not a village website although dissemination of some information may be appropriate. After some discussion it was agreed that Councillor Steve Baldry would look into this and report back to Council.
Resolved: Councillor Steve Baldry to examine the possibility of making some appropriate information available on the website and report back to Council.
Report Back from Meetings
LINK – 1 February 2011 Councillor Barbara Van Moppes stated she had been unable to attend.
Village Hall Management Committee (VHMC) – 15 March 2011
Councillor Rachel North had emailed brief notes to Council.Councillor Steve Baldry had also attended the meeting and reported that it had been agreed that VHMC needed to be more proactive with Council. It had also been agreed that it would be looking at site options and different plans for a new village hall and would report to Council with proposals.
Consultations
Wealden District Council – Publication of Proposed Submission of
Core Strategy Development Plan
Councillors Alan Stainsby and Steve Blackford had been unable to deal with this.
Training
Clerks Networking Day – 9 March 2011
The Clerk had previously distributed a report which was noted.
AirS Workshop on the Localism Bill – 10 March 2011
The Clerk had previously distributed a report which was noted.
Information for Councillors (for noting or inclusion on future agenda)
Rother Standards Board Meeting – Councillor Alan Stainsby reported on his attendance and the concerns raised on the code of conduct changes proposed in the Government’s Decentralisation and Localism Bill.
PebshamCountrysidePark Management Board - Councillor Alan Stainsby reported that the Stakeholder Group would be continuing and that the Friends of Pebsham were thinking of fundraising as there was insufficient money to progress plans.
Rother Community Grant Scheme – District Councillor Angharad Davies reported that the Scheme was £29,000 underspent. Playgroup, Village Hall Management Committee and the Outdoor Performance Area Group may be able to apply.
EastSussexCounty Council Budget - CountyCouncillor Kathryn Field stated that £20m had been taken out of the budget, mostly from Children’s Services, and that the Eligibility Criteria for adult social care had been raised to the top level. The County Council had received a good report from the inspection of its Looked After Children service, and she was pleased to report that CrowhurstSchool had been successful in its application for money.
South East Strategic Plan - Although it had been reported that, with the abolition of the Regional Development Agencies, strategic plans were no longer required, County Councillor Kathryn Field reported that the South East Plan was still to be considered when planning applications were made, at least until the Decentralisation and Localism Bill became law.
Reinstatement of Road Markings & Layby Ownership - CountyCouncillor Kathryn Field was asked to follow-up requests for information made by Parish Council to Mr Andrew Robertson, Assistant Director (Policy), ESCC, concerning Forewood Lane.
Affordable Housing – District Councillor Angharad Davies agreed to check the latest position.
Report from PCSO – the Chairman read out Maureen Baker’s emailed report concerning local heating oil thefts, thefts of lead and copper from roofs and suspicious people looking for scrap metal. The Police ask that people are vigilant, check their security and report any incidents as soon as possible. The Rother Enforcement Officer had been passed details of flytipping in Forewood Lane and a prosecution was expected.
Date of Next Meeting
Parish Assembly – Monday 4 April 2011 at 7.30pm in Crowhurst
Village Hall.
Recreation Ground Committee – Monday 11 April 2011 at 7.30pm in
the Pavilion, Crowhurst Recreation Ground.
Parish Council – Monday 18 April 2011at 7.30pm in CrowhurstVillage
Hall.
Annual Parish Council – Monday 16 May 2011 at 7.30pm in
Crowhurst Village Hall
The meeting closed at9.20pm.
Signed ……………………………. Dated …………………… / SeB
PB
SeB

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