MINUTES of Parish Council Meeting 18th April 2018
Sidlesham Parish Council
Minutes of Parish Council Meeting 18th April 2018 in the Church Hall, Church Farm Lane at 7.30pm
Present: Mrs C Ranjbar (Vice-Chairman), Mr P Bedford, Mrs C Hall, Mrs U Pearce and Dr F Lewis. 2 members of the public and the Clerk, Mrs T MacIntyre.
Members of the council and the public were informed that the evening’s meeting would be recorded.
1 Questions from the public present at the meeting on subjects other than those on the agenda. None
2. Apologies for Absence: Mr A Harland, Mr M Mellodey (to join later), Mrs M Monnington, Cllr P Tull and Cllr P Montyn.
3. Declarations by councillors of personal interests in items on this agenda. None
4. Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 21st March 2018 to be signed as a correct record. Mrs Ranjbar proposed and Dr Lewis seconded that the minutes be signed. 3 agreed with 2 abstentions.
5. Matters arising from the above minutes not dealt with in separate items below. None.
6. Neighbourhood Plan
Mr Bedford had circulated a document, produced by CPRE, which is a helpful guide to the writing of a Neighbourhood Plan and particularly applicable to rural areas. He informed councillors that Birdham PC’s Neighbourhood Plan has recently been approved and could form a basis of Sidlesham’s NP. He advised councillors to look at it on Birdham PC’s website. Sidlesham’s Village Design Statement, written 2006, will be incorporated into the document and Earnley’s Vision Statement will also be considered. The Neighbourhood Plan Work Group will work with neighbouring parishes. Mr Bedford’s statement on the possible content of a village plan had been circulated to councillors. It was suggested that this be circulated more widely and parishioners asked for their comments and additions to the statement.
Sidlesham PC must now formalise the process by defining the geographical area to be covered, give reasons for the boundary, prove that the PC and members of the community will form a proper body to write the document and sign a Section 61 notice to commit the parish to the project. This map and statement will be submitted to CDC. CDC will advertise it for 6 weeks. In the event of a dispute over the boundary area, CDC will set the boundary area. It was thought that Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve should be included in the plan; the drainage system of the area is pivotal to drainage in the rest of the village.
Mrs Hall was concerned that parishioners who have shown an interest in participating, have not been contacted. Mr Bedford stated that the initial approval for the proposed area should be the first step. The issue will be on the agenda for the Annual Parish Meeting.
7. Memorial Playing Field
7.1 SCA Questionnaire.
The survey is complete and the results on the SCA website. It had a relatively high percentage of respondents (25.7%) and several of those had put their names forward to participate in the project. Of those who filled in the questionnaire, 63% stated that they would be happy to have an increase in their Council Tax. Mr Bedford stated that information in the survey would contribute to the Neighbourhood Plan.
8. Highways, footpaths and cycleways.
8.1 Selsey/Chichester Commuter Cycle route.
Mr Bedford reported that the scheme has been submitted to WSCC to be assessed as one which it might support. WSCC initially accepted 8 schemes; 2 now remain in the running for potential capital funding, of which the Selsey/Chichester Commuter Cycle route is one. The route has been defined but there are still a few issues to be resolved. One is the footpath from Keynor Lane where Church Commissioners have asked the size of the piece of land to be used. The second concern is the link from Jury Lane. At the northern end of the route, discussions continue with the Free School. A decision is expected from WSCC in 6 weeks’ time.
8.2 Bus Shelter north of Lockgate Road.
The PC has submitted plans to raise a concrete buffer curb in front of the bus shelter, resurface the footpath and raise a concrete vehicle barrier curb north to the first field entrance. Mr Bedford will look into the drainage at that section of road and apply for Operation Watershed money to improve drainage. The PC awaits a response from WSCC Highways.
9. Draft Data Protection Policy for PC
Quotes from 2 Data Protection Regulators had been circulated to councillors. The Clerk advised that the PC should sign up to Satswana which offers an online service and ask when their next workshop for Councillors will be held in this area. All agreed.
10. Assets and Amenities Workgroup
10.1 Barrier Gate at MPF.
The Clerk has requested 2 more quotations to redo the foundations for the left hand post of the barrier gate. She will circulate these as soon as they are to hand.
11. Letter from Greenwood Nursery re donation to parish
The Clerk had received a generous offer from Greenwood Nursery to donate a bench, tree or shrubs to the community through the PC. The Clerk had written to the Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group to ask their advice and they had advised another tree for the orchard or a bench near the orchard. More trees or a bench near the orchard could make mowing more difficult. However, the playground does need more sand in the sandpit and the Clerk was asked to write to Greenwood Nursery to suggest that they contribute to the sand for the sandpit. All agreed that, regardless of whether Greenwood Nursery is willing to contribute, more sand should be ordered for the playground.
12. Bins to reduce roadside litter
Mrs Hall has a team equipped with picker sticks and yellow jackets who litter pick regularly along the roadside. However, it continues to be a problem and the village needs bins at the Lockgate Road bus shelter and another at the school. Mrs Hall suggested that she contact the school to involve children in a ‘keep the village tidy’ project. All agreed. Mrs Hall will pursue possibilities and keep councillors informed. The Clerk will contact the CDC Street Scenes Officer to suggest a site meeting in Sidlesham.
It was suggested that the PC approach local businesses to sponsor a bin and its emptying.
The Clerk was asked to look into the cost of new bins.
13. Finance
13.1 Income
13.1.1 WSCC (Operation Watershed Grant) £4,999.00
13.1.2 CDC (1st instalment of Precept) £14,813
13.2 Payments
13.2.4 Good Companions Transport Club (Charitable donation) £145.00
13.2.5 Homestart Chichester & District (Charitable donation) £100.00
13.2.6 Samaritans (Charitable donation) £100.00
13.2.7 Sussex Legal Services (Charitable donation) £100.00
13.2.8 Citizens Advice Bureau (Charitable donation) £100.00
13.2.9 Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance (Charitable donation £100.00
13.2.10 PC Building Services (repair finger post) £150.00
13.2.11 KJC Trees (trim trees on Memorial Playing Field drive) £120.00
13.2.12 Sidlesham PCC (hire of hall) £112.50
13.2.13 Sidlesham PCC (donation to churchyard mowing) £500
13.2.14 T MacIntyre (expenses Sept ’17 – March ’18) £140.43
13.2.15 T MacIntyre (March salary) £504.22
Dr Lewis proposed that items 13.1 to 13.2.15 be taken en bloc and Mrs Ranjbar seconded the proposal. All agreed.
14. Reports.
14.1 The Clerk had circulated minutes from the Peninsula Forum Meeting on 5th March 2018.
14.2 Build a better A27 Meeting. Mr Mellodey, having come on to the PC meeting from the BABA27 meeting, reported on antagonism between those north and those south of the city. RIS2 has no agreed budget yet but Highways England has confirmed that it has no objections, in principle, to the long list of options put forward by SYSTRA. These must have community support and must be different to the original options. There will be another meeting at the end of May where 3 proposals will be selected to be submitted to HE. The Clerk was asked to obtain and circulate the power point notes from the meeting.
15. Correspondence. None
16. Matters of urgent public importance. Items raised will stand deferred until the next meeting.
16.1 Ferry Farm Community Fund.
The next application for a Ferry Farm grant should be submitted by 30th June 2018. The PC agreed to apply to complete the replacement of the rotten fencing round the playground. The Clerk was asked to apply.
16.2 Co-option of new Councillor for PC. The notice will be removed from the notice boards on 20th April.
Meeting closed at 8.50 pm
