Minutes of the Meeting of Beech Parish Council

held in the Village Hall on Monday 18 June 2007

 

 

        PRESENT:

 

Councillor Edward Neish (Chairman)

Councillor Anne Burridge                                                                         

Councillor Ian Gibson (arrived during item 07.18)

Councillor Peter May

Councillor Norman Miles                 

Councillor David Woodroofe

Councillor Gill Young

Mrs Sheron Gillard – Clerk to the Council                     

 

 

 

07.15       APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

None received.

 

07.16       CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

Approved that the Minutes of the Annual Council meeting held on 16 May 2007 be amended as follows:

Second paragraph of item 07.0 1 to read “Councillor Edward Neish took the chair and thanked John Henderson for the work he had undertaken on behalf of the Council and village during the past 8 years (Chairman for 2003-2007);”  The Minutes, copies of which had previously been circulated, were then confirmed.  Chairman Edward Neish signed them as a true record.

 

07.17   MATTERS ARISING

           Chairman was pleased to announce that former Councillor Jenny Paterson had been safely delivered of a son on

           18 May 2007.  

 

07.18   REPORTS FROM ADVISORY PANELS AND ITEMS FOR REFERRAL

           I)      Finance & General Purposes Panel

                    A meeting had been held on Monday, 11 June 2007 and had considered the following:

                    a)      Auditor’s Report and future audit arrangements

                    b)      Review of High Interest Deposit Bonds – F&GP recommended, and Council approved, continued

                             re-invest bonds as they mature.

c)            Code of Conduct: Councillors had received information leaflets and would attend training arranged

                     by EHDC on Tuesday, 19 June 2007.  Council to consider adoption of new Code at July meeting.

d)            Cemetery – Cllr Anne Burridge advised that following Council’s initial contact, Abbot Giles had

                     indicated that, in principle, the Abbey would be prepared to make land available.  A meeting would

                     therefore be arranged between representatives of the Abbey, Parish and District Councils in the near

                     future to agree how to progress plans.  Council were made aware of watercourse tests that the

                     Environmental Agency would require on any land identified as a possible site.  These were likely to

                     cost in the region of £7,000.

e)            New Councillors’ profiles for Beech Newsletter – to appear in next issue together with photograph of

                             new Council.

f)             Grant requests:  Panel recommendations as follows:

i)                    Beech Village Hall – Provision of PA Equipment and Dishwasher, coolers, carpentry, etc

F&GP regretted unable to recommend payment as such a sum had not been included in the Council’s budget for 2007-08.

ii)                   Vitalize – F&GP recommended grant of £30.00

iii)                 Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group – F&GP recommended no payment.

g)            Review of Clerk’s Employment

 

          

          

                                                                                                        

                                                                                                         Minutes 18 June 2007/continued.....Page 2 of 3

 

 

           II)     Development & Planning Advisory Panel

a)   Tree Preservation Order: East Hampshire (Land south west of 61 Wellhouse Road)

         TPO (EH712) 2006 confirmed without modification 21 May 2007.                 NOTED                                                                                                                                                                       

            III)   Highways and Footpaths Advisory Panel:

a)   Minutes of meeting which had been held on Monday, 21 May 2007 had been circulated. 

         Cllr Peter May gave a summary of the meeting, including:

         i)   Road condition survey to be repeated later in summer and reported to HCC

         ii)  Noted that white lining to be renewed after surface dressing completed

iii)   Council had confirmed its interest in extending 30mph limit throughout village to HCC

iv)  Report of meeting with Rights of Way Officer on 16 May 2007 attended by Cllrs Peter May, Edward

                             Neish and the Clerk.  Footpaths 714 and 704 had been walked to demonstrate access difficulties

                             caused by excess water.  Neither the County nor Parish have a duty to maintain these paths and whilst

                   possible solutions were discussed, funding was unlikely.  Panel/Council would consider again and

                   liaise with land owners if it decides to take further action.

b)   Council had received a copy of the Definitive Schedule of footpaths for Beech from the Rights of

Way Officer.  Council discussed making footpath maps available through newsletter.  It was noted that rights of way maps were available online at www3.hants.gov.uk.

c)   Bushey Leaze Woods – Clerk reported that Mr Nick Hazlitt of the Forestry Commission would attend

         the Council’s July meeting to take questions and report on future plans for Bushey Leaze woods.

            IV)   Community and Environment Advisory Panel

a)   Minutes of panel meeting held on Monday, 21 May 2007 had been circulated. 

            The Highways & Footpaths and Community & Environment Panels would meet again on 10 September 2007.

      

07.19    YOUTH MEETING PLACES

               Councillor Gill Young gave a detailed report of the conference she had attended at EHDC on Monday, 4 June

              2007 which had highlighted the lack of facilities for the UK’s youth.  Council discussed how to obtain the views

              of the youth of Beech but were aware that lack of evening public transport had been highlighted in the past.  Gill

              Young to liaise with the Medstead Parish Plan committee who are also seeking to involve their youth in future

              planning.

 

07.20    HAT for EAST HAMPSHIRE

            Council NOTED Hampshire’s work plans/priorities drawn up from recent listening events.

 

07.21    FINANCE

a)  Annual Accounts/Return 06-07

     Clerk reported that Mrs Sandi Fisher had completed a satisfactory Internal Audit of Council’s accounts and

     had signed the Annual Return.  Her report would be considered by F&GP as part of an audit review.  Notices

     regarding the Public inspection period had been posted.

            b)  Grants – Proposed by Norman Miles, Seconded by Peter May and RESOLVED that the recommendations of

                 the F&GP Panel be accepted and approved.

c)  Payments authorised:        

                 Proposed Anne Burridge and Seconded by Ian Gibson

                 RESOLVED:    i)     EHDC – Election Charges                                                                    £109.20

                                         ii)     Vitalize                                                                                                  £30.00

                                         iii)    Mrs Sheron Gillard: Clerk’s Salary, Allowance and Administration

                                                Expenses (June 2007)                                                                           £384.93

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

                                                June 2007)                                                                                           £  83.78

                                               

07.22    Report of COUNTY COUNCILLOR       

            Clerk read an Open Letter from Cllr Mark Kemp-Gee to Councillor Med Kendall, Executive Member for the

            Environment, HCC detailing a request for a 4 point master plan for the improvement of rural roads.

 

 

                                                                                                         Minutes 18 June 2007/continued.....Page 3 of 3

 

 

07.23    Report of HAPTC REPRESENTATIVE

            Councillor Norman Miles advised that the associations continued membership of NALC would be further

            discussed at the Executive Meeting in September.  It is anticipated that the matter will be included on the agenda

            of the Association’s AGM in October.  It is also hoped that there will be a recommendation to hold HAPTC

            membership fees for 2008-09 at this year’s levels.  Cllr Gill Young to attend next District Association meeting

            with Norman Miles on 12 September.

 

07.24    CORRESPONDENCE

            The following items were formally received:-

                             Commission for Patient & Public Involvement in Health – ‘Shaping Health’

                             EHDC – Local Development Framework (Affordable Housing Development Plan Document)             

07.25    MEETING DATES

   Confirmed that the next meeting of the Council would be held in the Village Hall on Monday, 16 July 2007 at

   7.30pm preceded by Parishioners’ Question Time at 7.15 pm.  Future meetings would continue to be held on 3rd

   Monday of each month (except Aug & Dec).  Consideration to be given to holding Annual Parish Meeting

   and monthly Council meeting on same night when setting dates for 2008.

 

07.26        CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS

Proposed by Peter May, Seconded by Anne Burridge and RESOLVED: That members of the public and press be excluded from the meeting so that matters of a confidential nature could be discussed.

 

07.27        ANNUAL REVIEW OF CLERK’S EMPLOYMENT 

Proposed, Seconded and RESOLVED: That will effect from 1 April 2007:

a)    Clerk be advanced to NJC Scale LC1 Point 25

b)    new pay scales for 2007-08 to be adopted as from 1 April 2007 when available from NALC (Clerk to advise Council on implications)

c)    number of hours on which the Clerk’s salary is based and allowance for use of home as office to remain

       unchanged.

 

CLOSURE OF MEETING      

Chairman thanked all present for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.51 pm.

 

                  

 

                                                                  

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

                                                                                                         Chairman Beech Parish Council

date: 16  July 2007