1. Election of chairman: Mrs Hamilton opened the meeting by asking for nominations for Chairman. Mr I Heustice was proposed  by Mr D Warner and seconded by Mrs J Deacon-Ford.  All in favour. Mr Stringer, on behalf of the Council, thanked Mrs Hamilton for the dutiful and imaginative way she had chaired the Council for the past eight years.
2. Election of Vice-Chairman: Mr Heustice took the chair and asked for nominations for Vice-Chairman.  Mr D Warner was proposed by Mr Gowar and seconded by Mr Dabson.  All in favour.
3. Members of the panels were appointed as follows:
   Planning:  Mr J Stringer, Mr J Dabson, Mrs J Deacon-Ford, Mr B Gowar, Mrs E Hamilton
   Playing Field: Mr D Pack, Mrs A Marchand, Mrs E Hamilton
   Burial Ground: Mr P Rhodes, Mr J Stringer, Mrs A Marchand
   Footpaths: Mr B Gowar, Mr D Warner, Mr J Dabson, Mr F Martin
   Finance: Mr B Gowar, Mr P Rhodes, Mr J Stringer, Mr D Warner
   Grants:  It was proposed by Mr Dabson and seconded by Mr Stringer that the Grants panel be incorporated into the finance panel.  All in favour.
4. As the Parish Council does not send a representative to the Association of Local Councils AGM, no appointments were made.
5. Dates and times of meetings for the coming year: as follows
   12th July 2006, 13th September 2006, 8th November 2006, 10th January 2007, 14th March 2007, 11th April 2007 (Annual Village Meeting), 9th May 2007 (AGM), 11th July 2007, 12th September 2007, 14th November 2007.  All meetings to be held in the Refectory at 7.30pm with the exception of the Annual Village Meeting and the AGM which start at 7.0pm.
6. Mrs Hamilton suggested that the length of time any Councillor should hold the position of Chairman be limited to 4/5 years.  After discussion it was proposed by Mr Stringer and seconded by Mrs Deacon-Ford that the position of Chairman be limited to a period not in excess of 4 years with no re-election until a period of 2 years has elapsed.  All in favour.  The Standing Orders to be amended accordingly. 
   

   Council Meeting

7. Apologies for Absence: received from Mrs A Marchand, Mr M Fay (CDC) and Mr T Pemberton (WSCC)
8. The Minutes of the meeting held on 8th March 2006 were signed as a true record.  Proposed by Mrs Hamilton and seconded by Mr Dabson.  All in favour.
9. Matters Arising: Minute 05/06 81, Mr Martin reported that the Off Road Vehicle group has been renamed Sussex Path Watch and the meeting scheduled for 27th April has been postponed until 18th May 2006.
10. In the absence of Mr Pemberton there was no report from the County Councillor.
11. In his absence Mr Fay  submitted a written report on certain items of the past year relating to the District Council.  This report was circulated and a copy is appended to these Minutes.
12. Finance:

1. 405  E Hamilton, Chairman's Honorarium 01.10.05 to 31.03.06 - £50.00
   406  Cowdray Estate, Playground rent 25.03.06 to 28.09.06 - £75.00
   407  R Wallis, burial ground maintenance 01.01.06 to 31.03.06 - £569.65
   408  C Allan, Clerk's salary 01.01.06 to 31.03.06 - £875.00
   408  C Allan, Clerk’s telephone/travelling expenses - £65.03
   409  SALC, Annual subscription 2006/2007 - £357.77
   410  Southern Electric, street lighting 24.12.05 to 27.03.06 - £146.71
2. The receipt of the Parish Precept for 01.04.06 to 30.09.06 in the sum of £5750.00 was noted.
3. The receipt of a VAT refund for the period 01.10.05 to 31.03.06 in the sum of £287.97 was noted
4. The internal check of accounts for March and April 2006 was confirmed by Mr Stringer.
5. The Statement of Assurance in respect of the Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2006 was read to the Council and acceptance was proposed by Mr Stringer and seconded by Mr Martin.  All in favour. The document was then signed on behalf of the Council by Mr Heustice and the Clerk.
6. The renewal of the insurance policy with Allianz Cornhill for the year commencing 1st June 2006 was proposed by Mr Stringer and seconded by Mr Warner, All in favour.
7. The continuation of an Honorarium to the Chairman for the year 2006/2007, in the sum of £100, was proposed by Mrs Hamilton and seconded by Mr Martin. All in favour.
8. The Clerk left the meeting.  An increase to the Clerk's salary, of £100 pa was proposed by Mrs Deacon-Ford and seconded by Mr Warner.  All in favour.

The following planning decisions were noted                                                      
06/00134/DOM: 82 Henley Old Rd, garage with office above No obj (EPC) Permit (CDC)
06/ 00438/FUL: Acorn Press, Kings Drive, demolish existing and erection of 2 new houses No obj (EPC) Permit (CDC)
06/00446/DOM: 11 Easebourne St, single storey extension No obj (EPC)   Permit (CDC)
06/00452/FUL: Transmitting station, Bexleyhill, install array of dishes and upgrade ground-based equipment No obj (EPC)   Permit (CDC)
06/00573/FUL: Cowdray Park Golf Club, improve 18th green and 4 new sand bunkers No obj (EPC) Permit (CDC)
06/00500/DOM: 2 Crossways, first floor extension  No obj (EPC)  Permit (CDC)
06/00797/DOM: Spring Cottage, Dodsley Grove, change of use of garage to bedroom No obj (EPC)    Permit (CDC)
06/00799/LBC: Budgenor Lodge, demolish chimney in north wing No obj (EPC)    Grant (CDC)

1. Playground :  Mr Pack reported that the grass needed strimming around the benches and picnic table.  Clerk will ask Brian Wegg to action. The picnic table needs a coat of preservative.  Mr Pack will do this. The rotten beam on the old rocking horse base has been replaced, by courtesy of the Cowdray Estate, at no cost to the Parish Council. The clerk has written to thank the Cowdray Estate especially the Head Forester, Mr D Macdonald.
2. Burial Ground :  Mr Rhodes reported that the burial ground is generally very tidy but some people keep leaving their rubbish (dead flowers and wrapping etc) right beside the sign asking them to remove this.
3. Footpaths:  No problems to report.
4. Grants:  There are no grant applications to be considered at this time.
   

1. Communications:  Mr Warner reported that the Parish website would soon have a link to a weather station (marked Midhurst but actually Easebourne) accessible on htpp://weather.cdpuk.net
2. Affordable Housing: Mr Stringer reported on a visit made by several Councillors to the completed affordable homes at Budgenor Lodge, prior to them being handed over to Warden Housing.  The general feeling was that the standard of building, finish and siting was excellent and complementary to the adjacent listed building

16. Cowdray Heritage Trust.  Mrs Hamilton spoke of the need to raise a further £55,000 for the project, upon which depends the release of further Lottery Funding. Mr Stringer proposed and Mr Pack seconded a grant of a further £500 for the project.  Majority in favour.
17. Midhurst Area Parking Study.  Mr Martin reported that following a meeting of the CDC Parking Forum recently, it was proposed, as a short term measure, to gain 30 additional spaces at the Grange car park by reconfiguration.  Longer term increased parking capacity is tied in with the re-development proposals for the Grange Leisure Centre.  The District Council officers are considering three scenarios for the North Street car park.  These are, charging, timed parking and is enforcement, and the extension of the car park.  Mr C Hughes of Midhurst Town Council has requested an on site meeting with the planners to discuss the option of extending the car park. There will be further CDC meeting to discuss the matter on 11th July and 5th September 2006.
18. Sussex Association of Local Councils (SALC). All future Newsletters and other information available from SALC will now be posted on their web site only.  Although the web site is available to everyone the Parish Council will have access to more sensitive data via an exclusive log in number and password.  These were given to the Councillors present.
19. Correspondence:
    CDC Local Development Framework (LDF) – Issues and Options Consultation paper received.  Comments to be made by 16th June 2006.  Mr Stringer suggested that each Councillor completes a questionnaire which is then returned to the Clerk to be assimilated into a Parish Council response.  Clerk to obtain further copies and circulate to Councillors.
    Cowdray Estate – has recently instructed an architect to carry out a feasibility study at the Works Yard, Priory Stables and the Priory in order to prepare a blueprint for the future use of this important part of the Estate.  Once the initial plans are received the Estate would be pleased to meet with Councillors to discuss the options available.  Clerk to reply and accept the invitation.
    Parishioner concerns.  Mr Gowar had been approached by a parishioner who expressed concern about two matters and asked that these be brought before the meeting.  The first concern was the lack of house numbering in the village and also the haphazard numbering of the Cowdray Estate homes.  The parishioner felt that this would make a property very difficult to find for the emergency services.  In response the Council felt that the use of post codes would identify properties to the emergency services.  Secondly the parishioner felt that the introduction of the 50mph speed limit, north from the Kings Drive junction, was misleading as this speed was unsuitable for Henley Hill.  At a previous Council Meeting the matter was addressed by Mr Pemberton who said that this was the maximum speed allowed and that motorists should adjust their speed to the road conditions.
    King Edward VII Hospital.  All Councillors have been invited to attend a preview of the proposed planning application for the hospital site, prior to its submission to Chichester District Council.  The proposals are available for viewing, in the Dining Room at the site, on Friday 12th May from 11.0am until 7.0pm and on Monday 15th May from 1.0pm until 7.0pm.