Minutes
Page last updated on Monday, January 23, 2012
ASHURST AND COLBURY PARISH COUNCIL
AT THE CHURCH ROOMS COLBURY
Present:
Cllrs S. Arnold (in the Chair), D. Bryant, M. Coaker, P. Frost, C. Hubbard, K. Kershaw, P. Sopowski and A. Sturgess.
In Attendance:
Parish Clerk L. Griggs, District Cllr L. Puttock and 20 members of the public
Apologies:
PC White and PCSO Quinn
1. DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN AN AGENDA ITEM
The Chairman reminded Councillors that if there was any item on the agenda which would warrant a Councillor submitting a Form C they should do so now.
The Chairman also reminded Councillors that if any item arose during Public Participation which warranted a Form C they should declare it immediately.
2. MINUTES
The minutes of the last Meeting, which had been circulated to all Councillors, were approved and signed.
Matters arising
None
3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator reported there had been burglaries recently in the village on garages and outbuildings. Expensive cycles and garden equipment had been stolen. She urged residents to secure their sheds, close windows and make sure their premises were secured especially if going away for the Christmas period.
A resident asked to speak about the Totton Allotments but the Chairman invited him to speak when we reached Agenda Item 12 which was the Totton Allotments.
4. HIGHWAYS MATTERS
a) Parking charges. The Clerk reported that NFDC had decided not to pursue the issue of charges in the Ashurst off-street car park. It was not considered viable and could increase parking in nearby streets to the detriment of residents. He added that he was still processing the other possible parking area opposite the Happy Cheese.
b) Cllr Kershaw reported following the meeting he and Cllr Coaker had with Bluestar concerning bus route 6. During the meeting, which had been very positive, the following outcomes were agreed.
1. Environmental
· Bluestar would ask it’s drivers to conduct a voluntary 20 mph speed limit whilst in the Parish other than when on the A35.
· The PC would ask that should a parishioner consider a bus was badly driven then they should report the time and bus number to a Councillor who would pass relevant information on to Bluestar for checking against the Telematis database.
· The problem of buses passing each other and mounting curbs had largely been resolved owing to the revised timetable.
· The PC would ask that residents took more care when parking cars so as to give greater space for buses particularly at the junction of the A35 with New Road.
2. Overcrowding
· The problem of overcrowded buses had largely been resolved by the introduction of more double deckers. Any further reported systematic overcrowding would be addressed by Bluestar.
3. Extension of service
· Bluestar was not opposed to the idea of extending the service currently terminating at Cocklydown so that it traverse the eastern part of the Parish before returning along the A326 to the Goodies roundabout and thence to Southampton.
Bluestar would conduct a feasibility and cost study of the extended route and report back the PC. It was acknowledged the cost of the extensions would probably require HCC funding and the PC agreed to pursue this should all other facts prove satisfactory.
The Council adopted Cllr Kershaw’s report.
c) Cllr Bryant suggested the Clerk send a letter of appreciation to HCC Highways for the excellent resurfacing of Deerleap Lane. He said we were quick to complain about things and would be great to say thanks on this occasion.
5. RECREATION GROUND
a) Cllr Bryant said there was nothing of importance to report
(b) Friends of the Park project. Cllr Coaker (Chairman of the Friends of the Park) said the work was complete but recent heavy rain had caused flooding in the NW corner of the footpath. The contractors would return to deal with that issue. The Official Opening would be on 31st March 2012.
6. PLANNING
Cllr Sopowski gave a report on planning activities since the last meeting.
7. ACCOUNTS
a) The cheques issued since the last meeting were approved.
b) A request for a grant of £100 to CATS was agreed. The Council noted the involvement of many residents with this group and expressed appreciation for the work of the Committee and members of CATS.
8. REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON OTHER BODIES
Cllr Hubbard attended the village design meeting
Cllr Coaker attended the meeting with the Blue Star Bus Company and the meeting of the Action Plan Steering Group.
Cllr Kershaw attended a meeting with the Blue Star Bus Company and the meeting of the Action Plan Steering Group.
Cllr Arnold attended the following:-
16th November – Netley Marsh Parish Council – where the Trustees from Woodhaven gave a presentation.
2nd December – Meeting at the office of Dr. Julian Lewis MP along with the Trustees of Woodhaven
8th December - Association of local Councils at Totton Civic Centre
In addition to the subject of the closure of Woodhaven we were given a talk on Licensing in the New Forest and the action being taken to tackle rural crime. They were both interesting speakers and feel that it would benefit this council to hear them. Part of the Safer New Forest campaign is to offer ‘safer purse aware’ chains and printed notices for car drivers that carry tools. If anyone would like one of these then please see me after the meeting
Cllr Puttock said that a recent Council meeting had discussed among other matters the following;-
a) The new 20 year development plan did not have much relating to Ashurst and Colbury but was available on the web site for anyone who wished to look at it.
b) The possibility of a Crawler Lane for lorries on the A326 between Dibden Purlieu and the A35. Money reserved for a dual carriageway had been released but when anything would happen is still to be decided.
c) Government had changed the rating values of car parks resulting in additional charges on NFDC of £180,000. One of the spin off results was an increase in the cost of Parking Clocks.
g) It was hoped to achieve a nil increase in Council Tax next year.
9. COMMUNITY PLAN
a) Cllr Coaker reported that the first meeting of the Steering Group had been very constructive. The Actions had been reviewed and there were only one or two remaining to be processed currently. Some 26 had been completed and the others would have to be considered longer term items. It was agreed that another questionnaire was not needed but the Group would prepare an article for the Newsletter.
10. VILLAGE DESIGN AND CHARACTER APPRAISAL
Cllr Hubbard reported that she had not received any response to the notice in the Newsletter inviting comments. She was considering further measures to gather residents views.
11. WOODHAVEN CLOSURE
The Chairman said so that you all have a clear picture of what Woodhaven stands for, it is a state of the art mental health unit containing 24 beds all with en-suite in an easily accessible location in the New Forest Ten each for men and women plus four flexible occupancy beds It caters for acute cases up to the long term challenging patients.
At the recent Association of Local Councils it was agreed that the secretary of the Group should write to the PCT setting out the objections to the proposal to close Woodhaven.
12. TOTTON ALLOTMENTS
The Clerk reported that when Totton Council ended the agreement with this Council to make eight allotments available to Ashurst residents it agreed that the existing tenants could remain on their allotments until they voluntarily gave them up. Recently Totton advised those people that they would be required to give up their allotment in September 2014 as Totton Council had a long waiting list.
A resident said that having consulted a solicitor in conjunction with three other tenants, he had been advised that according to his contract with Totton Council the action to remove them was not legal.
The Council said that while any action had to be between the tenants and Totton Council it would help in any way it could
13. OTHER ITEMS WHICH THE CHAIRMAN DEEMS IMPORTANT
The Chairman reported that at the annual Carol Concert outside the Happy Cheese. £120.00 was raised for the Alison McGregor boat for the disabled.
14. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT MEETING
· Queens jubilee
· Allotments
· Christmas lights
There being no further business the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.20 pm
Signed S. R. Arnold – Chairman
Dated 17th January 2012
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