MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL
Date: Thursday 21st November 2024 Time: 6:30 pm
Venue: Village Hall, Northington
Present: Simson Walker Chairman
Rhona Hatchley
Andrew Bason
Juliet Blanshard
Cllr Clare Pinniger District Councillor
Wendy Simson Clerk
Apologies: Gail Taylor
Cllr Russell Gordon-Smith District Councillor
Cllr Jackie Porter County Councillor
Cllr Margot Power District Councillor
Welcome and apologies.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Cllrs Taylor, Porter, Power, and Gordon-Smith sent apologies.
Declaration of Pecuniary & Personal Interests to note any conflict with any item on the agenda.
None were declared.
Minutes of the last meeting
The Councillors reviewed minutes for the meeting on 19th September 2024 and agreed the minutes as a true representation of the meeting.
Matters arising.
Dates for Cyber Security Training – the Clerk has contacted Hampshire Police about an alternative date for 2025, but they are not yet planning that far ahead. It has been agreed that in January new dates will be circulated.
Action: Clerk to provide updated poster for the next session in Preston Candover to Cllr Hatchley for the notice boards.
Defibrillator check – Cllr Bason visited to complete and inspection to find that it had recently been done. Cllr Bason and Chair to check when local to the unit to confirm OK.
Speed Indicator Device – Cllr Bason has looked the available posts to identify 3 or 4 sites. Cllr Blanshard suggested that whilst the SID slowed drivers it only works for about a week and then gets ignored. One of the problem areas is on the B3046 as you enter Swarraton from Alresford, the limit at this point is still 60mph and continues until the bend outside the Grange. The children wait for buses on this corner and driver who don’t know the road can misjudge the bend. Cllr Blanshard’s suggestion was to install a welcome to Swarraton sign to alert drivers that they are entering a village.
Speed test data could also be helpful, and it is believed that a resident has had a survey completed.
The agreed actions are:
- Clerk to look at prices and design for village sign
- Cllr Blanshard to speak to the resident about speed data
- Chair to speak to Chair of Candover Parish Council about how they got set up.
- Chair to send an email to the community asking about installing a SID
- Clerk to investigate having a children sign installed by the entrance to the Grange where the school bus collects them.
District and County Councillor updates
The Clerk had forwarded the County and District Councillors reports prior to the meeting.
Cllr Pinniger gave an update on the report sent at the start of November. The Winchester Local Plan has been through consultation and is now going to reg 15. Once approved it can then be amended to include housing number from the new Government. There are concerns that as Winchester boarders the South Downs National Park, where this is limited development allowed, greater pressure is placed on towns and city in the area.
The development on Sun Lane, Alresford is progressing.
The Alresford tip is save at this time; the booking system will remain in place, but it was agreed that this is tactical to reduce the number of visits.
There may be plans to reorganise Local Government, more will be announced before Christmas.
Hampshire County Council are £182million in deficit this year and plan to use £90million from reserves, this is about 25% of the total reserves held. Winchester City Council are not in the same situation as they do not to deliver care, highways, education, etc.
Cllr Pinniger has suggested residents sponsor getting potholes filled. The Councillors agreed this would be a marvellous idea.
Financial Update
The Clerk informed the Councillors that there has been not income or expenditure since the last meeting. The Clerk’s salary for October to December will be paid in January.
The Village Hall Committee have asked about a grant application made earlier in the year. The application dated 26th February was for £3,500, £1,000 toward electric, £2,000 for external decoration and £500 for the damp proof course repairs. Cllrs discussed the application in May and approved providing £500 out of the one-off grant fund of £1,000. This would be paid in addition to the annual £1,000 grant. It appears the Village Hall believed that they would be given the full grant of £3,500. Cllr Hatchley has spoken to the Committee who have spent the funds on having the work completed. The Chairman agreed to contact the Chair of the Village Hall Committee to discuss.
Action: Chair to report back at next meeting.
The Clerk reported that Citizen’s Advice have asked for a grant of £150. Cllr Blanchard took no part in this discussion as has a vested interest. Cllr agreed that Citizen’s Advice were an excellent resource and approved the grant.
Action: Clerk to pay the grant to Citizen’s Advice.
The Precept request paperwork has just arrived, Councillors agreed to discuss at the next meeting. Action: Clerk to ask to defer sending the Precept Request until after the next meeting.
Community Plan Review
Prior to the meeting Cllr Hatchley circulated the Draft Community Plan.
The format of the plan allows readers to see the feedback and the current position and on the final page lists the 6 actions, they are:
- Continue to work for the introduction of a 30 mph speed limit to include the dangerous bend at the entrance to the Grange.
- Press service providers, the City and County Councils to provide a fast and reliable broadband service across the Parish, together with 5G provision from the mobile networks.
- Work for measures (including speed reminder technology) to curb speeding traffic throughout the villages, but particularly on Kite’s Hill and Stratton Lane.
- In line with residents’ opinion, encourage the re-use of redundant and under used buildings for residential and/or commercial use.
- Discourage development threatening the particular character of the villages of Northington, Swarraton and Totford in the outstanding environment of the Candover Valley.
- Push SSEN for the provision of far greater resilience to the electricity network.
Cllr Pinniger suggested that the Community Bus in Alresford would come out to Northington and may offer an opportunity for residents to get into Alresford. The Parish Council agreed to a poster going on noticeboards to promote the scheme.
Cllr Hatchley explained that the love of the historic buildings in the community communicated through the survey feedback needs to be converted to support for projects within these buildings. Cllr Hatchley asked Councillors for any ideas how this might be done.
The Chair has taken some photographs which can be included.
The Chair suggests that the Community Plan can be sent to the residents.
Action: Clerk to ask about Winchester City Council adopting the Plan
Village Hall Update
Cllr Hatchley has had the following update from the Village Hall Committee:
It transpired that the tarmac level may not be the cause of the damp ingress as we discovered an extra, covered over drain by the kitchen that was blocked and damaged. This we have sorted out and repaired ourselves at no real cost.
Planning applications & related matters
There has been no planning application since the last meeting.
The Water Augmentation Scheme application has been withdrawn.
Lengthsman
The Lengthsman Scheme is continuing in 2024/25, dates are as follows:
- 10th December
- 13th March
The Clerk explained that the Lengthsman funding is not guaranteed from Hampshire County Council for 2025/26, it would be prudent to include funds in the budget to cover the costs if it doesn’t continue.
Action: Cllr Pinniger to ask if there is any news of the Lengthsman Fund for 2025/26 and beyond.
General Correspondence
Cllr Hatchley informed Councillors that Cllr Taylor will be representing the Parish Council at the 9 lessons and carols service.
Any other business
None
Date of the next meeting
The next Parish Council meeting is Thursday 23rd January at 6:30pm in the Village Hall.
The meeting ended at 7:30pm