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EWHURST PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a Meeting of the Parish Council held at St Mark’s Church Room, Northiam Road, Staplecross, on
Thursday 12 January 2012
PRESENT Councillors Jacqui Hyett, Robin Redsull, Anne Reed, John Simmons, Maggie Whitaker, David Young (Chairman)
IN ATTENDANCE Richard Farhall – Parish Clerk; District Councillor Tony Ganly;
10 members of the public – including Ian Stephenson (Herdman Pavilion Project Co-ordinator)
______
The meeting commenced at 7.00pm.
PART A ROUTINE BUSINESS
11.149 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence – and the reason lodged with the Clerk – were accepted from Cllr Fifield (Vice Chairman).
11.150 DISCLOSURES OF INTEREST
Cllr Hyett reiterated the statement following (made originally at the Council meeting held on 14 May 2011):
With the abolition of the Standards Committee at the end of this year, this may move the emphasis on to councils to make their own decisions in such matters.
As an elected councillor, I feel that it is my duty to have an interest in all aspects of the community in which I live and now represent, my interests will cover all of the amenities that I and others use. Difficulties can and will arise where there may be conflicts of interest, but in striving to make our parish the best that it can be, we as councillors will have to overcome such matters reasonably and move forward.
Therefore, I would wish to remain within the meeting for debate of these items.
Cllr Hyettt personal item 11.161 Member of the Allotments Working Group
and expressed interest in having
an allotment within the Parish
personal item 11.162 Member of the Play Equipment Working
Group
personal item 11.164 Petitioned to have glass containers re-
sited prior to being elected
personal item 11.167 Co-ordinator and involved with a number
of the ‘actions’
11.151 ADJOURNED SECTION
The Chairman adjourned the meeting for Public Question Time. (See Appendix A)
The Chairman reconvened the meeting.
11.152 COUNCIL MINUTES (ACCURACY)
RESOLVED To adopt the Minutes of the meeting held on 8 December 2011 as
a correct record.
11.153 MATTERS ARISING
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11.103 Herdman Playing Field – new pavilion, Resolution 1 (setting up a Herdman Playing Field Association) Outstanding.
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11.103 Herdman Playing Field – new pavilion, Resolution 2 (drafting a basic lease between EPC and the proposed Playing Field Association) Outstanding.
11.104 Council Charities, Resolution (Chairman, Clerk and one other Member meeting to consider the briefing paper) Outstanding.
11.105 Parish Lengthsman, Resolution (drafting recruitment material). Outstanding.
11.124 Staplecross Pavilion Meter (seeking prices for vandal-resistant meter housings) Outstanding.
11.1289 Allotments (chasing the owners of Quarry Farm) Outstanding.
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11.148 Complaints about Members, Resolved 1 (inviting a Standards Committee rep to attend a meeting) Actioned – See main agenda item 11.165.
11.148 Complaints about Members, Resolved 2 (querying ‘complained about’ members not being given an indication of the complaint in the first instance) Actioned – Suzanne Collins had advised that she would normally include this in her initial letter.
11.149 Complaints Procedure See main agenda item 11.166.
11.154 PLANNING APPLICATIONS
a) Current planning applications
RR/2011/2547/P Quarry Farm, Bodiam Road, Bodiam
Temporary stationing of showman’s caravan and associated decking and temporary stationing of railway carriage with mobile ancillary facilities from 1 April-30 September each year to provide 3 units of tourist accommodation.
Applicant: Mr DJ Eastwood, Quarry Farm, Bodiam
SUPPORT APPROVAL
RR/2011/2607/P The Yard, Northiam Road, Staplecross
Widen crossover at yard entrance to improve sight lines and access. Extend lean-to on existing storage barn. Erect galvanised steel security fence around site 2m high, painted green.
Applicant: Chalk Down Lime Ltd, The Yard, Northiam Road, Staplecross
SUPPORT APPROVAL Subject to the fence being of an ‘open’ design – eg palisade.
b) Delegated authority
RESOLVED To note that the Clerk had, on the Council’s behalf, submitted the responses following:
RR/2011/2498/P Rens Shaw, Rock Hill, Staplecross
Replace existing permission RR/2008/3008/P – proposed oak framed double garage.
Applicant: Mr R Kemp, Rens Shaw, Rock Hill, Staplecross
SUPPORT APPROVAL
RR/2011/2574/FN Quarry Farm, Junction Road, Bodiam
Proposed agricultural hay barn.
Applicant: Mr DJ Eastwood, Quarry Farm, Junction Road, Bodiam
Agricultural – for information.
c) Site inspections
Cllr Hyett asked if Members considered that it would be desirable to visit the locations of planning applications before considering them. She cited the error EPC had made recently in relation to the proposed installation of solar panels at the Old Library, Ewhurst Green.
The Clerk observed that some buildings cannot be viewed from the public highway.
The Chairman suggested that Members were free to do this on an individual basis. The Council used to arrange site visits but Members subsequently concluded that they were of limited value – particularly because an increasing amount of supporting documentation was being uploaded to the Planning Authority’s web site. He acknowledged that site inspections to assess large – or ‘sensitive’ – developments would be beneficial. He added that members of the public had the opportunity to speak to planning applications (both ‘for’ and ‘against’) at Council meetings or by writing/emailing the Clerk. He considered also that the Council was fortunate to have the benefit of Cllr Redsull’s expertise in this field.
RESOLVED To note that Members are free to visit the sites of planning applications.
The Clerk advised that any Members entering into discussion with an applicant should take care not to give an opinion – that is, to confine themselves to fact finding.
11.155 FINANCE
(a) Finance Report
RESOLVED 1
To note the receipts any payments for the month of November 2011 as follows:
Receipts
Interest (Co-op current a/c) £6.72
Interest (JHB monthly fixed rate bond) £27.26
Yoga fee receipts £245.00
Age Concern (W Sussex) 75% of Fit as a Fiddle grant £525.00
£803.98
Payments
R Farhall – October 11 salary £622.02
Post Office Ltd (HMRC a/c) £216.89
R Farhall – November 11 expenses £42.21
FAWG – membership renewal (incl £10 VAT) £60.00
RWS Garden Services – grass cutting £1,955.00
Ewhurst & Staplecross Village Hall - hire for yoga £39.00
Andrea Hanagarth – yoga tuition £200.00
Earth Anchors Ltd – replacement dog waste bin (incl £24.59 VAT) £147.54
Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal £100.00
£3,382.66
RESOLVED 2 To receive and adopt the bank reconciliation as at 30 November 2011.
RESOLVED 3 To receive and adopt the Budget Monitor as at 30 November 2011.
RESOLVED 4 To receive and adopt the Earmarked Reserves Statement
as at 30 November 2011.
RESOLVED 5 To note the account balances, to 30 November 2011, as follows:
Co-op current account £39,347.87
Julian Hodge Bank Fixed Rate bond £50,270.89
£89,618.76
Barclays - Herdman Bequest a/c balance (unreconciled) £21,728.66
RESOLVED 6 To approve the payments following:
R Farhall – December 2011 salary £531.69
Post Office Ltd (HMRC a/c) £155.75
R Farhall – December 2011 expenses £33.28
Victim Support (Sussex) – grant (agreed 8.12.11) £50.00
Ewhurst PCC – hire of St Marks (Jan 2011-Dec 2011) £108.00
Robin Hardes – benches and slabs installation £490.00
Rother Voluntary Action – Herdman Pavilion consultation, business
Plan and funding application support £500.00
£1,868.72
(b) Budget 2012-13
RESOLVED 1 That the precept for 2012-13 shall be the same as that for 2011-12 – ie £37,814. Clerk
RESOLVED 2 To defer consideration – and adoption - of the Draft
Budget until the next meeting. Clerk
11.156 SUPERFAST BROADBAND
The Clerk advised that he had registered Ewhurst’s interest in superfast broadband on the Rural Broadband web site. RDC’s Regeneration Manager, Graham Burgess had attended the RALC meeting on 11 January in order to provide parishes with further clarification about what ESCC expects of them in relation to supporting its Broadband Implementation Plan (which needs to be submitted by the end of February in order to drawn down £10.64m of allocated Government funding). The Clerk to distribute Graham Burgess’s briefing. Clerk
RESOLVED To use the distribution of the 2011-12 Annual Report – and the 2012 Annual Parish Assembly – as opportunities to explain to parishioners how they can help support the provision of faster broadband.
Cllr Whitaker suggested creating a Ewhurst Broadband Facebook page. Chairman
11.157 DEVOLUTION OF SERVICES
Members were asked to consider whether to accept an invitation to contribute to the work of Rother District Council’s Devolution Working Group. It was noted that RDC had no assets within the Parish.
The discussion ensuing included the comments following: services can be devolved upwards as well as downwards; once RDC devolved a service it was unlikely to take it back on should the parish council getting into difficulties; it was unclear what services were – or might be - available to take on.
Cllr Ganly highlighted the list of RDC services/functions he had compiled - and distributed - at the last Assembly. The Chairman offered to source a copy for Members’ interest. Chairman
11.158 OUTSIDE BODIES AND EVENTS for information
RALC meeting (11.1.11) The Chairman reported that details had been distributed about a local supplier of Jubilee Oaks and plaques. He suggested discussing this at the next meeting. Clerk
11.159 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
RESOLVED To note the date of the next meeting: Thursday 9 February 2012, 7pm.
PART B SPECIAL BUSINESS
11.160 HERDMAN PLAYING FIELD: NEW PAVILION
The Clerk advised that he had been working with RVA on the RDC Community Grant Scheme application form and supporting documents. These require some re-drafting/’tidying’ – and an access design appraisal (commissioned) needs to be included before submission (deadline: 30 January). The outcome of the application – for £30,000 – should be known by the end of February.
The Chairman believed that the Ewhurst Green may now fall within the Big Lottery’s current ‘area of benefit’.
Speaking from the Gallery, the Project Co-ordinator Ian Stephenson (IS) suggested that £60,000 of funding would need to be confirmed before construction commenced. A discussion followed on proceeding to issue tender documentation, IS stated that he would be more comfortable moving to this stage once the outcome of the RDC funding application had been determined – and he had returned to the UK (Easter). He added that, in order to deliver within the budget (£92,000) it would be necessary to use sub-contractors and some voluntary labour.
It was noted that standard contracts could be supplied by Pump House Design and that they would need to be modified in conjunction with IS.
Cllr Redsull suggested that it was an appropriate time to appoint the statutory undertakers. IS would set this in motion.
RESOLVED To underwrite £20,000 towards the supply of the necessary utilities and the required ground works.
Speaking from the Gallery, Dave Perkins reported that a number of former Rye United FC players had offered to assist with the pavilion project.
11.161 ALLOTMENTS
The Clerk advised that he had still to follow up the approach to Quarry Farm.
11.162 NEW PLAY EQUIPMENT
Cllr Reed advised that she was prepared to take the lead on the Play Facilities Working Group, was looking to arrange a meeting of the WG – and would like the Clerk to attend.
11.163 DIAMOND JUBILEE: BIG LUNCH
The Chairman advised that the PCC was intending to organise something. It was noted that some form of event would be held at the White Dog PH. It may be that other groups have plans.
RESOLVED To leave local groups/organisations to take forward their own initiatives.
11.164 GLASS RECYCLING BINS
RESOLVED To note that the Working Group was awaiting confirmation from Glasdon UK that it had developed a new product designed specifically to contain the sounds generated by the use of recycling containers.
11.165 COMPLAINTS ABOUT MEMBERS
The Chairman advised that the Government was suggesting that, once the current ethical standards regime had been abolished, principal authorities might like to consider adopting/recommending to Parishes a similar code. The LGA, NALC and SLCC were working on a replacement model code.
Referring to EPC’s complaint that the Monitoring Officer’s letter to Cllr Hyett had not mentioned the nature of the complaint about her [which had been a case of mistaken identity], Cllr Simmons suggested that she should have received an apology directly. He suggested that there should have been procedures in place to prevent this from happening.
It was noted that the Monitoring Officer had apologised to the Clerk for the oversight. Cllr Whitaker added that the Monitoring had repeated the same error subsequently.
RESOLVED To ask Cllr Ganly to pursue, within RDC, the (apparent) procedural failing and lack of an apology given to Cllrs Hyett and Whitaker. Cllr Ganly
11.166 PROCEDURES
RESOLVED To adopt the Draft EPC Complaints, Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures – as presented. Clerk
11.167 LOCAL ACTION PLAN
Chair-based exercises/Extend Cllr Simmons advised that Caroline Scotter would be
publicising the concept at the Luncheon Club on 18 January – with a view to funding a
tutor to run a taster session on 15 February. This would help to establish the likely level of interest in the provision of a regular class.
The LAP Co-ordinator, Cllr Hyett had nothing further to add.
11.168 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS
RESOLVED In accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 (1)(2): to exclude members of the public and press on the grounds that item 11.169 entails discussion on the Clerk’s terms and conditions of employment.
11.169 RETIREMENT GRATUITIES
RESOLVED 1 To amend clause 19 of the Clerk’s contract of employment as follows:
To delete The Council will make appropriate provision for the payment of a gratuity in accordance with the Regulations in force at the relevant time.
- and to insert The Council will make provision for the payment of a gratuity in
accordance with the Local Government (Discretionary Payments) Regulations 1996 SI 1680, irrespective of whether they are subsequently repealed, either in whole or part.
RESOLVED 2 To defer more detailed consideration of appropriate retirement planning until the next meeting.
The meeting ended at 9.11pm
Date ……………………………… Chairman ………………………………………
APPENDIX A
11.151 ADJOURNED SECTION
(a) PCSO Report
PCSO Georghiou reported that he and his colleagues had found themselves dealing with a lot of fallen trees recently. This had been very time-consuming and they were grateful for the support received from the public in the form of refreshments.