MINUTES OF A
REGULAR MEETING OF BALCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY 14th
DECEMBER 2004 AT 8 00 PM IN THE WI ROOM, VICTORY HALL, BALCOMBE.
Present: Mr Graham Gosney, Mr Robin Williamson, Mr
George Wiginton, Mr Gary Marsh, Mr David Miners, Mr Simon Greenwood, Mesdames
Katherine Gunning & Alison Stevenson.
None
The Chairman as President of the Balcombe
Wissous Twinning Association in respect of item 1346. Messrs Williamson & Miners, as residents of the London Road,
in respect of Traffic Calming. Also
Mrs Gunning
1387 Apologies for
absence
Mrs Sheila Illsley (unwell), Mr Roland Burke
(family commitments)
1388 Minutes of regular meeting held on 16th November 2004.
Approved as circulated. Clerk agreed at request of Mrs Illsley to
amend wording under 1380 to read positive instead of glowing.
1372 Wish List. Solagen powered streetlight for Twitten not commercially
available. We might wish to defer
additional expenditure for extra lighting until we see how new lights in
connection with traffic calming assist.
1374 once space permits the coloured
playground layout plan will be put on the notice board.
1384 overgrowing hedge Walkers of Knollwood
House. Clerk will follow up.
No firm candidates for co-option, but Roger
Reese have formally declined re-joining.
Some names still to consider.
a) Cash
Book Receipts & Payments for November 2004
- approved
b) Bank
Reconciliation Statements as at 30th November 2004 for all accounts
- approved
c) To
note signing off by Mazars of Annual Return for year ended 31st
March 2004. - also to be mentioned in Parish Magazine.
d) Financial
+ Budget Plan for financial year 2005/06 & Precept. To note request from Victory Hall Management
Committee for special contribution in respect of installation of disabled loo.
Mr Williamson circulated a draft budget for
2005/06. It will be formally proposed
at the January 2005 regular meeting that the precept be kept at £32k. Other points made main expenditure would
be traffic calming, also a possible extra cost for illuminating the new
signs. An increased provision to be
made for both the Victory Hall in view of their extra expenditure, as well as
for other village organisations (playground equipment possibly).
The Chairman asked for it to be noted that wherever
possible we should try & economise & where possible reduce
expenditure. It was possible that if we
keep closely to budget estimates there would still be a cash balance of around
£12k at the end of the new financial year.
Mr Williamson, as RFO, was thanked for his hard work
in preparing the budget.
1392 Traffic
Calming
We had received details of the revised Safety Audit
as well as new design drawings. It was
emphasised by Owen Williams that both were in draft form. There was a query as to whether illuminated
signs were necessary & also a problem with the present Solagen lights
outside the school. Mr Miners would
approach Andy Brooksbank at WSCC. We
must now make sure that the scheme progresses & is not seen to drag, as
co-ordination between WSCC & OW is not perfect at present.
1393 Recreation
Ground
Some slight problems with sand now that the
excavation has been carried out. Rupert
Browning (MSDC) had advised of some minor modifications, which should not be
problematic. In view of this Mr
Wiginton thought it useful to convene a follow up meeting with all interested
parties early in 2005. He also opined
that we should start giving consideration to a suitable strategy for both
sponsorship as well as on going maintenance of the completed lay out.
1394 Community Speed Watch Scheme
Clerk gave details of who had volunteered to
date. Around 20, but there had apparently
been 54 in West Hoathly! We should
consider running a poster campaign.
Also we need to decide on who our main co-ordinator is to be. If a SID device is to be used as well we
need to check out cost/availability, possibly loaning with another village?
Sgt. Geoff Bennett, the present representative of
the Police Neighbourhood Policing Scheme is to be asked to come over to
Balcombe in the New Year together with the newly appointed CSO for the area.
1395 To
re-consider application from Balcombe-Wissous Twinning Association for a
contribution towards cost of new village sign
The Chairman & Clerk left the room. In their absence it was agreed that a
contribution of £100 be made to the Association for purchase, via WSCC, of a
sign to our preference. The Clerk will
advise Mrs Val Horton, the current BWTA secretary.
1396 South
East Regional Plan Housing Needs in Balcombe & possible Village
Development Plan
Mesdames Gunning & Stevenson had attended the
recent MSDC seminar in East Grinstead.
In brief MSDC intended finding sites for around 450 houses in the
villages. Balcombe was low down in the
order for locations because of our AONB location. The pressure was therefore not too great for us to find sites.
Following the report on the planning seminar the
meeting looked at the presently proposed sites (Balcombe Estate owned)
individually. These had been identified
as:
BA01 The Rectory 9 dwellings
BA02 Glebe Farm 10 dwellings
BA03 Barn Meadow 7 dwellings
BA04 Vintens Nursery 30 dwellings (top end only)
BA05 Opposite garage 11 dwellings
BA06 North of school (allotments) 55
It was emphasised that all the above were
provisional & subject to survey etc.
In view of the very detailed work now necessary to facilitate a
meaningful reply to MSDC & the possible drawing up of a village development
plan it was agreed that further discussion on this important matter be held
over for a Special Meeting of the Council to be held on January 10th
2005 Mr Marsh reported that MSDC were
well pleased with the response of BPC in this matter.
1397 Youth
Club
Discussion held over until January
2005 for reason of time constraint
1398 Consideration
of the following Planning Applications
For representation by 17th December 2004
a) BA/04/02160/FUL 1 Meadow Close Conversion of
existing conservatory to kitchen with new pitched/flat roof over. Additional window to living room no
objection
BA/04/02755/FUL Plovers, High Street Replacement
garage & ancillary accommodation no objection
BA/04/02792/FUL Russettings, Mill Lane Proposed
single storey extension to form laundry room.
Removal of timber shed. no objection
For representation by 24th December 2004
BA/04/02842/FUL Croft Corner, Oldlands Avenue
Single Storey front extension. First
floor extension over existing day room no objection no objection
BA/04/02872/TCA Old Rectory, Mill Lane Fell the
Sycamore no objection
b) To consider any additional
applications received prior to the meeting
BA/04/02891 Blackbirds, Bramble Hill Add
brick skin & tile hanging to exterior walls of building
BA/04/02901/FUL Roughwoods, High Street
Replacement of existing greenhouse & shed with pool house/games room. Installation of open-air swimming pool. New tennis court area.
Agreed both items be delegated to Environment
Planning Group for consideration
1399 Report
of Gilletts Patient Participation Meeting
Discussion held over
until January 2005 for reason of time constraint
1400 Neighbourhood
Watch
Discussion held over
until January 2005 for reason of time constraint
1401 Sussex Police Haywards Heath
Balcombe Team Leader
Discussion held over
until January 2005 for reason of time constraint
1402 Sussex Police Meeting of Local
Clerks 29 November 2004
Discussion held over
until January 2005 for reason of time constraint
1403 Borde Hill Garden The Future
Meeting 29 November 2004
Discussion held over
until January 2005 for reason of time constraint
1404 Correspondence
7 - Standards Board Guidance for Monitoring
Officers & Standards Committees Mr Greenwood
15 - Standards Board Lobby Groups etc. Code
of Conduct Chairman requested copies be circulated
18 NHS Public Consultation Best Care,
Best Place. Chairman opined that Clerk
should wrote on behalf of BPC
1405 To note future meeting dates for 2005
as circulated
No comments following
circulation of list.
1406 Exchange of
Information
Mr Marsh water leak at junction of HH/London Roads
again. Steps at Old Inn
Mrs Stevenson possible unauthorised planting on Water
Tower Island. Parking outside Barn
Meadow. White van. Tickets to London.
Mr Wiginton balloons at junction
of Crawley Lane/London Road
Mrs Gunning dangerous parking in vicinity of
Balcombe School
There being no further business the meeting closed at 10.32 hours.
Signed
..
Date
..
revised at meeting of 18.01.05.