(QC-12-06-00359)
www.arlington-parish-council.org.uk
Minutes of Arlington Parish Council Meeting held in the Upper Dicker Hall at 7.30 p m on Thursday 10th January 2008. (Paras 08.01 – 08.11)
PRESENT: Councillors; John Turton (Chairman), Paula Ertl, Michael Garner, Carolyn McCutchan & Helen Proctor.
In attendance, Lin Baxter Clerk.
08.01 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Cllrs Ray Collins, Doreen Goodchild
08.02 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST. None
08.03 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS. Cllr Paula Ertl then proposed the Minutes of the meeting held on 22nd November 2007.be accepted and adopted. Seconded
08.04
The Clerk informed members that replies had been received from
Postwatch – acknowledging the Parish Council’s response to the proposed closure of the Upper Dicker Post Office. An announcement on the closures was expected in the next few weeks.
Wealden District Council on 106 Agreement with St Bede’s. The reply had been in response to the Parish Council’s request to have all the land owned by St Bede’s added to the agreement.
Mr Fleming WDC did not feel that St Bede’s would accede to this request and he felt that negotiations along these lines would be pointless.
Eastbourne
08.05 ADJOURNMENT FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
Cllr David White informed the Parish Council that he felt, having been to a recent meeting with St Bede’s, that they would look favorably on a complete 106 Agreement and perhaps it would be worth a direct approach by the Parish Council to St Bede’s. Cllr John Turton would consider broaching this subject at their next liaison meeting.
Cllr White informed members on the following 3 points from the District Council:-
i) Budget Consultation he urged the Parish to complete the consultation as it had a lot of implications i.e. paid car parking and public toilets.
ii) Cllr White reported on the progress of the LDF and said that a revised timetable would be discussed at Wealden on 18th January as the programme would probably be deferred by 5 months due to the number of responses received on the Issues and Options.
iii) Parish Planning Conference planned for 4th March at East Sussex National Golf Resort. Two representatives could attend from each Parish.
Frank Coward Safety and Environment Group Upper Dicker – he asked to be kept informed on the progress of any Traffic Calming measures in Upper Dicker. The clerk asked for his name and address in order that this might happen. She also gave him copies of the reports from Owen Williams on the recent speed surveys carried out in the area.
08.06
Alterations and extension of garage block
i) Plan WD/522/CM.
This is a hybrid application that seeks permission in relation to two separate objectives to run concurrently:
a) The planning application WD/2007/1513/F was refused unanimously at the Wealden District
b) The movement of soil waste as described in objective 1 above is essentially a planning matter related to development and as such requires the submission of a planning application to Wealden District Council.
c) A 106 agreement exists between St Bede’s School and Wealden District Council. This agreement covers the area of the sports hall and the proposed route for soil movement as indicated in red on the location plan. It requires that St Bede’s School should enter into a pre-consultation period of 21 days with Arlington Parish Council before submission of a planning application. No such pre-consultation period has been made in respect of this application.
d)
Associated matters.
The volumes of the piles of soil given in the Supporting Statement are in a ratio of more that 10:1. This appears to be in error since the volumes of the two piles of soil are from cursory inspection about equal.
In relation to soil movement, there is no provision for road sweeping, wheel scrubbing, mitigation of noise to local residents and disturbance to wildlife.
Cllr John Turton had contacted Holly Bonds ESCC who had confirmed that this plan would be considered by members on 23rd January 2008 at 10.30a.m. and the officer’s recommendations would be on the website on 16/01/08.
The Clerk would send a copy of these comments to Cllr John Garvican so that he is aware of the Parish Council’s objections and concerns.
ii) The St Bede’s entrance opposite
Cllr Turton would take a copy of this permission to the next meeting of the St Bede's liaison committee.
Milton Street had been refused. The response was that the planning permission in
iv)Cllr John Turton reported that Cllr Doreen Goodchild was very concerned over the continued light pollution from St Bede's despite many promises that the lights would be retimed for more considerate times the lights are still coming on very early in the morning and late at night. The Clerk is to write to St Bede's expressing the Parish Council's concerns on this.
Cllr Paula Ertl asked if there had been any further news on Bourne Farm – the Clerk and Cllr White reported that there had not.
The clerk reminded councillors that if possible it would be preferable by WDC for all contact with the planning department to be channeled through the clerk.
Action in Rural Sussex - 21st Century Village Event at Herstmonceux Village Hall -Providing Health and Social Care Services to Your Community – the opportunity for social enterprise on 2nd February 2008 9.45 - 3.00p.m. no-one able to attend
Invitation from Abbeyfield Society to attend opening of new lounge extension at their property in Alfriston
WDC - Budget Consultation - Councillors completed the response on behalf of the Parish Council a consensus opinion will be submitted by the Clerk.
Pride of Place Consultation- An integrated Sustainable Community Strategy for
Local Strategic Partnership and the Sustainable Community Strategy – event on
CPRE - Fieldwork December 2007
NALC - LCR January 2008
08.09 FINANCE
a) Financial Report & Bank Reconciliation.
Bank reconciliation and financial report as at 31st December 2007 attached. The bank reconciliation was checked and approved and signed by the chairman. Distributed at meeting and filed with minutes.
Mrs L Baxter - Salary December & January S.O. £245.67 each month
Mrs L Baxter - Expenses (Cancelled cheque lost) £166.48
Amey -Traffic calming £964.97
Miss H Proctor - travel £7.81
Mrs D Goodchild - travel £34.14
SLCC - Annual Sub £70.00
Landmarque(
c)To approve the precept 2008 -09
The Clerk introduced and explained the draft proposals for 2008/09 which had been circulated in advance. Members felt it would be prudent to increase the reserves sum by £500. The precept for 2008/09 was proposed and agreed at £13290 which equates to £44.59 per annum per Band D property this is an increase of 13p per annum per Band D property.
A fence post has been repaired on the village green.
A South-east Water engineer has confirmed that lack of water supply to the allotments is due to a faulty tap - now awaiting repair.
Members agreed to amend the Allotment tenancy rules as per the recommendations of the committee. The Clerk reported that the tap would be repaired on 22nd January 2008 and the concrete base would be repaired after the tap had been fixed. Final reminders had been sent to those tenants who had not paid -there was only two but there was a waiting list of two!
Rights of Way Report
East Sussex County Council's Rights of Way team held a Parish Paths event at Heathfield Community Centre on Tuesday 4th December, 2007 and attended by representatives from 41 parishes across the county.
Presentations included:-
Rights of Way Parish Experiences (in
The Work of the Rights of Way Officers
The Westmeston Jubilee Pathway Trust - that raised £35,000 to improve their rights of way.
Overview of the Definitive map
Rights of Way Improvement Plan
Rights of Way Volunteers
An excellent morning, followed by an equally excellent buffet lunch!
Cllr Helen Proctor has printed off the notes of the meeting for loan to anyone interested
The meeting closed at 9.50 p m. Lin Baxter, Clerk, 14th January 2008