Parish Council Minutes 8 January 2013

Also present: ESCC Cllr. Reid, WDC Cllr. Buck, and the Clerk Beccy Macklen.

 Mike Smith (allotment holder) circulated and aide memoire to councillors raising concerns at the allotments referring to rabbit nuisance and water damage. Further discussion on this matter took place in minute 04/01/13 below.

 Chris Dent advised that he lives on The Dene in Uckfield and is interested in possible changes to The Dene through the TRUCK project. Further discussion on this matter took place in minute 05/01/13 below.

 Homer Cox wanted to know if it was true that Taylor Wimpey are pulling out of the development site west of Church Road. Cllr. Rose advised that he had heard the same but that Taylor Wimpey are pulling out of the site for approximately six months. The clerk was tasked with requesting a formal statement from Taylor Wimpey to establish how many houses have been built, how many are yet to be built and if Taylor Wimpey intend to come back to site.

Apologies received and accepted from Cllr Treacher and WDC Cllrs. Buck and Ogden

Cllrs. Blandford, Dopson, Sheard and Warner declared personal interests in any matters relating to the community hall by virtue of being members of the Hall or Ionides Trusts appointed by the Council.

 Cllr Hall declared a personal interest regarding the allotments being an allotment tenant

The minutes of the meeting held on 11^th December 2012 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record of the meeting.

ALLOTMENTS – FENCING COMPENSATION AND FLOODING

Having referred to the aide memoire presented by Mike Smith, the chairman proposed that:

1. no rents be charged the this year
2. allotment holders determine if an allotment society could be established
3. if a society is established and working well, rents would be collected in 2014 but then passed to the society to spend on the allotments as it deems necessary.

 Standing Orders suspended to allow allotment holders in attendance to respond to proposal

 Mr Smith was pleased that rent charges would be waived for 2013 and would discuss a possible allotment society with other allotment holders, which would take some time and possibly persuasion as the day to day running of the site takes more commitment than simply tending to one plot.

The issue of rabbits on site was also discussed with allotment holders advising that rabbits are still present on site. The chairman did make it very clear that a pest controller had visited the site and could not find any evidence of rabbits, which the allotment holders could not agree with.

The other allotment issue discussed was that of excess water/sand/lime entering the allotment site through the culverts from the development site above. Cllr. Rose advised that the run-off is definitely not cement, but could be lime which can set hard like cement. Lime was used at the site for soil stabilisation purposes when the development was first started, and this lime may be leaking from the site due to the unusually heavy rainfall lately.  

Before formally AGREEING the above proposals the parish council reiterated that the best people to run the allotments are the allotment holders themselves as they are on site and can identify problems whilst the parish council continues to investigate the water run-off issues from under the railway line.

THE DENE – TRUCK PROJECT & VILLAGE GREEN PROPOSAL

The chairman advised that the TRUCK project had been introduced to the parish council at the previous parish council meeting in December (see minutes), and reassured the public in attendance that no tree planting would be carried out on the site without full consultation with the local residents.

The clerk also advised that correspondence had been received from a local resident requesting the possibility of making The Dene a designated village green. Having looked at the parish council’s deeds for the land it was quoted that “no disposition….of the land unless made in accordance with the Open Spaces Act of 1906 or some other act or authority” and also the Charges Register stated that “the land is subject to rights of user for the purpose or quiet recreation”. The clerk would continue to ask the advice of SALC, but it was considered that the deeds were a strong enough protection of the land without having to allocate it as a village green.

ESCC Cllr. Reid updated the parish council on the following matters:

1. State aid has now been received from the EU for the expansion of rural broadband and ESCC are now out to tender with a view to awarding a contract in the spring. Mapping is currently underway to establish speeds within rural areas. To help to continue with the evidence gathering it is important that residents continue to complete the broadband survey on the ESCC website: http://www.goesussex.co.uk/. Cllr. Manchester requested that a further update be uploaded onto the parish council website, on noticeboards and in the Five Ash Down post office urging everybody to complete the ESCC survey and to pass any comments to the parish council. Cllr. Manchester to reply to any questions raised.

2. Government had awarded a modest amount of 2.3 million over two years to assist with work to pot holes in the county. Pot hole repair does rely on local residents reporting the holes, and this should be encouraged either via the website: http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/roads/maintenance/potholes/potholes.htm

or by telephone on 0345 60 80 193. The chairman asked for all parish councillors to report pot holes in the parish that they had noticed

3. ESCC annual budge setting meeting would be taking place on 12^th February. Some positive and innovative thinking has had to happen to provide services within the budget available.

Concern was raised at the delivery times for the newsletter depending on what area of the parish you reside in. Clerk was asked to investigate.

 Item 1 Youth Council: nothing to report

 Item 2. Public Footpaths: The ESCC Highway Steward attended on 3^rd January regarding the footpath along the A 272 from Saxon Court to Etchingwood Lane – he will organise a contractor to clear the path and vegetation hopefully before the end of January

 Item 3 Trees: nothing to report

 Item 4 Road Safety: Clerk was asked to report standing water on the road on the Five Ash Down bypass. It was recognised that bridge work is currently on going, however if the cold weather predicted arrives, this area will become and ice rink. It was recognised however, that there is still a large amount of water run off onto the roads following the heavy rainfall that the drains simply cannot cope with.

 Item 5 New Community Hall: The Reading Room permitted development certificate application has now been registered complete with WDC which would effectively increase the floor area of the Reading Room to then transfer to the new site – a decision is expected soon. The Buxted Community Hall Trust will be holding its AGM on 28^th January 2013 at the Reading Room.

 Item 6 Wealden LDF: i) Core strategy nothing to report  ii) Localism nothing to report

 Item 7 Property Issues:

i) High Hurstwood Recreation Ground 

Confirmed by Cllr. Manchester the proposals for the recreation ground (cricket wicket and nets) and grass verge have not changed since the parish council meeting with the hall group. There will be a public meeting at High Hurstwood Village Hall on 7^th February for the HH Village Hall Management Committee to present its plans.

ii) The Dene – see minute 05/01/13 above       

iii) Allotments – see minute 04/01/13 above

 Item 8 Parish Council Website: Would be updated with the ESCC potholes, broadband and flooding information.

 Item 9 Parish Plan: Clerk requested to circulate previous Parish Plan and public surveys to working party with a view to an initial meeting.

P1 – Manor Park Residents Association – covered in minute 04/01/13 above

P2 – ESCC Flood Management Consultation – Information on the flood consultation be added to the website giving links to the ESCC and Environment Agency information for Buxted.

P3 – ESCC bus timetable changes – noted

P4 – M Smith, J Wells – request for compensation for allotment fencing costs covered in minute 04/01/13 above

P5 – Victim Support grant request – strongly worded letter, but parish council would request further information of support carried out in the local area before committing to an annual grant.

None held

i) Payments – on the proposal of Cllr Dopson payments totalling £7011.36 covered by cheques 202 to 223 were approved

ii) Bank reconciliations – these had been circulated and were signed after checking

iii) Precept 2013/14 – Wealden DC had been able to confirm the final details of changes to central government support for local authorities and the Secretary of State was not capping parish council precept rises for 2013/14. It was therefore agreed that the original precept of £82,283 would be demanded.

None attended

It was noted that the Old Station in Uckfield, recently agreed by the British Rail Board Residuary to be sold to Network Rail be used for station parking would need to be sold at ‘market value’. This would have the effect that each parking space would cost approx. £36,000, thus making the project unaffordable.

None at this meeting