Ticehurst Parish Council
The Village Hall, Lower High Street, Ticehurst, East Sussex,
TN5 7BB 01580 754 090
Minutes of Ticehurst Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 5th January 2010 at 7.30 p.m. (up to 30 minutes were allowed at the start of the meeting for public questions and comments on relevant matters on the agenda).
Introduction - The Chairman introduced Mr R Skipp – Managing Director of The Priory, Ticehurst House. Mr Skipp gave a short address to those present about the work that the Priory does, the vulnerability of some patients and the measures taken to keep the patients safe. The Ticehurst House Liaison Committee will be restarted and the Council will inform Mr Skipp of village events that might be of interest to staff or patients at the House.
Present: Cllrs. Goodall, Burley, Cocking, Cook, Yeo, Rigby, Young, Semple
and Mitchell.
No members of the public in attendance.
AGENDA
235.0 Declarations of Interest: Cllr. Cook declared a personal interest in agenda point 257 as a neighbour and Cllr. Seemann a personal interest in any matters with regard to ‘affordable housing’ as a member of the Amicus Horizon Board.
236.0 Apologies for absence: Apologies were received from Cllrs. Maynard, Langdown, Seemann, Hastings and C. Cllr. Barnes, D. Cllrs. Elliston and Jenkins. The reasons for absence were recorded in the attendance register having been accepted by the Council.
237.0 Minutes of the meeting held on 1st December 2009: - Proposed by Cllr. Cook Seconded by Cllr. Semple and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.
238.0 Additional Agenda Items: There were no additional agenda items.
239.0 Downland Housing: Cllr. Semple reported on the poor standards of workmanship and poor response times to complaints about properties in Farthing Hill and Springfields. It was resolved that the Clerk should write to the Chief Executive of Downland Homes, specifically about the older properties within Farthing Hill.
240.0 Power of Well Being: Cllr. Burley attended training on 4th December
2009 – The prescribed conditions for exercising the Power of Well being having
been met – specifically
a) a minimum of two-thirds of the vacancies on the Council were filled at the
last ordinary elections – May 2007.
b) the (Qualified) Clerk is trained in the use of the power – having passed
Section 7 of the Certificate in Local Council Administration;
c) 80% of Members have been trained in the use of the power (11).
d) the Council has published a statement of community engagement – and to confirm
that the Council is now eligible to exercise the Power of Well Being until
the day before the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Council.
It was proposed by Cllr. Rigby Seconded by Cllr. Burley to adopt the Power
of Well Being and the Clerk was asked to notify both SALC and NALC. It was
understood that Ticehurst is the second Parish in East Sussex to adopt this
Power.
241.0 Emergency Planning: Cllr. Semple had circulated a draft emergency plan and reported he is to hold a meeting on 12th January at 7.00 pm in the Village Hall for all those who had expressed an interest in being involved and that the Clerk confirmed that Emergency Planning Officer, Charles Sharrod will attend that meeting. Mr Sharrod had also suggested setting a date in the summer to simulate an emergency event to check that the identified procedures and resources would work.
242.0 Bins: Cllr. Langdown had sent in a request for monies to be added to the precept for a litter bin by the new bus stop at Flimwell. It was resolved that the Clerk should source a bin, gaining permission from ESCC to install it, within a budget of £300.00. (Proposed by Cllr. Mitchell and seconded by Cllr. Rigby).
243.0 Appendix of Outstanding Matters:
| Update | |
| Dog Litter Bins | Wealden Council had not emptied the bins over the Christmas period – the Clerk was assured on 4th January that this would be a priority and should be done by 5th January 2010. Cllr. Semple reported that Verdant had mistakenly emptied the High Street bin last week. |
| War Memorial Trust | Clerk provided Charity Commission document to CCLA to request unit holding to be released |
| Finger Post | Finger Post at Flimwell – repeated requests for this to be ‘listed’ – re-erected post but the arm it fell on is still pointing in the wrong direction. Email sent to ESCC on 25.9.09 |
| Cllr. Expenses | Cllr. Seemann had put forward a motion that Councillors should claim back expenses incurred whilst working in their capacity of a Parish Councillor. It was resolved that expenses could (if a Councillor choses to) be claimed if it is resolved to ask a particular Councillor to represent the Council at national guidance rates. |
| Calendar | Two hundred were printed - Cllr. Burley offered to try and sell some more at the Stonegate market. Thanks to Cllr. Langdown and Cllr Cook for a good number of sales. |
| BT Pay Phone | Box in the Square – Clerk has written to BT with regard to the need for adopting a listed box. |
| Lights | Continuing underground mains problems in Lower Platts area. Street Light outside 71 Springfields has been reported, Upper Platts light is on all the time and lower Platts/Horsegrove Avenue. |
| Registration of Land | The Clerk reported that the solicitors have confirmed registration of the Recreation Ground and that the Island in the Square would also soon be registered. Mr Drewe has confirmed to the Land Registry that Oakover Holdings is not the owner of the southern- most strip of land so that this can be registered – cheque to sanction his banking costs. It was further resolved to continue to register land such as Flimwell and Stonegate Recreation grounds, The Village Ponds and woodland at Ticehurst and Stonegate in accordance with government guidelines. |
| Newsletter | Winter edition included in latest News and Views – ideas need to be collated for the Spring Newsletter – for the mid Feb deadline for March News and Views. It was resolved that photos of Councillors with a brief resume about each should be included and to take up SALC’s offer of producing identity badges. Use of the Annexe could also be highlighted in the next issue of the Parish Newsletter. |
| Annexe | Clerk will collect keys to Annexe and will start surgeries from 9.30 am to 11.30 am on Tuesdays and 1.30 – 3.30 pm on Thursdays – any alterations to be posted on the window the previous week |
244.0 District Council Report: No report available.
245.0 County Council Report: A request for pot holes in Church Street, Dunsters Mill Lane, Tinkers Lane, Borders Lane, Wardsbrook, Rosemary Lane and Cottenden Road was put forward and the Council asked that a report from County be sought as to where they did grit during the current bad weather .
246.0 SALC and RALC Reports: There had been no meeting to report on.
247.0 Dog Bins: Wealden District Council should provide the date for installation and collection days soon. It was resolved to install a dog bin between Stonegate Hall and the Church having obtained the necessary license from ESCC to avoid the accumulation of mess near the school grounds
248.0 Finance Report: Financial statement, together with list of cheques for sanctioning to be tabled at the meeting. It was resolved that the Clerk should send off the precept in the sum of £ 10553.00 to Rother District Council.
| Due | Amount | To whom | For: |
| 2531 | £276.00 | Horizon Skills | Computer Recovery |
| 2532 | £150.00 | T N & V | Winter newsletter |
| 2533 | £355.80 | I Rev | PAYE |
| 2534 | £1185.59 | Nowne | Salary and expenses |
| 2535 | £245.00 | A Drewe | Bank costs of confirming land status |
249.0 Planning Report: A report of recommendations to Rother District Council
for the following planning applications at meetings held on 3rd and 17th
December 2009.
RR/2009/2648/P – Little Battenhurst – Single storey side extension – Rec. for
approval.
RR/2009/2742/P – Orchard Place Stongate - Retrospective Boundary Wall – Rec approval
RR/2009/2699/P – Gayton Flimwell – First Floor loft extension – Rec. Refusal.
RR/2009/2681/P – Boundary Farm – Demolition and then new build – Rec. Refusal.
RR/2009/2665/P – Gatton Cottage – Single storey side extension and conservatory
– Rec. Refusal.
RR/2009/2898/L – Forge Cottage – removal of conservatory and erection of single
storey rear extension – Rec. Approval.
RR/2009/2887/P – Land Opp Upper Platts – New Build 14 exception site homes –
Rec. Refusal. The Clerk has made Hastoe Housing, AIRS and RDC aware of a plot
of land to the rear of Coronation Cottages that has recently come on the market
through Charles Clarke & Co as another alternative site.
RR/2009/2629/P – Battenhurst Stables – Septic Tanks – request for site visit
– Rec. Refusal
RR/2009/2629/FN – Landscapes Farm – Animal Feed Hopper – For information only.
250.0 Bewl Water: Cllr. Rigby reported that there had been no problems reported at Bewl over the Christmas period, although Lapland closed due to the snow in December.
251.0 Allotments: Cllr. Mitchell reported that there had been problems with burst taps over the Christmas period. It was resolved that Cllr. Mitchell and the Clerk would attempt to address the problem the next day.
252.0 Traffic Calming: The Clerk has sent copies of the ‘brief’ received from ESCC to three road consultants and asked for responses in the first week of January 2010. Only one response had been received to date – it was resolved to leave this on the February agenda.
253.0 Correspondence:
| 1 | Highways Agency | Lights are functioning properly – in response to Clerk making a complaint to say that the pedestrian light was not functioning properly – residents are parking on the detector loops which is causing a problem – they have been written to and a study might be carried out in 2010/11 to use cable-less infra red monitoring systems. Clerk reported that the north bound right turn lights to Hawkhurst were not function and this had been reported to Highways 5.1.10. |
| 2 | Mr Skipp | Ticehurst House have agreed to reimburse the Council for the damaged cradle swing which was cut by the fire brigade. It was resolved that the Clerk should order the new swing and get it fitted. (8 week estimate for delivery). |
| 3 | RDC | Ticehurst MUGA – decision on skate ramps- It was resolved that the two ramps would be removed and to accept the District Authorities offer to fence in the multi-court on the basis that this would satisfy all parties. |
| 4 | G Barker MP | Re VAT on Charity Hall costs – acknowledgement |
| 5 | S Masson | Relinquishing Allotment – Cllr Maynard to deal |
| 6 | Sussex Air Amb. | Request for funding |
| 7 | Blachere | Christmas Light proposal – Clerk has applied for £5k grant |
| 8 | RDC | Agenda for 21.12.09 |
| 9 | ESCC | Pot hole reported in Church Street is on list to be filled. |
| 10 | RDC | Clerk wrote to report fly tipping in cul- de- sac next to Fruitfields Flimwell |
| 11 | Code of Conduct | Distributed to all Cllrs – to be tabled at meeting – summary of Councillors responsibilities under Code of Conduct. |
| 12 | RDC | Copy of letter sent in Aug 2009 re car park gate obstruction that has not been replied to – re-sent. |
| 13 | G Barker MP | Ticehurst MUGA – no independant review |
| 14 | Allotment Ass. | Newsletter |
| 15 | KCC | Renewal of contract and request to meet to discuss cuts at Flimwell and Ticehurst – no response to date. KCC have written to say that they do not cut the piece of ground to the front of the Flimwell hedge and therefore did not damage the driveway that 2 Forge Cotts complained about. |
| 16 | RDC | Emergency Plan – request for meeting with Mr Sharrod |
| 17 | G Barker MP | Exception Site criteria queries – copy of letter from D Stevens indicating PC involvement in eligibility criteria |
| 18 | RDC | Bulletin |
| 19 | Barnados | Textile Recycling? |
| 20 | Greg Barker MP | Railway charges for school children |
| 21 | Peter Heasman | Humps in Springfields – response needed |
| 22 | RDC | PRECEPT form – resolution to proceed with draft precept £105553.00 |
| 23 | SMP | Quotation for cradle swing – resolution to proceed? |
| 24 | Alan Hughes | Will respond to PC request for info re Flimwell Hall for the February meeting. |
| 25 | Sussex Playing Field | Annual Donation – resolved to continue this subscription |
| 26 | Cott Hospital | Thank you for donation |
| 27 | ESCC | Local Transport Plan |
| 28 | M Giles | Flimwell Recreation Ground Bins – It was resolved that the Clerk should get both the bins mended. |
254.0 Village Notice Boards: Quotations obtained and estimates included in the Precept – offer of a new board by Rother Homes in front of new Springfields unit once it is completed. Clerk asked Tom Casey if it could be installed prior to building works and in front of the Annexe which he has agreed to. Clerk to seek formal permission from Amicus Horizon about the positioning of the board.
255.0 Community Bus: Community Transport Review - no update.
256.0 Items for the February Agenda: Shared Spaces (Piers Young to address
the Council).
Fund for colleagues and Meeting dates for 2010.
Dates for reports from delegated groups to be July - Amenities Oct.
- Environmental
Sept - Community Nov. - Finance
257.0 The Bell Field: (Confidential). The Council moved to exclude the press and public for this item on the agenda by reason of the confidential nature of the business, as stated in section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 and amended by Section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the confidentiality is due to on- going litigation matters.
258.0 Date of the next meeting: The meeting closed at 8.59 p.m. and the date of the next meeting was set for 2nd February 2010