EAST HOATHLY with HALLAND PARISH COUNCIL
Meeting of the Full Council on 30th January, 2023 at 7.00pm.
MEETING MINUTES
In attendance: Cllrs. Bradley, Cole, Freezer, Magness, Partridge, Pope (chairman) and Vaughan.
Also participating: County Cllr. Nick Bennett, Malcolm Ramsden (clerk), Verne Heath (rfo) (via Zoom) and two members of the public.
AGENDA
- PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend. The first fifteen minutes of the meeting will be available for the public to express a view or ask a question on relevant matters on the agenda. The public and members of the press are also welcome to stay and observe the rest of the meeting (subject to any items considered as confidential within the terms of the Public Bodies (Admission to meetings) Act 1960).
Items raised by residents:-
- Would Council support an application to Wealden District Council (WDC) to have Electronic Vehicle charging points installed in the WDC owned Church Marks Lane car park? Members gave their personal views and agreement reached that the item would feature as an agenda item at the next meeting of the Full Council. ACTION – Clerk to include as agenda item.
- Had there been any progress regarding investigating possible planning permission breaches at Little Decoy Lake? Clerk reported that parishioners concerns had been raised with WDC (added later – on 9th January, 2023) but that no response had been received. ACTION – Clerk to chase.
- REPORTS FROM COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS
County Cllr. Bennett reported that at a meeting of County Council scheduled for 7th February it was expected that there would be a 5% increase in county share of Council Tax, of which 3% related to additional adult social care provision and that an updated environmental plan might be announced.
7.30pm Cllr. Bradley arrives
- DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Members are invited to make any declaration of personal or prejudicial interests that they may have in relation to items on the agenda and are reminded to make any declarations at any stage during the meeting if it then becomes apparent that this may be required when a particular item or issue is to be considered
Cllr. Pope declared his continuing interest in matters relating to his association with Church Marks Green Management Co. Ltd. Cllrs. Bradley and Freezer declared their interest in matters relating to the Garden Plots.
- APOLOGIES – to receive apologies for absence
Apologies noted from Maria Barraclough (PCSO).
- FINANCE/ADMINISTRATION
5.1 To approve/note payments payable/paid November/December, 2022
Chairman referred members to the Tennis Club £300 donation for the Christmas tree (for which thanks were noted) and outgoings in respect of litter bins and planters.
Following a proposal by Cllr. Pope and seconding by Cllr. Freezer
0533 RESOLVED to approve/note payments payable/paid October, 2022 totalling £12,267.21 (See appendix A).
5.2 To note income/expenditure-vs-budget and approve, if necessary, overspends/under-receipts
Chairman referred members to overspends identified in the previously circulated report in the areas of staff expenses as mainly mileage, s106 expenditure to be covered by the Sussex Lund grant, village furniture in respect of Christmas tree lights which now form part of the Council’s assets and, at the clerk’s request, ratification of costs incurred relating to the Neighbourhood Plan which has previously been authorised for payment by prior delegated email agreement.
Following a proposal by Cllr. Pope and seconding by Cllr. Freezer
0534 RESOLVED to approve overspends as detailed in the previously circulated budget ‘actuals’
report.
5.3 Salary scale review
Members agreed to discuss this item as the last on the agenda
5.4 Member print/paper allowance review
Following a proposal by Cllr. Vaughan and seconding by Cllr.Bradley
0535 RESOLVED to approve an increase in the chairman’s allowance from £100 to £150.
5.5 Grant to War Memorial Sports Ground Trust
Following a proposal by Cllr. Magness and seconding by Cllr. Vaughan
0536 RESOLVED to approve payments in respect of pavilion electricity bills from Council funds and, in addition, grant a donation of £1,000 to the War Memorial Trust to be spent as trustees so direct.
5.6 Payments from CIL funds
Members agreed to review planned expenditure from the various earmarked Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) budgets at a future meeting of Council.
5.7 Warm spaces budget
Following a proposal by Cllr. Pope and seconding by Cllr. Freezer
0537 RESOLVED to approve future payments in respect of Village Hall hire, presently in the region of £40 per month, for as long as the need existed.
- MINUTES
6.1 To resolve that the minutes of the Council Meeting held on Monday 28th November, 2022 be taken as read, confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman
Discussion concluded that draft minutes should be posted rather than wait until approved. ACTION: Clerk to arrange.
Following a proposal by Cllr. Pope and seconding by Cllr. Cole
0538 RESOLVED to approve that the minutes of the Council Meeting held on Monday 28th November, 2022 be taken as read, confirmed as a correct record, and be signed by the Chairman.
6.1.1 Matters arising from minutes not otherwise covered by agenda items
Cllr. Magness took the opportunity, in response to Cllr. Cole’s comments, to expand on the elements discussed at the Cluster Group meeting. Cllr. Freezer reported on the sewage elements discussed at a recent meeting of Village Concerns. Chairman thanked Cllr. Cole for her attendance at the District Association of Local Councils meeting.
- PLANNING
7.1 Neighbourhood Plan
7.1.1 Update
Members agreed that progress was satisfactory and well understood and that the Q&A responses still needed work. ACTION: Cllrs. Freezer and Magness.
7.2 To note District Council and Planning Inspector decisions to date
Noted.
7.3 Cluster Group update
Noted. See also item 6.1.1
7.4 Proposed footpath diversion
Noted.
- WAR MEMORIAL SPORTS GROUND TRUST (COUNCIL AS TRUSTEE)
8.1 To discuss progress regarding drainage/landscaping, including enhancements to playing field equipment, and installations
8.1.1 Landscaping/Drainage
8.1.1.1 Project update
No update.
8.1.1.2 Grant funding
No update.
8.1.2 Pavilion
8.1.2.1 Booking arrangements/fees for 2023
Chairman reported that the meeting with the chair of the tennis club had gone well and that a meeting with representatives of the cricket club had been arranged but that the carnival society had not yet been contacted. Cllr. Freezer reminded members that booking clashes would put additional pressures on car parking spaces when the Hesmonds development road entrance changes had been made. ACTION: Clerk to arrange meeting with the carnival society and carry forward the agenda item.
8.1.2.2 Toilet access
Clerk reported progress noting that lighting arrangements in the entrance lobby had already been completed and that installation of the partition/door was now in hand.
8.1.3 Playing field
8.1.3.1 Tennis club clubhouse
Members learnt from the chairman that a response had been received from the solicitors which prompted members to ask that the tennis club approach Council with a detailed proposal. ACTION: Clerk to arrange.
8.2 To note play equipment inspection report
Members noted that the report hadn’t highlighted any areas of concern. Chairman asked that thanks to Tony Reed be noted for his work with the play equipment.
- WRITTEN REPORTS FOR APPROVAL, DISCUSSION OR NOTING
9.1 Correspondence
Noted. (Appendix B).
9.2 Community Gardens greenhouse
Members noted that a shed/store had been erected at the Community Gardens site and instructed the clerk to advise that discussion for the consideration for the siting of a greenhouse could take place after the shed had been removed. ACTION: Clerk to arrange.
9.3 Replacement of ‘Clarke’ bench
Members discussed the impact of the recent contact from the Clarke’s representative indicating possible involvement with the replacement. Members agreed that the resolution to replace the bench with a QEII memorial bench not be overturned. ACTION: Clerk to advise decision and invite ‘Clarke’s’ to request their own bench if still required.
9.4 Warm spaces/lunch
Covered at item 5.7 above.
9.5 Burt wood proposal
Chairman reported that some of the Burt’s work in re-generating their section of woodland had been destroyed by unwanted activity and had offered to identify a portion, if Council would match a portion of the Parish Woodland, that could be set aside for non-regeneration (potentially harmful, but recreational) activities. ACTION: Clerk to obtain Burt’s proposed plan of the section suggested.
9.6 Schedule of works at Parish Woodland
In noting the report of the work carried out at the pond, members agreed that more bramble pulling should be carried out to further protect the bluebell area. ACTION: Clerk to arrange.
Following a proposal by Cllr. Vaughan and seconding by Cllr. Freezer
0539 RESOLVED to approve costs of up to £250 from s106 funds to remove unwanted brambles
9.7 Emergency Plan
Members learnt from the clerk that a county initiative had replaced the district initiative to provide an Emergency/Resilience Plan template for completion at parish level. ACTION: Clerk to obtain and Cllr. Magness to complete.
Following a proposal by Cllr. Pope and seconding by Cllr. Freezer
0540 RESOLVED to approve costs of up to £120 to purchase Emergency/Resilience template.
9.8 Village Hall ‘licence’
No progress.
9.9 Clerk’s progress report
Noted.
- DATE OF NEXT MEETING
To note that the next meeting of the Full Council will be held on Monday 27th February, 2023 at 7.00 pm at the Village Hall, East Hoathly
Noted.
5.3 Salary scale review
Carried forward. ACTION: Cllr. Freezer to obtain scale examples for RFO and Clerk from nearby Councils.
Meeting closed at 9.30pm
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE E-MAILED COPIES OF THIS AND FUTURE AGENDAS PLEASE CONTACT THE CLERK (07948 496760) and/or
easthoathlywithhallandpc@gmail.com
Appendix A
Payee Name | Amount | |
Anthony Read | £801.00 | |
Wealden District Council | £1,800.00 | |
Sisk healthcare/ Cardiac serv | £146.40 | |
Selmeston turf co | £252.00 | |
HMRC | £529.76 | |
Robbie (Bruce) | £350.00 | |
Verne Heath | £327.00 | |
Malcolm Ramsden | £1,584.41 | |
Castle Water | £27.02 | |
Stavertons nursery | £320.00 | |
HMRC | £355.51 | |
East Hoathly Village Hall | £107.50 | |
Play Inspection Co | £89.94 | |
Kings Head / Inn House | £25.00 | |
Blacksmiths arms | £363.95 | |
Chris Bartholomew | £1,054.27 | |
Chris Bartholomew | £269.04 | |
Verne Heath | £513.83 | |
Malcolm Ramsden | £2,288.95 | |
Wealden District Council | £858.00 | |
SSE Electricity | £203.63 | |
Total Payments | £12,267.21 |