Date: Thursday 19th September 2024 Time: 6:30 pm
Venue: Village Hall, Northington
Present: Simson Walker Chairman
Rhona Hatchley
Andrew Bason
Gail Taylor
Cllr Russell Gordon-Smith District Councillor
Wendy Simson Clerk
Apologies: Juliet Blanshard
Cllr Jackie Porter County Councillor
Cllr Margot Power District Councillor
Cllr Clare Pinniger District Councillor
Welcome and apologies.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Cllrs Blanchard, Porter, Power, and Pinniger 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 18th July 2024 and agreed the minutes as a true representation of the meeting.
Matters arising.
Invite Cllr Clare Pinniger to meetings – Clerk included Clare in invite email.
CIL funding on agenda – The Clerk has included this item on the agenda.
Dates for Cyber Security Training – the following dates have been booked.
- Wednesday 20th November 7pm – Brown Candover
- Thursday 19th December 7pm – Northington
- Friday 17th January 7pm – Preston Candover
The Councillors agreed to cancel the 19th December as it was too close to Christmas but look to book an alternative date either prior to 20th November or in February 2025.
The Clerk informed the Council that Alton Town Council had hosted one of the sessions and the content was very informative. A poster to promote the dates had been created for the Alton event and was to be adapted for the three dates in the valley to use in the Oxdrove and via other communications.
Action: Clerk to look at a different date for the Northington session
Action: Clerk to circulate poster once completed.
District and County Councillor updates
The Clerk had forwarded the County and District Councillors reports prior to the meeting.
Cllr Gordon-Smith explained that the consultation for the Local Plan would not be affected by the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as revised housing numbers could be amended in the Local Plan at a later date.
Winchester City Council have approved £900k for upgrading the sewage systems serving Council homes in the area to reduce the nitrates released into the aquafer.
Financial Update
The Clerk informed the Councillors that the remaining 50% of the precept has been received (£2,673). The Clerk’s salary for July to September has been paid along with the insurance.
The current balance of the account is £12,029.09 of which £3,565.57 is CIL.
Community Infrastructure Levy Funding (CIL)
The Chairman suggested that this be discussed as part of AOB as he would like the Council to consider purchasing equipment to reduce speeding in the villages.
Village Plan Review
Prior to the meeting Cllr Hatchley circulated the Draft Community Plan with the following notes:
- Pages 1-2 might form the introduction to the new Community Plan.
- Pages 3-9 are comparisons of 2013 and 2024 responses, purely my interpretation, nothing more scientific. I think the eventual Community Plan will most likely take a different form, but we feel we all need to look at these results before we write that. The actual data will be available at the meeting if you’d like a look at that too.
- Pages 11-12 are the beginnings of next steps in writing the Plan. We need to bear in mind WCC states that a Community Plan:
identifies local problems and opportunities
• sets out an achievable and long-term vision for the future
• prepares a plan of action to achieve this vision - Interestingly between 80% and 100% of our respondents to each topic believe the issues to be still or somewhat relevant today.
Cllr Hatchley asked the Council for guidance about the format for the report as there were few local plans available to review. Cllr Gordon-Smith suggested that the Council look at any nationally but that the Plan needs to give only a brief history but focus on the possible contentious issues for example paving front gardens for parking or heights of new buildings or extensions.
Cllr Taylor suggested that the Plan should protect special features in the village including the chalk stream, the landscape and views.
The Chairman confirmed that as speeding was high on the list of priorities for residents that the Parish Council should take this as a mandate to look at how to reduce this.
It was agreed that a Google-Doc be set up to allow all Councillors to comment on the draft.
Action: Chairman to set up Google-Doc and upload the draft for comment.
Action: All Councillors to add comments by 18th October to allow the plan to be updated ready for the November meeting.
Village Hall Update
Cllr Hatchley has had the following update from the Village Hall Committee:
The hall has had all the exterior windows and doors repaired and repainted as planned. Do look while you are there, as it is all looking very smart and neat. I attach an image of the invoice for you. It has been paid but came in more than the estimate unsurprisingly due to the amount of rotten wood that needed attention, the replacement of some window ledges plus further repair of the fire door. On our April 16th bid for a grant from the council we asked for a contribution to help with this specifically. I hope you can still assist us.
Financially, we are managing but our income is less after the loss of the regular police bookings. The Little Learners group has helped mitigate this but not to the same degree. General bookings are ticking along well.
The electrical problem was sorted eventually but was quite complicated to locate.
The fire doors have been patched up for another year or two. We will eventually need to replace the whole thing including the frame, so will ask for further assistance in due course. For now, it is secure and watertight.
We have not addressed the repointing and damp course issues as yet.
Our next event is the upcoming Harvest Lunch on Oct 6th. It has been advertised on the website and in the Oxdrove. Will follow up with something through the village email shortly and on the WhatsApp group.
The service and wake for Peter Campbell showed how well the church and Village Hall worked together for a truly local need. I was very heartened to see it.
That is all the updates for the V Hall for now.
The Councillors agreed that the Little Learners was a good addition to the regular bookings.
The Chairman asked if additional funding was requested, the Clerk suggested that an application had been approved at the May meeting for £500 from the one-off grant allocation towards the exterior decorations work. A further £500 is available within this allocation.
Action: Cllr Hatchley to liaise with the Village Hall Committee about their needs.
Planning applications & related matters
There has been one planning application since the last meeting.
The application for The Grange (24/01634/FUL) was received on 2nd August.
The proposal is for internal and external repairs to the roofs, including guttering, of the auditorium, east portico and central well of the main house roof. Repairs, including excavation works, to surface and foul water drainage gulleys, pipes and manholes. and is to replace the garage with a wood store. The Councillors agreed that they had no objections to this application, the Clerk forwarded the Councils response on 3rd September.
Lengthsman
The Lengthsman Scheme is continuing in 2024/25, dates are as follows:
- 6th September
- 10th December
- 13th March
Cllr Bason reported that there had been a long list of items for the Lengthsman to attend to when they visited on 6th September. Most were dealt with, but some are still outstanding and will be added to the list for December.
A hedge which obscured the line of sight at the entrance to the Grange was discussed. This is privately owned, and it was agreed that the owner needed to be contacted to ensure it was pruned back sufficiently to allow a clear view for drivers.
General Correspondence
The Clerk received posters to promote the Public Consultation on the Local Plan, these were given to the Councillors to be displayed in the noticeboards.
The Clerk has also had an email about the Winchester Community Resilience Distribution List, the Clerk has asked that Northington Parish Council be included with these communications. The link to their website is Local Resilience Forum | Hampshire & Isle of Wight (hiowprepared.org.uk).
Any other business
Defibrillator checks – the Clerk has messaged to get the defibrillator check completed but has not had a response and suggested that one (or more) of the Councillors take the details so they can check it is working correctly. Councillors agreed to check it at every meeting and appoint a Councillor to check between meetings to ensure monthly check. The Clerk showed Cllr Bason how to complete the check.
Action: Cllr Bason to complete the report for the September check.
Action: The Chairman to complete the October Check.
Cllr Bason asked about the defibrillator at the farm and if this was included on the list of units available to the ambulance service.
Action: Clerk to email Heartbeat Trust and ask if they can help with this.
The Chairman suggested that the Parish Council use part of the CIL funding to purchase a Speed Indication Device to be located at various points through the village. Councillors approved this project.
Action: Cllr Bason to identify suitable sites using what//three//words.
Action: Clerk to get a price from Elan for one solar powered unit.
Action: Clerk to talk to Hampshire Highways about the locations for the device to get these approved.
Cllr Bason explained that some residents were not getting al the emailed on the Village Email system. The Chairman agreed to investigate why this was happening.
Action: Chairman to report back Councillors about what the issues has been.
Date of the next meeting
The next Parish Council meeting is Thursday 21st November at 6:30pm in the Village Hall.
The meeting ended at 7:30pm