STEDHAM WITH IPING PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Lucy Petrie Clerk: Jane Crawford email: [email protected] website: http://www.stedhamwithiping-pc.gov.uk/ ______

MINUTES: Meeting of Stedham with Iping Parish Council No.1/Year 3/15-19 Held on: Wednesday 17 May 2017 beginning at 7.35pm At: Stedham Memorial Hall Present: Lucy Petrie 16/17 Debra Chalton 14/17 Eddie Lintott 17/17 Rowland Page 6/16 Martin Perry 3/3 John Wheelhouse 11/12

In attendance: Kate O’Kelly, County Councillor, and Caroline Neville, District Councillor.

The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations are in force, giving a right to members of the public to record (film, photograph and audio-record) and report on proceedings at meeting of the Council and its Committees.

1. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS: None.

2. APOLOGIES: Elizabeth Griffiths 5/6, Olia Mitskevich 10/17 and Sue Payne, SIPC representative on LNR Management Committee, Police & Neighbourhood Watch

3. MINUTES OF MEETINGS: No. 7 Year 2/15-19 of 15 March 2017 were agreed and signed.

4. WSCC and DISTRICT COUNCILLORS and POLICE/NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH 4.1. County Councillor: The Chairman invited Kate O’Kelly (KO), the new County Councillor to report. The new WSCC consisted of 56 Conservative, 9 Liberal Democrats and 5 Labour members. She had been appointed to the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee and the Rights of Way Committee. She had a helpful handover from Gordon McAra which included learning about cycleways. She was hoping to start a surgery whereby residents could meet her to raise points of concern. 4.2. District Councillor: Caroline Neville (CN) reported. Many CDC meetings had been cancelled because of the impending general election. Depending on the result, CDC was hoping to increase planning fees by 20% to help with the deficit in the CDC planning department. CDC councillors had visited Chichester planetarium. Patrick Moore had gifted three telescopes to the planetarium which financed itself and relied heavily on volunteers to run it. The RNLI had a donation for a new lifeboat at Selsey. 4.3. Police and Neighbourhood Watch: No report.

5. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: None.

6. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 6.1. NC CLC 16 March 2017 The Grange Centre attended by EL. The meeting report would be circulated. 6.2. CDC community forum meeting 28 March 2017 at MTC Old Library had been attended by the Chairman and EL.

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The meeting had been about the SDNPA Local Plan. The Chairman felt the plan was rather woolly without strict criteria which could be adhered to e.g. no new minerals licensed within the park, but this did not address whether Minsted West would be new or old. There was the general idea that they did not want an increase in the size of existing houses, but no actual guidelines to achieve this. SDNP had increased their enforcement officers by 100%: from 1 to 2. The full report would be circulated.

7. MINERALS Minsted Sandpit: EL had been dealing with Minsted Sandpit for SIPC over many years and thought that LP as Chairman should liaise with Minsted residents in future. The Chairman was happy to do so.

8. PARISH ACTION PLAN 8.1. Stedham crossroads globe shielding: No further information. 8.2. Parking by Recreation Ground (RG). The Clerk had applied for a grant from the South Downs Society and should hear abolut it at the end of May. 8.4. Superfast broadband: Openreach had been working on the cabinets at Stedham and Minsted. The Clerk was asked again to find out when the new broadband would come on stream. A863 8.5. Defibrillators: SIPC could obtain a new homes bonus grant of £900 for defibrillators. DC would let the clerk have details of the costs involved. A864

9. FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE 9.1 Financial report Receipts since last meeting NatWest Interest (.18 March .17 April) H £0.35 WSCC Watershed grant N £6.207.00 SSALC Transparency grant M £1,462.74 HMRC VAT repayment May to February (2016/17) Q £1,756.32 NatWest Repayment of bank charges M £3.25 CDC Precept K £9,750.00 Cash Stedham with Iping book M £5.00

Payments since last meeting NatWest charges £3.25 Landbuild Watershed works (Meadowhills) G £5,683.20 Landbuild Watershed works (Bridgefoot) G £2,832.00 S Water Allotments water C10 £23.43 SSALC Local Council Review B4 £17.00 P E Minerals consultation A10 £208.90 Stedham Sports Assn SSA grant B03 £300.00 SMHT Hall hire A04 £360.00 Robert Clow Payroll services A02 £216.00 Jane Crawford Clerk’s remuneration + overtime 16-17 A01 £1,532.16 Midhurst Community Bus Grant B04 £50.00

Due for payment ALC Subscription B04 £244.66 J. Crawford APM /spring clean food B02 £24.57 J. Crawford Clerk’s remuneration A01 PWLB Hall loan B02 £744.11 Total £1,892.82

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Balances Current account £7,520.88 Business Reserve A/c £27,357.81 Total £34,878.69

The Clerk had been promoted to Spinal Column Point 27 and included the national award of a 1% rise. Resolved: To make the above payments. Proposed by the Chairman, seconded by DC, with all in favour. 9.2. Annual Return 2016-2017 Internal Audit report: a) Internal control considered good. A point was raised that every effort should be made to obtain a valid and correctly addressed VAT invoice when reclaiming VAT. It was observed that on two occasions till roles supported such payments. Although there was sufficient documentation relating to the payments there could be a risk that VAT recovery could be disallowed. The Clerk explained that one related to the mower which was bought at B & Q and the other to John Jenkins for a gift. Both organisations would only supply till receipts. b) Risk Assessment: RM had understood from the minutes that responsibility for certain ditches had been transferred from WSCC to SIPC and recommended the Clerk should determine what responsibilities the council assumed and the effect of risk of not maintaining them. If liability did exist, it should be highlighted in the risk register. It was agreed that SIPC was keeping the ditch tidy by strimming it twice a year, removing overgrown saplings and dead leaves rather than maintaining the actual drainage of the ditch. 9.3. Annual Return 2016-2017 Annual Governance Statement was gone through and approved by the Council. 9.4. Annual Return 2016-2017. Councillors had been emailed a copy of the Annual Return, the Explanation of Significant Changes, the Bank Reconciliation, the Fixed Assets Register and Risk Assessment. All other documents were on the website. Members had confirmed that they did not have any connections with Littlejohn, the auditors. The Accounting Statements were agreed and signed by the Chairman and Clerk. Resolved: To submit the Annual Return to the External Auditor. Proposed by John Wheelhouse, seconded by DC, with all in favour. A865 The Clerk would put the Annual Return and notices of the public’s rights to inspect the accounts on A866 the notice boards.

10. ENVIRONMENT AND AMENITIES COMMITTEE 10.1. Play areas: Inspection of equipment and signing the books: The books had been signed. 10.2. Risk assessment: Recreation ground: MP had cut the dead branch on the cherry tree. The doors of the School Lane notice board needed cleaning and the Clerk would ask OM if she could do it. A867 Common View play area: Over grown trees: It was agreed that the trees should be cut down. Most of them were on Rotherhill land and the Clerk was asked to contact the owner about them. The ash A868 tree that was overhanging the dome climber was SIPC’s responsibility and RP would ask Matt Harridge to look at it. It was agreed that it would be best if it was cut down. A869 RP felt some of the wooden equipment was showing its age and replacing it should be considered. MP said the children enjoyed using it and annual inspection would reveal if it needed further renovation. 870 There was a hole in the football net and RP said he would swop the nets around. A Allotments: There were some over-hanging and dead trees which belonged to Rotherhill. There were some more rotten fence posts which RP would replace. A871 Stedham phone box had two loose windows which needed to be mended. LM would be asked to deal with them. A872 Iping bus shelter: The brambles needed to be cleared – LM would be asked to deal with them. A873 Iping salt bin: The bin had been moved and the lid would not long close. It was agreed to leave it. A874 Stedham with Iping Parish Council Meeting No 1/3/15-19 17 May 2017 3

Ingrams Green sign: LP would arrange for the sign to be cleaned. Iping signpost at Hammerwood: There was a missing N and the sign needed renovating. The Clerk would contact JSS about it. A875

10.3. Highways and footpaths: Damage to the verge at The Alley: The bank on the verge had been reinstated by the Sports Association. However, unfortunately the dustbin lorry had immediately run over it. SSA would get the work done again. Potholes near Crossroads: The Clerk would report them to WSCC Highways. A876

10.4. Flooding: Stedham Lane works near Meadowhills: The Clerk had contacted WSCC and was asked to send a photograph of the road when it was flooding. JW had kindly offered to do this. A877

10.4 Commons and open spaces: Iping and Stedham Commons LNR joint scientific and advisory Committee was attended by Sue Payne, EG and the Chairman who reported. It was the first meeting for 18 months and the minutes were not available yet. It was attended by representatives of the Sussex Wildlife Trust, the SDNPA , Dr AB of the Sussex Ornithological Society and Mike Edwards. • With funding from the Lottery and Countryside Stewardship, SWT was hoping to be able to fence Iping Common in January 2018. • AB had been counting rare/ endangered bird numbers in breeding pairs. On Iping Common there were 3 pairs of Dartford warblers, 4 nightjars, 6 woodlarks, 4 stonechats, 4 tree pipets and 3 red starts. On Stedham Common there were no pairs of Dartford warblers, no nightjars, 1 woodlark, 1 stonechat., 1 tree pipet and no red starts. He had tried to stop people walking their dogs off their leads, but this approach had been unsuccessful so he had decided to work with dog walkers by asking them to avoid certain areas. The Chairman had spoken to AB subsequently who said that the particular path near where all these rare birds were nesting was mown this year and he estimated it would take 8 years to recover. The gorse on the same path had been cut two years ago. • LP had suggested using wick wipe (a heavy rope soaked in concentrated weedkiller towed behind a tractor) for weedkilling the birch before they got too large. SWT did not seem to be aware of the products she had mentioned. • There were 204 species of spiders on the commons. • The cattle on Stedham were staying until September. The Clerk was asked to check when the 6 months for the electric fencing was up. Afternote: The fencing had been removed.

11. PLANNING COMMITTEE: Report on meeting No 1/3(15-19) held prior to this meeting would be circulated. SDNPA local plan invitation to meet planning officer: The Clerk would arrange a meeting and suggest it should take place at the Sawmills site. JW had questions including about other land being A878 put forward and would make a list of them. A879

12. MEMORIAL HALL: DC reported. Hall sign: The sign should be on The Street, but not on the grass verge. Summer garden party was to be held on 17 June. Risk assessment and health and safety checks had been undertaken. The Clerk suggested that they should look at the fire alarm because at the moment it only made a noise within the Hall and it should really be like a burglar alarm with noise outside and possibly raise an alarm at someone’s house. Nursery tenant: It was hoped that The Willows Forest School would start a new nursery class for three days a week in the Hall.

13. ACTIONS LIST: See below.

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14. CORRESPONDENCE/EMAILS: None

15. DATE OF NEXT MEETINGS: Wednesday 19 July, 7.30 pm at Stedham Memorial Hall

The Chairman thanked Eddie Lintott for his recent years of service as Chairman of the Council. EL apologised for not leaving a full council and said it was everyone’s responsibility to try and find a new councillor as soon as possible. A880

The Chairman also congratulated Kate O’Kelly on her election as the councillor.

CONCLUSION 9.02

Chairman...... Date......

ACTIONS FROM MEETING 17 MAY 2017 A863 Clerk Broadband Ask WSCC for another update A864 DC/Clerk Defibrillators DC to provide info for grant application A865 Clerk Annual Return Send to External Auditor ✓ A866 Clerk Audit notice Put on notice boards ✓ A867 Clerk/OM Notice board Ask OM to keep door glass and area clean ✓ A868 Clerk CV trees Contact landowner A869 RP CV ash tree Ask MH for advice A870 RP Football nets Swop around A871 RP Allotments fence Replace rotten posts A872 Clerk Stedham kiosk Ask LM to refit window panes ✓ A873 Clerk Iping bus shelter Ask LM to clear brambles ✓ A874 LP Ingrams Green sign Arrange for it to be cleaned ✓ A875 Clerk Iping Lane signpost Arrange renovation ongoing A876 Clerk Potholes at Crossroads Report to WSCC Highways done A877 JW Meadowhills flood Take photo A878 Clerk SDNPA Local Plan Arrange meeting with SDNPA ✓ A879 JW SDNPA meeting List of questions A880 ALL New member Try to find someone

ACTIONS FROM MEETING 15 MARCH 2017 A857 MP/Clerk RG play equipment Obtain book from CM ✓ A859 OM Mud on Stedham Lane Report to WSCC A862 Clerk WSCC Footpath list Identify paths ongoing

ACTIONS FROM MEETING 16 NOVEMBER 2016 A841 Clerk Tye Hill Ask WSCC to clear land

ACTIONS FROM MEETING 16 MARCH 2016 A785 Clerk RG parking Obtain grants towards work ongoing

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