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A meeting of West Dean Parish Council was
held at 7.30pm on 10th September 2002 in King George's
Hall.
Present: Mrs S Gruzelier (Chairman), Mr
P Dawkins (Vice-Chairman), Mr P Hargrave, Miss C Warry,
Mr M Rowe, Mr R Parsons (Clerk), District Councillor
Michael Hewitt and three members of the public.
37/02 Public Comment: There is concern
that youths on pushbikes have been making unauthorised
use of the private woodland known as the Firs and also
acting in an inappropriate manner elsewhere in the
Village. Cllr Gruzelier sympathised and it was resolved
that members of the PC would discuss the problem with the
youths responsible.
38/02 Declaration of Interest: None.
39/02 Minutes: The minutes of the annual
Council meeting held on 13th May, having been circulated,
were agreed and signed by the Chairman.
40/02 Matters Arising:
* Ref:30/02 - Information has been
received from the Friends of War Memorials charity. It
was noted that there was still £205 of unspent donations
from relatives of those listed on the memorial and it was
agreed that the grant application should reflect this.
Action: the Clerk will obtain quotes for refurbishment of
the War Memorial and submit the application.
* Ref:09/02 - Cllr Gruzelier reported
that the Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebrations had been
very successful and £58.52p had been raised for charity.
Cllr Hargrave reported that the Jubilee grant application
for benches had been unsuccessful. It was agreed that a
SWAG application to SDC would be prepared for additional
benches. Action: the Clerk and Cllr
Hargrave.
* Ref:10/02 - It was noted that West
Dean had won the Salisbury District Best Kept Village
Competition in the 'small village' category and had been
placed fourth in the Wiltshire county competition. The
SDC winning certificate will be placed on the village
notice board. Cllr Rowe was concerned that the increasing
incidence of litter in the village was not conducive to
receiving high marks in the competition. Also, riverbank
maintenance was urgently needed.
* Ref:32/02 - Cllr Warry reported that
she had conducted more research into the route of
footpath No.8 into Hampshire. It was resolved that the PC
would be guided by the Hampshire Footpath Officer as to
which route would be most likely to win the approval of
interested parties.
* Ref:31/02 - The Clerk reported that he
had arranged a meeting with a parishioner, independent of
the Parish Council, who had agreed to examine the PC's
accounts in anticipation that he would be able to provide
the assurances required by the External Auditor under the
new Audit regime. The Notice of Audit had been published
on 15th August and 26th September is the date specified
for the exercise of Elector Rights. An elector wishing to
challenge any item of account must do so in writing by 21st
September.
41/02
Finance: * The Clerk produced copies of the PC's
financial summary and proceeded to explain each item of
account and the Bank reconciliation as at 31st March 2002.
Cllr Gruzelier signed the original as a true record and
there followed a discussion about the financial risk to
the PC if the mower were to become unusable. At £1,000,
the insured value of the mower is well below the cost of
a comparable replacement and this will need to be
accommodated in the PC's risk assessment statement. * The
Council agreed to the Audit fee of £189 plus vat for the
last triennial audit. * On the matter of charitable
donations, Cllr Rowe expressed the opinion that he didn't
believe the PC should be making them unless there was an
end of year financial surplus. It was agreed that only
the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal would receive a
charitable donation from the PC this year. * The Clerk's
remuneration was considered. He explained that the
current recommendation for Town and Parish Clerks pay was
between £7 and £21 per hour depending on the number of
electors on the electoral roll. He had agreed to accept
£7 per hour since April 2000. A decision will be made
later.
* The Council approved the following payments:
Cornhill Insurance - Main Policy ----------- 136 - £295.60p
Cornhill Insurance - Mower Policy --------- 136 - £104.13p
Brit Cmnwlth Ex-Srvcs - Jubilee Donation -- 137 -- £29.00p
NSPCC - Jubilee Donation ----------------- 138 -- £29.52p
Mrs S J Gruzelier - Jubilee Party Expenses - 139 -- £43.00p
Audit Commission - Triennial Audit Fee ---- 140 - £222.08p
R Gruzelier - Football nets/fittings ----------- 141 --
£59.62p
R P Parsons - Clerk's Fee on account ------ 142 - £350.00p
42/02 Transport, Roads and Footpaths:
Cllr Warry reported that the lengthsmen's visit on 21st/22nd
August had been completed satisfactorily and that the
next visit was scheduled for 19th/20th December. Action:
Cllr Warry to be notified by 12th of any special needs. *
Cllr Gruzelier is concerned that changes to the bus
timetable are reducing the usefulness of this service to
local people, for shopping at Tescos. Action:
the Clerk will contact Wilts & Dorset Bus Company for
clarification and possible reinstatement. * Cllr Warry
reported that the serviceability of footpath No.15 had
been resolved in conjunction with the landowner. * It was
noted that improvements to footpath No.7 were in hand by
the Landowner with help from the WCC Footpath Warden. *
WCC Rights of Way Footpath classification - The PC
considered that all footpaths in the Parish should be
classified as 'high priority' including those running
into Hampshire.
43/02 Planning: * S/2002/1615 - TREES IN
CONS.AREA - POLLARD WILLOW SUCKERS on the RIVERBANKS
opposite THE RED LION, WEST DEAN - notice period 12th
August to 23rd September 2002. * TVS.AG.00091/1
AGRICULTURAL NOTIFICATION of TWO STEEL PORTAL STORAGE
BARNS AND APRON - the applicant has submitted a more
detailed planning application. * 3859 - PLANNING
ENFORCEMENT in the vicinity of WINDRUSH - it was noted
that SDC are considering the evolving situation. Action:
District Councillor Hewitt to review the report being
prepared by SDC Planning Officers.
* FASTRACK planning report - following feedback from the
Area Committee meetings, revise proposals will be
presented to District Councillors shortly.
44/02 Correspondence: Cllr Rowe is
concerned that correspondence envelopes are not
circulating fast enough. The new system is working well
but could benefit from a greater degree of urgency. The
PC noted the following correspondence: * CRoW Act - draft
mapping of Common Land. * Ethnic Monitoring guidelines.
* Report of Liaison meeting at City Hall on 23rd July. *
Monthly circulars from WALC. * Police Community
Consultation Group - minutes and agenda for 17th
September. * Waste Local plan 2011 - Revised Deposit
draft. * SDC's FASTRACK planning report. * DEFRA rural
services standards 2002 at www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/ruralwp/
and the first progress report at www.countryside.gov.uk.
* Minutes of WTPC meetings. * Cllr Rowe proposed that an
updated newsletter should be circulated on the flooding
contingency plans. Action: Cllr
Gruzelier.
45/02 The next Parish Council meeting is
scheduled for on or about Tuesday, 3rd December 2002.
46/02 Confidential Item under Section 1 [2]
Public Bodies [Admissions to Meetings] Act 1960:
It was resolved that a caution should be declared on land,
including Common Land, in front of No.1 West Dean and the
former Red Lion public house by the Chairman, Mrs S
Gruzelier, on behalf of West Dean Parish Council. Action:
Cllr Hargrave.
The meeting closed at 9:42pm
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