Present: Mr. R. Dawe in the Chair, Mr. D. Atkins, Mr. R. Carter, Mr. E. Gibbons, Mr. A. Head, Mrs. G. King, Mr. J. Macey, Mr. C. Mason, Mr. A. Mullard, Mr. D. Roper, Mr. J. Sanson, Mrs. L. Wheatley, Mr. J. Williams and Mrs. A. Worthington-Leese.

In Attendance:   Mr. F. Wilkinson (County Councillor).

133.    APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.  There were no apologies for absence.   The Chairman reported that Mrs. Davison had resigned as she had now moved to Pulborough.  He wished to record his thanks to Mrs. Davison who had made a determined effort in difficult circumstances to represent the views of the area within which she lived.

134.    TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST FROM MEMBERS.  There were no declarations of interest from Members. 

135.    POLICE MATTERS.  There was no Police presence.  However, discussion took place with regard to the problems being experienced in the Beech Grove area, including the neighbouring trading estate.  There had also been physical violence incidents in Storrington possibly connected to an ethnic group.  The local M.P. had been made aware of the problems and people from various authorities such as the Horsham Crime Reduction Partnership were trying to do things.  It was considered that pressure should be kept up and a strong letter written to the Chief Constable and to continue lobbying.   Mr. Wilkinson had a contact at Police Headquarters and he would email them about the problems being experienced.

    Mr. Gibbons reported that currently the SID machine could only be used to monitor the speed of traffic in Amberley Road coming into Storrington and not going out.  The Police had now located four points in the village where this machine could be operated, but there were residents that would not accept that these were the only locations at which it could be used.  Originally there had been ten volunteers, but there were now only two.  Mr. Wilkinson reported that W.S.C.C., had visited Amberley Road looking to see if the machine could be operated in different parts of that road.     

136.    TO APPROVE AND SIGN THE MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 29th OCTOBER, 2008.  Minute No. 127, third sentence should read “to invoke this if they..”.  With this amendment the Minutes were duly AGREED to be a correct record of the proceedings thereat and were duly signed by the Chairman.

    MATTERS ARISING :-

137.    Minute No. 99(b): Samaritans.   A letter of thanks for the donation had been received.
   
138.    Minute No. 124: The Glade.  Mrs. Worthington-Leese pointed out that this was for general tree work and not just relating to the Glade.

139.    Minute No. 120:  County & District Council Matters re: PCSOs using hand-held safety guns.  Personnel were still waiting to be trained.

140.    Minute No. 122(c): Clerk’s Correspondence – Planning permitted development rights.  It was reported that Mr. Gary Peck of H.D.C., would be attending the next Planning and Development Committee Meeting to talk on this topic.  Any Members interested in learning more were invited to attend.
 
141.    TO RECEIVE AND IF APPROVED TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEE MEETINGS:-
(a)    Recreation and Property Committee Meeting held on the 12th November, 2008.  These minutes were duly ADOPTED.
(b)    Planning and Development Committee Meeting held on the 13th November, 2008.  These minutes were duly ADOPTED.

142.    COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCIL MATTERS.  Mr. Wilkinson reported at the last meeting about CASPA which was a speed activated device that was placed in a location for a fortnight; this advised motorists of their speed and recorded speeds and the numbers of vehicles.  He was trying to get the County Local Committees to have one in the Chanctonbury area.  Mr. Wilkinson had asked the Crawley Local Committee if they would lend the device to see what affect it had and they have agreed to this area borrowing it.  It was hoped this would be available in February and go in Amberley Road for vehicles travelling westward between Fern Road and New Town Road.  Mr. Wilkinson would try to get this one week in Amberley Road and one week in Fryern Road.  At the same time their Road Safety Team would install a permanent under-road speed and vehicle monitoring loop in Amberley Road which would give County details and data the whole year and this would enable signs to be erected stating speed checks and monitoring taking place along this stretch. 

    Mr. Wilkinson had been informed that the Police now had a new Road Policing Team stationed at Pulborough – two motor cycles and a car.  He would ascertain when they would come to Storrington and suggest that a representative should come and meet the Parish Council in order to make suggestions as to where they should go.

    A couple of residents from Amberley Road were keen to help and a meeting with them was arranged with the Make the Commitment Officers in the hope of revitalizing the scheme where a facilitator signs up residents say in Old Mill Square getting them to sign up to observe the speed limits within the village.  Along with this would go posters saying ‘drive at 30 m.p.h.’ designed by local school children with a prize for the winning design.  These could be erected in areas where it was not possible to have repeater signs. 

    Regarding the overgrown footpath, the Highway Engineer had spoken to the householders who had promised to cut the vegetation back.  Residents that had not been home at that time had been written to and advised that if they did not cut it, County would. 

    Boundary Review – Ashington would stay in the Storrington Division.  The Parish Council were thanked for their support. 

    Chanctonbury Local Committee application for £2,000 towards Sullington Play Project.  Mr. Wilkinson advised that this committee did not have sufficient funds to fully support this and suggested that the Council contact the Police.

    Mr. Dawe (District Councillor) advised that he had expressed dissatisfaction with the way that the Old Mill Diamond project was progressing.  There was to be a meeting with the Chief Executive next week in an attempt to get some movement.  It was not thought that the Waitrose developer had been fully briefed.  There was to be two supermarkets with a single car park entry/exit for cars and this would overload it.  Mr. Dawe expressed surprise that this aspect had not been discussed earlier.

    A meeting of the Mobile Waste Finishing Group would be held on the 9th December.

    There was to be a meeting at County Hall next Tuesday to get a common understanding between the District and County Councils regarding the Old Mill Square area and various other traffic problems.  It would be important to get through what was wanted. 

    Mr. Mason (District Councillor) advised that the sum of £90,000 was to be donated to the Chanctonbury Leisure Centre by H.D.C.

143.    ITEMS AVAILABLE FOR COUNCILLORS TO READ :-
(a)    West Sussex NHS Primary Care Trust eBulletin Issue 37.  This contained information about the possible future merger of Worthing and Chichester hospitals.  Available in Parish Office.
(b)    West Sussex NHS Primary Care Trust – Strategic Commissioning Plan 2009 – 2014.  Mr. Roper took this to read.
(c)    Horsham & District Community Partnership Annual Conference 2008 ‘All Our Futures’ Developing a Sustainable Community Strategy for Horsham District – Notes from the Break Out Groups.  Available in the Parish Office.

144.    CLERK’S CORRESPONDENCE :-
(a)    H.D.C. Chairman’s Charity Performance of Peter Pan in aid of Cancer Research UK Saturday, 13th December, 2008 at 6.30 p.m. – The Capitol.
(b)    West Sussex NHS Primary Care Trust – Horsham Community Partnership Team – Supporting the health and wellbeing of older people.  Mr. Sanson took these details.
(c)    The South Downs Society – willing to give illustrated talks to community, hobby and interest groups throughout the counties of Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire.

145.    CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ANY URGENT MATTERS.
(a)    To consider awarding Citizenship on a posthumous basis to Group Captain John K. Burningham, M.B.E.  Discussion ensued but Members felt that the whole purpose of this was to give some recognition to the ‘unsung heroes’ that worked tirelessly for the community and was not intended to be awarded posthumously.  The Clerk to write to the person who made the proposal explaining the situation. 

(b)    Storrington Museum had submitted a report on the past six months together with a copy of their accounts.  It was considered that they were now very positive and go-ahead  and they should be congratulated for what they were doing.

(c)    Late Night Shopping/Christmas Lights – 4th December.  There would be an old fashioned fair in Old Mill Drive with the road closed from 2.00 p.m.  A number of shops and businesses were opening.  The lights were to be placed on the Christmas trees tomorrow with the large tree for Place Villerest arriving on Friday and being decorated on Monday.  Circus performers from Shoots Garden Centre would be coming and there would be people selling glowing toys and various other forms of entertainment.  It was felt important to have a letter on file inviting the Police to attend.  The Street Scene Team from Horsham should also be invited.

146.    TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF PUBLICATION SCHEME 2009 TOGETHER WITH INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM THIS COUNCIL.  This document had been circulated to Members and was duly APPROVED AND ADOPTED.   

147.    TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF A RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICY.  Members suggested a few alterations to this document and the Clerk was delegated to make these changes, subject to which it was UNANIMOUSLY AGREED to ADOPT this Policy.

148.    TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE RETENTION AND DISPOSAL SCHEDULE FOR BUSINESS DOCUMENTS.  Members suggested a few alterations to this document and the Clerk was delegated to make these changes, subject to which it was UNANIMOUSLY AGREED to ADOPT this Schedule.

149.    TO CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE RECREATION AND PROPERTY COMMITTEE TO INSTALL AN INTRUDER ALARM SYSTEM AT THE FOOTBALL PAVILION AT A COST OF £790.00 PLUS V.A.T., WITH ANNUAL MAINTENANCE CHARGE OF £56.00 PLUS V.A.T.  Following discussion Mr. Mason Proposed; Seconded Mrs. Worthington-Leese and Vote: In Favour: 12; Against 1, it was AGREED :-

    To accept the quotation for installation of an intruder alarm system at the Football Pavilion at a cost of £790.00 plus V.A.T., with an annual maintenance charge of £56.00 plus V.A.T.  (Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 s.19)

150.    TO CONSIDER REQUESTING HORSHAM DISTRICT COUNCIL AND WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL TO USE THE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES ACT PROCESS.  The purpose of this was to get more local democracy and could enable the transfer of functions from one body to another.  It was UNANIMOUSLY AGREED :-

    To write to both Horsham District Council and West Sussex County Council requesting that they use the Sustainable Communities Act process.

151.    THE BOUNDARY COMMITTEE FOR ENGLAND FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ELECTORAL REVIEW OF WEST SUSSEX.  This was duly NOTED.


152.    TO CONSIDER THE RENEWAL OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERSHIPS :-
    (a)    Sussex County Playing Fields Association at a cost of £15.00.  AGREED.
    (b)    Campaign to Protect Rural England at a cost of £28.00.  AGREED.

153.    WEST SUSSEX PRIMARY CARE TRUST NORTH EAST REVIEW.  It was considered that assurance was required that Storrington would not be detached from Worthing and Chichester and find themselves pushed north.  This document did not mention this part of the county at all. 

154.    TO CONSIDER RENEWAL OF THE CLERK’S MEMBERSHIP OF THE SOCIETY OF LOCAL COUNCIL CLERKS AT A COST OF £217.00.  This was UNANIMOUSLY AGREED.

155.    TO CONSIDER APPOINTMENT OF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2008/09.  It was UNANIMOUSLY AGREED :-

    To appoint Mr. Peter Evans as Internal Auditor for the Financial Year 2008/09.

156.    ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANSING.  A meeting had been held between H.D.C., and six parishes to discuss what was going to happen.  The situation was not the same in all the parishes as each had different ways of doing things and different problems.  Surprisingly most parishes were happy with the situation whilst only receiving between 40% and 63% of the cost of this service.  The suggestion was made that H.D.C. would find people that could clean this parish and H.D.C. would pay for it.  The meeting was presented with a document describing the standards of cleaning that were supposed to be met and there was no way that this Council met those standards.  This matter was being progressed and there would be further meetings.

    This Council were keeping D.J. Flynn Services on until the end of January and H.D.C., were paying 100% of the cost from the end of December.

157.    THE GLADE.  The Storrington Conservation Society had a Management Plan drawn up and in principle this Council accepted this, but they were now starting to put flesh on the bones of this Plan and putting costs to it.  The recommendations were not cast in stone, but were merely things that may need doing over a period of time. 

    The Society proposed installation of a post and rail fence along the road to prevent people parking on the verge, but this would cost over £1,000.  It had been agreed that they would not be doing this, but the planting that they wanted to do would be done in such a way as to try and prevent the parking of vehicles on the grass verge.  The cost of this would be £300.00. 

    It was agreed that the Parish Council would write to the residents pointing out the fact that the grass verge was not for parking on and it was in their interests to keep it looking in good order.

    The three trees that it was suggested should be felled were not going to be felled and neither would they be felling 20 trees a year.  Should they want to fell any trees, the Society must first come to the Parish Council in order that they may look at this and make the necessary decision.  

158.    ACCOUNTS TO BE PAID in the sum of £23,169.90 plus V.A.T., were duly AGREED.

159.    BANK RECONCILIATION.  There was one unpresented cheque in the sum of £131.60 which was over six months old which should be written back in.  This document was duly NOTED.

160.    ADJOURNMENT.  There were no members of the public in attendance.

161.    TO CONSIDER GIVING THE CLERK DELEGATED POWERS TO ACT IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY UNTIL THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IN JANUARY, 2009.  This was duly AGREED.

162.    DATE OF NEXT MEETING – Wednesday, 28th January, 2009.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.30 p.m.