Southwick & Widley Parish Council

Minutes of Parish Council meeting held in the Montgomery Room, D-day Memorial Hall, Southwick on Monday 14th April, 2008 at 7.30pm

Present : Mrs. J. Bazalgette (Chairman) Mr. J. Houghton (Vice-Chairman) Mr. B. Welch Mrs. S. Grant Mr. A. Richards Mrs. J. Nainby-Luxmoore Mr. J. Cooper Mr. P. Hill Mr. S. Nicholls

Also present: Rev. R Green Major F Frost 3 members of the public

In attendance:- Eddie Mason – Clerk to the Council.

38/08 – Apologies for absence: - None

39/08 – The Minutes of the previous meeting:- The following corrections to the minutes were made: i) 29/01 i) Mrs Bazalgette said that the caravan that is parked in the lay-by is going to be moved. ii) 31/08 iv) Remove second paragraph.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 10th March 2008 as amended, were signed as a true and accurate record

40/08 – Youth Shelter i) Nothing to report - This item was deferred until the next meeting.

41/08 – Matters Arising: i) Mrs Bazalgette said that; a) The Mobile Police station will be in the village on the 16 th April between 14:00 to 16:00 am. b) The railings around the Playing Field have not been put back up.

Major Frost said that she will look into it. c) Asked if anyone had any further information on the reported selling of the Police House?

Mr Cooper confirmed that the Police House is soon to be put up for sale.

42/08 – Public Participation:- i) Mrs C Watson asked what was being done about dog fouling.

Mr Houghton said that the dog warden had visited the village but had not seen any anything.

43/08 – Correspondence: i) County Council a) Invitation to attend the Annual County Service on Sunday the 8 th June in Cathedral.

Due to the forthcoming elections it was decided to defer a decision on who should represent the Parish until the next meeting b) List of all Public Footpaths – Mrs Grant to read

Page 1 of 3 c) Transport letter – Mr Hill to read d) Report on the importation of concrete blend with on site demolition material to produce secondary aggregate for a temporary period at DSTL Portsdown Main. – Noted e) Minutes of the County Council Meeting 3 rd April. Noted ii) Winchester City Council - Invitation to attend a Public Diner in honour of the retiring Mayor on the 9 th May in the Guildhall Winchester – Noted iii) Letter from Club 55 requesting the use of the Playing Field for BBQ’s on the 26 th June and the 7th August. – Approved subject to the usual provisos. iv) Report from the South East Regional Housing Board – Regional Housing Strategy 2008 -2011 – Noted v) Report from Havant Borough Council – The Havant Local Development Framework – Core Strategy and allocations Plan – Noted vi) Letter from the Audit Commission confirming the appointment of Alun Williams as the Parish’s external auditor – Noted

44/08 – Playing field matters: i) Mr Houghton reported: a) That the gates have not been repaired b) The infill of the hedge with quick thorn bushes has been completed c) That the existing football nets are fragile and when they are next replaced consideration should be given to obtaining more substantial ones. d) He had checked the seat that had received a medium risk warning in the Annual Play Equipment Inspection Report and could only find one small split which in his opinion, at this time, does not merit costly repair work. This item will continue to be monitored. e) He reported that the hedge will need a cut in the autumn.

45/08 – Street Lighting Matters: i) Hampshire County Council are still asking to be paid for maintaining and repairing the Parish’s Street Lights, although the Parish has a contract and is paying Southern Electric Contracting to undertake its Street Light maintenance and repair work.

Mr Cooper asked for the Street Lighting file so that he could investigate Hampshire County Council’s claim and if necessary he would escalate the matter through County Councillor F Allgood .

46/08 – Roads & Highway matters: i) It was reported that the high level of rain is causing the surface of Lower West Street to break up.

Mr Cooper said that part of the problem lies with the drainage ditches being blocked and these are not being cleared because of disputes over who owns them. Whilst these disputes in ownership continue the state of the road will get worse.

47/08 – Planning matters: i) Planning applications received 17 th March 2008

2008/07 – W20227/03 – 08/00600/HCS Applicant: TJ Transport Ltd Proposal: Importation of concrete blend with on site demolition material to produce a secondary aggregate for a temporary period Location: DSTL Portsdown West Portsdown Hill Road South Hampshire PO17 6AD

Parish Decision: No comment ii) Mr Cooper reported that the application to place a Marquee on Southwick Golf Club had been refused, and said that the Club would be putting in a new application. iii) Chris Langford had offered to have a site meeting with the Parish Council with regard to the Estate’s planning application for Castle Farm.

Page 2 of 3 Mr Cooper said that he would contact Chris Langford to see whether or not a site meeting would be beneficial.

48/08 – Members business i) Mrs Grant said that the fence around Widley Graveyard has come down and that it now has no protection.

Mrs Grant was asked to obtain two quotations for supplying and erecting new fencing. ii) Mr Richards asked the Clerk to report to the County Highways that the ditch alongside the pump has sunk and is dangerous. iii) The Reverend Green said that the Post Office has not received any payment for electricity for the village clock.

The Clerk was asked to make a cheque payable to the Post Office for £10.00 and present it to the next Council meeting. iv) Mr Hill informed the Council that this would be his last meeting as a Parish Councillor as he is not putting up for re-election. v) Mr Welch asked that notices be put up advertising that the Parish Council would be filling vacancies by Co-option. vi) Mrs Bazalgette proposed a vote of thanks to both Mr Hill and Mr Houghton who are not putting up for the Parish Council at the forthcoming election, for all the work they had undertaken on behalf of the village. vii) Mr Nicholls suggested that the Parish Council should put up a mirror at the junction of Back Lane and Bridge Street to assist motorists and improve road safety. This would need permission from the Estate. viii) Major Frost again apologised on behalf of Colonel Boyd who, due to ill health, could not attend the Parish Assembly ix) Reverend Green proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs Bazalgette who was standing down as Parish Chairman for all the hard work that she has undertaken on behalf of the Parish.

49/08 – Orders for Payment i) It was unanimously agreed that the Council should pay its bills:

Expenditure

Cheque Trans. No Supplier For Gross £ VAT £ Net £

105 000849 E Mason Salary Parish Clerk - April 2008 168.93 0.00 168.93 106 000849 E Mason Clerks Expenses - Office April 2008 20.00 0.00 20.00 107 000849 E Mason Clerks Expenses - Stamps 12.42 0.00 12.42 108 000849 E Mason Parking fee 1.00 0.00 1.00 109 000849 E Mason Clerks Expenses - Milleage 43.94 0.00 43.94 110 000850 Inland Revenue Clerks Tax - January 2008 47.74 0.00 47.74 111 000851 Mr Dillon Litter Collection - March 88.32 0.00 88.32 112 000852 Southern Electric Contracting Repair L10 & l6 164.17 24.45 139.72 113 000853 Woodlake Farm & Garden Services Repair hedge 320.00 0.00 320.00 114 000845 George Cann Garden Machinery Mower Repair 232.65 34.65 198.00 115 000855 Shell Waterlooville Paid to Mrs Grant 16.79 2.50 14.29 116 000856 Hampshire County Council ** Street Lighting 1242.80 185.10 1057.70

Total Expenditure 2358.76 246.70 2112.06

** Payment withheld

The meeting closed at 9.06pm

Date of the next meetings: 12th May 2008

Page 3 of 3