Present: Cllrs. Mrs Monaghan (Chairman), Berger, Mrs Colvin, Doyle, Miss Gadd and Miss Whatmore.
No members of the public were present.

Cllr. Doyle opened the meeting and stood in as Chairman pending the arrival of Cllr. Mrs Monaghan who had previously sent apologies for lateness. 

1. To receive apologies for absence

None.

2.             To approve Minutes 7.02.08
Resolved to approve Minutes 7.2.08 as a true record.

3.             To determine matters arising from the previous Minutes for updating and noting
Bus shelters – graffiti continues to be an issue at the bus shelter opposite the station. Consideration to be given to an alternative style of shelter.
Complaint from a resident of graffiti on the bus shelter near The Greyhound. Uplands has been asked to help with clearance; if school is unable to assist, the new caretaker at the recreation ground to be approached. Request for bus timetable at this location.

4.             Public Forum
None.

5.             Lighting
Cllr. Mrs Monaghan attended at 7.15pm.

To review part-night street lighting
Crime statistics awaited from Police. The system of turning off rural lights in the early hours of the morning appears to be working and there have not been any complaints. [Post meeting – Police data confirms there has not been a rise in crime since the change to part-night lighting. The total reported crime for the parish is down 4% on the previous year].

To authorise lighting repairs
Quotation of £1679.79+ VAT received to replace column no. 16 at the Washwell Lane/High Street junction. This column is currently fed from a sub-station; this is no longer permitted and the high cost reflects the installation to a new supply. Discussion on the type of column for the location and the possibility of asking the White Hart for a contribution towards a conservation style column.
Some highway work is to be carried out to improve the Washwell Lane/High Street junction; this is part of a Section 106 Agreement for the affordable homes. Enquiries to be made about proposed work and any lighting requirements.

Other lighting issues
Report received following a daytime inspection of lighting columns; some numbers are missing on columns and others are duplicated.
The lighting round has been divided into six sections and Cllrs. have taken responsibility for an area near their home.

Request for a hood to be fitted to a street light at Turners Green as the light shines into a child’s bedroom. Modification not considered appropriate as the light is at a crossroads and needed for the safety of pedestrians.

6.             To review new bus service from Fazan Court
The service is well used and Committee to recommend to full council that funding of £1250 is provided to continue the community transport service of a further six months; payment to be made under the Transport Act 1985 s106(a).

7.             Highway matters
To note response from East Sussex County Council to request for 20mph speed limit outside Uplands College and Wadhurst Primary School
ESCC has advised that the request for a reduction in the speed limit outside Uplands College and the Primary School cannot be considered at the present time as resources are being directed to the county review of A and B roads. The crash records for both sites do not meet the criteria for traffic calming to be considered.

To consider request for traffic calming on Osmers Hill
Resident concerned at increase in volume and speed of traffic at Osmers Hill; road is also used by walkers and people on horses. Committee appreciates that Osmers Hill can be busy; parked cars act as an effective traffic calming measure. ESCC to be consulted on possibility of installing a sign warning motorists of horses.

8.             Traffic speed monitoring
Cllr. Berger left at 20:00
To review results of traffic monitoring and agree further expenditure
Recent SID monitoring has highlighted issues with traffic speed in the Lower High Street; data to be forwarded to PC Etherington with a request for Police presence.

SID sessions are still considered to be a useful tool in educating the public and providing data on problem areas. Resolved to undertake two SID sessions a month until March 2009; payments of £50 + VAT per session to be made under the Local Government & Rating Act 1997 s31.

9.             To consider consultation from Wealden District Council on street trading
Consultation from WDC on the possibility of adopting Schedule 4 of the LG(MP)A 1982 in order to control street trading in the district. Forest Row Parish Council has asked for the measures to help address the problem of a non-motorised trailer which is permanently parked on a double yellow line in the centre of the village.
Councillors were sympathetic to the problem. Discussion on whether the proposed measures would affect markets/stalls; it was generally considered that such events occurred on private land.

10.          Urgent issues at the discretion of the Chairman for noting or inclusion on future agenda
Request received for pavement outside the recreation ground. There is a wide verge which can be used by pedestrians or alternatively they can walk through the recreation ground to access the pavement on South View Road.
Information forwarded from ESCC on possible diversion when High Street is closed in August. Blacksmiths Lane will be kept open but will have signs either end advising motorists that it is a narrow lane and unsuitable for wide vehicles. The main diversion to be via the A21 and Ticehurst.

The meeting closed at 20:40