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The Annual meeting of Grimstead Parish
Council was held on 12th May 2003 in the East Grimstead
Reading Room following the Annual Parish meeting that
commenced at 7:00pm.
Present: Mrs A Read (Chairman), Mr R
Amor (Vice-Chairman), Mrs R Clark, Mr J Maple, Mrs M
Sheppard, Mr T Shrapnell, Mr J Wrigley, Mr R Parsons (Clerk),
Salisbury District Cllrs Richard Britton, Leo Randall and
Penelope Bissington and nine members of the public.
36/03 Annual Parish meeting: 1: Cllr
Read delivered her report on the activities of the PC
over the past year. Eight meetings had been held and on
one occasion it had been necessary to hold an additional
meeting to discuss planning applications. Salisbury
District Council has now established a Website to publish
planning applications online and those relating to
Grimstead are easily accessed from www.sp5.org/gpc. The
PC continues to liaise with the WCC Highways Dept in an
attempt to improve the maintenance of the Parish's roads
and the Lengthsmen visit regularly. The new Code of
Conduct was adopted in May 2002 and only one member felt
that it provided him with the opportunity to step down.
Mr Charlie Tucker's resignation was accepted and he was
thanked for his service to the community. During the
summer the sad loss of the late Tony Clark further
depleted the membership and a donation was made to Cancer
Research UK in recognition of over ten years service on
the PC. Following statutory advertising procedures, two
membership vacancies were filled by co-option in January
by Mr Terry Shrapnell of West Grimstead and Mr John
Wrigley of East Grimstead. During the year the PC held an
electoral review that resulted in the Parish being warded.
This means that four members will represent the interests
of West Grimstead and three, the interests of East
Grimstead. The PC will continue to function as a single
entity. The results of the recent un-contested PC
elections are as follows:
For the West
Grimstead Ward:
CLARK,
Rosemary, Emmotts Farm, West Grimstead
READ,
Shirley Ann, Broadmead Farm, West Grimstead
SHRAPNELL,
Terence Arthur, Hazeldene, Crockford Road, West Grimstead
WRIGLEY,
John, Manor Cottage, East Grimstead
For the East
Grimstead Ward:
AMOR,
Robert George, Hawkswood, East Grimstead
MAPLE,
Jack, Poplar Cottage, East Grimstead
SHEPPARD,
Michelle, Gothic Cottage, East Grimstead
The Play facilities in West Grimstead continue to be well
used although there is little provision for older youths.
The PC has accumulated R2 funds and is actively exploring
ways to achieve improved facilities for the whole Parish.
However, East Grimstead does not have access to a
suitable communal area.
The PC is in the process of establishing clear ownership
of the West Grimstead Chalkpit and is liasing with WCC
over the reinstatement of the East Grimstead Chalkpit.
Cllr Read concluded by thanking the other Councillors and
the Clerk for their support throughout the year.
2: No Parishioners were able to offer
any comments on the subject of easements across common
land.
3: The Clerk reported that the Brooke,
Evelyn and Thistlethwaite Charity had sold one of its
fields during the year and invested the proceeds to
provide income. The Trustees had made grants, donations
and payments to individuals of £1875 in the year to
December 2002.
37/03 Declaration of Acceptance of Office
- were signed by all Members following the elections on 1st
May.
38/03 Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman: Cllr
Clark proposed and Cllr Sheppard seconded, Cllr Wrigley
as Chairman. Cllr Shrapnell proposed and Cllr Read
seconded, Cllr Amor as Vice-chairman.
39/03 Declaration of Interest: None on
the agenda as presented.
40/03 Minutes: The minutes of the PC
meeting held on 7th April 2003, having been circulated,
were agreed and signed by Cllr Wrigley.
41/03 Matters Arising:
* The Clerk reported that the safety inspection of the
West Grimstead Playing Field had taken place on the
morning of Tuesday, 8th April but that the report had yet
to be received.
* Cllr Sheppard asked if the letter to WCC regarding the
reinstatement programme at East Grimstead Chalkpit had
been despatched as agreed under minute no.15/03 on 17th
February. The Clerk replied that although he had had a
number of telephone conversations with the officer
responsible, the letter had yet to be drafted and he
agreed that this would be expedited at the earliest
opportunity.
* Cllr Sheppard asked if the owner of the Farley roadside
hedgerows had been contacted about the dead tree limbs
that pose a hazard to road users. The Clerk replied that
he had not yet discovered the owner's identity.
42/03 Easements across Common Land: Cllr
Read produced a letter dated 30th April 2003 from Legal
Services at WCC in reply to her letter of 28th April
concerning the Vehicular Access across Common and Other
Land (England) Regulations 2002. This appeared to
indicate how procedures might be invoked under the
Regulations. It further suggested that advice might be
available from the Commons Commissioners in Bristol and
that if the PC considered that it needed formal legal
advice it should consult its own solicitor. It was
proposed that in the first instance, the Commons
Commissioners should be consulted.
43/03 Finance: * The PC's Insurance
renewal was reviewed and the Clerk reported that the
Wiltshire Association of Local Councils was arranging a
group scheme underwritten by Zurich Municipal for member
PCs in Wiltshire. It was agreed that Grimstead PC would
accept the lowest quote for a comparable Insurance policy.
* The Clerk produced a summary of the PC's accounts for
the y/e March 2003, which the Councillors reviewed and
agreed. The Bank reconciliation shows that after total
expenditure of £2,536.66p, there is £2.910.04p to carry
forward.
* The following payment was approved:
Wiltshire
Association of Local Councils - Annual subscription - 191
- £128.80p
44/03 Transport, Roads and Footpaths: The
Lengthsmen had visited the Parish on 1st/2nd May.
45/03 Planning: There were no planning
applications to consider.
46/03 Correspondence: * The Clerk
produced a letter from a Parishioner in reply to the PC's
letter regarding the land behind the Village Hall at West
Grimstead. Cllr Read declared a personal interest and
because she felt that this might be interpreted as a
prejudicial interest, absented herself from the meeting
while the matter was discussed. The owner of the land
indicated that he would be receptive to a properly
presented business plan that would incorporate a
realistic rent for the property. It was agreed that those
interested should be informed of this and given the
opportunity to respond. * A letter had been received from
Broadway Malyan, the planning consultants to Defence
Estates SouthWest in connection with the disposal of the
Defence Munitions Dean Hill depot, that was an invitation
to an exhibition at MoD Dean Hill on 15th/16th May. The
purpose was a public consultation exercise to assess
local opinion regarding potential disposal options for
the site following decommissioning after 1st April 2004.
The presentation on the first day was for the benefit of
local PC Chairmen and the exhibition on the second day
was open to all comers. * The PC noted the following
correspondence: * Report of the Highways meeting
organised by WC Cllr Moss on 17th March. * South Wilts
Strategic Alliance report. * Learning and Skills Council
report. * Monthly circulars from WALC.
47/03 The next Council meeting is on
Monday, 23rd June 2003 in West Grimstead Village Hall.
48/03 Any Other Business: * Cllr Clark
wanted to explore the possibility of replacing the
Goalpost that had had to be removed from the West
Grimstead Playingfield. * Cllr Amor reported that there
was a piece of fencing that could be hazardous to road
users close to skew arch on the road to West Dean. Action:
Cllr Wrigley agreed to speak to the landowner. *
There was general concern about the overgrown sycamore
trees in the West Grimstead Playingfield. Action:
The Clerk will consult with Southern Electric to
discover if they have assessed the risk to their overhead
cables. * WCC Youth Development co-ordinator for the
Downton Community area is keen to engage with the youth
of the village to explore personal development
opportunities.
The meeting closed at 9:01pm
Signed by the Vice-Chairman, Cllr Amor, on 23rd June 2003
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