EASEBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT AND DRAFT ACCOUNTS 2005/2006 PARISH COUNCILLORS In November 2005 the remaining vacancy was filled by co-option and Mr Ian Heustice, of Hurst Park, was welcomed as a new Councillor. Also at the November meeting Mr Christopher Hill resigned as a Councillor and in January 2006 Mr Francis Martin was co-opted to fill the vacancy caused by Mr Hill’s resignation. Mr Martin lives in Dodsley Grove and runs a business in Midhurst. We extend a warm welcome to both gentlemen. PLANNING APPLICATIONS Undoubtedly the greatest shock to the Parish was the abrupt closure of King Edward VII Hospital in the middle of March. Just days before the shock announcement of closure the Parish Council had been considering recently submitted plans to extend the time allowed before the planning permission lapsed (from May 2006 for a further 18 months). It would appear that there will never be a hospital on the site again, which will be a great loss to the area and the Council extends its sympathy to staff and patients alike who have been affected by the closure. We expect, in due course, that revised plans will be submitted to Chichester District Council. When these are passed to the Parish Council for consultation we will call a public meeting to keep you all informed of the plans for the site and to consider your comments. On a happier note, the Budgenor Lodge development is moving ahead rapidly. The twelve affordable homes look most attractive, having been finished in stone to match the existing listed building. The Parish Council campaigned tirelessly to have the stone wall alongside the A286 removed. It had been the intention of the developer to include this wall as part of three cottages but we felt, that for road safety reasons, it would be better removed. This leaves open the opportunity to extend the existing footpath northwards from Budgenor Lodge and creates better visibility for motorists and pedestrians alike, thereby making this stretch of road far safer. The three cottages were re-sited, the wall will be rebuilt farther back from the road and the whole development has been opened up giving us the opportunity to appreciate the historic listed building that started life as a “Workhouse”. On the subject of affordable housing, a planning application has been received from Martlett Homes to build 2 affordable homes in Canada Grove. This is currently under consideration by the District Council. During 2005 the Parish Council were asked to consider 63 planning applications, only one of which they totally objected to and in another two cases the objection was based on the parking provision only. Of the 63 applications, the District Council refused permission in three cases (one the same as EPC and two different). The Parish Council has been advised to reconsider the way in which it deals with planning applications. At the moment the plans are circulated to members of a panel, consisting of 5 Councillors experienced in planning matters, who pass their comments in writing, before the Clerk responds to the District Council. It has been proposed that all planning applications should be considered at meetings open to the public. As this would obviously entail increased Council expenditure, after lengthy discussion, it has been decided, for a trial period of one year, to hold a meeting in public if specifically requested to do so by parishioners, on an individual application basis. To this end all planning applications received from the District Council will be posted on the Parish notice boards and the public will be invited to call for a meeting to be held. The planning applications are also published in the Midhurst & Petworth Observer and on the District Council website. The public may make a representation directly to the District Council if they so wish. It is the intention of the Parish Council to continue to automatically call a public meeting when applications for large or controversial developments are received. FINANCE Every year the Parish Council budgets a certain amount to be awarded in the form of grants to local groups. This year grants have been made to Midhurst Community Bus Association, Citizens Advice Bureau, Midhurst Area Cycling, “Go Bananas” Toddler Group, Royal British Legion Poppy Day Appeal, Midhurst Music Society and Friendship Teas for Villagers. You will see from the copy of the draft accounts for 2005/2006 that certain expenditure appears higher than the previous year. Notably the playground – this is explained by the fact that major work was budgeted for 2004/2005 but was actually carried out in 2005/2006. This included the extension of the safety surface under the large swings, replacement safety lines around the edge of two pieces of equipment, a new litter bin to replace the previous one that was vandalised, provision of a new picnic table and bench and also preservative treatment of the four existing benches. Higher expenditure was also required for the street lighting. This was brought about by the need to replace a dangerous lamp post in Egmont Road which cost us £760.00. For the coming year the street lighting electricity charges will be considerably higher due to the general increase in costs that we are all finding in our fuel bills. We have also had a large increase in the charges we pay to the County Council for maintaining the lamp posts. The Parish Council contributes towards the upkeep of the burial ground. We pay the maintenance contractor and this charge is offset by our receipt of the burial fees from St Marys Church. This year we paid the contractor £1939 and received burial fees of £958 leaving the Council’s contribution towards the upkeep of approximately £1000 (£981). For the year 2006/2007 we have held the Parish Precept at £11,500 for the third consecutive year. Any unforeseen increase in expenditure will be taken from the reserve fund rather than impose a higher Precept. COMMUNICATIONS The Parish Council web site has been established for some months now and is accessible on www.easebourne.org where you will find details of the Council Meetings and the Minutes, together with the monthly Newsletter. Last year it was agreed to incorporate a Village section within the church magazine “United”. This started last spring and in July 2005 a copy of the magazine was delivered free to every home in the parish, funded by the Parish Council. A big thank you is extended to the dedicated volunteers who continue to make the village section possible and to the editorial staff of United for accommodating this feature. Hopefully you will have seen the new Parish notice board outside the Village Stores and Post Office. The old one was very rotten and needed replacing but also it has been re-sited. This will enable the public to read the notices while standing safely on the footpath and not in the road, where it was very often inaccessible because of parked cars. The steps leading up to the notice board at the junction of Dodsley Lane and Dodsley Grove were installed last year. Unfortunately they have been damaged twice, possibly by large vehicles turning into Dodsley Grove. We are unable to position them less vulnerably due to the mass of tree roots preventing this. COWDRAY HERITAGE TRUST The Ruins Project has progressed enormously since last year when Steve Collins addressed this meeting. The projected opening date is Spring 2007 and planning permission has already been granted for the conversion of some of the Riverside Stables units into shop, ticket office and toilet facilities. Also permission has been granted for another Riverside Stables unit to be used for a café, together with a shop selling Cowdray merchandise. MIDHURST PARKING STUDY The imminent opening of the Ruins has added to the concerns about parking in Midhurst. The District Council commissioned a Parking Study that was made available at the beginning of 2006. Your Parish Council felt that it had not really addressed the issues facing the area and responded to the District Council accordingly. At the District Council Parking Forum, held in January, Mrs Hamilton and Mr Martin attended on behalf of the Parish Council. At the meeting it was agreed to form a sub committee with the express purpose of addressing the parking issues affecting Midhurst. Mr Martin agreed to serve on the sub committee and he will be reporting on its findings in due course. ANNUAL SPRING CLEAN DAY On 27th March we gave the village its annual spring clean. It was a very windy and damp evening and only Councillors and the Clerk turned out to help in Easebourne, but two parishioners kindly volunteered to clean in Henley. Altogether 8 sacks of rubbish were collected. Can we have more help next year please!! TRAFFIC AND ROAD SAFETY You will probably have noticed the work that has been carried out recently on the A286 to the north of Budgenor Lodge, including red road surfacing to warn of bends and junctions and also the change in the speed limit starting just south of the Kings Drive junction. This is part of the programme to improve road safety in Easebourne and after our break for refreshments, Officers from the County Council Road Safety and Highways teams will speak to you about proposals presently under consideration and be happy to answer any questions you might have. EASEBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL Notes of the Annual Village Meeting held on 12th April 2006 In attendance: the following members of the Parish Council, Mrs E Hamilton (Chair), Mr D Warner (Vice-Chair), Mr J Stringer, Mrs J Deacon-Ford, Mr D Pack, Mr F Martin, Mr P Rhodes, Mr B Gowar, Mrs A Marchand together with the Clerk, Mr M Fay (CDC), Mr T Pemberton (WSCC) and 30 members of the public. Apologies for absence were received from Mr I Heustice and Mr J Dabson. A copy of the Draft Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31st March 2006 was provided to all present. Mrs Hamilton opened the meeting by welcoming everyone present. She then outlined the work of the Parish Council during the last year referring to the items in the attached report. Questions were then invited and the following items were raised: Following the issue of the Midhurst Parking Study what actions have been agreed by the CDC Parking Forum sub-committee. As a member of the sub-committee Mr Martin reported that short term measures were under consideration to create 30 extra parking spaces at the Grange car park. Also under consideration were measures to encourage short stay parking at the North Street car park and long stay parking at the Grange. When asked where the lorries will park if their spaces are lost at the Grange Mrs Hamilton pointed out that nearly all lorry parking is overnight only. The question was asked as to why there will be no parking at the site of the Ruins when it opens to the public next year, or on adjacent Cowdray land. Mrs Hamilton explained that the Lottery Fund, who are providing the major financial contribution to the cost of the project, would not allow the money to be spent on car parking. As the aim of the project is also to encourage visitors to spend time and money in the town the responsibility for providing car parking rests with the District Council. It was felt that this would be achieved if visitors parked in the North Street car park. There had been plans to extend the North Street car park either to the area behind the Angel Hotel or into the wetlands in the direction of the Ruins. These were both deemed to be unsuitable. Midhurst/Easebourne would not wish to have a situation like the one in Petworth where visitors to Petworth House use the car park well away from the town and do not therefore visit the town itself. Could the Parish Council make a representation to the District Council about the traffic/parking situation in Midhurst? Whilst not officially an Easebourne problem the Parish Council did respond to the Midhurst Parking Study and we do have a Councillor on the sub-committee looking into the situation. Where exactly is the proposed development of two affordable homes in Canada Grove? These are on land adjacent to 6 Canada Cottages and will have off road parking. There followed a break for refreshments. Mrs Hamilton then introduced the two guest speakers for the evening. Both from West Sussex County Council, Mr Spencer Bryan representing the Highways Department and Mr Martin Cooke from the Road Safety Team. Mr Bryan spoke of the proposed changes that may be brought about by the S106 financial contribution the developer of Budgenor Lodge pays towards the improvement of the infrastructure in the area. These may include enhanced street lighting, footway improvements, road surface improvements, including coloured warning surfacing, and the extension of the 30mph limit to north of Budgenor Lodge. There may also be an improved footway crossing at Budgenor Lodge. Mr Bryan also spoke of the difficulties of siting a proposed pedestrian crossing at the Wheelbarrow Castle/Hollist Lane junction. The County Council is currently considering several options for this junction. Mr Pemberton pointed out that before any changes were implemented there would be an informal consultation with the Parish and a formal consultation with the public. The audience were then invited to ask questions. When asked if these proposals would be implemented in the near future or many years hence and why they had not happened years ago, Mr Bryan said that they would happen fairly quickly because of the link to the development of Budgenor Lodge. It is the development of Budgenor Lodge that has changed the criteria enabling the changes to be proposed. It was asked if the 50mph speed limit, south of Kings Drive, could be extended to the current 40mph limit just north of Budgenor Lodge. Mr Pemberton replied that there was no justification for reducing the speed limit as their were no frontages on this stretch of road. Two people mentioned a reader’s letter in the Midhurst and Petworth Observer, concerning the introduction of the 50mph speed limit, particularly on Henley Hill, which it was felt was too high. Mr Pemberton responded by saying that the change from 60mph to 50mph was within the national requirements of road traffic regulations and the Highway Code and a lower limit cannot be justified within existing criteria. As there are many SLOW signs on the hill it is for the driver to decide his or her best course of action, within the law. There were three further questions that Mr Bryan has agreed to look into before responding. Why does Canada Grove have a 40mph limit. Should this not be 30mph?. The cross road sign on Dodsley Lane, northbound, warning of the Wheelbarrow Castle/Hollist Lane junction is positioned on the right hand side of the road. Surely this should be on the left hand side. When motorists are travelling south on the A286 and wish to make a right turn into Budgenor Lodge they are very vulnerable to following traffic due to the “blind corner” nature of the road at that point. Several people asked about the enforcement of speed restrictions that are constantly flouted. Mr Pemberton said that the County Council implement the speed limits and other warning signs but the responsibility of enforcing them lies with the police. Mr Cooke then spoke of Road Safety Campaigns that are “community driven”. Several options are open to the Parish including the hiring of “Sid” (the illuminated face that either smiles or frowns depending on your speed) to monitor the speed of motorists in a restricted area. “Sid” can be hired on a daily basis. Another alternative is a sticker and leaflet promotion to draw motorists’ attention to the speed limits. These can be displayed in villager’s car windows and other sites and are available from the Clerk. Some villages successfully use the large yellow “Kill your Speed” signs. The most interest from the audience came when the subject of illuminated “Vehicle Activated” signs was discussed. It was felt by several people that the sign used in Cocking was very effective in warning motorists of their speed if travelling in excess of 30mph. Mr Pemberton said that the priority when installing these signs was for accident black spot areas. However, Parishes could contribute to the cost of a sign, which varied from £2000 to £5000. The last question of the evening concerned Egmont Road. Firstly about the parking of vehicles on the grass verges. Also the parking of vehicles on double yellow lines at Conifers School by parents collection their children, even though there is a designated school car park. A part of Egmont Road, outside Conifers School, is one-way. Vehicles often ignore this restriction, sometimes causing near accidents. Mr Pemberton responded by saying, as before, that the enforcement of these restrictions is the responsibility of the police. They should be contacted on 0845 6070999. Mrs Hamilton closed the meeting at 8.55pm by thanking the guest speakers and the members of the public for their contribution to the evening.
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