Minutes of the Meeting of Beech Parish Council

held in the Village Hall Lounge on Monday 18 JANUARY 2010

 

        PRESENT: 

      

       Councillor Peter May

       Councillor Norman Miles                                             

Councillor Edward Neish (Chairman)                                              

Councillor David Woodroofe

Councillor Gillian Young

Mrs Sheron Gillard – Clerk to the Council                              1 Member of the Public

 

 

 

During Public Question Time, the Chairman of Beech Village Hall, Peter Cox, requested HCC be asked to provide small

‘Village Hall’ sign (similar to ‘Church’ sign) at the Medstead Road/Wellhouse Road junction.  Clerk to investigate.

He also advised that the Village Hall would be holding an Open Day on 6 March 2010.  Alan Titchmarsh would officially

open the new Village Hall at 12.00 noon.

 

09.78  APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

           Apologies were received and accepted from Cllrs Anne Burridge and Ian Gibson.

 

09.79  CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

  The Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 14 December 2009, copies of which had previously been

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

 

09.80  DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 

           There were no declarations of interest.

 

09.81  REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR      

           (See comments below under ‘Highways’.)

 

09.82  REPORTS FROM ADVISORY PANELS AND ITEMS FOR REFERRAL

           I)      Development and Planning Advisory Panel

                    a)      Previous applications – EHDC Decisions NOTED as follow:

                             i)   37920/005   51 Wellhouse Road   Detached garage/store.                              PERMITTED

                             ii)  39081/003   Beechmount, 44 Wellhouse Road   Detached thatched cottage and double garage

                                                                                                                                                        REFUSED

                             iii) 25172/004   Hill Brow, 61 Medstead Road   Detached dwelling with rooms in roof space

                                                                                                                                                        REFUSED

                    b)      EHDC Councillor Planning Training Event

                             Cllrs Ed Neish, Peter May, David Woodroofe and Gill Young and Clerk to attend session on                                    

                             Tuesday, 30 March at 6.30 pm at Alton Assembly Rooms.  (Cllrs Anne Burridge and Ian Gibson to

                             be advised of available dates).

 

           III)    Highways and Footpaths Advisory Panel report:

                    a)      Traffic Calming

                             i)          Speed Survey  - the survey commissioned by Beech Parish Council had been carried out at

                                         the end of November 2009.  Cllr Ian Gibson had analysed the results and circulated a full

                                         report to Council.  This had also been sent to County Cllr Mark Kemp-Gee and Mr Graham

                                         Carter, the Village 30 Manager at HCC for comment.   Mr Carter advised that HCC had

                                         carried out its own speed survey since the implementation of Village 30 in Beech which gave

                                         similar results and was pleased that average speeds had reduced by 9% .  Whilst he felt a

                                         further significant improvement was unlikely, he supported the proposed use of SLR/SIDs

                                         but reiterated that further repeater signs in street lit 30 mph areas is not an option due to

                                         regulations.  He would also forward Council’s concerns to the Safer Roads Partnership

                                         requesting an early enforcement operation in the village. 

                                         County Councillor Mark Kemp-Gee had e-mailed Council with similar comments and support. 

                             ii)         Chairman Ed Neish reported on a further meeting held with Medstead and Bentworth Parish

                                         Councils on Friday, 15 January. It had been agreed that since HCC only sanction and

                                         administer SLR units, this would be the best way forward.  Medstead and Beech have funds

                                         available to proceed immediately; Bentworth may require more time.  However, given it is

                                         likely it would take time for HCC to process our request, Medstead’s Clerk to make

                                         contact with HCC immediately to advise of the groups interest in proceeding with the purchase

                                         and deployment of an SLR unit and to request a meeting to discuss deployment sites.

                             iii)        It was agreed that Cllrs would now prioritise 4 out of the 12 sites previously identified as

                                         potential deployment points and approach landowners for agreement to place units on their land. 

                                         Clerk advised that it was likely the purchase and deployment of an SLR in 2010/11 would

                                         need to be financed through use of reserves set aside for such projects.  In subsequent years,

                                         the regular deployment costs would be budgeted in routine expenditure.

                                         Under the shared scheme with Medstead and Bentworth, Beech would have use of a single

                                         unit for 6 or 7, two week periods per year.  This was considered a sensible and

                                         cost effective way of demonstrating whether or not an SLR would reduce traffic speeds in the

                                         village.  If this was shown to be the case, the future purchase of an additional unit may be

                                         considered.

                      b)    HCC East Hampshire Local Highways Meeting on Wednesday, 2 December in Winchester

                             had been attended by Edward Neish and Ian Gibson.  The provision of a footpath linking existing

                             A339 path with the nursery/car boot sale was considered but not deemed a priority.  It was reported

                             that in areas implementing the Village 30 scheme, traffic speeds had decreased by approx. 9% (as

                             experienced in Beech).

                      c)    Footpath Maintenance – all present agreed to the continued engagement of Mr J Legg to carry out

                             grass cutting/strimming and other works related to footpath between A339 and start of housing, until

                             further notice.

                      d)    A request for an additional grit bin at the top of Wellhouse Road was referred to the Panel for consideration.

 

09.83   PARISH PLAN 

            A meeting scheduled for 11 January had been postponed due to snow conditions and was to be rescheduled for

            end Feb/early March.

 

09.84   HAMPSHIRE ALC

a)  Council were saddened to hear of the death of Bob Park on 24 December 2009.  Mr Park had been the first

     clerk to Beech and had attended the Council’s 10th anniversary reception.  Chairman had written a letter of

     condolence to his family. 

b)  District Association Meeting on 2 December 2009 – unfortunately, neither Gill Young or Norman Miles had

     been able to attend.

c)  Hampshire ALC proposal to leave NALC – Councillors had considered correspondence from both Steven Lugg

     of County Association and NALC and awaited opportunity to debate proposal further at District level.

d)  Training – Cllr Peter May to consider Chairmanship Skills training being offered by Hampshire ALC. 

     Clerk to provide details of venue/dates.

 

09.85   LOCAL GOVERNMENT PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTH ACT 2007

            A response from Michael Mates MP to Council’s letter regarding their concerns about Section 76 of this Act was

            received by Council.  However, Councillors were disappointed that the reply did not address their concerns but            

            hoped that the promised further consultation with NALC would do so.

 

09.86   ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

            To be held on 15 March 2010 at 7.00 pm and immediately followed by normal Parish Council monthly meeting.

 

09.87   FINANCE

a)  Mr Wayne Rickard of the Audit Commission had been appointed as the Council’s External Auditor for the

     next 5 years.

b)  Grant Request received from Hampshire County Youth Band Association was considered but, unfortunately,     

     it was decided that the Council does not have Power to make payment under Section 137 (no residents of Beech

     benefit from the Band Association).  Clerk to contact HCYBA with explanation and to enquire whether   it would

     be possible for band to perform at village function.

c)  Third Quarter Receipts & Payments Summary to 31 December 2009 presented to Council showing bank

     reconciliation as follows was NOTED:

     Current Account                                                 £458.32

     Less: Cheques drawn but not debited                -£445.13

     Deposit Bank Account                                  £11,811.65

     High Interest Bonds                                       £31,636.95

                                                                        

     Balance carried forward to 1 January 2010   £43,460.89

                                                                                      

d)  High Interest Bonds – Clerk advised that £9,000 had been transferred from Deposit Account into a six-month      

     High Interest Bond in early January.

e)  Payments authorised:      

                 Proposed: Cllr Peter May, Seconded Gill Young and RESOLVED:

                 i)   Mrs Sheron Gillard: Clerk’s Net Salary, Allowance and expenses (January 2010)                        £481.72

                 ii)  HCC - Pension Payments (employer’s & employee’s contribution for November 2009)               £111.94

                

09.88   CORRESPONDENCE

            The following items were formally received:

                   Local Council Review

 

09.89   MEETING DATES     

            Confirmed that the next scheduled Council Meeting would be held in the Village Hall on Monday, 8 February

            2010 at 7.30 pm preceded by Public Question Time at 7.15 pm.

 

CLOSURE OF MEETING      

Chairman thanked all present for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.31 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

                                                                                                                   Chairman Beech Parish Council

          date: 8 February 2010