Minutes of the Meeting of Beech Parish Council

held in the Village Hall on Monday 21 SEPTEMBER 2009

PRESENT:

Councillor Anne Burridge

Councillor Ian Gibson

Councillor Norman Miles

Councillor Edward Neish (Chairman)

Councillor Gillian Young

Mrs Sheron Gillard – Clerk to the Council Mr Peter Cox, Village Hall

09.37 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received and accepted from Councillors Peter May and David Woodroofe (work commitments)

and District Councillor Patrick Burridge.

09.38 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 17 August 2009, copies of which had previously been

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

09.39 REPORTS FROM ADVISORY PANELS AND ITEMS FOR REFERRAL

I) Development and Planning Advisory Panel

a) EHDC Decisions – NOTED:

i) 36906/001 Timbers, 58 Wellhouse Road Detached dwelling and double garage following

demolition of single storey dwelling. PERMITTED

b) The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment by EHDC

Following concerns raised during Public Question Time at the August meeting, the Council were

advised by EHDC that there is currently no identified housing need in the central part of the district,

which includes Beech. Therefore, the two SHLAA sites are not currently being looked at to part of

the list of potential sites for the Site Allocation Development Plan Document. Council noted that the

SHLAA is updated annually, so situation could change.

II) Highways and Footpaths Advisory Panel

a) Response had been received from Stagecoach Buses advising that drivers who operate route 28 would

be reminded to drive safely and within new speed limits through Beech.

b) Hedge at 41 Medstead Road – following concerns raised by residents regarding the poor visibility,

Clerk had contacted Hampshire Highways who would now correspond with owners and ‘without

prejudice’ arrange, on this occasion, for hedge to be cut.

III) Community and Environment Advisory Panel

a) EHDC – Consultation on Provision for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople. Council

considered it important to respond and appointed Cllr Ian Gibson and Chairman Ed Neish to respond

on behalf of Council.

b) HCC – Health and Wellbeing Partnership Strategy Consultation – Council declined to respond.

c) BT had offered the Parish the opportunity to adopt and take ownership of the telephone kiosk on

Wellhouse Road (after removal of telephony) for the nominal sum of £1. Council were concerned

about future maintenance responsibilities and costs and therefore, unless interest is shown by the

village, will decline BT’s offer.

d) EHDC had asked parishes to nominate up to 3 of their favourite trees for inclusion in a booklet and

calendar. None were proposed.

e) NHW to be advised of a presentation by HCC Trading Standards Service on Protecting Vulnerable

People/Reducing Doorstep Crime to be held on Tuesday, 10 November at Alton Maltings.

.

09.40 RURAL SERVICES NETWORK

Whilst Council supported the ideals of this organisation, many of their areas of concern were not pertinent to

Beech and documents were cumbersome. Therefore, Clerk to request that RSN be more selective in the items

forwarded to Beech for consideration.

9.41 HAMPSHIRE ALC

a) Councillors Gill Young and Peter May were nominated to represent Beech Parish Council at the County

Association’s AGM on Saturday, 10 October at St Swithun’s School, Winchester. Cllr Gill Young nominated

to vote on behalf of Council.

b) Cllr Gill Young reported on the District Association’s meeting held on 9 September. The meeting had

debated (at Beech Parish Council’s request) the potential problems surrounding the provisions within the

Local Government Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which, in addition to allowing appointed

councillors onto local councils (additional to elected and co-opted councillors), would require 5 elected

councillors in order for a council to operate and be quorate and only allow elected councillors to become

Chairman and Vice-Chairman. This was likely to lead to many more bye-elections at great cost to parish

councils. The meeting therefore passed a resolution requiring EHDC to review its policy of bearing costs of

elections and bye-elections (Basingstoke and Deane already bears these costs).

Other items discussed were the general lack of information coming from the District Council; vacancy for a

parish representative on the Standards Committee; and details of new transport initiative for the district to be

running by the summer of 2010 linking small, rural communities with towns and improving the integration of

transport services.

c) Local Government Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

Council agreed to write to Michael Mates MP to express their concerns and to raise his awareness of the

practical problems these proposals would cause smaller councils. Beech Parish Council wished to retain a

quorum of 3 and to afford co-opted councillors equal status with elected members. There was also a

concern that this Act appears to undermine assurances from political parties that this tier of government

would be encouraged and supported.

9.42 TERRORISM PRESENTATION

Having seen the new rooms available to the Council at the Village Hall on Monday evenings, it was agreed that

this presentation should be arranged before a Parish Council early in the New Year. Clerk to liaise with NHW

and Police to arrange.

9.43 PARISH PLAN

Meeting to be held on Monday, 16 November (prior to the Parish Council meeting) with volunteers from the

village, Councillors and the Community Planning Co-ordinator from EHDC with a view to forming a Parish Plan

Committee.

9.44 FINANCE

a) 2009-10 Accounts – A report by Cllr Peter May detailing the internal control checks carried out on 14 August

2009 had previously been circulated to Councillors. Council considered the following recommendations:

i) Agreed additional back-up copies be maintained of last two most recent historical copies of all

operational computer files with at least one being held in a separate location from Clerk’s office.

Clerk authorised to purchase additional memory sticks.

ii) After discussion, Proposed Anne Burridge, Seconded Ian Gibson and RESOLVED that the Council’s

bank deposits to remain with HSBC only for the time being. Situation to be reviewed regularly.

Council thanked Cllr May for the informative report which would be held on file.

b) 2008-09 Annual Accounts – External Audit had been satisfactorily completed.

c) Grant request from Alton Citizens Advice Bureau. Proposed Gill Young, Seconded Ian Gibson and

RESOLVED that a grant of £125 be awarded for 2009-10.

d) Payments authorised:

Proposed: Cllr Gill Young, Seconded Ian Gibson and RESOLVED:

i) HCC - Pension Payments (employer’s & employee’s contribution for Sept 2009) £111.93

ii) Mrs Sheron Gillard: Clerk’s Net Salary, Allowance and expenses (September 2009) £465.66

iii) HM Revenue and Customs Only (income tax) £37.20

iv) Information Commissioner (annual registration) £35.00

v) Alton Citizens Advice Bureau – grant as approved above £125.00

vi) Audit Commission – Audit fee 2008-09 £155.25

09.45 CORRESPONDENCE

The following items were formally received:

EHDC – Greening Campaign presentations at community Forums

Alton Town Partnership Premier Newsletter (previously circulated)

Community First – AGM on Tuesday, 29 September at 12.15 pm at Horndean

09.46 NEXT MEETING

Confirmed that the next Council Meeting would be held in the Village Hall on Monday, 19 October

2009 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 8.39 pm.

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

Chairman Beech Parish Council

date: 19 October 2009