Minutes of the Meeting of Beech Parish Council

held in the Village Hall on Monday 19 JANUARY 2009

 

 

        PRESENT: 

         

       Councillor Anne Burridge

       Councillor Peter May                                          

Councillor Norman Miles                                              Mr Peter Cox, Chairman, Beech Village Hall

Councillor Edward Neish (Chairman)                                                                                    

Councillor David Woodroofe

Councillor Gill Young

Mrs Sheron Gillard – Clerk to the Council          

 

                         

08.68  APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

           Apologies were received and accepted from Councillor Ian Gibson (School Governors’ meeting) and District

           Councillor Patrick Burridge.

 

08.69  CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

  The Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 17 November 2008, copies of which had previously been

  circulated, were confirmed.  Chairman Edward Neish signed them as a true record.

 

08.70  REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR

           Although unable to attend, Cllr Mark Kemp-Gee had sent best wishes to the Council for 2009, expressing his

           delight that the 30 mph limit is to be extended through Beech and congratulating the Village Hall on their            progress and recent newspaper article.

 

08.71   FINANCE

a)  Accounts for year-ended 31 March 2008:

     i)                   Council noted report from Mrs Sandie Fisher, Council’s Internal Auditor.         

     ii)         External Audit – Clerk reported that this had been satisfactorily completed without comment.

                 Notice of Completion of Audit had been posted, as required.

b)  Accounts for the year-ended 31 March 2009:

     i)                   Cllr David Woodroofe reported on the internal checks he had carried out on 16 December 2008.

                 No actions identified.

     ii)         Receipts & Payments Summary for 3rd Quarter ended 31 December 2008 presented to

                 Council showing bank reconciliation NOTED as follows:

                

                Current Account Balance                                   262.85

                Less: Cheques drawn but not debited

                as at 31.12.08 (no. 01 & 02)                             (118.62)

                Deposit Bank Account                                  11,031.91

                Bonds                                                            48,469.52         

                Balance carried forward to 1 January 2009                                  £59,645.66                            

c)  Payments authorised:      

                 Proposed: Cllr Anne Burridge, Seconded: Cllr Edward Neish

                 RESOLVED:    i)     Beech Village Hall – First grant for re-development                      £10,000.00                                                       (as per Resolution 03.43) (LGA 1972 s. 133)

                                         ii)    HCC - Pension Payments (employer’s & employee’s contribution for

                                                Jan 2009)                                                                                             £94.91

iii)   Mrs Sheron Gillard: Clerk’s Net Salary and Allowance (Jan 2009)    £440.10

iv)   Audit Commission – annual external audit 07-08                              £155.25

v)    Society of Local Council Clerks – Membership renewal 2009             £94.00

vi)   Hampshire ALC – training (as approved in item 08.75)                       £35.00

vii)  Beech Village Hall – hall hire for April 08-March 09                         £183.43

                                                                                                         Minutes January 2009 continued…./page 2 of 3

 

 

 

08.72  VILLAGE HALL REPORT

           a)   Chairman Edward Neish presented Mr Cox with grant cheque (approved above), congratulating the                          Village Hall team on their successful bid to the Big Lottery (announced 17 December) and wishing them

                 success with the re-development project.

           b)  Mr Cox gave the Council a detailed report on progress to date.  Works had started on the new build aspect of

                 the re-development but problems had been encountered with the ground works.  Two large holes, one filled

                 with bottles, the other ink, had been unearthed.  The clearing and refilling of these holes had cost a further                  £5,000.00.  EHDC Building Control had also insisted on the installation of wind posts, incurring further

                 unplanned expenditure.  Despite this, progress was good and completion date is anticipated mid-late summer                  2009.  Council again expressed their congratulations to Mr Cox and his team and thanked him for his                       attendance.

 

08.73  REPORTS FROM ADVISORY PANELS AND ITEMS FOR REFERRAL

           I)      Development and Planning Advisory Panel

                    a)      Previous applications – EHDC Decisions NOTED:

                             i)   36846/003   86 Medstead Road   Prune 5 Beech trees                                              CONSENT

                             ii)  26991/006   Southbank, 95 Medstead Road   Retention of Access to Field             REFUSAL

                             iii) 24697/006   Kingswood, 45 Kings Hill   Replacement Stable with Garage               PERMITTED

                    b) E-planning – an update had been received from Daryl Phillips, Head of Planning Services, EHDC advising that, other than large developments, no paper copies of planning applications will be supplied to Parish Council from January 2009.  All applications will therefore need to be viewed/downloaded via EHDC’s website.  Arrangements would be made to ensure all Councillors have opportunity to view applications.

                    c) Open Space, Sports and Recreation Study for East Hampshire (2008) – NOTED.

                        (see www.easthants.gov.uk/ehdc/localplanweb.nsf/webpages/Studies+and+Research)

 

            II)    Highways and Footpaths Advisory Panel:

a)     Village 30 – A copy of the Traffic Order proposals to extend the 30 mph limit from the south western end of the existing 30 limit to a point adjacent to the entrance to Alton Abbey had been received from HCC.  Clerk to check with Mott Gifford on progress and an indication of implementation date.

b)    HCC – Countryside Access Reference Guide received (to be held on file for reference).

c)     East Hants ROW Newsletter – circulated to Councillors and NOTED.

 

            IV)   Community & Environment Advisory Panel:

a)   Rural Transport Initiative – e-mail from EHDC Cllr David Parkinson – NOTED.   

b)  Hampshire Minibus Register – for information – NOTED.

c)   East Hampshire Community Partnership – Workshop on Thursday, 12 February 2009 from

6.30 – 8.30  pm at Alton College.  No Councillors available to attend.

                    d) HCC – Notes of 2008 Annual Parish Transport Representatives’ Meeting – NOTED.

 

08.74   FREEDOM OF INFORMATION/PUBLICATION SCHEME        

            a)     New model publication scheme effective from 1 January 2009.   Published on Council website.

            b)     Complaints Procedure – Proposed Peter May, Seconded Gill Young that Council adopt procedure as

                    previously circulated.  Complaints Committee to be appointed as and when required.

 

08.75     TRAINING

            a)     Legal Topics for Local Councils - Wednesday, 25 March 2009 in Winchester from 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm

                   Council approved attendance by Cllr Peter May at a cost of £25.00

            b)    Clerks’ Forum – Thursday, 29 January at HALC Offices, Winchester 9.30 – 12 noon.

                   Council approved attendance of Clerk at a cost of £10.00

 

08.76   CEMETERY

            To date, no response had been received from the Abbey despite a follow-up letter. 

 

                                                                                                         Minutes January 2009 continued…./page 3 of 3

 

 

08.77   CLG – Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity

            Details had been circulated to Councillors – NOTED.  

                                                                            

08.78   REPORTS FROM NATIONAL, COUNTY AND DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS

            a)  Cllr Norman Miles to report on District’s recent meeting at February Council meeting.

            b)  Clerk advised Council on briefing received from Hampshire ALC regarding the Power of Well-being.

            c)  NALC’s AGM had been held in October and had been attended by Hampshire representatives Cllrs

                 Korbey and Mercer along with the Director of the County ALC.  Details of successful motions were NOTED. 

 

08.79   CORRESPONDENCE

            The following items were formally received:

                   TAG Farnborough Airport – Draft Master Plan (for consultation)

                   Alton & District Sports Council – Agenda/Minutes

                   ICO – DVD ‘Tick Tock’

                   Local Council Review – January 2009

                   HCC – A Quality of Life Report in Hampshire 2008 (also available at                                                                        http://www3.hants.gov.uk/quality_of_life_report_2008-2.pdf

                   LAIS - Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill

                   The Rural Services Network (to be forwarded to Cllr Ian Gibson)

 

08.80   NEXT MEETING

            Confirmed that the next meeting of the Council would be held in the Village Hall on Monday, 9 February

            2009 at 7.30 pm preceded by Parishioners’ Question Time at 7.15 pm. 

 

CLOSURE OF MEETING      

Chairman thanked all present for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.35 pm.

                                                                  

 

 

 

 

signed: ...........................................................

                                                                                                         Chairman Beech Parish Council

date: 9 February 2009