LIMPSFIELD PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting held on
Tuesday, 6 January 2004,
in the school hall, Limpsfield CE
Infant School, Limpsfield at 7.30 pm
PRESENT: Chairman Mr C Walker (CW)
Councillors Mr B Alexander (BA), Mrs
R Harris (RH),
Mrs C Heijmer (CH), Mr J
Jensen (JJ), Mr David Marnham (DM)
Mr J Pannett (JP), Mrs A
Williams (AW), Mrs L Wingate (LW)
1.0 APOLOGIES
There were
no apologies for absence.
2.0 MINUTES
The minutes of
the previous meeting were approved and signed as a true record.
3.0 MATTERS ARISING
There were no matters arising.
4.0 PUBLIC SESSION
The Chairman thanked Mr Ron Bristow for his report on the
recent Sussex Community Rail Partnership meeting.
5.0 COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
REPORTS
The Chairman welcomed District Councillor Colin Hall to the
meeting. Colin Hall emphasised the
continued concern of the District Council about the level of Government grant
for the forthcoming year. The Chief
Executive had all party support to write to the Prime Minister explaining the
seriousness of the situation. Colin
Hall went on to say that over the last few weeks the Audit Commission has been
carrying out comprehensive performance assessments at the Council offices which
eat into the working day. A careful log
of staff hours spent on assessments has been kept.
A productive meeting has recently been held with British
Gas about the gas holder site.
The Chairman outlined his recent ‘on site’ meetings with
County Councillor Nick Skellett regarding a number of issues in Limpsfield,
including parking problems outside Hazelwood school and on the Westerham
Road. Colin Hall said that one of the
pitfalls of parking enforcement is that the problem moves elsewhere. The District Council would also have to bear
the cost of enforcement.
6.0 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT (including
correspondence)
The Chairman reported that the Clerk had received a further
request for emergency taxi vouchers as a result of publicity in the Chart
News. Vouchers to the value of £114
have been issued.
Correspondence:
· Notes of the
Adopt-a-Street meeting held on 25/11/03.
·
CPRE – request for Parish Councils to write to the Minister
for Housing and Planning to support stronger planning controls for County
Councils. Agreed. Action: Clerk
·
Report from Mr Bristow on the Sussex Community Rail
Partnership meeting held on 28/11/03.
·
Tandridge Local Strategic Partnership – seminar for
Tandridge Parish Councillors, District Councillors and Surrey County
Councillors on Saturday, 28 February 2004 from 9.30 am – 12.15 pm (venue TBA). Suggestions for the agenda: protection of the Green Belt; car parking
strategy; planning enforcement.
Action: CW/AW/LW
·
LCAS – Newsletter no 19 December 2003
·
ESPLG – Minutes of the meeting held on 15/10/03, together
with the revised operating procedure for the Clerk of the group.
·
Surrey Police Authority – questionnaire “Building a Safer
Surrey Together”. Deadline 16/1/04. Action: AW
·
DEFRA – information about how the Government is dealing
with ‘equine issues’.
·
Commission for Patient & Public Involvement in Health –
application pack for PPI forums being established all over England.
·
Strategy document for dealing with Eastern Surrey’s
municipal waste 2003. Passed to JP.
·
SCC – Rural Strategy and Action Plan October 2003. Circulate.
6.1 Allotments update: a
letter has been received from P Ainsworth MP summarising a response from the
Titsey Estate as follows: “the Estate
must do its best to protect the value of its various assets, amongst which the
allotment site is of considerable potential importance.” The land agent, Strutt & Parker, has
been instructed by Titsey Estate to use its best endeavours to locate an
alternative and, if possible, larger site on Estate land on which the allotments
could be relocated. After some
discussion it was agreed that AW would consider the appropriate action for the
parish council to take with guidance from Paul Clayden. Action: AW
6.2 Notice board for Limpsfield Chart (agreed in
principle subject to a suitable location being found - minute 11.1 of the
meeting held on 7 October). It was
agreed to look into the possibility of siting the notice board on National
Trust land opposite the Carpenters Arms car park. Mark Richards will approach the Limpsfield Commons Committee to
seek its agreement. Colin Hall
commented that this may be an opportune time to reconsider moving the letter
box, currently in Post Office Row, to a more central location adjacent to the
proposed new notice board.
7.0 PARISH COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
7.1 Rights of Way
Nothing to report.
7.2 Planning
Correspondence:
·
Letter
from a resident concerning the parish boundary at Clementsdene, 88 Bluehouse
Lane. CH visited the resident to
discuss the concerns but did not feel it was necessary to take any action.
Planning Application List 49, 50 & 51
No objections to
TA/2003/1771/TCA
JESSAMINE COTTAGE, HIGH STREET, LIMPSFIELD
REMOVE APPROX 60% (2.5M) FROM SIDE BRANCHES OF GOAT WILLOW
AND REDUCE CANOPY BY 40% (1.8M) ON SIDE OF TREE OVERHANGING SANDRIDGE, HIGH
STREET, LIMPSFIELD.
TA/2003/507 THE
STUDIO, HIGH STREET, LIMPSFIELD
RETENTION OF VEHICULAR ACCESS. Request a condition that a
suitable ‘cross over’ be constructed to prevent damage to the kerbstones and
pavement. NB draw attention to imminent works to be carried out at Rosewell
Cottage and in front of former Limpsfield Lithographic premises.
TA/2003/1769
2, WHITEGATES COTTAGES, GRANTS LANE, LIMPSFIELD
DEMOLITION OF REAR ADDITION AND SIDE CONSERVATORY.
ERECTION OF PART SINGLE/PART TWO STOREY SIDE EXTENSION.
Planning refusals
TA/2003/1516 24 Westerham Road, Oxted
Demolition of existing
garage. Erection of two storey
side/rear extension, first floor extension & single storey front extension.
TA/2003/1157 Brambles Cottage, Brassey Road, Oxted
Demolition of existing dwelling
& erection of 4-bed house with detached double garage with new
driveway/turning area.
TA/2003/1370 Little Batchelors, Red Lane, Limpsfield
Erection of detached double garage
with log store and alterations to access layout.
TA/2003/977
Chardleigh Cottage, Pains Hill, Limpsfield
Erection of two storey side
extension and front porch.
TA/98/856/R Red House Lodge, Brick Kiln Lane, Limpsfield
Erection of detached double garage with log store.
TA/2003/1351 Wymondley, Hookwood Park, Limpsfield
Erection of single storey detached pool house
TA/2003/1478/TCA Rose Cottage, High Street, Limpsfield
Reduce canopy of a beech by approx 33%.
TA/2003/510 Windwards, Ridlands Lane, Limpsfield
Demolition of existing garage; erection of two storey
side extension incorporating double garage.
7.3 Highways
Fault reports:
unlit
speed hump warning sign in Limpsfield High Street was reported again on
16/12/03 ref 90014984.
Parking problems on Westerham Road: CW to investigate the extent of the problem.
Action: CW
Highways meeting: a meeting is being held at the Council
Offices on 14/01/04 at 3 pm to discuss the report on a possible footway in
Bluehouse Lane. CW to attend. Action: CW
Local Committee meeting 30 January
2004: RH cannot attend. Meeting will be held at the Soper Hall in
Caterham at 10.30 am. CW agreed to
attend. Action: CW
Hazelwood School parking
problem: there was some discussion about
parking outside Hazelwood School. A
meeting will be arranged with the Head teacher to investigate possible
solutions. Action: CW / Clerk
Limpsfield High Street: Highways has processed a works order to have sections of
the sunken footway re-laid. The
anticipated start date is mid/end January, to tie in with the construction of a
new crossover outside Rosewell Cottage.
Wolfs Row parking: RH highlighted that the junction of Wolfs
Row with the A25 Westerham Road was regularly obstructed by cars parking too
close to the corner. It was agreed to
write to Highways again on this matter. Action: Clerk
Potholes: the problem of
potholes was discussed again at length.
Colin Hall gave a useful telephone number to ring should the usual
methods of reporting go unheeded.
7.4 Publicity
Annual parish report:
BA reminded members that reports must be received by Tuesday,
3 February 2004, latest.
7.5 Trees, Village
Green & Parish Office
Maintenance of oak benches: CW will arrange
a meeting with Tony Yates to discuss necessary maintenance. Action:
CW
RH offered to draw up a plan
of the area adjacent to the Memorial Stores so that the new bench and bollards
can be appropriately positioned. Action: RH
8.0 REPORTS FROM
REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES
8.1 Limpsfield
Common
Mark Richards reported that an
excellent response had been received to the recent Limpsfield Chart playground
questionnaire, with the majority of responses in favour of a playground.
Two new National Trust notice
boards made by Surrey Wildlife Trust have been installed, one at Ridlands Grove
and one opposite the cricket club.
8.2 Limpsfield
School
JJ reported that the school was facing a challenging time to keep within
tight budgets. School governors were
rising to the challenge to ensure high standards were maintained.
8.3 Police Community
Partnership Group
The next meeting of the PCPG is on
Thursday, 15 January, at Hurst Green Community Centre at
8 pm.
9.0 PARISH PLAN
Mr & Mrs Philip Thomas have
kindly offered their services to produce a parish plan for Limpsfield. The clerk will convene a meeting between
CW/AW and Mr & Mrs Thomas to progress.
Action: Clerk
10.0 FINANCE
10.1 Budget & Precept 2004/05
The Chairman presented the budget for 2004/05 in a revised
format.
It was
resolved unanimously to:
1.
top up
the election reserve by £100 from £900 to £1,000;
2.
reduce
the minute binding reserve by £100 from £200 to £100;
3.
allow
for special projects i) bollards for land adjacent to the memorial stores £250 and ii) contribution towards
Limpsfield Chart playground appeal £500;
4.
keep
the precept requirement for 2004/05 at £9,200.
10.2 Subscription renewals agreed: LCAS
(£305), Woodland Trust (£18.00)
10.3 Accounts for Payment
·
Clerk’s salary (SO 26 December 2003) £380.66
·
Shaw & Sons “The Law of Allotments” (chq 206) £18.95
·
Local Councils Advisory Service (chq 207) £305.00
·
Woodland Trust subscription (chq 208) £18.00
·
Clerk’s expenses (chq 209) £18.40
·
Furniture@Work Ltd (CAB grant)(chq 210) £206.80
·
Seeboard DD 8/12/03 £122.98*
·
Seeboard DD 10/12/03 £21.97*
* Seeboard has incorrectly charged these amounts to the parish
council account. A letter has been
written to Seeboard requesting a credit of £110.73.
11.0 ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Ron Bristow recommended that members should read the Tatsfield Village
Plan.
JP
suggested making further enquiries into the ownership of the sandpits in the
east of the parish with a view to exploring possible uses of the sites. JP’s own interpretation of the documentation
is that the Moorhouse sandpit is deemed already to be fully restored, while the
restoration of the Clacket Lane sandpit is not yet finished.
12.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting
will be held on Tuesday, 3 February 2004.
Other diary dates: March
meeting Tuesday, 2
March 2004
April
meeting Tuesday, 30
March 2004
APM Wednesday, 31 March 2004
The meeting closed at 9.20 pm.