Minutes May 2007

Annual Meeting (Assembly) of St Martha Parish Council

The meeting was opened at 7.00pm on Monday, 21st May 2007 at Chilworth Infant School.

Present

07-1. Apologies for Absence

None.

07-2. Minutes of the previous meeting

Minutes of the previous meeting held on 15th May 2006 were approved.

07-3. Matters arising from the minutes

No matters arising were raised.

07-4. Chairman's report

Cllr Peter Burt, Chairman of St Martha Parish Council presented his report.

There are many items that are considered at each Parish Council meeting and listed in our minutes. Among these and other things, Councillors have also commented on consultation documents and attended outside conferences, meetings and training sessions. Our excellent website has been well maintained and we have published and distributed our seventh annual Parish Newsletter.

Some of the items that have occupied us during the last year are included in the following selection to which we have given formal consideration and our support where that was appropriate.

Haywards Yard planning application for new houses within which we have supported the provision of affordable housing and some other issues on the amenity and suitability of the proposal.

The campaign to save Tyting Farm supported by our council to preserve it from the threat of being broken up and sold to developers or for other inappropriate uses.

The gas exploration on Blackheath, if it is to happen, we have been represented in the consultations to try to make sure that the work is done as sensitively as possible and with minimum spoilage of the Heath and disruption of the natural environment.

Security of the land and accessibility of the field on St Martha's Hill with conservation of its amenity and to preserve the natural life and its rare nature as natural grassland.

Councillor Helen Mclntyre had to leave us with our mutual regrets because of her other commitments. We miss her energetic contributions to the matters of our Council and wish her well with our thanks.

We have been joined by our new Councillor David Bunting who is already bringing new ideas to our Parish. We welcome him to Chilworth and look forward to all that he brings to our community.

We have been looking to the care of our War Memorial and the Memorial Gardens because it is evidently valued and respected by many people in Chilworth and we will like it to remain so.

We have also actively supported the campaign to keep the Royal Surrey County Hospital and its A&E department because of its proven value to the people of Guildford and the wider community, to whom the Hospital and its staff give so much and so well.

We actively support and are represented on the Chilworth Gunpowder Mills Working Group. The Mills are an important and well used amenity within our Village and Parish. We like its nature to be preserved for families, walkers and children to enjoy. Its archaeology, history and nature are highlighted by the well attended public evenings and lectures that we host in Chilworth Village Hall every year.

We also celebrated this year the continuous service on our Parish Council for 30 years by Councillor John Peake. His service to the Parish Council has been distinguished by excellence and his care and wise guidance in all matters; for which we are all grateful and from which we have all benefited.

This is an election year and we had eight candidates for election to the seven positions in St Martha Parish Council. I believe that elections for Council membership are in general a good thing. In Guildford Borough there have been few Parish Councils who have held an election and many who do not have sufficient councillors and candidates to make an election necessary or possible. The fact that we have had more candidates than places is a good indication of the status and perceived worth of our small Council.

I am sorry that, as is inevitable, one of the candidates has not been elected and that is ex-councillor Alan Slater. Alan has been a good team member in St Martha Parish Council for many years and has always had a firm and sensible view that has been valuable. I thank Alan for being willing to have stood again for election, thank him for what he has done and wish him well in his new freedom from Council duties and obligations. He is still a friend of the Council in Chilworth village. I hope that he will keep in touch.

At the same time I am pleased to welcome our newly elected Councillor Richard Parker. Richard is a resident in our Parish and a local farmer. I am sure that his knowledge and personal qualities will prove to be an asset to our Parish Council.

I look forward to our next four years as an elected Council and trust that we will continue to represent the interests and welfare of the people in our Parish community in the best way that we can.

Peter Burt, Chairman, St Martha Parish Council

07-5. Questions and statements from the public

Mrs Fenella Denning was critical of the amount of money the train operator First Great West was spending on refurbishing the passenger shelter at Chilworth Station. It appeared to her simply an exercise in spending money.

In response to comments about litter in various parts of the Parish, Mr Chris Karney explained that the Parish Council had powers under the Cleaner Neighbourhoods and Countryside Act (2005) to fine individuals dropping litter.

In response to a question, Councillors explained the reason for a rise in the parish precept in the current year.

Parish Council Meeting

The meeting was opened at 7.30pm on Monday, 21st May 2007 following the Annual Parish Meeting at Chilworth Infant School.

Present

Opening Address

The Chairman thanked all candidates in the recent Parish Council election for volunteering to serve as councillors. He welcomed Richard Parker to the Council and expressed the Council's grateful thanks to Alan Slater for past service.

18.1 Acceptance of Office by Councillors

Cllrs signed Acceptance of Office declarations as councillors. Cllrs were reminded that Declaration of Financial and Other Interests forms needed to be completed and returned both to the GBC Monitoring Officer and the Clerk within 28 days.

18.2 Election of Chairman

Mr Peter Burt was unanimously elected as Chairman. Mr Burt signed a declaration of Acceptance of Office as Chairman.

18.3 Adoption of Code of Conduct

The revised Model Code of Conduct had been previously circulated to Cllrs. The Council RESOLVED to adopt the Local Authorities Model Code of Conduct (2007) without amendment.

18.4 Apologies for Absence

Cllr Roy Hogben (GBC) and Cllr David Wright (GBC).

18.5 Election of Vice Chairman

Mr John Peake was unanimously elected as Vice Chairman. Mr Peake signed a declaration of Acceptance of Office as Vice Chairman.

18.6 Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 12th March 2007, having been circulated to Cllrs, were approved.

18.7 Declaration of Personal and Prejudicial Interest

Cllr Burt declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 18.12 as owner of the Parish Field.

Cllr Hayward declared a personal interest in item 18.13.3 over the proposed use of his family's name.

18.8 Appointment of Committees

The Chairman and Vice Chairman are ex officio members of all the Council's Committees.

18.8.1 Planning Committee

All Cllrs are members of the Planning Committee. Cllr John Peake will chair.

18.8.2 Field Committee

Members are Cllrs Allen, Bunting, Lunnon and Mrs Carole Manning. Cllr David Bunting will chair.

18.8.3 Audit Committee

Remit to review the Council's internal financial controls and the Council's overall spending.

Members are Cllrs Allen and Bunting. Mr Peter Burt will chair.

18.9 Matters Arising

18.9a Slip-Road by Chilworth Station

1. Cllr Colin Hayward had raised the matter of making the station slip road one-way with the SCC Guildford Local Committee at its meeting of 22nd March 07. Cllr Hayward reported a positive response from the Committee which instructed officers to pursue the matter.
   
   
2. Cllr Patricia Allen had written a letter to Mr Sam Pead (Network Rail Road Crossing Safety (Wessex)) on the subject of the ‘Planter’ at Chilworth Station, no reply had been received. Cllr Allen will raise the matter with Cllr David Davis SCC.

18.9b Bus Shelter Repairs

The temporary repair to the roof of the Chilworth Station bus shelter has now been completed. Cost of materials for the repairs was £78.42. The Chairman expressed the Council's thanks to the resident who carried out the repair.

18.9c Permissive footpath for walkers using the Packhorse Bridge

The Clerk had substituted for Cllr Lunnon at the most recent meeting of the Gunpowder Group. He had sought to clarify the Group's apparent ambivalence in respect of the proposal.

The Group's response was that that they had no objection to the establishment of a permissive footpath though they could not encourage people to use the Packhorse Bridge (N.B. there is a Health and Safety issue). Also the group had not entirely abandoned its wish to have the historical path, which proceeded directly North up the Hill, restored.

The Clerk would raise the matter with Mr Graham Wrigley.

18.9d Floodlights at the Percy Arms

The Clerk had circulated an Email from Mr Matt Banks (GBC Planning Enforcement). Mr Banks had visited the Percy Arms and had spoken with the owner who had agreed to deal with the problem of floodlights shining onto the road and other neighbouring properties.

18.9e Road Surfaces on the Lanes

Cllr Colin Hayward had raised the matter of potholes in the lanes with the SCC Guildford Local Committee at its meeting of 22nd March 2007. Cllr Hayward reported general support from the floor of the meeting. The committee acknowledged the problem, which was Countywide, but felt that recent measures taken should show an improvement.

18.9f Width Restriction on Blacksmith and Halfpenny Lanes

Cllr Colin Hayward had raised the matter of the re-imposition of width restrictions with the SCC Guildford Local Committee at its meeting of 22nd March 2007. The Committee, however, ruled out the possibility of replacing the 7 tonne weight restriction with width restrictions, on the grounds that the Police would not enforce the restrictions.

18.9g Footpath on lower Sample Oak Lane

The footpath had inadvertently been left off the Definitive Rights of Way Map. The Clerk had raised the possibility of making a Map Modification Order with Mr Andrew Saint (Countryside Legal Assistant SCC).

18.9h Parish Newsletter

The Parish Newsletter had been distributed. The Council congratulated its editor Mr Peter Burt on the finished product.

18.9i Section 106 monies

Cllrs Allen and Peake had drawn up a list of projects for funding by Section 106 planning revenue. The Clerk had written to GBC and SCC communicating the Councils preferences.

18.9j War Memorial Garden

The garden shrubs are showing their age and need replacement. Cllr John Peake to discuss with the Council's contractor Mr Barry Wakeford.

18.9k Membership of the Society of Local Council Clerks

The membership fee of £84, authorised in minute 17.12, had been paid.

18.10 Highways & Byways

18.10.1 Footpath up the West Slope of St Martha's Hill

The footpath (FP250), which forms part of the North Downs Way, has been badly eroded by rainwater run-off. Work by SCC Contractors to restore the path on the West side of the hill had taken place just before Easter weekend. A letter of complaint from a resident about the state of the East track had been received.

18.10.2 Access by Horses to the stream on the east boundary of the Gunpowder Mills

The Clerk had raised the lack of progress on this matter with the Gunpowder Mills Group. The Group appeared to believe that the delay was due to the Parish Council not registering the permissive footpath with SCC Rights of Way. The Clerk explained that a permissive right of way was created when the landowner, in this case GBC, give permission for its use. Registration of a permissive right of way is the responsibility of the landowner and is to protect the landowner against establishment of public rights based on public usage. The Group agreed to raise the matter with Mr Adam Owen (Countryside Manager GBC).

18.10.3 Trees on Vera's Path

Two trees have fallen which are partially obstructing Vera's Footpath that runs from Halfpenny Close to the Gunpowder Mills Site. The Clerk will raise the matter with SCC Rights of Way.

18.10.4 Footbridge over the stream to the West and North of the Infant School

Concern had been expressed over the dangerous state of the bridge handrail which poses a safety risk. The Clerk will raise the matter with Mr Adam Owen (Countryside Manager GBC).

18.11 Correspondence

The Gunpowder Mills group had copied a letter to the Council. The letter was addressed to Mr Richard Lingard (Head of Property and Legal Services GBC) and was in respect of the West Lodge of the Gunpowder Mills, on Blacksmith Lane. The West Lodge has been owned and used by GBC for staff accommodation. GBC now plan to sell the lodge as a residential unit.

The Group point out that the building is listed and, though not within the scheduled area, is part of a site of a scheduled ancient monument. The Group feel that considerable modification would be required to bring the Lodge up to current habitable standards. The Group suggest, as an alternative, that the building is retained by GBC and used to store and process archaeological finds and to house a small visitors centre.

After discussion Cllrs agreed that they supported the retention of the building in public ownership and the use for storing and processing archaeological finds but not the visitor centre. The Clerk will write to Mr Lingard.

18.12 Parish Field Committee

Cllr Peter Burt left the room.

18.12.1 Field Committee Chairman's Report

A meeting of the committee had taken place on Monday 14th May 2007; minutes of that meeting had been circulated to Cllrs. Cllr Bunting, as chairman of the Field Committee, made a report summarising the points covered.

The Clerk confirmed payment of £10 to Mr Peter Burt as annual rent for the field.

18.12.2 Field Committee Remit

The Council approved the following remit for the committee:

• To maintain the field in accordance with requirements of the owner as identified in the Annual Lease Agreement within an overall budget set by the Parish Council.
  
  
• To ensure that the field is kept in a condition in which it can be safely accessed and enjoyed by the public as an open space.
  
  
• To negotiate with the owner the acquisition of the field by the Parish for the long term benefit of the public.

Cllr Peter Burt rejoined the meeting.

18.12.3 Planning permission for the kissing gates

Mr Burt confirmed that retrospective planning permission for the gates had been granted by GBC. GBC had charged a planning fee of £135 despite having earlier indicated it would waive the fee.

18.13 Councillors' Business

18.13.1 Gas Exploration on Blackheath Common

SCC Planning Committee has rejected the third planning application by Star Energy on the grounds that the applicants had failed to demonstrate that they could meet the minimum noise criteria. The next meeting of the liaison committee will be on 24th May 2007.

18.13.2 Sane Planning In the South East Subscription

Cllrs DECIDED not to renew the annual subscriptions to SPISE on the grounds that SPISE activities are no longer relevant to this area.

18.13.3 Naming the Hayward's Yard Development

Cllrs discussed the forthcoming housing development on the site of Hayward's Yard situated at the west corner of the intersection of Sample Oak Lane and Dorking Road. It was noted that that corner had long been associated with the Hayward family and villagers who have lived their life in the village always referred to it as Hayward's Corner. The Council INSTRUCTED the Clerk to write to both GBC and the property developers formally requesting the corner to be named and signed as ‘Hayward's Corner’.

18.13.4 Guildford Borough Heritage Weekend 8/9 September 2007

The Gunpowder Mills group would be staging a special event onsite on the Saturday as part of the Heritage Weekend. The Group has invited the Parish Council to participate by staging its own event alongside. Councillors supported the proposal and RESOLVED to mount a display.

18.13.5 Chilworth Village Boundary Marker

Remitted until next meeting.

18.14 Planning

18.14.1 Planning Committee Chairman's report

a. 07/P/00201 - Land NW of Lockner Farm and East of Chilworth Manor

Installation of two kissing gates for access to new permissive Right of Way.

No comment by the Parish Council, which declared an interest as lessee of the land. APPROVED

b. 07/P/00517 - Sample Oak Farm, Sample Oak Lane

Retention of cattle shed (amendment to 06/P/01941 – for repositioning of shed).

No comment by the Parish Council. APPROVED

c. 07/P/00634 - 29 Dorking Road

Erection of rear conservatory.

No comment by the Parish Council. APPROVED

d. 07/P/00699 - Tal-Y-Bont, Blacksmith Lane, Chilworth

Conversion of existing bungalow to two-storey dwelling.

No comment by the Parish Council. PENDING

18.15 Exclusion of the Press and Public

RESOLUTION: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, that the public and press be temporarily excluded from the meeting during item 18.16 as publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest.

18.16 Chilworth Community Association

Cllrs discussed funding issues in respect of the Community Association.

18.17 Finance

18.17.1 Bank Reconciliation

Cllr Hayward had checked the reconciliation before the meeting and signed it as correct. The Council approved the reconciliation.

The bank signatory panel would need amendment to delete Mrs Helen McIntyre and to add Cllrs David Bunting and Richard Parker. Cllr Hayward volunteered to obtain the requisite forms.

18.17.2 2006/07 Annual Return

The report of the internal audit conducted by Mr Peter Frost on 1st May 2007 had previously been circulated to Cllrs.

The Clerk reported that Notices of the Public Right to Inspect the Accounts had been displayed on the Council's notice board for the required period of time.

18.17.2.1 Statement of Accounts

The Statement of Accounts (section 1 of the Annual Return), having been previously circulated to Cllrs, was APPROVED.

18.17.2.2 Annual Governance Statement

The Annual Governance Statement (section 2 of the Annual Return), having been previously circulated to Cllrs, was APPROVED.

18.17.3 Fidelity Guarantee

The level of Fidelity Cover on the Council's Insurance Policy should be reviewed on an annual basis. The Clerk had previously circulated comments on the risk factors.

After consideration of the risks the council RESOLVED to retain cover at its current level of £2000.

18.17.4 Invoices paid out of committee

18.17.5 Invoices for payment

18.17.6 Clerk's Salary and Expenses

18.17.7 Financial Forecast

The financial forecast for May was noted.

18.18 Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday 9th July 2007 at Chilworth Infant School, commencing at 7.15pm.

Dates of subsequent meetings:

10th September 2007
12th November 2007
7th January 2008
10th March 2008