Minutes of the Statutory Annual Council Meeting 19 May 2010
Church Hall 8.00pm
Present: Mr A Harland (Chairman), Mrs C Ranjbar, Mrs E Smart, Mrs T Tull, Mrs D Kennedy, Mrs D Pound, Mr C Field, Mr C Bond and Mr A Malir.
Clerk (Mr J Paul) and six members of the public.
1. Election of Chairman. Mr Harland was proposed by Mrs Tull, seconded by Mr Bond and elected unopposed.
2. Questions from the public present at the meeting on subjects other than those on the agenda. There were none.
3. Election of Vice-Chairman. Mr Field was proposed by Mr Harland, seconded by Mrs Smart and elected unopposed.
4. Apologies for absence. CClr Mrs Whitehead (attending Hunston PC Annual Meeting).
5. Members and Representatives.
5.1 Planning Committee. Mr Harland proposed all Parish Councillors to be members with Mr Field as Chairman. This was agreed.
5.2 Finance Work Group. It was agreed that as customary the Chairman and Vice Chairman would be members; after discussion it was agreed that Mrs Ranjbar and Mr Bond would serve for an additional year.
5.3 Assets and Amenities Work Group. Mr Malir was proposed as chairman by Mr Harland, seconded by Mr Field. Mrs Pound, Mr Harland and Mrs Kennedy volunteered to be members, this was agreed.
5.4 Representative to Pagham Harbour Local Nature Reserve Advisory Board. (PHLNRAB). Mr Harland proposed Mrs Smart, this was agreed.
5.5 Chichester District Association of Local Councils. (CDALC). It was suggested that SPC should resign from this group as most of its functions were superseded by other forums. The PC decided that membership should continue, to be reviewed in 2011; that Mr Field should continue as the nominated representative but without obligation to attend meetings unless an agenda item was novel and relevant to SPC.
5.6 Peninsula Community Forum. (PCF). It was agreed that Mr Harland should continue as SPC representative.
5.7 Manhood Parishes Road Safety Group. (MPRSG). It was agreed that Mrs Ranjbar and Mr Field should continue to represent SPC
5.8 Manhood Peninsula Steering Group (MPSG). To date Mr Harland attended as an observer, recently he was invited to be a member. It was agreed Mr Harland should be a member to represent SPC.
5.9 Medmerry Stakeholder Advisory Group (MStAG) It was agreed Mr Field should continue to represent SPC.
5.10 Pagham Harbour & Coastal Issues Group. (PH&CIG) It was agreed that Mr Harland would continue as the SPC representative.
6. Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held 17 March 2010.
Mr Field proposed and Mrs Tull seconded that the minutes should be signed as a correct record. All Councillors agreed.
7. Matters arising from the above minutes.
7.1 (6.1.1) The Vehicle Activated Sign near entrance to Recreation Ground is still not working. After the March PC meeting the Clerk contacted WSCC about this sign and was informed that contact was being made with the contractors to find out why not. The Clerk agreed to repeat his enquiry. Action Clerk.
8. Declarations by Councillors of personal interests in items on this agenda. None.
9 Playground (AH).
9.1 Update. Mr Harland reported that budget for the new Parish Council children’s playground was approved by CDC and WSCC after a huge amount of work by his PC Work Group and the Community Group led by Mr Mark Scott. Mr Harland thanked Mr Scott for his work. The Councillors agreed the Parish Council should minute their thanks to Mr Scott and also their great appreciation of the work of Mr Harland.
A late suggestion was that to give children direct access from the equipment to the field, the playground should be sited in the SW corner of the Recreation Ground on the far side of the Football Club’s building rather than on the grass square next to the car park. Consultations with the police saw no problem, CDC agreed the planning permission covered anywhere in the ground, the PC insurers also agreed that the insurance would not be affected. Discussion was lengthy, it was agreed that a site visit by the Councillors should be made on Friday 21 May and a decision made on site to be ratified at the next bi-monthly Parish Council meeting.
9.2 Work Group recommendation to Council to proceed to place orders for equipment and other works. Mr Harland informed the meeting that quotes were obtained from manufacturers. The ‘Monster Group’ quoted for equipment most suited to the Sidlesham requirement. Mr Harland proposed that the Parish Council should authorise that through the Clerk equipment and works should be ordered and contracted. Mr Field seconded this proposal and it was agreed to unanimously by all Councillors.
10 Hall Work-group
10.1 Mrs Pound reported that the Group proposed the production of a questionnaire to ascertain parishioner’s views on current and possible future community facilities in Sidlesham. The Councillors agreed that a questionnaire could be produced by this PC work group but the text must be agreed to by the Parish Council before printing and circulation. ACTION Mrs Pound.
10.2 Future of the Hall Work-group after one year of activity. Mrs Tull asked if a survey had been made by the work group on current use of facilities in the parish. Mrs Pound said this had been done and the findings would be given to the Parish Councillors immediately, including an estimate of income and expenditure. ACTION Mrs Pound
Mr Field asked if the work group needed to continue. After discussion the Councillors agreed that it could continue for one more year; it was re-iterated that there must be no money spent on the questionnaire or any other items without Parish Council sanction.
11 Pagham Harbour Local Nature Reserve issues. Mr Bond reported there were three issues.
11.1 The transfer of management to the RSPB. This was now to be more democratic than reported previously. The discussions and negotiations by WSCC with the RSPB would continue but with local representatives involved.
11.2 Revised by-laws. Any representations had to be made before 22 May; none were proposed from SPC.
11.3 Boat Permits. WSCC decided that ‘appropriate assessment’ was a necessity. On behalf of SPC and as a parishioner Mr Malcolm Davis-White QC requested Ms Lisa Creaye- Griffon of WSCC that she ensure that the Sidlesham PC paper (February 2009) on this subject be forwarded by WSCC to the consultants.
The Councillors agreed that their grateful thanks to Mr Bond and Mr Davis-White for the work concerning the harbour should be recorded in the minutes.
11.4 Mr Harland reported that after writing to various WSCC members asking that Sidlesham be represented on the PH working party he received an invitation to join. However, he indicated that his place should be delegated to Mrs Smart and/or Mr Bond.
12. Amenities and Assets. No report
13. Highways, footpaths and cycleway.
13.1 Fatality on Paddock Straight. The Parish Council recorded with regret the subsequent death of a moped rider after a collision with a scooter in the road next to the Paddock Filling Station. His death is believed to be the result of an existing medical condition.
13.2 Restoration of damaged roads; ditch maintenance. To date no replies were received to letters from the PC to Southern Water Company about road damage and drainage at the sewage pump site.
Although no written response to a letter to Mr Torrence had been received concerning land drainage and subsequent road flooding in Rookery Lane, Mr Field reported that Mr Torrence had indicated verbally that contractors would be asked to carry out remedial work in the area concerned.
Further follow up to the letters was agreed.
The Clerk was requested also to write to Highways about the need for repairs to Highleigh Road.
13.3 Other items: 1. At a previous meeting Mrs Robinson volunteered to start a group examining ditches and drainage in the parish. Mrs Pound agreed to make contact on the subject. 2. Vehicle recording strips were seen in Rookery Lane. ACTION The Clerk to request data.
14. Finance
14.1 Payments. The Clerk requests the following for approval and recording.
14.1.1 Payments to be made
14.1.1.1 Church Hall hire £39.38
14.1.1.2 SPCC contribution to Newcomers Event £70
14.1.2 Payments made since last meeting
14.1.2.1 Manhood C C donation for statistics prize £25.
14.1.2.2 Samaritans £75
14.1.2.3 CAB £75.
14.1.2.4 Apuldram Centre £30.
14.1.2.5 Sidlesham Good Companions mini-bus £100.
14.1.2.6 MH Kennedy grass cutting 17&31 March £185.15.
14.1.2.7 J Paul clerk fee monthly STO change to £445.
14.1.2.8 SALC Local Council Review £13.50
14.1.2.9 SALC Subscription. £311.60
14.1.2.11 Insurance annual premium £434.67
14.1.2.12 Kennedy’s (grass cutting) 7&22 April £193.88
14.1.2.13 Mrs Pound fee for attendance at AIR Sussex meeting November 2009 £6.00
Mr Field proposed and Mrs Smart seconded that the items of 14.11 through 14.1.2.13 should be accepted en bloc, the Councillors agreed.
14.2 Sidlesham Festival; request for donation to funds. The Councillors agreed that up to £100 could be contributed for a specific item of expenditure for the Festival.
14.3 To adopt a SPC Financial Risk Management document. Mrs Tull proposed, seconded by Mr Field that the draft document be adopted and published (website), all agreed.
15 Update on a revised SPC Standing Orders Document. Mr Bond reported that completion of a draft was close.
16 To adopt a Complaints Procedure. Mrs Smart proposed seconded by Mrs Kennedy and agree by all to be adopted and published (website).
17 Annual Parish Meeting 26 May 2010. Agenda and flyers all organised.
18 Correspondence. None to report.
19 Other Reports.
19.1 Chichester Association of Local councils (CF) Nothing to report.
19.2 Manhood Parishes Road Safety Group. Mr Field reported on the deployment of SIDs; car sales on roadsides was being dealt with by WSCC; the area was to have a new PCSO as Craig Voke had been accepted for PC training.
20 Proposed meetings for the next twelve months Wednesdays at 7:00pm: -
20.1 Parish Council bi-monthly 21 July 2010, 15 September 2010, 17 November 2010, 19 January 2011, 16 March 2011, 19 May 2011 (statutory annual meeting),
Annual Parish Meeting 26 May 2011. ACTION Clerk to publish on notice boards and website
20.2 Planning Committee every three weeks if new applications are received, interval and dates subject to change if applications not received. Agreed
20.3 Work Groups as required. Agreed
21 Matters of urgent public importance. Any items raised will stand deferred until the next meeting. None raised.
22 Matters of Information. None
Meeting closed 22:05