HELD ON TUESDAY 25th
NOVEMBER 2003
IN EAST WOODHAY VILLAGE HALL
AT 7.30 P.M.
APOLOGIES: Councillors Mr. B. Heather, Mr. M. Ross.
CLERK: Mrs. A. Davidson.
ITEM 1: MINUTES OF LAST MEETING.
These were accepted as a
true record of the October meeting and were duly signed by the Chairman.
ITEM 2: MATTERS ARISING.
A new dog bin is in place
at Knights Lane, and Cllr Heather will ensure it is added to the list of bins
emptied by Basingstoke and Deane.
Another bin will soon be in place by the Skateboard Ramp.
The Clerk has passed on
details of Litter Warden duties to the lady interested in this post, giving
Cllr Johnson’s details should she require further information. The Clerk is still awaiting a
response from Basingstoke and Deane with regard to the feasibility of a trial
period and finance.*
ACTION: CLERK TO CONTINUE
TO PURSUE THIS.
Page
1
Hedges have now been
cut. However, The Chairman
has not yet found out who is responsible for the one between the Infant School
and the Recreation Ground.*
*ACTION: CHAIRMAN TO CONTINUE TO
INVESTIGATE.
Cllr Johnson has been
quoted £300 by Butlers for removal of the dying tree in Church Road. All were happy for this to proceed,
subject to confirmation from Basingstoke that there are no restrictions on its removal. As the tree is actually on the
Parish Field, it was suggested that Mr. Winchcombe be asked if he would like
the wood. Also, the
question of access to the field will also need to be raised.*
*ACTION: Cllr
Johnson to check no restrictions apply, and then proceed with instruction to
Butlers.
Cllr
Sutton to ask Mr. Winchcombe if he would like the wood, and to raise the issue
of access.
Repair work has been
carried out on the skateboard ramp. The issue of replacing the current ramp will be
dealt with under Item 4.
The Chairman was pleased to
report that £185.00 has been received under the Adopt a Post scheme. In light of this, Cllr Elsden
proposed that all the posts at East End be replace. This was seconded by the Chairman, and all agreed.*
*ACTION: CLLR PRESTON TO GO AHEAD WITH
THIS.
Donation towards fence at
lychgate has been given to St. Thomas’s.
Forms to claim Precept and
General Grant have now been received from Basingstoke and the Clerk will
complete and return them soon.
Appropriate cards have been
sent to Rev. Dale and Kit Cahill.
Cllr Preston will be
looking to apply for funding via Biffawards for a new Skateboard Ramp.
ITEM 3: PLANNING.
Cllr Elsden began by
expressing concern about the service currently being provided by Basingstoke
and Deane. She gave examples
whereby plans were not received, and some received with no information
attached, and
Page
2
when she queried why
details of one application was not included with others in the Local Press she
was given a very vague response which she was not at all happy with. The Chairman backed up Cllr
Elsden’s view by saying the recent Development Control Meeting which he
attended was very disorganised.
The proposal to develop the
old Hitchmans Yard site has been approved. Whilst the Council has no objection in principle to this,
they are concerned about the number of houses which may be built. The issue of adoption of the road
there will also need to be considered.
Thanks have been received from the neighbours for all the
Council’s work.
Cllr Elsden stressed the
need for he Council to alert locals to comment on the Local Plan by 22nd
December. She would
therefore like to hold a public meeting so that questions and queries can be
dealt with.*
*ACTION: CLERK TO CHECK AVAILABILITY OF WOOLTON HILL CHURCH HALL OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF SATURDAY MORNINGS AND LIAISE WITH CLLR ELSDEN RE MEETING.
The Council have objected
to a planning application for Flint Cottage in Woolton Hill. The plans for this were very
inaccurate and no dimensions were provided. Objections have also been lodged regarding
an application to demolish Hayes at North End and replace it with a 3 storey
‘palladian’ style mansion and to proposals to erect 3 bollards
outside Dormer Cottage at East End.
ITEM 4: AMENITIES.
Further to Cllr Preston and
the Clerk’s meeting with the owner of Playsafe regarding work carried out
at Woolton Hill Playground, this has now been dealt with to a satisfactory
standard and Playsafe have been paid.
Work is almost now complete
on the car park extension at Woolton Hill Recreation Ground, with only the
carried to be completed. Cllr
Preston queried whether Cllr Powell still has the old lock and chain. Cllr Powell will endeavour to find it
and pass to Cllr Preston.*
*ACTION: CLLR POWELL TO LOCATE OLD LOCK AND CHAIN AND GIVE TO CLLR PRESTON.
Page
3
Cllr Kyle-Lawrence said
that some parents have asked her when it will be surfaced. Cllr Preston informed her that the
surface which is there is the final one, but that it has yet to be compacted
down, which will help.
He added that granite stones will be inserted to mark off parking
bays. Cllr
Preston is very pleased with the job.
Steve Batt has done some
hedge cutting and tidying, but still has some to do. Cllr Preston would like to continue to use Mr. Batt
for hedge cutting next year.
However he is not keen to do grass cutting, but will quote if
necessary. No grass cutting
quotation has been received from Woodland .*
*ACTION: CLERK TO INSTRUCT MR. VOCKINS FOR 2004/05 ON THE BASIS OF GRASS CUTTING ONLY.
Cllr Preston estimates a
£330 overspend on the posts at East End, as this is not in the
budget.
There may be money to carry
out work to provide a lay by at Masons Court, as per the drawings Cllr Johnson
submitted last year. Cllr Preston
has written, via the Clerk to Peter Eade requesting funds.
Next the issue of replacing
the Skateboard Ramp and installing CCTV was discussed in detail. A detailed schedule of prices and
possible scenarios, together with projected maintenance costs/savings
comparisons had been produced by Cllr Heather, and Cllr Preston went through
this. He suggested a galvanised steel ramp with a wooden
surface by a company called Extreme Sports appeared the best option. Cllr Sutton queried what the main
problem was at the Recreation Ground.
Cllr Preston confirmed drugs and vandalism were the major issues. Cllr Sutton felt that providing a new
ramp would not eradicate this problem.
Cllr Preston said that dummy CCTV cameras are often enough to deter this
sort of activity, and the gentleman who he has spoken to at Extreme Sports
informed him he sells lots of dummy cameras. Cllr Preston felt this was a good option to
start with. Cllr Johnson said that
noise levels would need to be taken into account when considering which sort of
ramp is installed, and maybe the Council should consider moving it. However, Cllr Kyle-Lawrence
pointed out that it would become more of a security issue if it were to be
placed further back on the Recreation Ground. As the ramp being considered has an open interior,
Cllr Preston suggested this could be rotated round 90 degrees, making it more
visible. Cllr Sutton asked
where the camera would go. Cllr
Preston suggested it be placed in the eaves of the church.
After further discussion,
all agreed with Cllr Preston’s proposal to go ahead with replacing the
current ramp with the one suggested from Extreme Sports,
Page
4
along with the installation
of CCTV, subject to grant application being successful. Cllr Preston will
also speak to Extreme Sports re noise levels and will ask to view a similar one
in situ.*
ACTION: CLLR PRESTON TO
DEAL WITH ALL THE ABOVE.
Cllr Elsden proposed a vote
of thanks to Cllrs Heather and Preston for all their brilliant work on this
project.
ITEM 5: HIGHWAYS.
Cllr Sutton is concerned
about the fact that many of the ditches around the Parish are now full of
leaves, and as a result they are flooding when it rains. She is not sure who to contact
about this, but will speak to Cllr Ross for guidance.
Cllr Johnson is concerned
that many of the footpaths are also covered in leaves, making them
slippery. He has spoken to Cllr
Ross about this, and he has promised to look into whose responsibility it is to
clean them. Cllr Johnson will also
speak to Steve Goodall.
Cllr Maxwell commented that
he has noticed the C5 still appears to be flooding, despite work having been
carried out to combat this. He
will inform Cllr Johnson as to where he has noticed this happening so that Cllr
Johnson can investigate.
Cllr Powell has noticed
that the edges in Church Road are beginning to break up. Cllr Johnson has noticed this himself
and has reported it to the Area Surveyor, along with a similar problem outside
L’orien on the C5.
ITEM 6: FINANCE.
A list of income and
expenditure paid and due to be paid over the past month was presented to the
meeting, and duly signed by the Chairman. Cheques were signed for payment.
The Clerk suggest that, as
has been the case in previous years, donations of £100.00 each should be
given to each of the Halls and each of the Churchyards. The meeting agreed that this
should happen.*
Page
5
*ACTION: CLERK TO ARRANGE THIS.
The Clerk also informed the
meeting that a letter has been received from the District Auditor, requesting
certain information with regard to the 2002/03 audit. One query the Audit Office has is whether the Parish
Council has in place a full Risk Assessment Document. The Clerk has informed them that the Parish Council
does have financial regulations, but no full Risk Assessment. The Auditor therefore requires that one
should be in place before the next audit.*
*ACTION: CLERK
AND CHAIRMAN TO LOOK INTO REQUIREMENTS AND CLERK TO PUT ON AGENDA FOR NEXT
MEETING.
ITEM 7: MEMBERS REPORTS.
Cllr Sutton.
Cllr Sutton has spoken to a
Parishioner who is concerned about the possibility of leylandii trees in her
neighbours garden getting too high.
This is not an issue at present, but may be one in the future. Apparently there is a Bill
currently going through Parliament which will prevent householders from
allowing these trees form becoming a problem, and this will come under a
‘Social Nuisance’ Act.
The Parish Council will bear this in mind for the future.
Cllr Johnson.
Some feedback has been
received in response the Clerk’s request for comments about the Cango
Bus. Most of the feedback is
positive, with one lady being provided with a taxi when the bus did not turn
up. However, another felt that the
amount of time travellers have in Newbury before they can return is too long.
Cllr Elsden.
Cllr Elsden has noticed
that the Bridleway Sign outside East End Farmhouse, at the Stargroves Track, is
broken and is currently propped up. She will contact Norman Powers about this.
Cllr Powell.
Cllr Powell noticed that
the seat by the Infant School is broken.
Cllr Preston confirmed that this is in the budget for next year.
Cllr Kyle-Lawrence.
Cllr Kyle-Lawrence reported
that the meeting of young people with regard to setting up a Youth Club in
Woolton Hill went very well, with representatives from both Hampshire County
Council and Basingstoke and Deane attending.
Page
6
It is hoped that the Club
will be up and running in January.
A core group of adults will be needed to run the Club, with a minimum of
1 adult per 10 children required, probably at least one male and one
female. Forms need to be
completed and police checks carried out. Training is provlded and paid for by Hampshire
County Council, and this will be taken up, including a 6 hour Child Protection
Course. Affiliation to Youth
Clubs, Hampshire and Isle of Wight is also considered necessary, and this will
include insurance. A
rate of £4.75 per hour has been agreed with Woolton Hill Church Hall for
its use on a Friday night, and the Club will cater for 11-16 year olds. Grants are available from
different sources such as Hampshire County Council, Basingstoke and Deane and
Community Action Hampshire. A Link
Worker, Linda Budd, will help put everything together to get started. A committee made up of adults and
children will be formed to administer the Club, and free access to a Minibus
has been obtained.
The meeting felt that this
was excellent work by Cllr Kyle-Lawrence.
The Chairman suggested that some of the remaining money in the Donations
Fund should be given to this scheme, and all agreed with this suggestion. Cllr Kyle-Lawrence will contact
the Clerk with a request for up to £100.00 once a Bank Account is opened for the Club.
*ACTION: CLERK TO ISSUE CHEQUE ONCE
REQUEST IS RECEIVED.
Cllr Preston.
Cllr Preston has noticed
that the Minutes on the Website are very out of date. The Clerk apologised for this, and admitted it was totally
her fault. However, she also
commented that she often felt it was a waste of time putting minutes there, as
they are so out of date once they appear.
Also, in line with guidance from HAPTC, no Councillor’s names are published.*
*ACTION: CHAIRMAN AND CLERK TO
DISCUSS.
Chairman.
The Chairman suggested
various dates for next year’s Senior Citizens Party. It was agreed that this should take
place on Saturday 9th October.
All Councillors were asked to diarise and attend where possible.
The Deed of Easement
Document has now been received to be signed on behalf of the Parish
Council. The Clerk and the
Chairman will do this.
The Clerk has produced an
ID Card which she circulated to all Councillors for their comment as to whether
they felt it was suitable.
The only comment was that a telephone number be added should anyone wish
to check a card’s validity.
This will be done and cards produced for each Councillor.*
Page
7
*ACTION: CLERK TO DO THIS.
ANY
COUNCILLORS WHO HAVE NOT YET PROVIDED THE CLERK WITH A PASSPORT SIZED PHOTO TO
DO SO.
Councillors were provided
with copies of information about SSAFA and Basingstoke’s 3 Year Plan, for
their perusal.
ITEM 8: PARISH APPRAISAL/VDS.
The Chairman reported that
this is progressing well.
The first draft should be ready by 8th December and will be
exhibited in both Halls in the Parish for people to comment. It will then be passed on to
Basingstoke and Deane for acceptance before publication takes place.
Cllr Preston suggested a
copy be given to Graham Heald, who would be happy to read through it as an
‘independent’ person.
ITEM 9: BOROUGH RURAL STRATEGY.
All Councillors were
provided with a copy of this document and were asked to comment direct to
Basingstoke individually, should they wish to.
NOTES: NEXT MEETING -
TUESDAY 27TH JANUARY
THEN -
TUESDAY 24TH FEBRUARY
DON’T
FORGET TO PUT IN YOUR DIARY –
27TH
APRIL - ANNUAL PARISH MEETING!
9TH OCTOBER - SENIOR CITIZENS PARTY!