902 NEWTOWN PARISH COUNCIL Hampshire Minutes of a meeting of Newtown Parish Council held on Monday 25th January 2016 at 7.00pm in Newtown Village Hall. Present: Chairman: Tim Kelleher Councillors: Liz Ellis, Simon Betts, Craig Regan, Tony Webb In attendance: Borough Councillor: John Izett County Councillor: Tom Thacker Clerk: Kathy Summers ACTION 1. Apologies There were no apologies 2. Declarations of interests There were none – OPEN FORUM – 3. Approval and signing of the minutes of the meeting held on 5th November 2015 The minutes were approved by the Council and signed by the Chairman. 4. Report for “News from the Villages” Tony Webb undertook to write a report. Tony Webb 5. Report from district and/or county councillor Tom Thacker - Hampshire County Council had not made any decisions on its budget as yet. It has frozen council tax for the last 6 or 7 years but it will probably need go up by around 4% for the coming year (around £40 for a band D property). John Izett - The Basingstoke and Dean’s element of council tax will go up next year by £2 for a band D property. This is the first increase for six years and it is expected to go up by around £5 pa (band D) for each of the three years thereafter. The local plan for the period up to 2029 is still chugging on but will hopefully be approved in May. 6. Highways and traffic issues a) Drainage near the church The sand bags have not yet been replaced and although there is not an issue at present this may change when we get some colder weather. Tom Thacker Tom Thacker undertook to raise the matter with Steve Goodall. b) Speed limit reminder sign Due to a heavy agenda is was agreed to leave the decision on the three deployments deferred to next year until the March meeting. 7. Planning and development control a) Old Cottage, 15/03641/HSE Erection of ground floor and first floor side extensions. The parish council had no objection. BDBC no decision has been made. 903 ACTION b) Sunnyside & Floral Cottages, 15/03694/FUL Conversion of 2 no. dwellings into 1 no. dwelling BDBC granted c) Ann’s Cottage, 15/04465/ROC Variation of condition 1 of planning permission 15/01780/HSE to allow height increase of first floor extension and repositioning of first floor window to west elevation (part retrospective) The parish council had no objection. BDBC no decision has been made. d) Sandleford Park, West Berks15/02300/OUTMAJ Outline planning permission for up to 2000 new homes and detailed proposal for 337 of those dwellings. Tom Thacker reported that he would be attending a meeting on 28th January with the Hampshire highways department responsible for putting in a response to West Berks. He said it was necessary to balance the problems likely to be experienced by Newtown with the possibility of worsening the situation at Highclere caused by HGV’s following Satellite Navigation instructions to come off the A34 at Wash Water and use the A343 to Andover. John Izett will be speaking to the transport officers at Basingstoke and said planning officers were very keen to be involved. He has sent an email to the west Berkshire planning officer asking for a meeting to discuss what measures can be taken to lessen the impact of the additional traffic. Agreed, clerk to send the draft objection to West Berks updated for suggestions Clerk from John Izett. Also agreed to produce a leaflet for residents suggesting that Tim Kelleher they also object. The Chairman agreed to draft a leaflet. Tony Webb agreed to Tony Webb collate emails. All councillors and clerk to send all email contact details they All have to Tony Webb. e) Greenham Business Park, West Berks 15/03443/COMIND Variation of conditions 16: Lighting Scheme, 17: Hours of operations, of approved reference 14/03070/COMIND The council had no objection. f) Any other planning applications and decisions notified to parish There were none. 8. Newtown Common a) Update by Chairman of the Common Management Committee Sparsholt have nearly completed the work which they started at the end of November. The two days of mowing will take place next month, the cost was th agreed at £360 plus VAT per day. The green Gym will be on the common on 15 February clearing holly in the area to the south of Woodcote. The second winter working party will be Sunday 21st February in the same area. Horris Hill have applied to Hampshire County Council for permission to lay a BT cable across the common alongside the track to the school. The parish council in its role as Manager of the common was happy to support the school’s application. The Chairman had advised Hampshire accordingly. Heatherfield and Newtown Grange had asked permission to dig out the ditches at the side of the track to their properties and Woodlands to try and divert water away from the track and the footpath which has become very muddy. Permission was granted. 904 ACTION b) Contribution to Sparsholt’s costs ACTION At the last meeting the parish council agreed to make a contribution towards Sparsholt’s costs. Sparsholt felt the most useful contribution would be a new chainsaw and the model the students use costs £520. The sale of firewood alone has been £455 this year and the students have done a great deal of work. It was agreed that the council should make a gift of a new chainsaw to Sparsholt College. c) Letter re common management The Chairman and Liz Ellis had received an email from a member of the Common Management Committee raising concerns regarding the management of Newtown Common, in particular the HLS plan. After detailed discussion all councillors agreed that the rationale behind the Higher Level Stewardship scheme had not changed. It was noted that progress would be reviewed with Natural England towards the end of the year. It was agreed that the clerk would reply to the email explaining that the council was satisfied with the progress of Clerk the HLS plan and would continue to implement it. d) Any tree issues notified to parish council Liz Ellis (i) The large oak branch which has come down between Oldlands and Jonathan CraigLiz ReganEllis Hill had not been looked at. Agreed Liz Ellis, Craig Regan, The Chairman and TimCraig Kelleher Regan the clerk would visit the site on Sunday 31st January. TimClerk Kelleher ii) ) The parish council had not yet received a quote from James George to take Clerk down two small trees near Heath Cottage. The chairman undertook to chase him TimTim KellKellehereher up. iii) The two small trees between Gorsefield and Heatherdene have been dealt with. e) Southcote hand rail The resident of Southcote has asked permission to put up a handrail next to the steps to her garage which get slippery in bad weather. Permission was granted. 9. Finance reports a) To receive the report on the budget for 2015/16 Parish council - The projected outcome for the year indicates an excess of expenditure over income of £1,358 which will be covered by reserves. HLS Scheme - Due to the re-scheduling of grants on to a calendar year basis the second HLS payment of £1850 is unlikely to be received until June. The projected out-turn assumes two days of mowing will take place before the end of March and takes into account the purchase of a chainsaw for Sparsholt. b) To consider the draft budget for 2016/17 The draft budget was discussed and the increase to the clerk’s hourly rate of pay to £10.836p per hour (in line with the national salary award) was approved. Assuming the precept was kept at the same level it showed an over spend for the year of £1,792 which would be covered by reserves. The budget was agreed c) To set the precept for 2016/17 and agree the amount of general grant to be requested It was resolved not to increase the precept this year and to request from BDBC a precept of £3,500 and a general grant of £1,100 for 2016/17. The necessary forms were completed and signed. 10. Approval of payments To ratify the following expenditure: 905 10.1.16 B & M Fencing, digger hire £144.00 (cheque no. 000559) ACTION 10.1.16 K Summers, quarterly salary £445.46 (cheque no. 000560) 10.1.16 HM Revenue & Customs, PAYE £111.20 (cheque no. 000561) To approve the following payments: 25.1.16 Winchester Garden Machinery, chainsaw £520 (cheque no. 000562) 25.1.16 Premier Grounds, disposal of waste £120.00 (cheque no. 000563) 11. Village Hall The village hall was discussed as there appeared to be a problem with the heating. The clerk agreed to look through recent emails which might include Clerk information on grants for community buildings and forward these to the Village Hall Committee. 12. Parish assembly Agreed the Parish assembly will be held on Friday 22nd April 2015. Tony Webb undertook to prepare the first draft of the annual Newsletter in time for Tony Webb the next meeting. 13. Donation from Horris Hill The Chairman and Tony Webb had recently had a meeting with representatives from Horris Hill. The view was expressed that although historically relations between the school and the local community had been close, in recent years they had become somewhat distant. The school wished to promote a closer relationship particularly with the 800 year anniversary of Newtown coming up and offered to donate £5,000 to Newtown Parish Council on 1st March 2016 and, in addition, starting on 1st September, donate a further £1,000 per annum for 10 years.