TUESDAY 25th NOVEMBER 2003
AT 8 PM IN THE WI ROOM, BALCOMBE VICTORY HALL
Present: Mr
Graham Gosney (Chairman), Mrs Katherine Gunning, Mr Neil Infield, Mr David
Miners, Mrs Alison Stevenson, Mrs Sheila Illsley, Mr Robin Williamson, Mr
George Wiginton, Mr Gary Marsh, Mr Richard Greig (Clerk).
The
Councillors present residing on the London Road, as well as Mr Miners, a
resident in the lower end of the Haywards Heath Road, in respect of Traffic
Calming.
Messrs. Simon Greenwood & Roland Burke.
The following amendments were requested:
·
Page 1 – 1053- “Enforcement
of speeding (Mr Burke)”
·
Page 4 – 1070 - “Proposed
by Mr Wiginton…. “
1100 Minutes of Special Meeting 10
November 2003
Accepted as a true record
1098
– Planning Meeting 21 October 2003 – No matters arising.
1099
– Full Meeting 21 October – Agenda Item 1077-The Clerk
mentioned that following the address by Inspector Ansell of British Transport
police –– Mr Lanham of South Central had now telephoned to confirm that 2 new
CCTV cameras would be installed at Balcombe Station. Updated lighting and warning signs would supplement these.
Agenda
Item 1083 - It was reported that WSCC had now agreed to
20mph signs in conjunction with the Solagen lights to be installed by the
school.
1100 – Special Meeting 10 November 2003 – No matters
arising.
1102 Report on Traffic Calming
Mr Miners addressed the meeting and reported on the following:
1. An update on developments for the Solagen Light installation by the
school and how WSCC were unwilling to allow 20 mph signage. It now seemed that, following advice from Mr
John McKerrell, such signs would now be permitted in our case. Once a final date was confirmed we should
arrange maximum publicity, using Rosemary Robertson for the Balcombe Village
column as well as MSDC Press Office, which Mr Marsh could arrange.
2. Reply to letter from Mr Peter Bradley, Group Manager Traffic
Engineering of 24 October.
Councillors expressed concern that Paragraph 2 does not mention the 20
mph signs. Also with the comment at the
end of this paragraph reading ”No guarantees can be given at present to
assistance with funding for future phases”.
There was also disappointment that in spite of several requests no
drawings of any kind had yet been received from WSCC, neither a cost estimate
for the work for Phase 1, excepting the Solagen lights.
3. It was agreed that we should now agree with the request in Paragraph
3 of the letter to employ a Consultant to undertake detailed design (including
Safety Audit) and supervision of the works.
Initially we would request the recommended party, Owen Williams on this
and obtain an estimate of fees. They
should have access to the earlier study of Halcrow if required. Because of workloads it was considered
advisable at least to ask them to “book a slot” for this work on our behalf,
initially without engagement.
4. An introductory report was given to the meeting, following on from a
recent MSDC paper on the subject. Mr
Miners, on a personal basis, would be writing to Councillor Christopher Hersey
about a perceived lack of funding for the implementation of suitable calming
measures. The Road Safety Strategy for
West Sussex 2001-2005 was also mentioned.
5. Implications for traffic in villages covered in the MSDC Community
Plan would be mentioned at a later date.
6. Proposals for Phase 2 of the Traffic Calming project were made
available by means of a detailed drawing giving main features. The area around Gilletts Surgery was of some
concern and investigation through BT about phone cabling in the area need to be
addressed. As Phase 2 includes speed
cushions it was suggested that we should investigate installation of these
during work on Phase 1. Although
possibly premature we should also prepare some provisional ideas about what
features should be included in Phase 3.
1103 Financial
Matters
a) Cash Book Receipts & Payments for the month of
October 2003 – approved as presented
b) Bank Reconciliation Statement as at 30.10.03 – approved as
presented
c) Budget Plan & Precept for
2004/2005. The RFO, Mr Robin
Williamson, presented a draft budget for 2004/2005 and gave his reasoning. Projects would include Recreation Ground and
Traffic Calming, the latter entailing major expenditure. Consideration had also been given to making
grants to both St. Mary’s Church and the Victory Hall. In brief while there could be an estimated
cash balance of £23.6k at the end of this financial year this was likely to be
reduced to only £7k in 2004/2005. The precept
for the next financial year was discussed and the overall consensus was that
this should stay at the existing £32k, or be increased only slightly by say
2.8%. There were always possibilities
of raising a loan should further finance be required.
d) Extra item. It was agreed that expenditure of up to £200
would be sanctioned to cover the purchase of a new fax/answer phone for the
Clerk’s office.
1104 Report on Street Lighting
Updating
of the 15 lights had now been completed by SEEBOARD and the results were
considered beneficial. Dependant of
finance available we should possibly consider a similar exercise during the
next financial year. Mr Gilbert from
SEEBOARD has now confirmed a verbal quote of approx £700 for a new light to be
installed in the vicinity of Threads.
This would be placed on the “wish list”. Because of a high number of out of order lights the Clerk has
instructed a night check by SEEBOARD to try and reduce the number of telephone
calls between us.
1105 Report on Recreation Ground Development
Mr Wiginton updated the meeting on recent presentations/proposals from
two equipment suppliers, Proludic & Playdale. Laminated layouts of their proposals – Playdale (3 Zones) &
Proludic (2 Zones) - were on display at the meeting. Further clarification was necessary from Proludic about their
“wet pour recommendations. Although
WSDC had suggested consideration of a three-zone layout, this was likely to be
more expensive. A further meeting would
be arranged with MSDC shortly, once all the co-opted mothers had seen the
proposals. A skateboard concept from
Proludic was being studied, but we would need precise details of likely noise
output. Total cost of the Playdale plan
was approx. £31k and Proludic £41k.
Almost certainly the build up of the complex would need to be done in
stages, with say 6 good pieces of equipment initially being selected.
1106 Revision
of Standing Orders -update
The draft was now
in the final stages, following discussions between the Chairman, Vice Chairman
& Clerk. It was hoped that copies
could be made available to Councillors at the December meeting.
A copy of Mrs Joan Dutton’s paper was made available
to the meeting. Proposals were made for improvements to 3, Kemps Farm (Footpath
BA17), Woodward’s Farm (Footpaths BA28 & BA 7a, both at entries. Because of our recent grant from WSCC and
the good co-operation of the Ranger, Margaret Enstone and local assistance from
Nick Martin it was envisaged that our net cost, excl. VAT could be as low as
£300.
Mr Marsh generously offered to donate the cost of an
extra gate in memory of a relative and he was thanked by the meeting for this
kind gesture.
1109 Consideration
of the following Planning Applications
I ) BA/03/02720/FUL – Hope Cottage, Bramble Hill, - Conversion of semi-basement storage to bed sitting room – with the exception of one Councillor, who wished to abstain, it was thought that this revised application, with larger area, would have to be allowed on planning grounds. The Environment Planning Group however requested that the following points be made to MSDC:
“The Building Regulation aspect is closely supervised. The roof of the
flat forms the floor of the Café above (both seating and kitchen areas). Historically
secondary timber beams have been installed in the basement to strengthen the
café floor but are unlikely to be to modern standards. The floor level of the
basement will need to be lowered and will probably require the underpinning of
the building and there will be tanking and thermal insulation adding to the
depth to be excavated. Drainage is to flow back towards the new bungalow to the
rear of Hope Cottage and to be pumped from there back up to the road level of
Bramble Hill. Storm drainage may also need to be pumped as the unit is below
ground level”.
1110 Report
on “Understanding the Planning System” following CPRE Skills Workshop
Mrs
Gunning reported on her recent attendance and said it was a good meeting. New rules relating to planning were in the
pipeline. In future decisions would
have to be accompanied by detailed reasons for making the decision.
1111 Report following Area Community Forum
meeting
Messrs.
Gosney & Miners had attended this.
In brief the proposed new government policy re new homes, involving the
planning authorities extensively, would result in severe overcrowding on our
already busy road network. The Chairman
had made good new contacts. The
availability of affordable homes remained an important issue. Mention was also made of the Quality Parish
Plan and whether we should subscribe.
One Councillor thought however that we were ineligible, because there
was no election in May.
1112 Local Transport – Discussion
The results of the recent survey by MSDC/WSCC had been available and the two parties were now making a bid. Balcombe featured prominently in the analysis. The Chairman had drawn up a timetable of local bus/train services emanating from the village and these would be worked on, possibly by condensing into one sheet. Perhaps we could find a sponsor for the cost of this if bulk copies were to be circulated. On the subject of the Bluebird scheme it was the overall view of the meeting that this, bearing in mind their current circumstances, was unlikely to be of benefit to Balcombe.
1113 Gilletts Surgery
The Parish Council was not consulted prior to the recent meeting about
proposed developments, including a possible new complex in Handcross to replace
the existing surgery. It was understood
that there was no intention of closing Gilletts Surgery.
1114 Reports on SALC & Action in Rural
Sussex AGMs
The Chairman & Vice Chairman had attended the recent AGM at
Ardingly. Certain changes at SALC had been made. A report from Action in Rural Sussex, founded in 1931, was now
available.
1115 Post Office Security issues at Balcombe
Should there be relocation from the present premises the costs for this
advised by Post Office Ltd were high and it was unanimously agreed that only
limited support could be offered by BPC.
However we would do all we can to assist Indi in her present hearing at
which the Post Office are seeking a substantial repayment of the sum stolen,
following the robbery. The Clerk was
authorised to write to Post Office Ltd saying that their approach was considered
to be very short sighted. Dependant on
the outcome a sub committee – Messrs. Gosney, Marsh & the Clerk – would
meet with Indi & her husband Anil for details of their proposed plans.
1116 Correspondence
It was thought that the request by WSCC Highways to David Wilson Homes
to reinstate the road satisfactorily on completing the development could be
problematic. The Deanland Road Management Association, through their
representative, Malcolm Kenward, were having problems in even arranging a
meeting to discuss their problems with the damage to the road.
There
was no exchange of information on this occasion.
The
meeting closed at 10.13 pm
Signed……………………….
Date………………………….
RG/HS