STORRINGTON & SULLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of the Recreation and Property Committee held in the Chanctonbury Room, The Sullington Parish Hall, Thakeham Road, Storrington, on Wednesday, 10th October, 2007, commencing at 8.00pm.

Present: Mr. C. Mason in the Chair, Mr. A. Head, Mr. A. Read, Mr. D. Roper, Mr. B. Walter, Mrs. L. Wheatley and Mrs. A. Worthington-Leese.

56.    Apologies for Absence were received from Mr. R. Carter (business) and Mr. R. Dawe (holiday).  The reasons for absence were duly ACCEPTED.

57.    To Receive Declarations of Interest from Members.  Mr. Head declared a personal interest in Minute No. 42 of the minutes of the 12th September.

58.    To Approve and Sign the Minutes of the last Meeting held on the 12th September, 2007. These minutes were duly AGREED to be a correct record of the proceedings thereat and were signed by the Chairman.

59.    Matters Arising.  There were no matters arising.

60.    To Consider the Inspection of Play Equipment Reports.  No reports had been received.  The anticipated cost of emergency repairs to the equipment at Meadowside was £600.00 plus V.A.T., and H.D.C., would undertake the installation for a small charge.
   
61.    Storrington Recreation Ground :-
   
(a)    Infrastructure Improvements.  All the works were now complete with the exception of the drainage of the football field and cricket field.  Due to the problems experienced with the football field the contractors had been requested not to undertake the proposed works on the cricket field. 

    Due to the problems with the football field, the following works had been contracted with Sportsturf in the sum of £1,185 plus V.A.T as “emergency action”:-

1.    Two cuts prior to October 10th, one with a disc cutter, one with a cylinder to present the pitch for correct length of grass for play.
2.    Set up and mark out to F.A. regulations, one soccer pitch.
3.    To attend the renovated areas that have been dug out by foxes, etc., and any other areas deemed dangerous.
4.    The football club was to undertake heavy watering to the pitch to stabilise it for the first game should it was dry.
 5.    After the first game Sportsturf to undertake to supply 5 tonnes root zone, 4 bags of rye grass mix, 14 x 25kg 9-7-7 fetilizer to redress some of the depressed drain areas with the root zone, fertilize the entire pitch and sow bad areas and trenches with seed.

Sportsturf had also quoted for future pitch maintenance “if the pitch is to be maintained in its current state under recognized maintenance procedures, Sportsturf will charge inclusive of marking materials and fuel, exclusive of all other materials, £325.00 per calendar month.  This part of their quotation had not been accepted at the current time. - 16 -

(b)    Storage Container.  The Parish Council had written to Edburtons explaining that they did not understand why the problem with the width of the doors had occurred.   It had become incredibly inconvenient considering the time taken to overcome this problem which was disappointing, especially as the correct width was specified for a purpose. However, the Council did not want this matter to go on any longer than it had to due to the fact that the requirement to use the storage building was so vital.   Therefore, even though it was not totally satisfactory, the Council accepted the doors being 2.438m wide, i.e., 8ft as opposed to the existing 7ft 6ins.
 
The Council assumed that Edburtons would be paying the ongoing costs for the continued use of the temporary storage building.

62.    The Glade.  This land had still not been handed over to the Parish Council and the commuted sum was still awaited.  This matter was being chased up by both the Council’s solicitor and the legal department of H.D.C., who had advised that the amount that should now be paid to this Council was :-

        Public Open Space Contribution        £42,272.00
        Indexation                    £  3,683.06
        Interest                        £  6,968.48
                                  ________
            Total valid until 31.10.07        £52,923.53

    (Interest on a daily rate for this sum until payment, if payment is after 31st October, 2007 was £12.28 per day).

    A resident had reported that the trees from this land have now grown and they are taking away the light from their living room and want the Council to do something about it.  At the current time it was not Council land, so no action could be taken.  It should be ascertained whether the responsibility for the fence adjacent to the old existing dwellings would transfer to the Council as residents say that this was not on their deeds.

63.    Storrington Football Club re: payment of Utility Bills.  The Clerk had today received an e-mailed copy of a letter in response to the Council’s.  They state that they are fully committed to paying their share of the utility bills and agree to the 50/50 split.  Due to lack of income being generated over the past four months the Club was financially in a very poor position until they start playing home games.  Therefore they asked that the Council accept £200.00 a month starting with the enclosed cheque and continuing on the same date each month.  The Club also agreed to pay the outstanding rent as soon as the pitch was returned to a playable condition.  The Club wanted the Council to pay for the fire extinguishers and subtraction of 50% of the rates.  Following detailed discussion Mr. Walter Proposed; Seconded Mr. Read and UNANIMOUSLY AGREED :-

    To write to the Club advising that the Council did not accept the offer made and requesting settlement in full by the 27th October, otherwise the Club would lose use of the Football Pavilion.  The cost of the fire extinguishers should not be deducted and neither would there be any subtraction of 50% of the rates. 

Should payment not be received the locks at the pavilion should be changed.  When the first cheque for £200.00 was received, this should be returned to them.

64.    Hedge Amberley Road Allotments.  Three letters had now been received about the state of this hedge.  The contractor had been written to and asked to expedite the matter.  Garden Care should also be asked to tidy up the edge and cut back the nettles, etc.

65.    Hallmark – a quality standard scheme for Village Halls to be launched at the Village Halls Conference on Saturday, 10th November between 9.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m.  Hallmark had been developed and run successfully by the Community Council for Somerset for the past three years.  ACRE had obtained funding to develop Hallmark further into a national scheme and Action in rural Sussex was one of fifteen rural community councils chosen to roll out the scheme.  This was a standards scheme for village halls, which has two main benefits :-
   
it provides funders and other organizations interested in village halls with a benchmark for a well-managed hall;
it gives village hall volunteers confidence that they are running the hall in the correct way.

Any village or community hall was eligible to apply for a Hallmark award.  There were three levels :-

Level One: charitable administration and management.
Level Two: Health, safety, security and licenses – assesses compliance with legislative issues.
Level Three: community, social awareness, forward planning and development – examines and assesses the role of the hall in the community and how it interacts with its users and the wider community.

Unfortunately no Members were in a position to attend this event, but information on this new scheme should be obtained.

66.    To note H.D.C., increase in Trade Refuse Charges from £196.04 to £198.64.  This was duly NOTED.
 
67.    Health and Safety.  No matters were raised.
   
68.    Documents for Councillors to Read :-

    (a)    Proludic educational seminars – Available in the Parish Office.

    (b)    Monsterplay – Big Toys – Available in the Parish Office.

    Chairman’s Announcements.

69.    Golf on Sullington Recreation Ground.  It had been reported that youngsters playing golf were damaging the properties of nearby residents.  The Police were aware.

70.    Ryecroft Lane Allotments.  One allotment holder had sent an e-mail requesting an update on the location of alternative plots for existing tenants.  The tenant should be advised :-

        This was still under negotiation.

71.    Chanctonbury Leisure Centre – opening of new fitness suite was provisionally booked for the 15th December, 2007.

72.    Public Seats, Place Villerest.  These seats were in need of cleaning up.  It was AGREED :-

    That once all the leaves had fallen, that these seats should be cleaned with a wire brush and then re-coated.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.20p.m.