EAST WITTERING AND BRACKLESHAM PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL
HELD ON 17 JANUARY 2008 AT THE FIRE STATION, OAKFIELD ROAD.PRESENT: Council Members Mr. J. O’Sullivan (Chairman) Mr. S. Becker
Mr. G. Breeze Mrs. J. Chaloner
Mrs. V. Goodall Mr. J. Gunning
Mr. B. Lambert Mr. R. Lowe
Mr. C. Munday
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Mrs. S. Main, Mrs. P. Connon, County Councillor Daws Chew and District Councillor Peter Clementson.
IN ATTENDANCE: District Councillor Sevey Mastronardi, PC Blackburn, PCSO Rose Bainbridge, PCSO Ann Bromley, Community Warden Declan Moody, trainee Community Warden, Mr. Dean Miles (Youth Worker in Charge) and one member of the public.
08.1 Declarations of Interest. None.
08.2 Minutes of the last meeting The minutes of the meeting held on 13 December were confirmed by the Council as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
08.3 Matters Arising from the last meeting. None
08.4 Public Questions Mr. Dobbin, as a member of the public, advised that he was attending to assist the Clerk with the calculation of the budget figures but would not to take part in any of the discussions or decisions of the Council.
08.5 Report from District Councillor Sevey Mastronardi Cllr. Mastronardi explained his absence from previous Parish Council meetings was due the demands of his business which required him to work evenings. He hoped that this will change in the next few months.
08.6. The Council received an update on their work from PCSO’s Rosemary Bainbridge and Ann Bromley together with PC Blackburn.
08.7 Youth Club The Council received an interesting report from Dean Miles, the Youth Leader in Charge of the Witterings Youth Club, on their residential trip in October which was financed by the Parish Council. He supplied photographs of the trip which will be circulated to the Council. He thanked the Parish Council for their support and read out some of the comments received from Club members, all of which thoroughly enjoyed the trip. He went on to explain the next project was to provide weekly activities for the members throughout March and asked the Parish Council for £1760 towards it out of the money allocated in this year’s budget. The Council were unanimous in their praise for the work done by the Club and agreed to the financing of this year’s project. Dean Miles thanked the Parish Council and hoped they would look favourably on providing further funds when considering next year’s budget.
08.8 Finance
08.8.1 The Council received a statement of the current financial position from the Clerk.
08.8.2 Cllr. Becker had agreed and signed the bank reconciliation prior to the meeting.
08.8.3 Previously agreed account paid since last meeting (minute 07.188.5)
Payee Item Cheque No Amount
EW Village Hall Donation 000316 4472.58
08.8.4 On a proposal from Cllr. Lowe, seconded by Cllr. Chaloner the following accounts totalling £2662.84 were approved for payment at this meeting.
Payee Item Cheque No Amount
Doug Goodman Parish Maintenance - Dec 07 000317 360.00
J. Griffith Clerk Salary - Dec 07 000318 1067.46
Southern Electric Street Lighting Energy 000319 253.09
R. Lowe Reimbursement Christmas Light
Shop Award plaques 000320 39.98
Konica Minolta Photocopier costs 000321 19.23
Stearns Handyman supplies 000322 43.50
CDC Bracklesham Pk maintenance 000323 879.58
08.8.5 Proposed by Cllr. Breeze, seconded by Cllr. Chaloner the Council agreed to employ Mrs. Lucy Wright on a part time basis of 6 hrs/week at £6.50/hr with immediate effect subject to signing a contract of employment.
08.8.6 Budget 2008-2009
The Council considered the items suggested for inclusion in the budget. On a proposal by Cllr. Munday, seconded by Cllr. Becker it was agreed by the Council to adopt the attached budget on page 386 of the minutes, with consideration of the points listed below, and that a precept of £67,200 is set for 2008/2009, reflecting a 5% increase on last year.
a. It was noted that with the increase in financial responsibility at Bracklesham Park with the provision of maintenance for the park and the pending play facilities together with the employment of an assistant to the clerk that there would be a substantial increase in the precept unless other budget items could be reduced.
b. Donations. The Council has for many years donated £500 each year to the Manhood Mobility Volunteer Service and recently has donated £1000 to the First Responders. It was decided to simplify the budget that these donations will not be itemised separately but included under the ‘Donations’ heading for consideration in October.
c. The budget for the Community Warden was agreed after lengthy discussion over concerns that the jobs of the Police Community Support Officers and the Community Warden were duplicated ie. graffiti, litter, liaison with the school and young people, car tax evasion, fly tipping. The vote for funding this item was even and decided by the casting vote of the Chairman
08.9 Bracklesham Park
08.9.1 Play Facilities. The Chairman reported that it has been agreed that the play areas be installed subject to confirmation from the Big Lottery Fund that this work can be started before it make its decision.
08.9.2 Lease. The representatives will make a decision on the play facilities to be installed and will bring the details to the Council when finalised. Initial comments on the Head Lease will be submitted to our Solicitor and he will then contact CDC.
08.10 Highways
08.10.1 Street Lights - Cllr. Breeze carried out the inspection on Wednesday 16 January and found only one light out, Column 5 in Longlands Road. The Clerk reported this to the contractors. The lights out in Middleton Close, which are not adopted by West Sussex County Council have been reported to Kelsey Housing.
08.10.2 Proposed by Cllr. Goodall, seconded by Cllr. Chaloner the Council agreed to request Piggery Hall Lane and Church Road be included in the West Sussex County Council gritting programme.
08.11 Christmas Lights
The Working Party reported that the Christmas Lights were a great success and the installation and removal went smoothly. Money continues to be raised through the donations from jars in local shops and the next fund raising event is a Beetle Drive on Saturday 2 February at the Village Hall - see posters on the noticeboards for details.
08.12 Football Pavilion
The Open Space Working Party reported they had received quotes for replacing the windows in the pavilion and would bring the details to the next meeting. Clerk to contact the Club regarding the broken toilet and a request not to clean the boots by banging them against the pavilion wall.
08.13 Church of the Assumption - churchyard.
The Council thanked the Probation Service for carrying out the clearance and tidying work in the churchyard and providing a much appreciated improvement of the whole site. Cllr. Main and the Clerk visited the workers clearing the site every week supplying encouragement and refreshments. The Clerk was asked to submit a letter to the newspaper in response to the letter this week enquiring about who cleared the churchyard. The Clerk reported that Father Steve hopes that he will be able to encourage a working party to keep on top of the new growth.
08.14 Annual Parish Meeting. Proposed by Cllr. Munday, seconded by Cllr. Chaloner the Council agreed that this meeting be held on Thursday 24 April subject to the availability of the Village Hall. The Council suggested that after the lack of support in previous years it should consider improved publicity and asked that this be on the next Agenda. Cllr. Goodall suggested the speaker on Carers in the community at a Community Forum be contacted as the talk was very informative.
