EASEBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON Present: Mr J Stringer (Vice-chairman), Mr D Pack, Mr J Dabson, Mr F Martin, Mrs A Marchand, Mr B Gowar, Mr M Taylor, Mrs E Hamilton (EPC & CDC), Lt Col T Pemberton (WSCC), the Clerk and one member of the public. The first ten minutes were available for the public to express a view or ask questions about any item on the Agenda. Mrs Denne, Headteacher of Midhurst Intermediate School, outlined the facilities available at the school, particularly computers, and asked the Parish Council if it could help to make these known to members of the community, especially the elderly. They would be given help, in an informal way, to use computers for tasks such as ordering shopping online etc. There are also sports facilities available for local groups. The Parish Council felt that the best way forward with this proposal would be to use the Church/Village magazine “United” to publicise the facilities and use Mrs Welsman, who is in contact with local elderly groups, to liase between school and community.
07/08 82 Apologies for Absence: Mr I Heustice (Chairman), Dr A Guyatt, Mrs J Deacon-Ford. In the absence of Mr Heustice, Mr Stringer chaired the meeting.83 Declaration of Interest: no declarations County Local Committee – the next meeting will be on 18th March 2008, at Lodsworth Village Hall, commencing at 2pm, and will consider the Review of Schools in the Rother Valley. Street Lighting on A286 near Budgenor Lodge – awaiting report from Highways Officers. Speed Indicator Device (SID) – available from 1st April through WSCC or to purchase, possibly shared ownership with other parishes, from West Sussex Police. Highways Rangers: available from 1st April, request details to follow. Lutener Road: following a resident’s concern, expressed at last Parish Council meeting, a traffic survey has been requested to determine speed, volume of traffic and whether this is rat running traffic. Report will follow when available. County Local Committee Grants: details and application form provided. Barrier in Wheelbarrow Castle: as this was erected in the wrong place a WSCC officer will contact Clerk to arrange re-siting. Vehicle Activated Signs: more information as to positioning, required from Parish for consideration by WSCC. Clerk to provide this information. Grass Cutting Schedule: Rural areas will receive 3 cuts per year and urban areas will have 11 cuts per year. Lt Col Pemberton was asked if better warning signs, on the approach to the Cowdray Golf Club from Easebourne village, could be installed, as motorists approach the turning un-sighted. He was also asked if a sign could be erected at the junction of Easebourne Street with the A272, giving advance warning that the road narrows, with passing places, as it progresses north beyond Upper Easebourne. A car transporter had recently become stuck in this narrow part of Easebourne Street. 87 Report from the District Councillor: Mrs Hamilton reported the following:CDC 4 Star Council: Audit commission has again given CDC the top award, for the third year running. One of only three District and Borough councils to achieve this.Local Housing Allowance: this is a new way of working out housing benefit for private tenants and will apply to benefit claims on or after 7th April 2008. Midhurst Town Centre Improvement Study: questionnaires are being evaluated. 300 residents responded and 60 traders. 2012 Olympics: 3 local venues will be offered to foreign teams for training – Goodwood Estate, Oaklands Park and University of Chichester 88 Finance:
b) The internal check of accounts for January and February 2008, by Mr Stringer, was noted 89 Planning: a) The following planning decisions were noted
b) King Edward VII Hospital: the Section 106 agreement has been completed and planning permission issued for the site. However, the developers are not going to implement the residential permission. They are going into partnership with a company which specialises in care villages and intend to use the site as a care home. No planning application yet received. Implications for the contributions (S106), as a care facility is likely to be far more self sufficient and have different needs to a residential site. c) Wheelbarrow Castle site at rear of Intermediate School: Mr Stringer outlined the various options being discussed regarding the future of the Midhurst Grammar School and the possible re-siting of the school in Easebourne. As discussions are still ongoing, and no decisions have yet been reached, the Parish Council will await further developments, such as a planning application for the site, before commenting.90 Reports from the Panels a) Playground: all in order 92 Easebourne Post Office Closure: the Clerk reported that following the announcement, on 29th January, of the proposed closure of Easebourne post office, the Parish Council organised a public meeting on 13th February which was attended by well over 100 parishioners. The comments from this meeting were collated and a response sent to the Post Office Consultation. A petition was placed in the village store/post office and subsequently sent to the Post Office Consultation. Andrew Tyrie MP was also asked to use the Freedom of Information Act to find out if Easebourne post office was profitable, as this information had not been released by Post Office Ltd. In addition to the Parish Council’s actions, the County Council has also become involved by its contact with Essex County Council to hear their views on supporting post offices that Post Office Ltd want to close. Locally, the Cowdray Estate has also been in contact with the Post Office Consultation as has a parishioner, who also organised a petition, and has been in constant communication with Post Office Ltd. 93 Annual Village Spring Clean: this will be held on Monday 31st March 2008, meeting at 6pm in the Cowdray Estate car park. Equipment will be provided. Participation at own risk. 94 Correspondence and notices received: Mr Stringer drew the attention of the meeting to item 8 on the list of correspondence received – “summary of representations and responses to the Development Opportunities within the LDF (Local Development Framework)”. The comments regarding proposed development sites within Easebourne were broadly in line with the comments made by the Parish Council when responding to the questionnaire last year.
The meeting closed at 9.40pmThe Annual Village Meeting will be held on Wednesday 9th April 2008 at 7pm in the Refectory The next Parish Council Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday 14th May 2008 at 7pm in the Refectory
Mrs Carole Allan, Clerk to Easebourne Parish Council, Ashfield Cottage,
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