Woldingham Parish Council

MINUTES of a Meeting held at Peace Hall, Garden Village, Woldingham on 31 July 2008 at 7.30pm.

Present: Greg Meekings (Chairman) Bobby Johnson Alistair Pirie Rodney Fuller
Nigel Cohen Frank Myers
Sally Marks Karen Newman (Clerk)

1. Apologies: Cllrs Barton and Howe

2. Minutes.
The Minutes of the meeting held on the 26 June had been circulated and were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

3. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Meekings - Owner of the domain Woldingham.com/Edgehill Park View Road
Cllr Johnson - Company Secretary of Woldingham Magazine
Cllr Cohen - Resides in Nethern Court Road
Cllr Marks - Members of another authority Surrey County Council
Cllr Myers - Resides in Lunghurst Road

4. Matters arising
The Action list will be updated for the August meeting. It was noted that Slines Oak Island had not progressed since last month's meeting. Regarding the finger post on the Green it was agreed that Cllr Cohen would take up the matter with Cllr Jeffery to push this forward.

5. Planning Matters:
A copy of Appendix A was circulated to all members before the meeting. Cllr Johnson read through Appendix A. The Council voted to ratify the recommendations of the Planning Group.

Cllr Marks asked for an explanation of Beech Tree Cottage. Clr. Johnson reported that two previous applications had been received. The first of these had been to fell the tree, which after a visit from the TDC tree expert had a TPO placed on it. The second application was to reduce the crown of the tree by 20% and crown lift by up to 6.1 metres (appox. 18').

b. Infringements: Cllr Pirie not received the infringement report from TDC in time for the meeting and will chase why this had not happened. Cllr Pirie reported that he had received a response to the Land adj to Ferrers and advised that TDC confirmed that there were not any enforcement conditions so the case is closed. Cllr Myers advised that the Police will continue to raise and monitor the site. Mr Batterbury advised the Parish Council that there is a list of "off standard conditions" and Cllr Pirie will ask for a copy in his next correspondence with them.

Cllr Johnson advised that Cllrs are having difficulties gaining access into the Village Hall and asked whether Simon Aggiss could be contacted to ask him to place timings when the Hall will be opened on the front door. Cllr Marks as the Parish Council representative will contact Simon Aggiss.

Cllr Johnson advised that Mrs Torrance is trying to establish a public footpath and right of way between Nethern Court Road and Southfields Road - it was agreed that because the proposed footpath does not meet the criteria of a footpath the Parish Council can not support this proposal. 11.
6. Finance:
a. Payments: The payments as Appendix B were signed and approved.
b. 1st Quarter Account: The Accounts had been circulated to all Cllrs prior to the meeting. Cllr Howe had looked at the accounts on behalf of the Parish Council and confirmed that they should be accepted.

7. Highways & Rights of Way:
a. Highways Monitoring and Reporting:
Cllr Fuller advised that he had been contacted by Woldingham Golf Club who advised that they had trimmed the hedges but Cllr Fuller advised that they had not been cut back far enough and the Golf Club will take another look. It was noted that the corner which meets Bug Hill has been cleared. The Parish Council agreed that a letter should be sent to the Golf Course and copied in to the owner - Cllr Fuller to provide the Clerk with details.

Cllr Fuller mentioned the overgrown hedges along Slines Oak Road and that he has to receive clarification from Steve Cunnah regarding Highways definition of where to cut hedges back too. The Council agreed that the Clerk would contact Steve Cunnah and Cllr Fuller would provide the Clerk with the names of properties and a letter would be sent. Cllr Marks also asked whether a letter could be sent to the Old Manse.

8. Reports:
Cllr Marks advised that she had attended the Village Hall Committee meeting on behalf of the Parish Council on Monday 21st July at 8 pm:

Mrs Diane May was formally co-opted onto the Management and Executive committees in the role of Treasurer.

A discussion took place on maximising income - particularly in light of the current economic climate (ie possible decrease in hiring against probable increase in fuel and other costs). Some inconsistencies in the hiring charges were discussed and it was decided to investigate further what could be done to make hiring charges simpler and fairer.

Work on the toilets is now complete. The chairs are now in place and a trolley is being sourced to help move the new chairs around the building.

Some new internal work is to be done including the replacement of faulty windows in the Arthur Herbert room.

No 1 Model Cottage is all but complete and some carpeting and flooring needs to be fitted in order for it to be let out. A good rental in anticipated. It was hoped that tenants could be found quickly.

It is not anticipated that a new caretaker be found - or looked for - in the immediate short term.

There was a re-iteration that the village hall car-park could not be used for a walking bus drop-off zone for Woodlea due to other use of the premises.

Simon Agiss continues to work very hard for the Village Hall and has done a huge amount of work on the cottage also. He is supported by a small but dedicated group of volunteers.

There is not a huge appetite for a BIG new project.

Next meeting Monday 20th October 2008.

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9. Miscellaneous Matters:
a. Airports: The two key points to report from 'Flightpath' are that apparently Bromley Council has decided that the current lease agreement, between them and BHA, is no longer "fit for purpose". Depending on how any new lease is drawn up the implications for Woldingham are unknown. However the good news is that John Horam, M.P. for Orpington, has gone on record to say that:
1) "there was no need to change the (existing) lease"
2) "there is no need to change (ie extend), the airport's operating hours"

Cllr Myers and Alan Simmons attended a meeting on July 23 with Peter Lonergan, the BHA Director at Biggin Hill.

1). Apparently BHA has absolutely no desire to run a "low cost" Easyjet type of business from Biggin. On the contrary they want to focus on the high margin end of the aviation industry.
Apparently there are 20k p.a. exec' jet landings/take-offs already at Biggin and this is growing at around 20%pa. (The 50k.p.a. of light aircraft movements is declining). Peter confirmed that the capacity under the lease is 170k.p.a.

2). Peter stated that the only constraint on aircraft type allowed to use Biggin was structural - what the runway can cope with. This related to its length and, in particular, its load bearing capacity. Therefore he claimed a 747 could use Biggin in theory but in fact to do so it would have to be carrying little fuel and no passengers/baggage. However 737's can and do use Biggin - but only if privately owned or chartered. The implication being that there is no list of approved aircraft types that are permitted to land , the constraints are the physical limitations at the airport.

3). The imminent building of two new large hangers was confirmed - for wealthy middle and far Eastern customers apparently. Peter said BHA was also re-applying for planning permission for an hotel but it would be for the use by crew only.

4). Noise levels. Peter was most defensive on this point and he stated that any monitoring of levels at Biggin is a waste of time as the parameters are set in an artificial environment and these conditions cannot be replicated at an active airfield. He gave us a CAA paper specifying that only aircraft that perform within certain noise limitations are allowed to use Biggin. (We were left to assume all do comply).

5) Operational Hours - Peter said that although BCC had refused to relax them to date, BHA would continue to try and have the lease amended so that both landings and take-offs were allowed from 6.30am to 9pm. He said the current constraints were illogical ( ie early take-offs allowed but no landings before 9am). Frank and I agreed that this is a crucial issue for BHA given the increasing number of larger, long range exec' jets using Biggin which can fly non-stop from New York and Bangkok. (They tend to want to fly through the night and land early morning).

6) Allegedly both Northolt and F'boro are at max capacity and Luton is discouraging exec' jet usage, so Biggin is the obvious airport to absorb the growth. (Southend, Lydd etc all being too far from London)

7) Peter stated that the old 'Love Air' route to Le Touquet is the only scheduled fare paying service permitted under the lease. He said that whenever
BHA found out that such services were being advertised from other European airports to Biggin, they shut it down immediately. However he went on to say BHA would like to be able to sell spare capacity on private flights, on a limited basis - he indicated it would be a useful opportunity for the local residents as well as being environmentally friendly ( ie reducing waste!).

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8) BHA is intending to install an Auto' Landing System (ALS) to runway 03 ( ie the approach from the South) although this could take some while as trials and consultations have to take place. Apparently G'wick airport has agreed in principle to co-operate by ceding some of its airspace.
This facility is needed as a greater proportion of landings now approach from the South (climate change!) and BHA only has an ALS for the main runway (ie landings from the North over the hospital).

9) With regard to more jets overflying Woldingham, Peter said this was due to increased use of runway 03; bigger exec' jets ( with wider turning circles), and of course greater numbers of flights. As to them being "too low" (as we claim), his response was that the approach path and height taken by the aircraft was completely at the discretion of the pilot (within CAA/NATS guidelines).

10) Peter stated that BHA has in the past tried to get the lease made more
flexible but to no avail. Despite them going to court and using top legal advisors, BCC will not budge. He went on to say that BHA had therefore given up trying ( but see point 5 above?), as it is a waste of time/money and so they were resigned to having to operate within the terms of the existing lease. He said they were fully compliant.

We were shown a few of the exec' jets currently using Biggin and I was surprised at how large some are - there are ones with bigger wingspans than a 737! And according to Peter there is about to be a huge increase in VLJ's - small; lightweight exec' jets that seat 4 passengers and just have a crew of one. Costing just £800k apparently everyone will be able to afford them!
So, even more flights in our skies. But Peter stressed how he wanted to be on good neighbourly terms with all the communities around Biggin Hill.

Summary: there is going to be ongoing growth in exec' jet traffic at Biggin, including larger aircraft types, resulting in more over-flying of Woldingham. However it does not look like we are going to have another low cost airport, Stanstead style, on our doorstep. And in the longer term there is a fair chance that one flightpath approach to Biggin will alter - to Woldingham's benefit (see item 8 above). But any new lease agreement entered into by Bromley CC could significantly move the goalposts and it is imperative Woldingham's views/concerns/objections are made clear to all before it is too late.

Cllr Johnson asked whether a letter should be sent to Flightpatch outlining Woldingham's problem. Cllr Myers asked what the Parish Council's strategy is and will put together a draft strategy for consideration at the next meeting.

b. Station Car Parking: In Cllr Barton's absence nothing to report. Cllr Marks advised that TDC had changed the parking restrictions in Elias Road in Oxted but are still to review Woldingham. It was agreed that the Parish Council will write formally again asking for the restrictions to be reviewed and if no response then a question will be asked at the Tandridge Local Committee meeting.
c. School Parking: In Cllr Barton's absence nothing to report.
d. Village Event: Event went well and was well attended. The Parish Council asked for formal letters of thanks to be sent to Julie Moyland and Sue Edwards.
e. WAG: Cllr Pirie advised that the Tandridge Local Committee meeting schedule to take place in July to discuss the Quarry has been moved to the 5 September at 10.15 at TDC and asked for the Parish Council to be strongly represented. Cllr Johnson will be writing to other Parish Councils so that they can make their contributions.
f. Cold Calling: The Chairman had emailed all Cllrs before the meeting outlining the history of the scheme. 5 signs and information packs are needed at an approximate cost of £1,000. A vote was taken and carried to support the scheme in principle dependant on confirmation of the cost and the size of the signs. Cllr Barton will contact Trading Standards to get confirmation of costings and signage and liaise with NHW regarding implementation.
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(it is noted that Cllr Barton was not originally assigned the NHW role so another volunteer might be needed to move this forward).
g. Litter pick - the next litter pick will take place on 27 September. Cllr Johnson passed the list of signage for the event to Cllr Marks.

10. Meetings to attend:

11. Correspondence:
2 letters received this month regarding school parking.

12. Any Other Business:
a. Diary: All Councillors completed diary dates for August 2008.
b. The Chairman asked if the Parish Council supported the adoption of Croft Road and a vote was taken and carried that the Council would write a letter of support.
c. The Chairman advised that he had had a meeting with the Chairman of The Glebe, Village Club and Village Hall, which was very positive.

Meeting ended at 9.20
6 members of the public present

Before the meeting:

Caroline Batterbury spoke regarding the adoption of Croft Road and to ask the Parish Council's support again.

Michael Batterbury spoke regarding the proposed establishment of a public footpath and right of way between Nethern Court Road and Southfields Road. Mr Batterbury offered his help to the Parish Council if needed as the Local Footpath Secretary for the North Area of Tandridge.

John Osborne expressed his concern about establishing the footpath between Nethern Court Road and Southfields Road.

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