NORTHINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL
Date: Thursday 23rd March 2023 Time: 6:30 pm
Venue: Northington Village Hall
Present: Dennis Nye Chairman
Melissa Jennings
Lucy Williams
Andrew Bason
Juliet Blanshard
Cllr Russell Gordon-Smith District Councillor
Cllr Jackie Porter County Councillor
Wendy Simson Clerk
Apologies: Cllr Margot Power District Councillor
Cllr Fiona Issacs District Councillor
Welcome and apologies.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. Cllrs Power and Issacs both sent apologies.
Minutes of the last meeting
The Councillors reviewed minutes for the meeting on 19th January 2023 and agreed the minutes as a true representation of the meeting. The Clerk provided a copy for the Chairman to sign.
Matters arising.
Bank Account Signatories – Councillors agreed to review bank signatories once the elections have taken place.
Millennium bench – Cllr Bason updated the Council that this was in hand.
Blocked drain on B3046 by Village Hall – Cllr Blanshard confirmed this was on the last list for the Lengthsman visit.
District Councillors Report
The Clerk had circulated the reports received from Councillors prior to the meeting.
Cllr Gordon-Smith updated the Parish Council on the award of a development partner to redevelop the centre of Winchester in the area where the old bus station, post office, Iceland, etc were situated. This will be a 10 years project and will include a pop up park and an area where an archaeological dig can be viewed by the public. The Debenhams site which is outside of the scheme is owned by Surrey County Council and there are plans for three restaurants to take the building.
Cllr Porter apologies that her report hadn’t been delivered but sent again earlier today. The focus was on the Council Tax and budgets. Cllr Porter expressed concerns about the Head of Education and the Head of Child Services both retiring and the gaps in the City Council this left.
Cllr Blanshard asked about the possibility of extending the speed limit on the B3046. Cllr Porter asked if the Parish Council had a Speed Indication Device (SID) that recorded data, the Clerk explained that she could borrow one but the piece of road was currently National Speed Limit so a SID could not be deployed in the area. Councillors expressed concern about the changes to the traffic at the Grange and further accidents. Cllr Porter suggested that the areas around the entrance to the Grange was an advisory 30mph zone and that Highways may allow the SID to be used.
Action: Clerk to speak to Highways about identifying a site for a SID.
The Chairman asked if there was any update on the fibre broadband project, Cllr Porter informed Councillors that the money generated from the scheme meant that some commercially viable areas including Northington were being reassessed. Northington is near the top of the list for any local central funding.
Planning applications & related matters
Lawn House (22/02584/HOU)) – all Councillors provided comments via email and the Chairman responded on behalf of the Parish Council to confirm that were no concerns.
Clerks report & Financial update
The Clerk had circulated the financial report prior to the meeting, hall hire for the meeting was to be included but then the financial year was to be closed. The Clerk will prepare the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) and present for Internal Audit. The accounts will be ready for the May meeting for sign off by Council.
Elections
The Clerk forwarded information about the elections in January and resent the nomination paperwork on 16th March. The Chairman has completed the paperwork and reassured Councillors that it was not onerous. The Clerk suggested that one Councillor could take paperwork in for all members, the Chairman agreed to contact Winchester City Council to book an appointment.
Action: Chairman to book appointment to deliver all Councillors paperwork.
Cllr Bason, Williams and Blanshard agreed to meet with the Clerk at 11am on Sunday 2nd April at the Woolpack to complete all packs and allow each to nominate others.
Action: Clerk to take paperwork to Chairman for delivery.
Cllr Jennings announced that she would not be standing at the elections. Cllr Williams also announced that they plan to move this year, but she would remain a Councillor until she leaves.
There was a discussion about the need for new Councillors in view of two Councillors stepping down.
Action: Chairman to email village asking for volunteers
Action: Chairman to make a direct appeal to village newcomers to get involved.
Action: All NPC to forward to Chairman further candidate suggestions.
Action: Clerk to publicise need for volunteers in the Oxdrove magazine.
Highways
The Road has flooded again at the Northington crossroads and Cllr Blanshard agreed to speak to Highways about getting the culverts cleared again.
Action: Cllr Blanshard to speak to Highways.
Cllr Bason asked if there was an opportunity to have signage about the risks of ice during the winter on the stretch of road between the Northington Crossroads and Now House Farm. Cllr Porter suggested reporting it through the HCC website.
Cllr Bason informed that the Parish Council that there had been an issue with fly tipping of roofing materials in the area around New House Farm, each time it has been cleared quickly by WCC but would like I reported. Cllr Porter suggested that Gary Brown, the Officer for Fly-Tipping be informed as he is an ex-police officer and will investigate and collect any evidence which may allow a prosecution. Cllr Gordon-Smith asked to be copied in on the correspondence.
Action: Cllr Bason to email Gary Brown and provide all evidence to date.
Water Augmentation Scheme Update
The Councillors discussed the new submission for planning from Southern Water for:
Construction and operation of an approximately 8.1km raw water pipeline, predominantly as a permanent below ground pipeline (approximately 7.2km) but with five temporary above ground sections of pipeline (approximately 900m) and other temporary accesses, hard standings, plant (including temporary water booster pumping station) and equipment capable of installation, removal, storage and re-installation in advance of and operation during severe drought events over the period to the end of 2030. Provision of a new permanent pole mounted high voltage power supply at Land in Itchen Valley and Candover Valley Hampshire.
The full application can be found at
https://planning.hants.gov.uk/Planning/Display/HCC/2023/0083
The Chairman has read all documents and confirmed that some of the concerns raised about the last plan have been amended. The property likely to be most affected is Keepers Cottage opposite the pumping station on Kite’s Hill.
Councillors raised concerns about the temporary compound which seemed large at 80m by 40m and wanted assurances that this would be fully dismantled once the initial set up has been completed.
Cllr Porter informed the Parish Council that water was now going to be put into the Candover Brook but was not sure where this was likely to be, the Chairman suggested that it would go in at the pumping station.
Cllr Porter suggested that the Parish Councillors have a meeting with Lise Kirby from HCC, possibly via Zoom, to discuss concerns. Cllr Poster also suggested that the Parish Council asked for an extension to the closing date for comments as 12th May is just after the elections.
Action: Clerk to speak to WCC about extending the closing date for comments.
Cllr Williams suggested that another public meeting be held to allow residents to voice their thoughts.
Action: Cllr Williams to speak to Southern Water about sending a representative.
Action: Chairman to issue a village wide email with links to planning website, together with the current NPC stance (object) and a request to lodge parishioner comments to the planners or feedback to NPC.
Action: Chairman to distribute his collected notes from scan review of ~83 planning documents to the rest of the council to facilitate their more detailed review.
Village Hall Cooperation
The Chairman has been in correspondence with the Village Hall Committee about funding for the new roof and also ongoing events and bookings. Cllr Porter informed the Parish Council that there were a number of grants available to help with the roof and she had looked to arrange a date to discuss with the Village Hall Committee but a suitable date hadn’t been identified.
Action: Cllr Porter to arrange a date to meet the committee
The Chairman suggested that the Village Hall Committee and Parish Council should meet in an email on 15th February and gave a number of questions that needed to be explored
- Is there a plan to address the anticipated shortfall in both operating and capital expenditures that you can share with NPC?
If such a plan exists, then we can work together to see if we might enhance it.
If such a plan does not exist, then we can work together to create such a plan. - Has Jackie Porter’s offer of assistance been taken up?
- Have the other source of Grants been pursued?
- No apparent communication to the village about the hall’s difficulties or appeals for funding support.
- Is the VH committee looking to change its traditional role and responsibilities?
The Chairman had proposed a meeting with the village hall committee to discuss the above matters, but with no specific response.
Action: Chairman to arrange a meeting with Village Hall Committee Co-Chairpersons to discuss.
Cllr Blanshard also suggested that the Village Hall Committee be encouraged to put forward a member as a Parish Councillor to ensure better communication.
Action: Chairman to speak to Village Hall Committee about a representative on the Parish Council.
Lengthsman
Cllr Jennings informed the Council that the Lengthsman visited on 6th March and one man did a full day and got most of the list of work completed.
The Clerk confirmed that the contract had been renewed with HCC for the Lengthsman in 23/24. RP Gardening Services who deliver the contract for the Candover Cluster has written to explain that with increasing costs that the model would be amended for 23/24 and gave two options:
- Option 1 – 4 visits a year (4 hours each) with two people
- Option 2 – 5 visits a year (4 hours each) with one person.
It was agreed that option 1 provided best value.
Action: Clerk to circulate dates when received.
The Lengthsman has collected the stones that have been washed down Church Lane and it was suggested that these be put in front of the post-box where is has become very muddy.
Action: Cllr Jennings to speak to the Lengthsman for next visit.
Website
The Chairman informed the Parish Council that no further progress had been made with the website.
General Correspondence
Litter Pick – this has been booked for Sunday 16th April and the Village Hall Committee are arranging a coffee morning.
Cllr Bason agreed to allocate the routes and the Clerk agreed to source litter pickers and hoops for the bags.
Action: Clerk to organise litter picking equipment
Action: Cllr Jennings to provide old litter picking and route information to Cllr Bason
Action: Chairman to issue village email for volunteers upon request from Cllr Bason.
Date of the next meeting
The next meeting is planned for Tuesday 23rd May after the Village Hall meeting as part of the Annual Parish meeting, start time to be confirmed by Village Hall Committee.
The meeting ended at 8:35 pm.