Ewhurst Parish Council with Ellens Green
May 18th 2015 Minutes
EWHURST PARISH COUNCIL
WITH ELLENS GREEN
Clerk of the Council: Jane Bromley Tel: 01483 267646 email:
Minutes of the ANNUALMEETING of EWHURST PARISH COUNCI 18th May 2015
Attendees: Councillor, Richard Cleaves, Outgoing Chairman; Councillor, Val Dixon Henry, Outgoing Vice
Chair; Councillors: Rob Matthews; Ian Davis; Elaine Benson; Julie Francis; Tom Fawcett; Mike Turner and
the Clerk, Jane Bromley.
76(2015) ELECTION OF CHAIR FOR 2015/2016:- Nominations for Chair were taken and Richard Cleaves was nom
inated for Chair by Val Dixon Henry seconded by Tom Fawcett all in favour.
77(2015) APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: - Councillor, Tim Bloomfield; Waverley Borough Councillor Kevin Deanus.
78(2015) ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR FOR 2015/2016:- Nominations for Vice Chair were taken and Mike Turner
was nominated by Richard Cleaves, seconded by Val Dixon Henry all in favour.
79(2015) DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE: - The Declaration of Acceptance of Office was signed by all Councillors present and those Councillors were furnished with a copy of the Council’s Standing Orders and Councillor’s Code of Conduct. Registers of Interest for the forthcoming year were received from all Councillors present.
80(2015) DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: - None declared
81(2015) MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 20th April 2015-The Council approved the minutes as an accurate account of the meeting.
82(2015) CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT: - Welcome to our three new Councillors, well done to the Councillors who
were re-elected.
As in all elections there are winners and losers, one of those who did lose her seat was Ruth Reed she was a great asset to this Council over her 8 year tenure. Very proactive and enthusiastic with the excellent work on the Allotments and Burial Ground. She always raised points and participated in every debate, she will be missed Jane, please send some flowers and a card to Ruth. ACTION
Now the good news we have at long last a new Waverley Councillor for Ewhurst
Well done Val, Its reassuring to know we will be able to work together in achieving the best for our Parish and I hope you enjoy working with the big boys in Waverley because as we know they have the powers.
Also we have a new Waverley Councillor, Kevin Deanus for the Ellens Green ward of our Parish
We always start the new term of office with our Annual Meeting, and as the Parish Council is a body under local Government statute. We all have to abide by the “Code of Conduct” and “Standing Orders” with all of their exceptionally bureaucratic procedures and constraints.
During discussions please address the Council through the Chair on any question or statement. And any councillors that need help or advice please ask Jane or me we should be able to help.
83(2015) ADJOURNMENT: - Thirteen members of the public were present but there were no speakers in the adjourn
ment.
84(2015) COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS: - Nominations were taken for Chairs and representatives of the following
Committees and the following Councillors were nominated, seconded and approved by all.
Planning Committee- Val Dixon Henry was nominated and approved as Chair of the Planning Committee and Ian Davis approved as Vice Chair.
Carnival Committee- Catherine and Richard Van’t Riet were formally nominated and approved as Chairs for the forthcoming Carnival Committee.
Neighbourhood Plan – Tim Bloomfield was nominated and approved as formal Council representative
on the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group.
85(2015) TERMS OF REFERENCE: - For each committee and working group were reviewed.
Carnival Committee Terms of Reference were adopted formally.
Planning Committee Terms of Reference were adopted formally
The Neighbourhood Plan Terms of Reference would be added to the agenda for the 15th June meeting as the
Council representative for the Neighbourhood Plan was not at this meeting. ACTION
86(2015) REVIEW OF THE PARISH COUNCIL’S STANDING ORDERS AND FINANCIAL REGULATIONS:-
The Council resolved to re adopt the Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.
87(2015) REVIEW OF THE PARISH COUNCIL’S ASSET REGISTER: - The asset register was discussed and it was
decided that the users of the Village Hall and EYSC would need to list to the Parish Council the items of
value they stored at the centres for possible inclusion on the asset register. ACTION
88(2015) REVIEW OF THE PARISH COUNCIL’S INSURANCE ARRANGEMENTS: - The arrangements were reviewed and all were satisfied with the current arrangement which was due for renewal in August this year when a further review would occur.
89(2015) REVIEW OF COUNCIL’S MEMBERSHIP OF OTHER BODIES: - GACC; SSALC; NALC; SPF; ICO;
CPRE. The Council had no comments regarding the subscriptions to the listed external bodies.
90(2015) RESOLVE TO ADOPT THE PARISH COUNCIL’S COMPLAINTS PROCE DURE:-The Council
Resolved to adopt the Complaints procedure as set out.
91(2015) REVIEW OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION PROCEDURE UNDER ACT 2000 and DATA
PROTECTION ACT 1998:- The Parish Council resolved to re adopt the Freedom of Information and Data
Protection procedure as set out.
92(2015) RESOLVE TO ADOPT THE PARISH COUNCIL’S POLICY TO DEAL WITH PRESS/MEDIA:-The
Council resolved to adopt the press/media policy as set out.
93(2015) RESOLVE TO ADOPT THE POWER OF GENERAL COMPETENCE: - The Council resolved to adopt the
Power of General Competence.
94(2015) SET THE DATES AND TIMES OF FORTHCOMING ORDINARY PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS.
The Full Parish Council meetings would be on the third Monday of the month at 7.45pm in the EYSC. The
Planning Committee meetings would be on the first and third Thursday of the month at 5.30pm in the EYSC,
as required.
95(2015) PORTFOLIOS & REMITS: - Portfolios and allocations of Councillor’s responsibilities were dis
cussed and the responsibilities were decided upon as follows:
1) Ellen's Green & Tennis Courts: -Remit: Report on Ellens Green; allocate budget to oversee Tennis
Court refurbishment.
Councillor Tim Bloomfield
2) Parish Buildings: - Remit: Allocate budgets to oversee maintenance of the: EYSC; Vil
lage Hall; Bowls Club; and Burial Ground.
Councillor Tom Fawcett
3) Ground Maintenance: - Remit: Allocate budgets to oversee maintenance contracts for the:
Recreation Ground; Burial Ground; Allotments; Ewhurst Green
Commons; Car Parks & Village Caretaker.
Councillor Julie Francis
4) Community: - Remit: Organise events & commemorative ceremonies.
Councillor Elaine Benson
5) Community Liaison: - Remit: Attend meetings with: Bowls Club; SALC; organise and
Chair meetings with Village Hall Users (twice annually) and the
Football Clubs (four times annually).
Councillor Ian Davis
6) Communications: - Remit: Allocate budgets to: update website; produce bulletins; write
articles for News Letter and News and Views.
Councillor Mike Turner
7) Rights of Way: - Remit: Allocate budgets to: organise volunteers for the four quad
rants; hold four meetings annually; liaise with SCC, LEAP & ROW;
organise repairs of Rights of Way.
Councillor Rob Matthews
8) Highways: - Remit: Liaise with SCC to keep roads & signs in good order.
Councillor Mike Turner
9) Finance: - Remit: Produce quarterly statements; Chair annual meeting to set
Precept.
Councillor Richard Cleaves
10) Extra Maintenance: - Remit: Allocate budgets to oversee extra maintenance requests.
Councillor Richard Cleaves
96(2015) PARISH CLERK’S REPORT: - The Clerk advised that the accounts for the year to 31st March 2015 were attached to this agenda and were for Councillors to approve such that they might then pass to the internal auditor for review and subject to his comments they would then be transcribed into an annual return for submission with certain other documents to the external auditor. Prior to submission to the external auditor they were available for the residents and other interested bodies to review. This was advertised on the website and the Parish Council notice board. When the audit was completed to the satisfaction of the external auditor another notice would be similarly placed to confirm the conclusion of the audit.
97(2015) NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN:-This continues to make good progress. All working parties are up and
running. For example the Housing Working Group have met twice and in last few days have walked the majority of the Village Settlement Boundary to map all sites. We will be completing this exercise within the next 2 weeks. We will also be looking at any potential sites within the village and brownfield sites anywhere in the Parish.
The Steering Group recently met Lorraine Hart, consultant recommended by Locality, to draft the main Village Questionnaire and Survey, and we expect to have a final version agreed in the next few days. We hope to distribute this to all households in June.
98(2015) Appendix 10: RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS FOR APRIL 2015:- There were no comments on the receipts
and payments for April.
99(2015) Appendix 11: ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 2015:- The Council Resolved to approve the attached accounts to go forward to internal audit on 9th June 2015.
100(2015) PARISH BUSINESS;-
Mike Turner ran through the problem regarding the relocation of the bus stop away from outside the school
for the benefit of the public and the new Councillors present. The relocation of the bus stop to near to
Broomers Lane had been necessary for the measures taken and approved by the school, for safer crossing for
the children to the school. This has meant that alighting at Broomers Lane necessitates an arduous climb for the residents of the Glebe particularly if they are carrying shopping. They have chosen therefore, to remain on the bus until it is at the westward bus stop just outside the Glebe entrance. Staying on the bus had prolonged their journey not entirely due to distance as the bus had a rest period at Deblins Green. In addition due to parking, the bus could not go around the green to reach it’s stop but reversed in to it from the roundabout. Whilst reversing the driver was not allowed to have passengers on board and therefore passengers had to alight when this manoeuvre occurred and re board the bus thereafter. This took some time. Councillor Mike Turner had had a meeting with SCC and the Environmental Agency to address the problem and it had been suggested that the shape of the green could be altered such that it would be possible to circumnavigate it with a bus despite car parking. This re shaping would need to be applied for to the Secretary of State and would take some time and therefore white Chevrons were to be painted in the meantime to help address the parking problem. In addition it was hoped to arrange a meeting with Arriva at some point, to suggest that they alter where the bus driver took a break to the west ward bound bus stop outside the Glebe entrance to further reduce the travelling time of the Glebe residents.
Ian Davis updated all on the Thakeham Homes planning appeal. He confirmed that the appeal lasted all day and that the appeal inspector appeared very competent and a decision was anticipated within two to three weeks.
Val Dixon Henry- Advised that the problem of the dog fouling at the Glebe was to be addressed now the new Council had been formed.
Rob Matthews advised all that the onus was on the landowner to remove Japanese Knotweed should it occur on their property and that fines could be imposed if nothing was done about the problem.RM was to put up notices regarding this and also with advice regarding ringing trees for ivy. ACTION
Richard Cleaves advised that a duplicate lift key was needed for the youth club and the lift company were to be contacted. ACTION
Julie Francis advised that the Parish Council Notice Board opposite the Village Stores need renovating. AC
TION
101(2015) MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE NEXT MEETING of the Parish Council 15th June 2015
Neighbourhood Plan Terms and Conditions; Dog Fouling problem at the Glebe.
Councillors were asked to bring to the attention of the Clerk any items that they would like to be included on
the agenda.