MINUTES OF A MEETING OF BROCKENHURST PARISH COUNCIL
HELD ON TUESDAY 20th NOVEMBER 2007 AT BROCKENHURST VILLAGE HALL
Present:Mr. T. MasefieldChairman
Mrs. M. HoldingMr. J. Korbey
Mr. J. PurkessMrs. R. Rollin
Mr. G. TaylorMr. K. Whittle
Cllr. K. Thornber
Mrs. M. PattisonParish Clerk
and 9 members of the public.
The Chairman began by reminding the members of the public that they must exercise restraint after the emotional meeting last month and, recalling the words of Mr. Korbey, that we should all be working together for the good of the village. He paid tribute to the work of Dr. Lockwood and Mr. Wingham on the Lyndhurst bypass and Bournemouth airport issues, and to the two newest councillors, Mr. Taylor for his work on the churchyard and Mrs. Holding for her support on the parking at Balmer Lawn.
Public Presentments
Col. Sweet remarked that the Remembrance Service had been well supported but that one hotel had not allowed poppies to be sold there. He also remarked that he was horrified that Mrs. Holding had voted contrarily to the PC planning committee decision at the NPA planning meeting and felt that she should resign.
Mr. Broomfield asked whether there is any news on the installation of the phonebox in Brookley Road, and whether there is any idea of use for the site of the public conveniences. He warned that conmen are operating in the village, although they had been caught by the police.
Mr. Jennings, representing the Friends of Brockenhurst, voiced their concerns that the views of the electorate are not being expressed at the NPA planning meetings. The PC planning committee view is a consensus and a conflict of interest could arise if a member of the NPA gives a contrary opinion. If this is a consistent problem they should consider whether a Parish Council is the right place for them.
Mr. Brown asked for the Council's support in getting the footpath at Rhinefield Road surfaced with gravel.
The Chairman, in response to the comments on the NPA Planning Committee, reiterated that we are bound by a complicated set of rules, particularly for dual-hatted members, which the government has recognised needs to be eased.
1.Apologies for absence:Mr. A. BurksDr. M. Lockwood
Mr. H. OramMr. J. Wingham
2.Declarations of Interest:Mr. Purkess declared a personal interest in the grant aid to Brockenhurst Village Hall as he is a Director of the Village Trust. The interest is not felt to be prejudicial.
3.Minutes of the Meeting held 16th October 2007. Thesewere proposed, seconded and signed as a correct record.
4.Matters Arising:
i)Village 30 Project. Cllr. Thornber has taken up our request to have the 30mph limits installed at Tile Barn and Hollands Wood.
ii)Probation Service Community Work. The Probation Service has been to look at the work involved in cleaning North Road footbridge and work is being carried out on establishing ownership in order to request permission.
iii)Tree planting at Latchmoor Court. Enforcement expect the builder to replant the trees this season.
iv)Mr. Purkess felt that he should try to explain the situation regarding membership of the NPA planning committee. Opinions cannot be expressed in advance of an NPA planning committee meeting in the way they could in the past. We should be fighting Whitehall to allow our councillor to give her views. She is within her rights to express her own view at an NPA planning committee meeting.
Mrs. Holding has spoken to officers at the District Council and NPA. She talks to everybody and does everything carefully. She makes decisions and stands by them, but if later is found to be wrong then she apologises. She was elected to represent the village on the NPA.
Mr. Korbey felt that the Standards Board doesn't allow democracy and that common sense has got lost.
The Chairman suggested that in response to the letter we have received from the NPA we should take up their offer of a meeting with the Chairman. Our planning committee should refine the questions we would like to ask 28th November. Any councillor can attend that meeting to have an input.
Mr. Purkess asked whether this is a National Park problem or whether it happens all over the country.
Cllr. Thornber reported that he had been unable to attend our last meeting as he had been addressing the Standards Board to give his views on the Code of Conduct. He is prevented from representing Back Lane in Sway and Mrs. Holding is in the same position. He offered that the HCC legal officer advising the NPA on legal matters may be able to assist in this difficult situation.
Mrs. Rollin felt that this is a good example of the Code not working and that our particular case should be reported to a higher authority than the National Park, ie, the Standards Board. This was agreed by six votes in favour with one abstention.
5.CountyCouncillor's Report
Councillor Thornber offered to contact the Trading Standards department to get them to send Mr. Broomfield a list of preferred suppliers for services so that traders can be checked against the list for security.
A grant of £1,000 has been made to Brockenhurst Football Club from Cllr. Thornber's personal budget.
Cllr. Thornber confirmed that the Primary School has applied for the '20 is Plenty' campaign.
Cllr. Thornber clarified the situation regarding the width limit at Ipley as requested by Mr. Wingham. Balmer Lawn Road cannot have such a limit as there is no viable alternative route for HGVs and this is why it is also shown as a coach route on the National Park map.
Reporting on the recent Lyndhurst Bypass Select Committee meeting, Cllr. Thornber reported that it was set up to look at the proposal from Lyndhurst Parish Council. He had made an apology in the Lymington Times last week that other options were presented at the meeting without prior notice. A report is expected before HCC Cabinet by late January. The Select Committee will look at other options to ameliorate the traffic problems and might incorporate another route. The three authorities, Natural England, National Park Authority and the Verderers, take the view that the LPC proposal would not be acceptable and therefore the Secretary of State would be unlikely to support it. Mrs. Rollin noted that our submission to the Select Committee was an outstanding piece of work.
Mrs. Rollin asked Cllr. Thornber to bring the 20 is Plenty campaign to the attention of BrockenhurstCollege, and this he agreed to do.
6.District Councillor's Report
Mrs. Holding reported that the New Forest had beaten the world to three green tourism awards. The other two finalists being Sri Lanka and Puerto Rico, who both have large budgets.
Mrs. Holding confirmed that John Bull will ensure that a parking enforcement officer is sent to Balmer Lawn on the next summer Bank Holiday.
The planning application for a lift at Woodpeckers was approved by the NPA Planning Committee this morning.
7.Reports
In the absence of Dr. Lockwood the Clerk gave a report of the Planning meeting on 23rd October.
Mr. Masefield gave a report of the Community Rail Partnership meeting on 31st October at which grant aid for the partnership was requested. Other parties will provide significant funding but a nominal contribution to show our support would be appreciated. The IoW is interested in a combined package from Brockenhurst. Mr. Purkess noted that the current issue of Railway Modeller has an article on the Brockenhurst-Lymington line.
Dr. Lockwood sent a written report of the Lyndhurst bypass meeting.
The recommendations from the P & R meeting of 6th November were noted including the ratification of the grants. Action: Clerk.
Mr. Masefield reported on a meeting at the watersplash on 9th November. The landscape architect's report should be available for discussion at our December meeting.
Mr. Purkess reported that BVT are giving consideration to our request to incorporate our office as part of the village hall building.
In the absence of Mr. Oram the Clerk gave a report of the last meeting of the consultative panel at which the NATS consultation for the widening of the air corridor over the Forest was discussed.
8.Precept Requirement for 2008/09
At the P&R meeting on 6th November it was recommended that the precept for 2008/09 should be £46,795 and this was ratified unanimously. Action: Clerk.
9.Request for footpath at Rhinefield Road
Another letter in support of the footpath at Rhinefield Road has been received and it was agreed that the Clerk should investigate sources of funding for it. Action: Clerk.
10.Correspondence
A letter requesting siting of a textile recycling bank will be passed on to the BVT for consideration. Action: Clerk.
BournemouthAirport have responded to our letter on aircraft disturbance and have offered a meeting with Mr. Duffy. We will attend, possibly in conjunction with the FoB. Action: Clerk.
HALC have confirmed their change of name and informed us of a Young Drivers course which could be run locally. We will pass the details to the College. Action: Clerk.
11.Accounts for payment
i)Gates of Brockenhurst - petrol - £12.99
ii)W.E. Barnes Tree Surgeons - churchyard tree work - £787.25
iii)Viking Direct - stationery - £46.99
iv)Allied Office Machines - photocopying - £39.41
v)Streets - supplies - £87.74
vi)J. Malcom & Son - mowing - £42
vii)BVH - Hall hire Oct-Dec - £129.57
viii)Southern Electric - electricity bill - £39.11
ix)RBL - wreaths - £40
x)Orchards - Safety testing - £36
xi)Information Commissioner - Renewal of Publication Scheme - £35
xii)Mrs. M. Pattison - travelling expenses 14.11 - £98.50.
12.Any Other Business
We will try to chase up the phone box installation in Brookley Road. Action: Clerk. There is no news of what is to be put on the site of the conveniences. We will publicise the problem of the conmen in the next newsletter. Action: Clerk.
Mr. Purkess requested assistance in restricting parking in Auckland Place to those who live there. Unless they have a disabled permit there is nothing that can be done. He also reported that there are still brambles by the cattle grid at Auckland Avenue, on the other side of the road. Action: Clerk.
It was noted that there have been severe problems with the flooding of the footpath between Highwood and Tattenham Roads this week due the rainfall. It is felt that the drainage pipes under the road are too small.
The meeting closed at 9.05 pm. Date of next meeting: 18th December 2007.