ALFRISTON PARISH COUNCIL www.alfristonparishcouncil.org.uk

CLERK TO THE COUNCIL Victoria Rutt 11 Highfield Road Horam Tel: 01323 870212 TN21 0ED E-mail: [email protected]

Minutes of the Tye Advisory Group held in the Alfriston War Memorial Hall on Tuesday 31st October 2017

Present: Cllr. N. Beechey - Chair Cllr. J. Watkins - Vice Chair Cllr. N. White Cllr. V. Cooper Cllr. K. Halliday Cllr. R. Savage

In attendance: Victoria Rutt - Parish Clerk 1 Member of the public

1. Chair’s welcome Cllr Beechey welcomed Vernon Reynolds to the meeting as the only member of the public. Cllr Beechey explained that Alfriston Parish Council is a tier of government and we are governed by our Standing Orders. These make no provision for working parties and the like but do allow us to hold Advisory Committees to which non- Councillors can be invited and take part. Our Standing Orders dictate that all our meetings must be open to the public and press, with an exception if it involves sensitive or confidential information.

It is regretful that those who showed an interest in attending the advisory group have decided they will not attend. However the standing orders are important as they ensure our decision-making process is open and transparent. We have received many written views so these will be taken into account.

2. Public Questions Vernon Reynolds stated he did not have a question, that he was here on behalf of AEG to listen and report back. Councillors thanked him for attending.

3. Terms of Reference As published with the Agenda

1. Brief history and explanation of Byelaws Cllr Beechey explained that the Tye is and always has been private property, as distinct from common land or a village green, since it was purchased in 1879 and has been held in trust since. The original purpose of the Tye is to provide an open space under the Open Spaces Act 1906 which is provide an open space for regulated recreation in accordance with the Recreation Grounds Act 1859. The object of the trust continues to be to provide an open space for recreation. Cllr White raised that he believed we should elect a Chair at the beginning of the meeting. Cllr Savage then expressed his frustration with this meeting, that it is not what he wanted and feels that it has turned very formal and does not wish to be a part of it.

The Clerk explained that under the Standing Orders other committees need to appoint a chair but this is an advisory committee so there is no stipulation.

Cllr White explained that he did not wish to chair the meeting and feels someone with knowledge of the Tye should chair it but he feels that if the process has to be followed it needs to be correct.

Cllr Savage explained that in the past 50 years they have held many working groups which have never been this formal and he feels it is incorrect that we are not allowed to do so.

The Clerk explained that APC have to follow the Standing Orders and it is her job to ensure this happens. She is not happy with arranging meetings that go against the standing orders and will therefore not do so.

Councillors were reminded that they all (save Cllr White) had agreed the latest version of the Standing Orders in 2015 without any objection. It was suggested APC may wish to reconsider their Standing Orders. Action: Clerk to add this to the agenda for 20th November, having first checked with SSALC for compliance.

The Clerk asked the Councillors that whatever meeting they were going to hold, the public would need to attend. All agreed. It would have to be minuted. All agreed. The reason Clerk did an agenda as it is just the right thing to do for the number of people present to keep the meeting on track. Councillors agreed. The Clerk asked are we all going to draw a line and now continue with meeting or shall we go home?

All Councillors agreed that meeting should continue. Cllr White proposed that Cllr Beechey to continue as Chair and Cllr Cooper seconded it.

Cllr Beechey continued with the history. The byelaws have been in place since 1894 and have always restricted vehicular access. The Trustees are APC and three named persons. The byelaws create criminal offences hence why they take so long to change and require the consent of the Secretary of State.

The current Byelaws state that ‘no person shall, without reasonable excuse, bring a vehicle on to the Tye’. This is fairly standard drafting. It means that it is a criminal offence to bring a vehicle onto the Tye. However there is a ‘reasonable excuse’ defence which it would be for the person to seek to establish. The ‘reasonable excuse’ is judged objectively not subjectively.

Cllr Halliday explained that it can be misinterpreted due to how it is written and it is a case of explaining it to people. Cllr Beechey explained that a reasonable excuse might for example be access for emergency services and by permission from Alfriston Parish Council, the trustees. That is why the ‘no vehicles without permission’ sign is on the gate.

It has been suggested recently that the Byelaws state there should be no parking overnight, and that this gives implicit permission for parking at any other time. This

2 is wrong. Clause 2 stands alone and means what it says, eg if one has a reasonable excuse to bring a vehicle onto the Tye one is prohibited from leaving it there overnight.

Cllr Beechey explained that the Clerk had looked into previous minutes for more recent consideration of the history. In 2009 Cllr Monteath-Wilson reported that once again a letter had had to be sent from the Clerk to Tye users, 5 others already having been sent over the past 10 years, asking for co-operation in not parking on the Tye.

In 2012 Cllr Meek reported that there were still reports of illegal parking on the Tye. A proposal for 2 disabled/unloading bays adjacent to the Old School House was rejected. In 2014 when it was decided that £10k would be put aside for works to the Tye/Tye Road including the designation of a number of the disabled bays it was agreed that the gate be replaced and locked. Both the AWMH and church were consulted with at this time. It was agreed to keep the matter under review. Cllr Watkins pointed out that at this time Heartstart purchased a wheelchair for the AWMH to help the disabled get from the bays by the gate to the Hall and it should be promoted that it is available. It was also pointed out that not that long ago Tye Road used to be clearly marked as a private road and only those with ‘R’ permits were allowed park along it. It was also raised that the current disabled bays provide more for disabled drivers than at any previous time.

It was agreed that APC need to publish some clearly defined rules.

4. Discussion of parking needs and possible options Cllr Beechey recapped that the purpose of today is to identify the various needs and possible options which will be taken to the APC meeting in November.

Cllrs identified the following:

Needs - Dropping off and pick up of disabled to door of church and hall - Unloading and loading of large equipment - Funeral hearse - Wedding car - Catering vans accessing the hall

Solutions

Option 1 - 2 spaces identified on Tye Road which have drop down bollards so can be used where there is no need for them so as to not restrict other users.

Option 2 – 2 spaces identified in the turning circle, still allowing enough space for cars to turn which, would be run on a permit style with a clock stating when it should be used.

Option 3 – Reinforced grass installed and 2 spaces outside the Old School House.

Under each option management and monitoring by Hall and Church on behalf of their respective users.

3 APC will monitor and will retain their discretion to restrict parking generally. Special circumstances should be addressed to APC on a case by case basis by the individual/group concerned.

[For information - all options are numbered for ease to refer, not in preference.]

Cllr Cooper raised that she has past experience of dropping off and collecting her disabled mum and then having to find parking. She had no issue with doing this and it appears the issue is down to people feeling inconvenienced, not to need. All agreed.

Cllr Watkins raised that if the byelaws apply equally to the Tye and Recreation Ground then although they are very different sites, strictly speaking the cricket club should not park on the Rec. Cllr Beechey declared an interest as is a member but agreed. APC will either have to make an exception for them so as not to have a large number of cars parked on the roads on match days or decide not to allow parking on the Rec. Action: Clerk to add to Agenda for November.

It was stated that if with any of these options we are still going to allow loading and unloading the matter of the path being widened/reinforced needs to be looked at. It was raised whether planning would be needed for any work to the path so the Clerk will research this. Action: Clerk to look into the planning.

Cllr Cooper asked could we reinstate the 2 bays at the bottom of Tye Road which we have just decommissioned as disabled and have them as the 2 reserved bays. It was agreed that it would be handy to have some data of how often the disabled bays are used as they often seem empty. Cllr White agreed to do a weeks’ worth of data, recording the use every day both morning and afternoon.

It was concluded that three options have been identified and these will be drawn up in detail and taken to the APC meeting in November for consideration and approval of one.

Cllr Watkins stated that the interested users had their chance to attend tonight to have their say on the options, there is no question that they had not had the opportunity to attend and Cllr Savage pointed out that the options will be on the agenda so they have the opportunity to attend the meeting and ask questions and put forward their views in public questions. It was agreed that as portfolio holder, Cllr White will present these options at the meeting.

1. Public Questions No public present to ask questions.

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