Ticehurst Parish Council
The Village Hall, Lower High Street, Ticehurst, East Sussex,
TN5 7BB 01580 754 090
Minutes of Ticehurst Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 2 November 2010 at 7.30 p.m.
Twenty seven members of the public attended the public question session, prior to the commencement of Ticehurst Parish Council’s November meeting on 2nd November 2010.
Matters raised:
A member of the public asked if an application to lift the curfew on the multi-court area had been made.
A representative from the Youth Forum asked if there was any news with regard to their recent bid.
A gentleman asked why the Parish Notice Board had been moved.
A representative of TRIP handed the Council an update of their petition.
Cllr. Jenkins stated that although he had sat on an ASBO panel that was no longer the case.
A member of the public felt that there should be a ‘Matters Arising’ on Parish Council agendas.
The Chairman then introduced Mr Martin Bolton – Housing Needs Manager from Rother District Council who addressed the Councillors and public about how affordable housing is allocated by his department. All Councillors felt that this had been an extremely useful and informative insight into the new Choice Based Lettings system. The Chairman thanked him for attending.
AGENDA
Present: Cllrs. Goodall, Maynard, Young, Jones, Yeo, Rigby, Cook, Langdown, Burley, Cocking and Hastings.
437.0 Declarations of Interest: Cllrs. Cook and Langdown declared a personal interest in any matters relating to the Beatrice Drewe Trust.
438.0 Apologies for absence: Apologies had been received from Cllrs. Mitchell and Seemann due to ill health. The reasons for absence were accepted and duly recorded in the attendance register.
439.0 Minutes of the meeting held on 5th October 2010: Proposed by Cllr. Maynard, seconded by Cllr. Jones and accepted by all Councillors. The Chairman signed them as a correct record of those proceedings.
440.0 Additional Agenda Items: There was some discussion about the use of a projector at meetings to avoid excessive photocopying. It was felt that a demonstration of this would be useful prior to making a decision.
441.0 Youth Forum: The Youth Group, having got through the first round of Capital Funding Bids made their presentation to the ‘Dragons Den’ team on 23rd October at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, the results of which should be available next week.
442.0 Traffic Calming Group: Cllr. Young reported that the Group had been disappointed that ESCC had not come out to walk through the village as arranged in October. A quotation from the traffic consultant used by Alfriston Parish Council had been received. The Clerk was asked to ascertain other projects undertaken by them in Sussex and to find out how much it would cost for a evening presentation to the Council about what the company could offer.
443.0 Appendix of Outstanding Matters:
| Topic | Update |
| War Memorial Trust | Clerk provided Charity Commission document to CCLA to request unit holding to be released |
| Finger Post | Clerk was asked to retrieve the missing arm from the blacksmiths. |
| Affordable/Exception Sites | It is understood that Hastoe will appeal the decision at RDC re Upper Platts site. |
| Mazars | The five year in depth external audit has been returned – recommendations are that a review of effectiveness of internal audit each year as recommended by NALC. The return did not include a bank charge of £13 as it was on the April 2010 statement which had to be rectified and too much documentation was sent with the return. |
| Hedges | Dale Hill – ESCC have been asked to write to householders. |
| Kerbs in Springfields | ESCC report there is no need to replace these |
| Playgrounds | Recommended works by ROSPA are nearly complete. |
| Pavement | Cllr. Yeo reported badly positioned stones to Clerk which caused someone to trip – Clerk informed ESCC and they have been re-laid. |
444.0 District Council Report: A written report had been received and circulated to all Councillors and attached to the minutes.
445.0 County Council Report: Cllr. Barnes reported that the implications of budgetary cuts would not be known until the new year. He reported that the A21 Flimwell to Hurst Green section had been dropped and the Bexhill Link Road was in a pool of at least fifteen
other projects. The County are arguing that the economic and housing benefits are essential to the area. Cllr. Barnes is still pressing for the reduction in speed limit at Wallcrouch to 40 m.p.h. Cllr. Jenkins added that he is meeting with the local M.P.’s on 15th November to discuss the negative impact of the A21 situation which is blighting property values along this section of roadway.
446.0 SALC and RALC Reports: A written report was tabled and added to the minutes.
447.0 Environmental Report: Written report from the last meeting had been circulated. Cllr. Young was thanked for her work on the ‘welcome pack’ that was nearly read to be sent for distribution to A Alexander. Cllr. Young informed the meeting that the group were proposing to hold an environmental event next year to promote recycling. The positioning of the recycling van had not yet been decided for this day. The Clerk was asked to ascertain ownership of the bank to the rear of the Cross Lane Houses which is over grown and would benefit from being cleared and tended.
448.0 Finance Report:
Report from the Financial Advisory group. – The first draft of the budget for 2011/12 had been circulated to all Councillors, drawn up at a meeting on 26th October 2010.
A meeting date to discuss the internal audit procedures as recommended by Mazars, should be set for December.
Letter to National Westminster to move monies to the Capital Reserve Account was approved and signed.
| Cheque | Amount | To whom | For: |
| 2641 | £30.00 | M Yeo | Community Bus phone costs |
| 2642 | £104.58 | RBS | Back up costs for one year |
| 2643 | £646.25 | Mazars | Audit – five yearly in depth audit – all clear. |
| 2650 | £630.00 | D Butcher | Clearing Recreation Ground |
| 2645 | £250.00 | News & Views | Parish Articles |
| 2646 | £1012.15 | D Tech Serv | Lighting maintenance half year |
| 2651 | £1209.86 | Nowne | Nowne – wages and expenses |
| 2652 | £370.65 | PAYE | Inland Revenue |
| 2647 | £35.25 | PAYE | Honey Barrett – quarter |
| 2649 | £63.92 | XS Stock | Litter picking sticks x 6 |
| 2653 | £5500.00 | BDT | Half yearly payment |
449.0 Planning Report:
Planning applications considered since the last meeting and the recommendations forwarded to RDC:
RR/2010/2128/P – The Oast House, Holbeam Wood Wallcrouch for solar panels – recommendation for approval.
RR/2010/2133/P – Sunny View Flimwell – new two bedroom two storey house – recommendation for refusal.
RR/2010/2156/T – Plot 14 Devilsden Wood – requested that applicant be asked to spray stems for removal prior to works so that specific trees are identified.
RR/2010/2228/T – Apsley House Ticehurst – Removal of large conifer. Recommendation for approval.
RR/2010/1987/L – Ticehurst House – change of materials for external staircase – recommendation for approval.
RR/2010/2296/P – 10 Church Street Ticehurst – Single storey pitched roof kitchen extension – recommendation for approval.
RR/2010/2421/P – Apsley House – Loft conversion, removal of flat roof and construction of new pitched roof, garage conversion and first floor over garage, new solar panels – recommendation for approval.
RR/2010/2475/P – 10 Acres Rise – First floor bedroom and en-suite shower room – recommendation for approval.
450.0 Railings : Metal railings around playing field – The Clerk was asked to obtain prices for turning over the sharp points to prevent injury and to speak to the neighbours on the eastern side of the field.
451.0 Correspondence:
452.0 Recreation Grounds – Litter collections – The Clerk informed the meeting of the impending retirement of D Butcher and that a replacement might have been found.
453.0 Items for the December Agenda:
None were added under this agenda item.
453.0 The Bell Field: (Confidential). The Council will move to exclude the press and public for this item on the agenda by reason of the confidential nature of the business, as stated in section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 and amended by Section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the confidentiality is due to on- going litigation matters.
454.0 Date of the next meeting The meeting closed at 9.00 p.m. and the next meeting date was set for 7th December 2010.