Ticehurst Parish Council

The Village Hall, Lower High Street, Ticehurst, East Sussex, TN5 7BB 01580 754 090

The Council met on Tuesday 7th September 2010 at 7.30 p.m. Thirty minutes were  allowed at the start of the meeting for public questions and comments on relevant matters on the  agenda.   Some forty-two persons were present.
It was decided that as so many people were present, that one question/comment per person would be fair.

There was much heated debate. Messrs. Clarke and Field asked whether the Council intended to supply additional facilities on the recreation ground, whether the Council had at any time met with the complainants, and a request that the Council clarify that the recreation ground is not at risk of closure.  The Council were able to state that it was their intention to improve facilities, the Beatrice Drewe Trust  had previously attended RDC’s mediation services with the complainant and that the D. Cllrs.  had recently met with them.  It was not felt that the Recreation Ground had ever been at risk of closure.  The organisers of the recent petition (which had been delivered to Rother and to the Parish) heatedly refuted claims that it was misleading.  There was a level of discord when Ms Quenzler claimed that there was a ‘hate campaign’ against the complainant which the Council should address. This  was hotly refuted by the public who took umbrage at the reference made to those present as  ‘the mob’  .  Apologies were requested but were not forthcoming and no report was made, as requested, about the content of the  District Councillors’ meeting with the complainant. A show of hands displayed an over-whelming support for an application to lift restrictions on part of the Recreation Ground.  A suggestion that the ‘mob’ were over-riding supporters of the curfew was strongly refuted by those present.  The Chairman then called the meeting to order and reminded the public that they had a right and were welcome to stay and observe the rest of the meeting. 

AGENDA

Present:  Cllrs. Goodall (c), Maynard, Mitchell, Cocking, Burley, Rigby, Hastings, Cook, Langdown, Seemann, Yeo and Young.
In attendance:  D. Cllrs. Elliston and Jenkins and C. Cllr. Barnes.

395.0 Declarations of Interest: by Councillors on any matters on the agenda, the nature of that interest and whether the Councillor considers that interest to be prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct – this should then be repeated prior to that agenda item.
Clerk to distributed forms to update any interests that should be declared.  Councillors were asked to consider them and return them before the next meeting.  Cllr. Cook declared a personal interest in agenda item 414 as a neighbour to the Bell Field and Cllr. Seemann a personal interest in any item that might relate to affordable housing.  This was duly recorded in the interests register.

396.0 Apologies for absence:  There were no apologies for absence as the full Council were present.

397.0 Minutes of the meeting held on 6th July 2010:  -Proposed by Cllr. Young, seconded by Cllr. Cocking as an accurate record of those proceedings and the Council authorised the Chairman to sign them.

398.0 Additional Agenda Items:  To consider such other items as the Chairman    decides are urgent and due notice of which has been given to the Clerk by 12 noon on the day.  No decisions/resolutions can be made under this agenda point.  There were no such items.

399.0  Shared  Spaces:  Piers Young distributed a paper on progress made to date.  It was resolved that the Council were still interested in pursuing the idea and that the Council would ask ESCC to include this in their forthcoming review.  It was also resolved that a meeting with the persons responsible for the Lewes scheme would be advantageous and Mr Young kindly agreed to set this up.  It was felt that any such scheme would be very expensive and whilst County and District levels of local authority will have very tight budgets, a Parish Council can take out a loan from the Public Works Loan Board to facilitate such schemes.

400.0   Rubbish Bin in Recreation Ground Car Park:   This has been installed.

401.0  Bin in Pickforde Lane:   Clerk to reported that there had been no  progress made with regard to buying in to Newington Court’s refuge collection service and the rubbish in the Lane remains a problem.

402.0  Appendix of Outstanding Matters:

403.0 District Council Report:  A written report had been received and circulated to all Councillors  - attached to minutes.  The District Councillors were asked if they knew whether the collapse of Connaught would affect affordable housing in the Parish.   Cllr. Seemann (repeating his declaration as a board member of Amicus Horizon) reported that he was not aware of any connection, but would report back to the next meeting.

404.0 County Council Report: A written report is requested by the Council to be circulated with the agenda for Councillors’ consideration and attachment to Council minutes.

405.0 SALC and RALC Reports: A written report to be circulated if Councillors have attended any meetings to feed back to colleagues.

406.0 Traffic Calming Report:  Meeting should be set to convene a meeting.

407.0 Finance Report:  Finance meeting to be set.  Contractor Quotations.

408.0 Planning Report: Plans and recommendations since the last meeting:
RR/2010/1280/P  Three bay barn – recommendation for approval.
RR/2010/1346/L The Priory – recommendation for approval
RR/2010/1418/P Kilnbyre Alterations to annexe roof – recommendation for approval.
RR/2010/1432/P Singehurst Cottage – front extension and relocation of front door – approval recommended.
RR/2010/1434/P Walters Farm – new dormer and garage – recommendation for approval
RR/2010/1473/FN Bearhurst Farm – erection of farm building – approval recommended.
RR/2010/1506/C ESCC Solar panels in roof of childrens centre – approved.
RR/2010/1552/P  Hastoe Housing – development Upper Platts – recommended refusal.
RR/2010/2954/P EDF Energy – access arrangements – recommended approval
RR/2010/1751/P Claphatch Farm – extension and bay window adjustment – approval.
RR/2010/1815/P Long Branch – conservatory – approval recommended.
RR/2010/1816/O  3 Bell Cottages LDC use of parking space – refusal
RR/2010/1841/P The Oast Dale Hill – Erection of garage and log store.
RR/2010/1529/P Mick Gould Commercials – VOSA Testing Station – recommend approval
RR/2010/1538/P Little Boarzell – Potting shed – recommendation for approval.
RR/2010/1674/L Walters Farm – internal refurbishments – recommendation for approval
RR/2010/1945/P Brookgate Farm – rear extension – recommendation for approval
RR/2010/19959/P Greenside Lower Platts – front dormer – recommendation for approval
RR/2010/1988/A Lower St. Mary’s – Stack Boards – recommendation for refusal.

Planning Permissions and ‘permitted rights’. Clerk to reported on meeting with Mr Cathcart in that he had given advice on what would be considered to be permitted rights.  It was resolved that the Clerk should proceed to apply for planning permission for a terraced area to allow disabled access and a flat dry seating area and for the lifting of the restrictions imposed on areas of the recreation ground. 

409.0 Health  Meeting Changes to NHS:  Hailsham Public Consultation 2.30 -4.30 and 6- 8 pm  13th September 2010.

410.0 Allotments:  Cllr. Maynard to reported that there are  now eighty-four allotments in total, with a small waiting list.  Most allotments are well tended, with a very small proportion that might cause concern.  It was resolved that anyone who wanted to should meet at the Annexe at 6.00 p.m. next Wednesday – 15th September – to have a potter around the three allotments.

411.0 Grass maintenance Issues:  Knotweed.  It was resolved that Cllr. Maynard and the Clerk would carry out more roundup treatment at the Bell Field in the autumn.

412.0 Correspondence

413.0 Items for the October Agenda:    
Kerbing in Springfields
Local Development Plan – implications for local housing.

414.0 The Bell Field:  (Confidential). No update was available.

415.0  The meeting closed at 8.59 p.m. and the date of the next meeting set for 5th October 2010