6 May 2008
ELLINGHAM, HARBRIDGE & IBSLEY PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held in Blashford Lakes Study Centre, Ellingham on 6 May 2008.
Present:
Cllr Errington - Vice Chairman
Cllr Blower
Cllr Webster
In attendance
NFDC Cllr Dow
One member of the public.
Georgette Purches (new clerk)
Kate Mason (retiring clerk)
Cllr Errington opened the meeting and thanked Kate Mason her hard work as clerk and in particular for staying on to help the new clerk take over the duties. He then welcomed the new clerk.
- Apologies
08/125
There were apologies from Cllrs Burtenshaw, Lane, Stokes, Kane and Turk.
In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman Cllr Errington chaired the meeting.
Election of a Chairman and Vice Chairman
08/126
Election of a Chairman
Cllr Errington proposed and Cllr Webster seconded Councillor Blower to stand as Chairman for the following year. All in favour, motion carried.
Cllr Errington then handed over the meeting to Cllr Blower.
Cllr Blower read a letter from the past Chairman Cllr Turk, in which she resigned from the council with immediate effect. The council were unanimous in their thanks to Cllr Turk for her 25 years of service on the council and 12 years as chairman. Clerk to write.The clerk was also instructed to contact NFDC and ask if her long service could be recognised in some way.
Election of a Vice Chairman
Cllr Blower proposed Cllr Burtenshaw. However, Cllr Errington asked that the decision be postponed until the June meeting as so few councillors were present. It was agreed that Cllr Errington would continue as Vice Chairman until that time (for the purpose of signing cheques etc).
Appointments of members to represent Ellingham, Harbridge and Ibsley Parish Council:
08/127
The list of outside bodies requiring representatives was examined and two were removed, namely Wessex Water Consultative Committee and NF Commons Liaison Committee. The Tarmac Liaison Committee also has only one meeting left.
Plumley Wood Liaison group representation would be decided by the new Planning Committee in due course (see minute 08/134)
The following members agreed to represent EHI Parish Council:
- Police Liaison Committee - Cllr Stokes
- New Forest Consultative Panel - Cllr Errington
- Hanson Concrete Environmental Trust - Cllr Burtenshaw
- Rights of Way and Footpath Officer - Cllr Webster
- Almshouse Trustee - Cllr Blower
- Blashford Lakes Consultative Panel - Cllrs Errington & Webster
- Transport - To be attended when there is something relevant - Clerk to monitor
- NFDC Parish Council Liaison meetings - Cllr Blower and Vice Chairman when elected.
The following bodies require a representative. Taken forward to the June meeting.
- NF Association of Town & Parish Councils
- Tree Officer
New posts to be discussed at June meeting:
- Training Officer (courses/ arrange speakers and PR)
- To fix the time and date of the ordinary meetings of the Council.
08/128
Cllr Blower proposed that the time of ordinary meetings moved forward to 7.00pm in order to have more time to discuss future plans. Clerk to email members and ask if that was acceptable. It was agreed to hold meetings on the fourth Tuesday of the month in Ibsley Village Hall.
Post meeting note: Ibsley Village Hall is only available on a Thursday evening and not the last one in the month. Clerk emailed members to ask if first Thursday would be acceptable.
To elect signatories to execute documents on behalf of Ellingham, Harbridge and Ibsley Parish Council.
08/129
Cllr Errington proposed and Councillor Webster seconded the Chairman and Vice Chairman to be the official signatories.Minutes of the meeting held on 17 March 2008.Matters arising from the minutes.Declarations of interestPublic ForumPlanning and PolicyEHI PC planning applications are to be dealt with by the planning committee who meet every 4 weeks on the second Tuesday of the month (or at a frequency which fulfils current NFDC & NPA planning policy). The committee has full delegated powers to make decisions on all relevant planning applications. The Planning Committee shall also deal with consultation documents sent to the Council.
08/130
The minutes were agreed and signed as a correct record of the meeting which took place on 17 March 2008. Cllr Errington proposed and Cllr Webster seconded.
08/131
New Forest Triathlon
An email from the organisers was read out by Cllr Blower. The National Trust did not provide them with final confirmation regarding the run route, although they had approved it in principle. In addition to the 'No Parking' requirement along Ellingham Drove the organisers also ensured that 'No Parking' cones were placed around Moyles Court. All car parking was
organised beside Ellingham Church in a paddock. Cllr Errington reported that the event seemed to have taken place without any problems. However, he would be meeting with the Director of Planning for the NT to discuss future response. The race organisers had first contacted the Parish Council in December and had been immediately directed to the NT.
The new Clerk was requested to contact Richard Iles to make herself know to him.
Proposed Veolia Cycleway B3081
To be discussed at June meeting.
Headlands 106 Agreement Developers Contribution
A copy of the recent email from Martine Devine giving indication that all the consultation were supportive had been circulated to members. Confirmation of the final decision is awaited.
Parish Archive Material
The new clerk would investigate in due course what was worth archiving from the material handed over from the current clerk and was chasing HCC to find out what was held there.
08/132
All the councillors had been asked to complete a new form, in order to include any new posts on outside bodies. To be returned to the clerk by 31 May 2008.
08/133
A question was asked regarding how much parishes in the New Forest National Park liaised regarding common problems, planning etc. This led to a discussion about preserving unique forest buildings, design statements and Parish Plans. The Chairman reminded members that this was just the sort of thing that she hoped the council would have time to discuss fully in the future.
08/134
Junction Cottage -Cllr Errington updated members with regard to the temporary access agreed in a Method Statement from Natural England. Cllr Errington is waiting to meet with the applicant to discuss the options. The Parish Council will have to agree whether to allow a permanent vehicle access, then whether to lease the access or sell the access and verge to the applicant. On advice from the NPA the applicant removed the permanent access from the planning application and permission was then granted. HCC have clarified their position and highways permission is not required for a permanent access.
Planning Committee & changes to Standing Orders.
The formation of a planning committee was discussed and it was agreed that the clerk would ask members for volunteers, ask Ellingham Village Hall for availability on a monthly basis and circulate dates. The clerk would not be required to attend the meetings but would be instructed to pass the results to the NPA or NFDC. The Chairman would be elected once the committee was formed.
The formation for a planning committee and the additions to the Standing Orders (which follow) were proposed by Cllr Blower and seconded by Cllr Webster All in favour
13. COMMITTEES
13.1 The Council may at its Annual Meeting appoint standing committees and may at any other time appoint such other committees as are necessary, but subject to any statutory provision :-
May appoint persons other than members of the Council to any Committee
The Council may at any time dissolve or alter the membership of committee.
Every committee shall at its first meeting before proceeding to any other business elect a Chairman and may elect a Vice-Chairman.
The Chairman of a committee or the Chairman of the Council may summon an additional meeting of that committee at any time. An additional meeting shall also be summoned on the requisition in writing of not less than a quarter of the members of the committee. The summons shall set out the business to be considered at the special meeting and no other business shall be transacted at that meeting.
The quorum of a committee shall be no less than 3 members
The Standing Orders on rules of debate and on interests of members in contracts and other matters shall apply to committee meetings.
Members of committees shall vote by show of hands, or, if at least two members so request, by signed ballot.
Chairmen of committees and sub-committees shall in the case of an equality of votes have a second or casting vote.
All agendas and committee minutes to be circulated to all Members of the Parish Council regardless of whether or not they are on that committee
21. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
21.1 The Clerk shall record the following particulars of planning applications notified to the Council;
the date on which it was received
the name of the applicant
the place to which it relates
the decision made
Each planning application shall receive a site visit by at least one member if considered necessary
Finance.
08/135
The clerk reported that the balance as at 31 March 2008 currently being audited was:
£18,841.05. The precept payment had been received and £5,750 had been credited on 30 April. Once the outstanding payments had been settled the residue would be transferred to the reserve account. The reserve would then be in the region of £18,000.
It was proposed by Cllr Blower and seconded by Cllr Errington that the following accounts be paid and that the signatories for future transactions would be any two from the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Clerk.
Outside Bodies - reports from Councillors of meetings attended.
08/137
- Policy on members attending. - It was agreed that the reports should be circulated and then attached to the minutes of the next meeting. There should not be any repetition of the actual report, only discussion about its content.
This policy and the changes to Standing Orders as follows were proposed by Cllr Errington and seconded by Cllr Webster:
17.4 The Council shall appoint members to serve as representatives on outside bodies where appropriate.
17.5 Members acting as representatives to outside bodies shall advise the Clerk they are unable to attend. The Clerk may then appoint a substitute or, if unable to, submit their apologies to the appropriate person when unable to attend the meetings of those bodies and shall, at the next meeting of the Parish Council; under the item "Reports from representatives to outside bodies" the member shall report that the meeting has taken place. Where possible, relevant items should be reported from the minutes of such meetings.
17.6 Members representing the Council at outside body meetings or site visits shall provide the Clerk with a written report (electronically if possible) following that meeting prior to the next Parish Council meeting. The Clerk shall forward copies to each member of the Council and attach the reports to the minutes of the meeting.
- Stand at Ellingham Show - the clerk read an email from Cllr Lane in which she reported on her meeting with Matthew, sponsorship manager for The Ellingham Show.
Advertising could be placed free in the Show Guide. Banners, provided by the council, could be placed around the show ring and on the A338. The Ellingham Show would be happy to give us a voucher to add to the bottom of any mailshot we might do within the Parish entitling the bearer to £2 off ticket price at the show on entry (so reducing the entry price to £5 from the usual £7). At the show the PC could have a gazebo inside the Member's enclosure, next to the entrance. This would enable us to have a meeting place for PC residents - whereby we could invite them all in the mailshot (above) to join us for a drink to meet us between certain times say 12 and 1.
Cllr Lane expressed interest in taking an active part in making arrangements at the show and it was agreed that the clerk would work with her. The item would be discussed at the June meeting. Copy for the programme, required by the end of May, would be drafted by clerk and forwarded to members for comment. Cllr Blower recorded thanks to Cllr Lane for this initiative.
Environmental Issues.
08/138
Himalayan Balsam Clearing. The clerk read an email from Bob Chapman, HWT reserves officer. He asked if the council would like to help clear this invasive alien plant during the summer. Bob is organising a number of working parties from local organisations. Clerk to reply and ask for dates.
Annual parish meeting arrangements.
08/139
Ibsley Village Hall was proving difficult to contact - Wine and nibbles would be available. A flyer had been placed on the notice board; an advert had appeared in the Link and on the website. Cllr Webster asked if the Avon Advertiser and the Forest Journal could be persuaded to publicise the meeting. Clerk to organise. Bob Chapman was the guest speaker. Clerk to check what equipment he requires.
Correspondence
08/140
- Village 30 application for Harbridge had been circulated to members. Clerk to write and express disappointment and ask to be re-considered next time.
- NFDC Strategic Housing letter had been circulated. Comments to the clerk by 20 May.Ibsley garage. A number of complaints had been received in confidence. The clerk had replied. Rails and dragons teeth had been damaged. Clerk had arranged repairs. Clerk to email Kevin fuller to up-date him on the situation.
- Other business.
08/141
- It was agreed that this subject heading would be removed from future agendas as it was unnecessary, as items discussed could not be decided without being an agenda item.
- Cllr Blower reported that Malcolm Lambert had expressed interest in being considered for the vacancy on the council. Clerk to organise the Notice of Vacancy.
Date of the next meeting: Provisionally arranged for June 24 in Ibsley Village Hall. Post meeting note: Ibsley Village Hall only has vacancies on Thursday evenings and not the final Thursday in the month. Clerk circulated members if it would be agreeable to change to FIRST THURSDAY of the month. No adverse comments have been received.
Next meeting at 7.00pm on Thursday 5 June.
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