MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF WHATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON THURSDAY 21st MAY 2015 IN THE VILLAGE HALL AT 7.30pm All councillors signed their ‘Declaration of Acceptance of Office’ PRESENT:- Councillors, Apthorp, Fisher, and White District Councillor Kirby-Green 1) ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN Councillor Fisher was proposed and nominated by Councillor White seconded by Councillor Apthorp. The Chairman then signed his ‘Declaration of Acceptance of Office’ and took the Chair. OPEN SESSION / ITEMS FOR INFORMATION ONLY There were six Local Government Electors attending. A Parishioner said she was concerned at the proposal from Rother for the naming of the A.21 or New Road as it is also known. The Post Office have said they have nothing to do with naming of roads. Councillor White said it was unclear if the council have to audit the road in the parish or Rother and we need to know under what Statutory Basis they were doing this. The clerk said she had spoken to Andrew Gale who said Rother were carrying out this process for the whole area as there are many roads in parishes un-named, all the parish council have to do is consult residents on the name they have chosen and forward their choice to them. The work will take him many years to complete so there is no hurry. The clerk will contact Mr Gale and obtain the statutory basis Rother are using for their request. The Chairman of the village hall committee asked if the council could possible increase their payment towards the costs for work on the hall. Both the work on the roof and the electricity are higher than they expected and decorating the inside of the hall is booked for the coming week. The Chairman advised this can be discussed under item 20. District Councillor Eleanor Kirby-Green said she was re-elected at the recent elections along with Emma Rowlinson. Emma would have been here tonight but she needed to attend parishes Annual Assembly but she will be attending our August meeting. They have divided their area between them as she did with David Vereker, Emma will cover Whatlington and Battle and she will cover the other parishes in the Darwell group. Emily advised Rother are in the process of changing the day for refuse collection and recycling. The garden waste will stay the same alternating as at present, some parishioners said they had trouble accessing the information and others explained problems they were having with the collection. Eleanor promised to look into these. The clerk explained that from 1st June collections for refuse, recycling and bottles with be on Friday alternating as at present. The calendar showing the dates from the 1st June can be seen on the Rother site and these are being sent out to all properties in the coming week. Our new PCSO Emma Phillips had come to the meeting to give her report but had to leave to respond to an emergency call. She had asked the clerk to report that there have been two burglaries in the parish and she advised everyone to make sure their doors are locked at all times. Also there are telephone scams in Battle you should never give your bank account details to anyone on the telephone, even the police. She hopes to attend our August meeting. The Clerk said our previous PCSO Demi asked her to thank everyone in the parish for all their help and kindness to him, he always felt welcome and he will miss us. As they cover and help in other parishes we will probably see him from time to time. 2) ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN Councillor Underhill who had advised his willingness to stand was nominated by Councillor Fisher and seconded by Councillor White 3) ADOPTION TO STANDING ORDER 12b As the council’s current Standing Order do not cover voting by written ballot, Councillors resolved to adopt the following wording:- If required, any vote for co-opted councillors positions shall be by written ballot with the Chairman having the casting vote. 4) CO-OPTION TO FILL CASUAL VACANCY FOR COUNCILLOR Mrs Jean Scott gave a short summary about herself and was then co-opted onto the council. Mrs Scott then signed her Declaration of Office form. page 2 of 3 5) APOLOGIES Councillor Underhill, District Councillor Rowlinson and County Councillor Field. 6) DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST. Councillor White declared personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 9.3 as he has an interest in the land. And agenda item 20 along with Councillor Apthorp as they are both members of the village hall committee. 7) APPOINTMENT OF TWO REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE ROTHER DISTRICT ASSOCIATION OF PARISH AND TOWN COUNCILS. Councillors Fisher and Underhill were appointed. 8) CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES Minutes of the Meeting held on the 20th March 2015, copies of which had been circulated After the addition to agenda item 3 following the wording on the first line of - family are, insert – ‘owners and he is an’ were proposed by Councillor Fisher, confirmed and signed 9) MATTERS ARISING 9.1 Blocked drains along C.293 Although being advised the Highways would be jetting along the road 17th – 24th May they have not yet done so. The clerk had contacted them for a new date and they have promised to advise us. 9.2 New footway along C.293 between village hall and Riccards Lane. No visit as yet been made. The clerk has sent reminders. I is possible it is not cost effective and very low priority. Councillor White declared his Personal and prejudicial interest in the following but as the matter is for information only did not leave the meeting. 9.3 Siting of new electric sub-station. As no contact has been made Councillor White will contact them 10) CORRESPONDENCE . 10.1 Bev. Marks Battle Ramblers - Letter setting out their objections to the planning application for the Thatched Cottage. The clerk advised conditional planning permission has been granted. 10.2 Stagecoach South East A bus stop sign and information board had been attached to the bus shelter and as no permission had been given for this they were asked to remove it and this was done. They have now written asking if they could re-site the signs on the bus shelter. After discussion it was agreed the bus stop flag could be put on the outside and an information sign on the inside back wall which would also make it easier to read. The clerk will advise them. 10.3 Rother District Council – A copy of the Public Path Diversion Order 2015, made on the 17th March 2015 for footpath 10A had been received for our records.. 10.4 East Sussex County Council - The recent CCTV survey for the spring had found the pipe from the Old Rectory has blockages and would need jetting through. The clerk has asked if this could be done when they are jetting through the storm water drains. They have not yet replied. 10.5 PCSO Emma Phillips. This had been covered in the Open Session 11) REVIEW OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT POLICY Review deferred to August meeting to allow newly co-opted councillor time to read through policy 12) REVIEW OF PLANNING POLICY Review deferred to August meeting as agenda item 11 13) COUNCILLOR WHITE – NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH UPDATE Councillor White reported this is progressing; he now has one volunteer with a further one Possible.. He did at first consider having people geographically placed but with current communications such as emails this is not really needed. He will keep the council updated.. 14) COUNCILLOR WHITE – FORTHCOMING WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT Councillor White said he and another parishioner had been made aware of this. The water main runs from Darwell reservoir to Beauport. After discussion it was agreed the clerk will contact Southern Water for more details. 15) ADDITION PARAGRAPH TO STANDING ORDERS 8 page 3 of 3 It was resolved to replace the current 8c with the following:- Parish councillors have agreed that, in improving and enhancing the transparency of the Council’s work on behalf of parishioners, requests for information or clarification regarding matters of a technical or financial nature on existing Council business, should be made in writing to the parish clerk no later than 10 days prior to a full council meeting. Topical questions i.e. those relating to new or extant matters will continue to be accepted verbally at the meeting. However parishioners may find it of benefit to advise the clerk beforehand. 16) PARISH PLAN Councillors discussed having more questions but decided the plan, as it is, covered most areas, but in order to forward more information around the village it would be helpful and quicker to do this by email so a paragraph asking if people would like this to be done would be added. The Chairman will forward the wording for this. to the clerk. In time for the plan to be distributed with the June newsletter. 17) EMERGENCY PLAN / DEFIBRILLATOR This was deferred to the August meeting, the clerk will amend the Rother example for this meeting. 18) NAMING OF ROADS IN THE PARISH This had been covered in Open Session 19) PLANNING RR/2015/477/P Willow Cottage GRANTED RR/2015/894/O Stables, Mill Lane Retrospective – Single dwelling house Mr & Mrs Stephenson ENF/47/15/WHA Whatlington Garage Flag Advertising – No further action- not expedient to take further action in the public interest. A request to remove the advert has been sent. 20) FINANCE / INTERNAL AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2015 The balance in Barclays Bank plc.