Minutes of the Parish Council 26 January 2010 held at Copythorne Parish Hall (7:00pm - 9:30pm)

 

26 January 2010
PDF file size 20Kb

 

PRESENT:

 

Cllr Lady Kara Hawks (Chairman); Cllr G James, Cllr I Mansell, Cllr M Moriarty,
Cllr J Samways and Cllr G Stenson

 

County Councillor M Mans - by invitation
District Councillor H Forse - by invitation
District Councillor D Tipp - by invitation

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Milsom, Heron and Puttock

136. MINUTES

 

The minutes of the meetings held on 24 November & 8 December 2009 and 12 January 2010 were approved by the Council and signed by the Chairman.

 

137. MATTERS ARISING

 

GIS system: Cllr Moriarty still awaiting assistance from NFDC to install software on his home computer.

 

Affordable housing: John Lancaster and Diana MacLean had now supplied most of the information requested at the 8 December meeting. This would be reported to the next available meeting.

 

Spring Cottage, Winsor Road: A reply from the Surveyor to Mr Stephens’ letter was still awaited. In the interim, the Surveyor had advised that rumble strips were not installed at junctions because of noise complaints from residents. The policy on grit bins was that parish councils could purchase them and the County would maintain grit supplies. Councillor Mans suggested that the parish council write directly to the Leader, Ken Thornber, to request a bin for Winsor Road which, hopefully, might be supplied free of charge.

 

Planning display equipment: New screen has now arrived and arrangements being made by Owen Mills for installation (along with the wireless broadband hub).

 

138. COUNTY COUNCIL MATTERS

 

Councillor Mans reported that he was now the Cabinet member for Communities, which incorporated the Hampshire Action Teams (HATS). Funding would be available for local highway schemes from 1 April and parishes were asked to consider possible bids.

 

On Chinham Road drainage issues, the Surveyor had advised that resources were presently being prioritised for repairing potholes following the adverse weather. Further attention to Chinham Road would therefore be delayed albeit Highways would respond if property was threatened.

 

Members also commented on eroded road edges on certain roads. It was suggested that ‘Narrow road’ signs be considered to discourage motorists overriding road edges and causing damage. Councillor Mans felt this might be an option but that Highways could be opposed to extra signage.

 

The County Council’s element of the council tax was likely to rise by 1.9% in 2010/11.

 

139. DISTRICT COUNCIL MATTERS

Councillor Tipp reported on the following:

- fees for planning applications, car parking etc to be frozen in 2010/11

 

- National Port Policy Statement issued by the Government – concern that the guidance might lead to new application for Dibden Bay under the ‘fast track’ procedure

 

- concessionary fares scheme for young people had exceeded budget this year and would receive less advertising in 2010/11, with distribution by youth groups
In response to a question from Councillor Stenson, there was no current proposal to replace refuse sacks with wheeled bins.

 

140. CORRESPONDENCE

 

Local policing: PC Dee Faulkner and PCSO Lisa Quinn attended for this item. Crime summaries for November and December were presented and updates given for January. Thefts from motor vehicles continued to be a problem and a special task force had been set up to tackle the issue.

 

Additional officers were also being trained to use laser guns to detect speeding offences and these would be used intensively when the necessary legal processes were complete. Members identified Romsey Road, Southampton Road and Winsor Road for particular attention. Councillor Mans suggested that he may be able to help with a funding contribution towards a SID.

PC Faulkner also agreed to investigate the possibility of extracting individual crime figures for Copythorne parish, as previously provided.

 

Salting and gritting of Hampshire’s roads: A letter from Councillor Ken Thornber, Leader of Hampshire County Council, dealt with the County Council’s salting and gritting campaign during the recent adverse weather. The information was presented in the context of the unprecedented national demand for salt and Government guidance on stockpiles. The intention was to consider having three times more than the Government’s recommended supply levels in future. The number of grit bins would also be trebled and parishes were asked to consider suitable locations.

The letter also referred to the problem of a previous Lord Denning ruling which prevented residents and shop owners from clearing pavements in front of their premises because of liability risks. Councillor Mans suggested that this might be tackled through a Private Members Bill.

 

Pavements in Pollards Moor Road: A letter from a resident of Pollards Moor Road complained about the condition of pavements and overgrown hedges in Pollards Moor Road. Members felt that, generally, the position was not untoward for a semi-rural area, and asked the Clerk to request further specific details.

 

Other matters: Members noted the following:

- letters of thanks for grants from New Forest Disability Information Service and Hampshire County Youth Band Association

- details of the revised arrangements for road works on the A338 in Downton

- a revised draft of the New Forest National Park Recreation Management Strategy (on circulation)

- other correspondence as shown in the list accompanying the agenda

 

141. MATTERS PENDING

 

Members reviewed the outstanding items list and agreed the following:

 

470 (Parish Plan): Defer consideration until old web site has been closed down. Members also need to re-visit the subject generally to establish whether a Parish Plan is appropriate for Copythorne.

471 (Potholes near Newbridge cattle grid): Clerk to pursue Surveyor for progress

511 (Maintenance of footpaths): Members to review condition of local paths as soon as possible.

513 (Parish logo): Clerk to contact class teacher re progress

514 (Drainage scheme for Shepherds Road/Pundle Green): Clerk to request confirmation of funding for 2010/11.

468 and 516 deleted

 

142. PARISH WEB SITE

 

Members received and adopted the minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council Website Group held on 20 January 2010 (appendix 1 in the minute book).

 

143. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

 

Members agreed that the usual format would apply for the APM on Wednesday 10 March 2010. For the 2011 meeting, the agenda might include the Parish Council elections as a means of encouraging new Parish Councillors.

 

144. FINANCE MATTERS

 

Current balances: Deposit A/c £6526.28 Current A/c £1662.52

Payments: The following expenditure was authorised:

 

Cheque
731	TLC-Online (Web site set-up and registration of domain name)	£420.00
732	M Derrick (Clerk’s salary and expenses – January)	£1015.58
733	A Catt (Splitwind Pond maintenance) (replacement for ch 728)	£195.00

145. STANDING ORDERS

 

Standing Order 4(ii) was invoked to allow the meeting to deal with the business in hand.

 

146. MEMBERS’ REPORTS

 

Councillor Stenson: The new road markings at The Haywain junction were confusing to motorists. Clerk to raise with Surveyor.

Councillor Samways: Hardstanding required at bus stop at Bushfriars, Winsor Road (opposite Winsor Lane). Clerk to pursue with Surveyor.

Councillor Moriarty: Report on recent Transport Forum meeting attended with Chairman. Topics included re-tendering of New Forest bus services (typical prices were 25% higher) and possible new railway routes (Totton/Hythe/Fawley line and Brockenhurst/Ringwood).

 

Changed rolling stock proposed for the Brockenhurst/Lymington line.

 

147. PLANNING MATTERS

 

Current applications: Members agreed the following responses:

 

09/95036 Blossom Farm, Salisbury Road, Ower (Continued use of land as equestrian; stable block; manure bunker; vehicular access; gates, fence; track; hardstanding).
Defer to 9 February meeting

 

TPO/10/0007 Wilverley, Old Lyndhurst Road, Cadnam (Oak tree – crown reduction, re-shaping and crown cleaning). No objection

(Councillor Samways declared an interest in this application, took no part in the discussion and did not vote thereon)

 

CON/10/0011 The Squirrels, Pound Lane (Felling of oak; pruning of 3 oaks).
No objection
(Councillor Samways declared an interest in this application, took no part in the discussion and did not vote thereon)

Decisions etc: Members noted recent planning decisions and enforcement notices, as shown in the list tabled at the meeting (appendix 2 in the minute book).

 

CHAIRMAN

 

DATE

 

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