MINUTES TO THE MEETING OF HARTFIELD PARISH COUNCIL, HELD ON MONDAY 2nd MARCH 2015 AT 7.30 PM IN GOODS YARD HOUSE, HARTFIELD.
Present: Cllr J Edwarde (Chair), Cllr C Tamplin, Cllr C Risby, Cllr E Patry, Cllr H Searle, Cllr M Colenutt, Cllr K Hawes, Cllr J Smith, Cllr A Higgins, Cllr C Beare, Cllr L Hatch and Cllr R Eastwood.
Absent: District Cllr Moore and Cllr D Maher
In attendance: County Cllr F Whetstone, District Councillor C Hardy, Public and the Clerk.
107. To Accept Apologies for Absence.
None
108. Declarations of Interest in respect of matters to be discussed.
None – The Chair reminded Cllrs to declare when appropriate.
109. To Approve Minutes from Parish Council meeting held on 2nd February 2015.
Proposed by Cllr Tamplin seconded by Cllr Eastwood and approved by majority vote with two abstentions.
110. Matters Arising.
Item 98 – The Clerk updated the Council to the possible revised May Church celebration on the Croft and would report back with final plan in due course.
Item 105 – The Clerk was waiting for further quotes for the beech tree and would report back once she had received them. The Chair confirmed that this was not currently part of the budget for next year.
Cllr Smith suggested possible Plumpton College work experience for the tree works and would liaise with the Clerk.
Item 105 – The Rights of Way map was not currently part of the budget for next year.
This would be referred back to the ROW committee for further investigation on need and costs.
111. Correspondence.
Item 17 – Steve Wood – This item had been circulated to all Cllrs prior to the meeting.
The requirement for volunteers would be highlighted in the newsletter.
(Cllr Hatch entered meeting 8pm)
112. To consider Wealden CAB proposal.
This had been circulated prior to the meeting and was discussed in more detail at the meeting.
The main implications were a change of office opening hours and possible disruption to the service for building works.
The security of the technology was also reviewed -The Clerk was asked to discuss this concern with CAB and make appropriate arrangements.
There was a unanimous vote in favour to proceed with the proposal and the Clerk would liaise with CAB to finalise arrangements.
113. Update on youth project.
The Chair provided an update the grant had been part awarded with £1000 being paid to HPC. £1900 had been requested so the scheme would need to be amended and possibly changed to incorporate cooperation with Withyham who had also been awarded a grant.
The Clerk would contact Withyham Parish Council in the first instance.
114. Update on Neighbourhood Plan.
Cllr Hawes would arrange drafting meeting ASAP.
After discussions with WDC the sites with current vehicle movements such as Casablanca, Kingsway House and Old Crown Farm were the only likely ones to be carried forward into the draft.
Once a draft was submitted to WDC a timescale for a referendum could be progressed.
115. Update on Goods Yard House.
Woodward Ambrose had acknowledged receipt of the letter from Hartfield Parish Council.
The Clerk was asked to chase for progress after 14 days.
116. Finance
(i) To report on account 2014/15.
This had been circulated prior to the meeting.
The Clerk updated the meeting that rent arrears were not paid.
There were no further questions.
(ii) To approve expenditure as itemised on schedule.
There were 2 additions to be added to the previous list and these would be on the final list with the minutes.
Proposed by Cllr Hawes seconded by Cllr Higgins and unanimously approved.
The Council also agreed that some payments would be made prior to the next meeting to ensure they were paid in the right financial year but that these would be presented for retrospective approval at the next meeting.
(iii) To approve budget proposal for 2015/16
This had been previously approved at a Finance Committee meeting and circulated to Cllrs prior to the meeting.
The Clerk outlined the changes made and the fact there was a difference of income to expenditure of £13849 but that with transfers from reserves to cover the projects it was a deficit of £5349.00 and £5000 of this was for legal fees which was covered by the contingency fund.
The reserves were reviewed and were still considered to be at normal levels.
Cllr Hawes noted that no regular funding to parish organisations were currently within the budget but that with possible CIL income after the adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan this may be addressed.
The budget was proposed by Cllr Hawes seconded by Cllr Tamplin and unanimously approved.
(iv) To confirm movements in ear marked reserves.
£580.00 to Neighbourhood Plan Consultation
£1244 to Neighbourhood Plan Consultation
£890 to Fingerposts
Proposed by Cllr Edwarde seconded by Cllr Higgins and unanimously approved.
117. Training update.
The Clerk had attended a recent SLCC training day.
118. Items for Reporting or Inclusion in Future Agendas
Cllr Beare requested that the parking notices in the car park be reviewed.
The Chair agreed a focus on the last four years and this year’s election process would be the main features in the newsletter and after some discussion the morning of 30th March was agreed to stuff and send out the newsletter envelopes.
The last day for election applications was the 9th April and Cllrs were asked to encourage others to stand and to collect applications from the Clerk.
Cllrs were also encouraged to go the Trinity Café between 10 and 12 on 12th and 26th March.
The Chair reminded Cllrs about the fun run and asked for volunteers.
Meeting Concluded at 8:50pm
Dates of Next Meetings:
Planning Meeting 7:30pm 5th March 2015
TCPA Meeting 7:30pm 24th March 2015
Parish Council 7:30pm 13th April 2015