MINUTES OF A MEETING OF BALCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY 15th
FEBRUARY 2006 AT 8.00 PM IN THE W I ROOM, VICTORY HALL, BALCOMBE
Present: Messrs Graham Gosney, George Wiginton, David
Miners, Robin Williamson, Mesdames Alison Stevenson & Sue Tibbott.
In attendance: Richard Greig – Clerk to the Council
1693. Public Participation
3 members of the public attended for part of
the meeting, but did not speak
Mr Wiginton expressed a personal interest in agenda item 1698 e)
1695. Apologies for
absence
Mesdames Katherine Gunning & Sheila Illsley, Messrs. Roland Burke, Simon Greenwood & Gary Marsh
1696. Minutes as circulated of Meeting
held on 11th January 2006
Date in second line of
1678 to be amended to read “13th December”.
The minutes of the meeting held on 11th January 2006 were then agreed and, after amendment as above, were signed off by the Chairman as a true & accurate record:
1697. Matters
arising
From meeting of 13.12.05 – 1674. –Youth Club. Clerk to speak to Clare Denby to find out
name of new leader & report.
1680 e) – Update on grant of £3k to Balcombe Victory Hall. No more news.
1691 – other 11 – WSCC had actioned Charles Oman’s request for additional
signage on Mill Lane bends
1692 – Mr Greenwood would be asked for clarification on his return in March
concerning his comment on “bends” at the January meeting.
1698. Financial
a). Cash Book Receipts & Payments for month of January 2006 – query raised re entry for £48.35 BT. Entry should have read “Line Rental 3 months in advance”. Accepted as presented.
b). Bank Reconciliation Statements as at 31st January 2006 for both accounts – accepted as presented.
c). Receipts & Payments by budget heading 10 months ending 31.01.06. Chairman requested clarification on entries under 1137 (Ranger Costs) & 1111 (Maintenance – Rec Ground & Pav). Also requested adjustment of future sheets to show total expenditure in a revised format. Mr Williamson to assist.
c). “Budget Financial Year 2006/2007 - would need to cover a contingency for cost
of Parish Plan. It was hoped that some
funding ex the projects heading could be allocated for playground equipment.
d). To consider NALC/SLCC proposals for 2006/07
National salary Awards for Local Council Clerks effective 1st April
2006. Agreed that we should continue to
follow such recommendations.
e).
To approve purchase (at Derek Earl’s request) of replacement Balcombe flag at
cost of £198.83 from Flag Loft. Mr
Wiginton noted personal interest
(see 1694 above). Proposed by Mr
Williamson & seconded by Mrs Stevenson it was agreed that we should order a
new flag.
f).
To make a cash provision for the Parish Plan Action Group in 2006/07. A figure of up to a £1000 ceiling was agreed
should the Plan proceed.
1699. a).To consideration the following Planning Applications:
For representation by 10th
February 2006 (extension requested)
BA/05/02788/FUL Squire Cottage, Haywards Heath Road –
Conversion of integral garage to a dining room. The property has two existing off road parking spaces beside the
house. No objection.
BA/06/00013/TREE – 2 Shenley Barn, Jobes – remove four
lowest branches of Oak (T1) on east side of tree. No objection, but we are concerned at the systematic removal of
cover in this area over a period of time, resulting now in poor cover from
greenery.
b). To consider any additional applications received prior to the
meeting. Four received with a cut off
date of 3 March & will now be
discussed at the special meeting to be held on 28 March.
1700. Parish Plan & finalisation of arrangements for February
exhibition
Posters & publicity in hand.
Stands sourced from MSDC/AirS.
Alison & Robin thanked for their help with posters. Norman Howard has kindly agreed to take on
the Facilitator’s role. Chairman opined
that some refinement to the Council logo could be useful & Alison will
liaise with Robin on this. Chairman
will shortly be sending out letters to those considered to be possible members
of the working party. We have already
applied to AirS for an initial grant of £0.5k (W. Sussex Rural Community
Programme). We would almost certainly
apply for funding under the Parish grant that they are administering for DEFRA,
but we should note that this has a cut off date of 13 March.
1701. To note reply to MSDC on
LDF
As the Glebe Farm site appeared in the recent MSDC submission to their
Better Environment Group we had again written in confirming the views in our
letter dated 29 July 2005, namely that the features make it unsuitable for
development and that it should be removed from the list of preferred sites for
development. The Clerk would continue
his discussions with both Steve Tilbury & Gary Marsh.
The subject of whether local landowners, including Julian Smith, had
requested continued consideration of their sites would also need to be
progressed.
1702. Update
on meeting - Pavilion
Showers - Balcombe F C
The Chairman, Ron Stevenson & the Clerk had met up on site with the
Secretary, Mark Franklin. There now
seemed to be no issue from the Club’s side concerning the alleged faulty
operation of the shower units.
Accordingly we should request payment of our outstanding invoice for
£100 to cover the cost of restitution, certainly by the end of our financial
year.
1703. To agree terms of reply to Neil Smith (WSCC) following meeting on 19th
December re Parking
The Chairman reiterated that it would be most unlikely that there would
be any progress regarding the introduction of parking permits or yellow
lines. Both would need RTO’s (Road
Traffic Orders), normally not granted to villages in other than an exceptional
circumstances. Agreed that extra
off-street parking would be useful.
Clerk to speak to Downlands to see whether any improvement to existing bays possible (use of grasscrete?). A letter to be sent off to Neil Smith at WSCC Highways to follow up on the points discussed at the meeting held on 19 December.
1704. Traffic
Calming
Letter
of 7 February from WSCC, Chichester, circulated. The 3rd safety audit is mandatory. This advised that the cost of this, once
approved, could be shared 50/50. Owen
Williams will be drawing up the cost estimate.
They are also interested in assisting us re phase 2.
Speed
measuring equipment will be installed later this month and details for
comparison will be advised in due course.
1705. To
study email of 3 February from MSDC re Mobile Civic Amenity Collection funding
for period April 2006/March 2007
Noted we shall be receiving three free collections
during 2006/07. The Clerk will book
direct with MSDC & publicise dates when available.
1706. Footpath
Report
Mrs Tibbott mentioned that the area adjoining the
gate at the entrance to Walk Wood was almost impassable. She is looking in to ways to improve the
surface. Mention was made of the recent
email from WSCC Rights of Way advising remedial work recently carried out after
an earlier inspection. A meeting with
Ken Mitchell (Paddockhurst) is to be arranged to discuss first hand
modifications/improvements in the vicinity of Yew Tree farm.
1707. Neighbourhood Watch – update
No additional progress regarding a possible split of
duties, but the Chairman is in regular touch with Jim Cooke & Michael Noble
on the matter.
1708 Village Archivist
Although a meeting had been held recently with the
WSCC Archivist, Caroline Adams, from their Records Office, there had been no
actual progress as regards the future handling of Balcombe records at local
level by an appointed village Archivist.
Accordingly the whole matter is to be reconsidered & an update will
follow when further discussions have been concluded.
1709. Correspondence
M3 –
Concessionary Fares. The Clerk
explained the procedure regarding bus passes.
No changes to the present railcard cost & therefore our presently
agreed subsidies to residents.
M4 - Masterplans – Town Centre
Revitalisation. Details now held with
the Clerk for local consultation, as appropriate.
W10 -
Bus
Shelter Grants Scheme. Although this
did not apply to existing shelters the Chairman thought that we should
carefully check condition of our existing shelters, should any in the future
require replacing.
Other 7
- SALC re
Parish Records. It may be necessary to
check what is being held in the pavilion & dispose of anything not covered
by the statutory requirements for holding files.
Other 8 -
Mid Sussex NHS
Expert Patients Programme. Noted that
Mid Sussex PCT is running a free self-management course for people who live
with any long-term condition.
1710 Exchange of Information
The Chairman – change of date for the April meeting to Tuesday 25th. Also Annual Parish Meeting Thursday 27th April in URC during the same week.
Mr Miners - We need to address a problem with vehicles
pulling off the left hand side of the HH Road on to the green and churning up
the grass. Agreed that we mention this
in letter to Neil Smith – refer 1703 above.
Mrs Stevenson – considered that even though the trees on the water tower triangle had been moved back there was still an inadequate sight line. Clerk requested to take up with WSCC Highways once again.
Signed…………………………………………..
Revised following meeting 14.03.06