THE MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 13th JUNE, 2017 IN THE KEN STAINER SUITE AT DURLEY MEMORIAL HALL, DURLEY AT 7.30 p.m.
7 Parish Councillors, the Clerk – Mrs Anne Collins, District Councillor Miller and 10 parishioners were present.
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Apologies were received from County/District Councillor Humby and District Councillor Mclean.
2. ANY DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT. There were no
Declarations of Interest declared.
3. THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 9th MAY, 2017 WERE READ, CONFIRMED AND SIGNED.
4. MATTERS ARISING:
(a) Church Copse replanting. There is no update, but it is hoped that now the Elections are over George Hollingbery will be able to follow this up again with the Forestry Commission. Residents informed CC Humby and Parish Councillors that trees with TPO’s on have been felled. Clerk has asked the Tree Officer to visit and take appropriate action. Residents who were present at the Meeting were getting very frustrated that no action was being taken against the owner of the Copse and he is still felling trees. Clerk will get in touch with George Hollingbery and CC Humby to ask if this case can be given some priority as it is feared that soon another entrance will be made and more damage will be caused.
(b) Double yellow lines at Beech Corner and end of Manor Road update. Clerk has chased this up again and asked when the lines are to be done. DC Miller was present and agreed to find out when the lines would be done as Wickham is now completed.
(c) Report on Meeting with Andy Smith (HCC) at The Sawmills. Cllrs Watts, Pitter and Smith, along with CC Humby and the Clerk met with Andy Smith and discussed options for making the road safer and try and ease the parking problems for residents. Andy has sent the Clerk an idea of the options available. Councillors discussed the ideas and agreed that the best way forward would be to write to the residents in The Sawmills with Andy’s options and hold a Consultation in perhaps the Thresher Room to hear residents’ views before responding to Andy. Clerk will write a letter and arrange a date for a Consultation.
(d) Completion of drainage in the play area at The Sawmills. This work has now been completed and Cllr Pitter has checked the work and said that it all appears satisfactory. He did suggest keeping £400 back as a deposit to see if the drainage worked when the wet weather appears and to see if the ground settles where the drainage was put in. Councillors agreed this proposal so Clerk will write a cheque for the final amount less £400 which will be paid later once Councillors are happy the drainage is working and the ground levels are correct.
(e) Report on Depot Contract Option Workshop. Cllr Watts and the Clerk attended this Workshop and discussed along with other Councils the options available to dispose of the waste we have in Hampshire in the most cost effective way. Some Councils wanted to take on more responsibility for the landscape maintenance and others did not. It was feared that if some of the larger Councils to take on some of the work it will make it more expensive for the smaller Councils.
5. COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT: CC Humby was not at the Meeting to give a Report.
6. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS: DC Miller gave a District Council Report and said that the Architect has been appointed for the development in Winchester.
7. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ITEMS BY INVITATION OF THE CHAIRMAN. The main issue that
residents were attending for was the breach of Planning Regulations on the land adjacent to Berkeley Farm, Durley Street. Travellers arrived at 18.04 on Friday 9th June and installed caravans and used diggers on the site to put down hard-standings in the entrance and on the site. As Planning Permission was refused on this site for 4 gypsy pitches the previous week residents were not happy that the site was being used for this purpose without planning permission. The Enforcement Officer went on site on Monday 12th June a.m. and informed the Council that a Temporary Stop Notice/Injunction would not be the best approach as the site was fairly complete so the benefits would be marginal. The better option would be to serve an Enforcement Notice to clear the site and restore it. He has spoken to the Legal Department at WCC and they agree that this will be the best option and he will be working on a draft over the next few days. The timescales would be approximately: Enforcement Notice issued – Monday 17th July, 2017; Enforcement Notice takes effect – Monday 28th August, 2017 and the Date for Compliance – 28th November, 2017. These are approximate dates. Once these dates are definite the Clerk will put a Statement on the village website so that residents are aware that action is being taken.
8. CORRESPONDENCE:
(a) Land Registry Title Deeds for the land on the North East Side of Gregory Lane at The Sawmills. This has now been received.
(b) Letter from Seafarers UK re flying the flag for the Merchant Navy Day. This was noted.
(c) Community Pay Back Scheme. Clerk said that there was an opportunity to use this service for £80 a day to carry out tasks around the village. It was agreed that a schedule could be drawn up and then we could see how many days we might need them. Clerk has been in touch with the organiser who runs the Scheme and he will be happy to accommodate our needs. Councillors will e-mail the Clerk with a “wish list” and then we can see how many days we wish to start with.
(d) Rural Housing Week 2017. This was noted.
9. SCHOOL REPORT: There was no School Report, but a feasibility study has been sent to Councillors from HCC with crossing options and flashing school lighting. Councillors have viewed the Study and agreed that as they are representing the whole parish and the funds of the parish we would need to have assurance that the scheme would be used properly by parents before committing to a Grant. At the present time the Lay-by Scheme is not working as it is not used as a Drop-Off Point like proposed, but used as additional parking spaces. There was proposed to be 2 members of staff meeting children and crossing them over the track and this does not appeared to have happened. Councillors also questioned why the gate which was installed with the Scheme does not appear to have been opened for use. Councillors agreed that there is no point in entering into another Scheme if the last one is not used as intended. As this additional cost has not been budgeted for Councillors agreed that we would not be able to take any cost out of the Precept, but could apply for a Grant towards some of the cost if there was a Grant available. Clerk suggested that perhaps a County Councillor Grant might be available. Clerk will send our comments to the School.
10. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH REPORT: Cllr Watts reported that some more gates have been stolen in Winterhill.
11. HIGHWAYS REPORT: Cllr Pitter said that Heathen Street has been repaired again and he is going to go around Durley and plot any pot holes and send them to HCC. Cllr Delmege asked when the Traffic Survey is going to be available as it would be beneficial to have the results before the Boorley Green homes are occupied. Clerk will ask CC Humby as Durley was proposed to be the first village to be surveyed.
12. FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS: Councillors agreed invoices presented by the Clerk and signed cheques as agreed. The External Audit has now been sent off.
13. HALL: Arrange next Hall Meeting. It was agreed that the Clerk would circulate dates to see which date would be suitable for most on the Committee.
14. RECREATION GROUND: Cllr Watts reported that the veranda on the front of the Pavilion is going to be replaced as it is rotten in places. Broken dragons teeth on The Sawmills Green. It was agreed to ask Peter if he would be able to replace the ones which are rotten, if he is not able to do this then Fair Oak Fencing will be asked to replace them. Clerk read out an e-mail about the hedge and trees at the back of the Pavilion adjoining the property. Councillors agreed that Cllr Watts, Cllr Charles, the Clerk and perhaps Peter could meet the neighbour to see what the problem is.
15. PLANNING:
Boorley Green Traffic Management Proposals. Plans available in window of former Post Office Room at Durley Memorial Hall or on-line via www.hants.gov.uk/transportschemes. Councillors agreed that an Objection would be made as it would create more traffic through Durley. The lanes through Durley are not built for heavy traffic and are narrower than Wangfield Lane.
Most traffic will come along Netherhill which is a single track lane. Many lanes have blind bends and few passing places. The additional traffic will have an adverse impact on Durley residents and for those who walk and ride through our lanes. Many cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders use the lanes in Durley and it would make the lanes more unsafe for users. There are no pavements, or street lighting along the lanes to get out of the way of vehicles. Parish Councillors agreed that the infrastructure should have been agreed when the original planning permission was approved as this could have had an impact on the final outcome of the application decision. A resident suggested going to the Ombudsman to see if there is anything that can be done to complain as the infrastructure should have been considered alongside the houses to be built. Clerk will also find out from Curdridge Parish Council what views they have.
16/03090/FUL. The use of land as gypsy and traveller caravan site consisting of 4 pitches, each containing 1 mobile home, 1 touring caravan, 1 semi detached utility building, play area and associated development. Field adjacent to Berkeley Farm, Durley Street, Durley. REFUSED.
16. THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS THE CHAIRMAN DECLARED THE MEETING CLOSED AT 9.35 p.m.
