Minutes 25th January 2010

Minutes of the Meeting of St Martha Parish Council held at Chilworth Church of England Infant School on Monday 25 January 2010

The meeting was opened at 7.15 pm

Present:

Chairman                     Mr John Peake

Cllrs                             Mrs Patricia Allen

Mr Peter Burt

Mr Colin Hayward

Mr Mike Lunnon

Mrs Barbara Winkworth

SCC Cllr Keith Taylor

Parish Clerk                 Mr Chris Karney

36.1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Mr David Bunting (abroad), Cllr Roy Hogben GBC

36.2 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

The minutes of the meetings held on Monday 9 November 2009 and Monday 8 December 2009, having been circulated to Cllrs, were approved subject to the following amendments:

Item 34.10.1 Delete sentence starting ‘Cllr Allen reported’, replace action by CH with JP.

36.3 DECLARATION OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST

None

36.4 MATTERS ARISING

1. a. Parish Website

The parish website had satisfactorily served its purpose for many years but advances in the technology meant that it was now outdated. Mr Peter Western the Council’s website manager was no longer prepared to maintain it. Following an informal meeting on 22 December 2009, the Council ADOPTED the following proposals for development of the website:

1. That the existing website is replaced by a Contents Management System

1. The council would request a written quote from Mr Western for undertaking the development of the new site.

1. That the Council would accept the quote if is no more than £1,000 (excluding the annual hosting charge and the domain charge)

1. That a committee of the Council is formed to decide on format, facilities and content (BW, PA, DB)

1. That a website editor / manager is appointed to oversee the day to day content of the site.

ACTION Clerk

b. Tree Preservation Orders for selected trees in Blacksmith Lane

Cllr David Wright had offered to raise the matter again with Mathew Harding (GBC Planning Officer). In Cllr Wright’s absence from the meeting it was not possible to determine if any progress had been made.

ACTION Clerk

c. Car parking on the pavement by the Percy Arms

Agreed to delete this item as all the steps that could be taken have been taken.

ACTION Clerk

d. Overgrown hedge on the East corner of the junction of Blacksmith Lane and Dorking Road

The Parish Council had written to the owner of No 3 Dorking Road stating     that Council’s opinion that the hedge now no longer poses a significant hazard to traffic using the junction.

However Cllrs were concerned that the owner appeared still to have issues over the matter. It was felt that the issues might be resolved by a meeting between the owner and David Bunting the parish council chairman. However David Bunting was away on holiday for a month and in his absence, Mr John Peake, the vice chairman, would approach the owner with the suggestion.

ACTION JP

e. Traffic Lights on the Dorking Road east of the Station.

Cllr Keith Taylor briefed the council on the latest position on the collapsed bank.

An ecological survey and a geotechnical investigation should be started in March 2010. The result of the investigation should enable SCC Structures Group to estimate of the cost of rectifying the bank. Total cost is unlikely to be under £300,000.

Cllrs NOTED the recent article in the Surrey Advertiser on the subject of the lights.

f. Grant Applications

The Clerk had submitted a grant application to Star Energy for refurbishment of the bus shelter near Chilworth station. Star Energy had acknowledged receipt of the application and expected the selection process to start in March.                                                         

g. Tree beside footpath which runs between the school and No 51 Dorking

Road

Mr James Browne (SCC Rights of Way) had inspected the dead trees which appeared to be on the boundary between the footpath and No 51 Dorking Road and the field behind. He had concluded that though the trees were indeed dead there was no danger of them falling over.

Cllr Allen pointed out that following his visit one of the trees had fallen down blocking the path ad damaging the school’s fence. The Clerk was asked to draw this to the attention of Mr Browne. The Parish Council expressed its gratitude to the individual who subsequently cleared the path.

ACTION Clerk

h. Kissing Gates on Field on South slope of St Martha’s Hill

The posts of the South East kissing gate are loose. The kissing gates are the responsibility of the Parish Council however Cllr Peter Burt had volunteered, as owner of the field, to repair them. Cllr Burt reported that he had not been able to do so because of inclement weather conditions but that he had accumulated the materials required to make the repairs.

ACTION PB

1. i. Safety Inspection of the parish benches

The Clerk had undertaken a safety inspection of both the parish benches.

1. j. War Memorial – Accumulation of moss

Cllr Allen reported that the War Memorial had been cleaned of moss. The Council expressed its gratitude to the volunteers who carried out the task.

36.5 HIGHWAYS & BYWAYS

36.5.1 Mud on Footpath FP578 (Vera’s Path)

20m from the Dorking Road there is a 20m stretch of the path where the mud is ankle deep. Even accepting that footpaths get muddy in wet weather, it was felt that this was exceptional and may be due to the presence of a spring. The Clerk was ASKED to inform James Browne (SCC Guildford Rights of Way).

Action Clerk

36.6 CORRESPONDENCE

None

36.7 COUNCILLORS’ BUSINESS

36.7.1 Report of the Audit Committee

The audit committee had met with the Clerk on 8 December 2009. Having examined the Council’s internal financial procedures it had concluded that they were satisfactory. The Audit Committee’s report, which had been circulated to Cllrs, was APPROVED.

36.7.2 Gun Powder Mills – Conservation Management Plan

Oxford Archaeology is producing a conservation management plan for the Gunpowder Mils site. As part of the process they will be undertaking a consultation exercise. The Clerk was asked to WRITE to Mr Jonathan Gill of Oxford Archaeology to express the Councils wish to be included in the consultation.

ACTION Clerk

36.7.3 Parish Newsletter

Cllrs APPROVED a proposal that ‘The Council should actively seek an editor of the newsletter. Duties of the editor would be undertaken on a voluntary basis but all expenses would be covered’.

The Clerk was asked to PREPARE an advertisement for the parish notice boards and the village shop and the post office. The advertisement should make it clear that the editor would not be required to write articles or distribute the newsletter.

ACTION Clerk

36.8 PLANNING

36.8.1 Planning Committee Chairman’s report

A. 09/P/01379 – ‘Merrydown’ White Lane

Detached 4 bedroom house following demolition of existing dwelling.

The Parish Council made no comment on this application

REFUSED

B. 09/P/01444 – Sample Oak Farm, Sample Oak Lane

Change of use from agricultural buildings to B1 office use with alterations to doors and windows on external elevations.

The Parish Council made no comment on this application

WITHDRAWN

C. 09/P/01535 – ‘Brantyngeshay’ Sample Oak Lane

Two storey rear extension following demolition of existing ground floor bathroom.

The Parish Council submitted comments on this application

WITHDRAWN

D. 09/P/01543 - – ‘Brantyngeshay’ Sample Oak Lane

Certificate of lawfulness for an existing use to establish that the existing building (Stable House) has been used as a single self-contained residential dwelling house to which full permitted development rights apply, for over four years

The Parish Council made no comment on this application

APPROVED

E. 09/T/00170 – ‘Aldebrook House’, 4 Redwood Grove

Reduce crown of Horse Chestnut (Tree A) by 2m and fell Horse Chestnut (Tree B) (A1 of Tree Preservation Order P1/201/21).

The Parish Council made no comment on this application

APPROVED

1. F. 09/P/01565 – 9 Dorking Road

Single storey rear extension and enlargement of roof to create additional accommodation with Juliette balcony to rear together with single storey side/front extension.

The Parish Council submitted comments on this application 

REFUSED

1. G. 09/P/01931 – 124 Dorking Road

Single storey rear extension and creation of rooms in roof with front and rear dormer windows following demolition of existing garage.

The Parish Council made no comment on this application

APPROVED

H. 09/T/000224 – ‘Chilworth Old Mil’, Blacksmith Lane

Lime (T1) – remove 2 lowest major branches & crown lift to give 4 – 5m clearance of building, Ash (T2) - fell, Ash (T3) - remove lowest branch over building, Ash (T4 & T5) – fell, Ash (T6) – remove lowest major branch with large lateral split.

(Chilworth Gunpowder Mills Conservation Area)

The Parish Council submitted comments on this application

APPROVED

36.9 FINANCE

36.9.1 Bank Reconciliation

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

36.9.2 Invoices paid out of committee

SO Mr C Karney (Clerk’s Nov salary)                                      £442.17

884 Clerk’s Pay Award arrears                                                  £148.00

SO Mr C Karney (Clerk’s Dec salary)                                     £459.39

36.9.3 Invoices for payment

H Wakeford & Son (War Mem Garden Maintenance               £141.91

Post Office HMR&C Tax & NIC Q3 2009/10                                     £434.58

36.9.4 Clerks Allowances and Expenses

Postage                                                                         £7.81

Photocopying                                                               £7.40

Stationery                                                                     £9.43

Use of home as office (2 mths @ £12.00 pm)            £24.00

Clerk’s IT Allowance                                                  £16.65

Total expenses                                                            £65.29

Total Expenditure                                                                        £1691.34

36.9.5 January Forecast

Cllrs NOTED the January Forecast.

36.10 DATE OF NEXT MEETING Monday 8 March 2010