Date: Tuesday, 17th November 2020
Venue: Via WebEx
Present: John Mitchell, Chairman
Dennis Nye, Bill Wykeham ,Yvonne White, Melissa Jennings, Cllr Jackie Porter ,Cllr Margot Power
Wendy Simson, Clerk
Apologies: None
Time: 7:00pm
1. Welcome and apologies for absence
The Chairman thanked everyone for attending the meeting, held online due to lockdown restrictions. It was suggested that the Zoom function may work better for parts of the village, the Clerk has access to a business account and agreed to set up the next meeting.
Action: Clerk to set up Zoom call for next meeting if required
2. Minutes of the last meeting
The Councillors reviewed minutes for the meeting on 22nd September 2020, after minor amendments they were agreed as a true representation of the meeting and the Clerk will provide a copy for the Chairman to sign.
3. Matters arising
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Bollard at Grange Corner – the bollards are being authorised but have not yet been put in. |
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Parish Plan – The Chairman has reviewed the Parish Plan and it is up to date. Broadband update – Councillor Wykeham has expressed an interest with Openreach and is trying to get feedback. The estimate for the work required is £408,000 and a grant of £1,500 per household has been offered by BT Openreach with Hampshire County Council topping this up to £3,000 (with an extra £500 for businesses). The number of properties included means the cost per household is £4,500. There are several properties not included within the offer currently but if these homes were added then the cost per home could decrease to about £3,500. Councillor Power offered a piece which had been used in Alresford to explain the benefits of the improved speed. Action: Councillors Jennings and Wykeham to report at next meeting. on the extent of parish interest
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Action: Councillor Wykeham to update Parish Council about BT Openreach information.
Defibrillator – The Clerk confirmed that the defib at the village hall is working again.
4. Covid19 update
The email to all residents has been circulated which explains to those requiring support where and how they can find it.
5. Planning Applications
Southern Water Pipeline – The Chairman had received the following update from Lisa Kirby-Hawkes, Development Planning Manager – Strategic Planning, Hampshire County Council:
“The application was submitted to us back in March. The County Council, alongside the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) jointly issued a Regulation 25 request for further information back at the end of July. Regulation 25 of the EIA Regulations allows us to request further information as part of the EIA process. At the same time, we also requested further areas of clarification. In this letter, we also recommended that that applicant withdraw the application with a view to resubmit due to the level of additional information required.
Following discussions within Southern Water and between all parties in recent months about the application, Southern Water are continuing to considering the most appropriate course of action to take with regard to the two applications, including responding to our advice in the Regulation 25. They have made it clear that the need for the Candover Drought Scheme to be available in anydrought has not changed, and the Scheme is a critical element of Southern Water’s ability to maintain secure supplies to its customers in a drought. As a result, Southern Water need to carefully review the available options for the progression of the Candover Drought Scheme in consultation and engagement with the Environment Agency and Natural England. A request has been made to us to extend the time on the application and both planning authorities have agreed to this until the end of 2020 to enable the consideration of the options, and discussions with the Environment Agency and Natural England to take place. This is subject to a review meeting taking place in early December on progress.
So essentially, we should know a little more on the progression of the application by the end of the year.
Cricket Close House (20/01902/HOU) – The Parish Council responded that “Northington Parish Council has considered this application and has nothing to add or detract from the proposals.”
75 Northington Hill (20/01864/HOU) – The Parish Council responded that “Northington Parish Council has considered this application and has nothing to add or detract from the proposals.”
Feedback from Local Planning Briefing (10th Nov) – The Chairman and Councillor Nye attended and circulated the notes to the Councillors. Councillor Porter informed the Councillors that Winchester City Council has concerns about the plans to create a green belt round the South Downs Park called “The Green Halo”, which could push development into the northern sector of Winchester City Council’s area.
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Caravan park at Innersdown Farmhouse on the A33 (20/01969/FUL) – The Chairman noted that this |
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application was for 58 single story dwellings for the over 55’s and not a caravan park. Councillor Porter explained that this application would require change of use of agricultural land. and WCC planners have opposed the application. |
6. Clerk’s statement
The Clerk said that online access to the Nat West Account has now been achieved and that the Nationwide Account has been closed. The r balance from the Nationwide account has been paid into the Nat West account.
The Grants for the Maintenance of the Churchyard (£600) and Village Hall (£1,000) were approved.
Action: Clerk to pay Grants
The Clerk’s salary for October to December is due to be paid in December.
7. Lengthsman duties
The last Lengthsman’s visit was used to ensure all the grips were cleared ready for winter. Councillor Wykeham said that the Lengthsman had noted that some grips were beyond shovel work and he had noted that it would be possible, at Northington PC’s expense, to bring, a digger to clear these grips. Councillor Porter suggested that HCC should clear them, and she would investigate possible dates for the work to be done.
Councillor Wykeman reported that there were 3 pinch points in the village where flooding occurs. Councillor Porter suggested that the Clerk email Steve Pellatt and copy in Tim Lawton and herself to ask for a visit to review flooding and look at long term solutions.
Action: Clerk to email Steve
Councillor Wykeman will email round to all residents to ask what is required for the next visit on 8th December.
8. Any other business
Jantiene Rosenboom of Preston Candover has sent a second update on flood water levels to recipients of her list. It is included as an attachment to these minutes.
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If any Councillors do not receive this flood updates and would like to do so, , they should email the Clerk, who will ensure that their names are added to the distribution list |
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Councillor Porter noted that growbags are an excellent alternative to sandbags. The Chairman had circulated the certificate which the Mayor of Winchester City Council sent to thank Northington Parish Council for work done throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The Chairman agreed to forward it to the Covid19 Volunteers WhatsApp group. Councillor Porter informed that Councillors that the A31 outside of Alresford is to be used as a document checking zone for EU bound lorries sailing from Portsmouth. The provision will be put in place from 1st January and will run for at least 6 weeks, while companies become familiar with the correct documentation for travel. |
9. Date of the next meeting
The next meeting will be on Tuesday 19th January 2021 at 7.00 pm, perhaps in the Village Hall, but a decision on the location will depend on Covid-19 developments.
Appendix 1
This is the second flood update for the Winter 20/21 season – a season which, unchanged from the first update issued on October 5, may see significant challenges insofar flood risk is concerned.
- As of yesterday afternoon, 02:00PM groundwater in the Preston Candover monitoring borehole reached a level of 95.681m AOD.
- This represents a rise of 1.6 meters in just over 6 weeks (47 days since October 1, when the recoded level was 94.079 AOD)
- This is 2.3 meters above the level recorded on the same date last year (93.303m AOD).
- The level at which cellar flooding commences in Preston Candover is 96.6m AOD; we are
therefore less than a meter away from possible cellar flooding.
WEATHER
- Three named storms dominated October, accompanies by frequent bands of frontal rainfall from large Atlantic low-pressure systems brought to the UK on a strong Jet Stream.
- October 3 saw Storm Alex (we issued the first flood update for this year on October 5)
- October 18, Storm Barbara
- October 29, Strom Aiden
RAINFALL
- On October 3, a UK-wide average record rainfall total of 32mm was recorded, making it the wettest day on record for the UK since 1891.
- October was the fifth wettest October for the UK in a timeseries from 1862.
- Total October rainfall in Wessex (including Hampshire) was significantly above the 1981-
2010 average (163%)
RIVERFLOW
- River flows responded accordingly. River flow of the Itchen was notably high at 151% of the normal range and remains high.
- As measured by the Borough Bridge gauging station (yesterday afternoon 15 November), just under 100,000m3 is leaving our valley through the Candover Brook each day. To be precise: 97,977,600 litres of water in a single day.
OUTLOOK
• On October 29, the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) issued a global declaration of a La Niña event, likely to be moderate to strong, with a 90% probability of the event continuing until January 2021. The November 9 advisory states a likely continuation into February- April 2021 of 60%. According to the head of long-range prediction at the UK Met Office: “La Niña has a profound effect on weather across the globe with impacts that extend
across the UK. In late winter, La Niña can drive a shift of the jet stream towards the Poles increasing storminess and heavy rainfall.
PREPAREDNESS FOR FLOODING What does this mean
- Communities/PC’s should begin to prepare for a flood event which is likely to have a greater impact than just cellar flooding, and given where we are in the season, may well occur towards the end of this year, which is unusually early.
- Please note: ‘past forecasts are no guarantee for an equally accurate forecast this year
BUT, we now know that the Preston Candover borehole water levels have been a reliable indicator of the trigger point for flood events in the Candover Valley.
What has happened so far
• Our Far-End-of-the-Valley correspondent Adam Willmott reported:
- an unusually early and fast rise in water levels causing the water meadows in Brown Candover become submerged already in early October, never seen like this so early in the year.
- The Environment Agency thoroughly cleared the Candover Brook between the B3046/Bryces Lane junction and Totford Pumping Station – from which the entire valley will benefit as the conveyance capacity is greatly increased.
- A lot of work has already been carried out under riparian ownership responsibility, for which thank you. Any outstanding matters will be communicated/coordinated by Parish.
- Early liaison has taken place with Highways to keep the Area Team up to date with the local situation. Highways advised:
- Please do let us know if the riparian ditch clearance programme exposes any issues with highway drainage assets that need our attention. The Area office would certainly investigate any reports of blocked drains, be it gullies or culverts underneath our roads, and arrange for any interim/one-off cleanses, as necessary. (Note: Highways assets are those that run under the road surface and not those next to it – see explanation in the first flood update).
• Flood related incidents involving blocked highways assets (drains, gullies, culverts) can be reported by
o usingtheonlinereportingsystematwww.hants.gov.uk/roads
o by sending in issues with clear locations to roads@hants.gov.uk.
o It is essential to ensure that each issue is logged individually to prevent issues being missed.
A unique reference number is raised for each enquiry which can be used when asking for updates.