Woldingham Parish Council

MINUTES of a Meeting held at Woldingham Peace Hall, Garden Village on 30 October 2008 at 7.30pm.

Present: Greg Meekings (Chairman) Andrew Barton
Bobby Johnson Nigel Cohen Nicola Howe Sally Marks Rodney Fuller Karen Newman (Clerk)

1. Apologies: Cllrs Myers and Pirie

2. Minutes.
The Minutes of the meeting held on 25 September had been circulated and were signed by the Chairman as a correct record subject to the following amendment:

9i.Maintenance of the View Point: Discussion took place re replacement of the barrier.

3. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Johnson - Company Secretary of Woldingham Magazine
Cllr Marks - Member of another authority - Surrey County Council
Cllr Meekings - Owner of the domain Woldingham.com
Cllr Barton - Craigmyle Glebe/Woldingham Cricket Club
Cllr Fuller - Chalk hard standing at Church Road Farm footpath, temporary spoil transfer
site at Bug Hill, and confirming that the field would be reinstated afterwards.

4. Matters arising
The following points arose in discussion of the Action List:

Slines Oak island: The Clerk confirmed that she had written and chased up Derek Poole (SCC Highways) for a response but had not received any. Cllr Marks advised that she had received a direct response from Mr Poole who advised that they could not help with the repair of the Island but would help with the licensing and traffic control.
Signage: Cllr Cohen advised that the meeting that a final quote had been received in the sum of £1,436.50. The Council voted and agreed to go ahead with ordering the new sign subject to the approval of Surrey Highways and Parks Department. Cllr Marks advised the meeting that Mr Poole had stated that Highways were happy with the Parish Council to go ahead subject to the compliance with statutory instrument "Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002"
Overgrown hedges: Cllr Fuller circulated to all Councillors before the meeting a schedule of overgrown hedges in Slines Oak Road. Cllr Fuller will draft a letter for the Clerk to send to all the occupants asking them to cut back their hedges.
Dead Beech Tree: Cllr Marks still chasing for the removal.
Barrier at view point: No correspondence has been received from Highways on this matter. The Parish Council voted and agreed to reinstate the barrier.
Cold Calling: Meeting to be arranged to move matters forward.
Footpath along Northdown Road: The Clerk confirmed that a letter had been sent and chased up to Derek Poole and no answer had been received. Cllr Marks advised that Mr Poole had responded direct and advised that he was happy for the Parish Council to go ahead. Cllr Marks handed over the spec and diagrams. Cllr Marks confirmed that the Community Gang were going to cut back along the footpath and that they would be contacting the house owners whose hedges had encroached. Cllr Howe will draft a tender and contact the approved contractors.

5. Planning Matters:
a. A copy of Appendix A was circulated to all members before the meeting. Cllr Johnson read through Appendix A.
b. Infringements: An infringement report from TDC in response to WPC's usual request was circulated to members before the meeting. It was agreed that Cllr Pirie would be asked to query with TDC the history and background of Orchid House and 2 The Crescent.

Cllr Fuller advised regarding the site at Bug Hill that the field would be reinstated afterwards once works EDF had completed their current contract in Caterham.

6. Finance:
a. Payments: The payments as Appendix B were signed and approved.
b. Precept: Subject to the Chairman and Cllr Johnson's review it was agreed to accept the internal auditor's recommendation regarding the level of 2009 precept.
c. Audit 2007/08 Accounts: The Clerk advised that the Annual Return had been approved and the Council voted to accept the accounts.

7. Highways & Rights of Way:

a. Highways Monitoring and Reporting:
Covered above.

8. Reports:
Village Hall Meeting: Cllr Marks advised that she had attended the Village Hall Meeting and that there are two levels of Committee. The Core Committee make all the big decisions and Cllr Marks advised the Parish Council that she does not sit on the Core Committee. Cllr Marks advised that the Cottage is still not let and that the Hall renting costs had gone up in line with inflation.

9. Miscellaneous Matters:
a. Airports: In Cllr Myers absence nothing to report.
b. Station Car Parking: Cllr Barton advised that he had spoken direct to Paul Barton to try and get the results of the review and was advised that it was just regard off street parking. CCTV has been agreed and once funding has been found will go ahead. There is also a possibility of another layer of parking at Upper Warlingham Station.
c. School Parking: The Council asked for another letter to be sent to the Head Teacher regarding the recent accident outside the school. The Clerk to speak to PSCO Clive Harris Ross to ascertain details. Item to be taken off the agenda.
d. WAG: Meeting to be arranged - still waiting for the Hual Road Application to be submitted.
e. Cold Calling: covered above.
f. Litter pick on 27 September: Cllr Barton and Marks advised that the litterpick had been well attended.
g. Northdown Road footpath: covered above.
h. Grants: The Chairman read through the list of grant applications received and the Council voted to agree the following:

Surrey Crimestoppers - grant of £60 agreed
Caterham Sea Cadets - grant refused
Woldingham Cricket Club - grant of £1,400 agreed
St. Agathas Churchyard - - grant of £1,000 agreed
Craigmyle Glebe - grant of £1,000 agreed
Good Neighbours Meeting - grant of £200 agreed
Horticultural Society - grant of £300 agreed
Leonard Stokes Directory - grant of £500 agreed

A late application by the Garden Village will be considered at the next meeting.

i. Maintenance of the View Point: points covered above. Mr John Osborne advised the meeting that about 18 months ago, Tarmac sought planning permission of Tandridge District Council for the future landscape restoration and aftercare management of Oxted Quarry. Tandridge approved the plan and passed it down the line to Surrey County Council's approval. (A codicil had been added that insisted the view from the Viewpoint was safeguarded. Woldingham Parish Council had written and asked that was ensured by Tandridge.)
That was a year ago and Surrey CC has still not managed to shift it off its desk. It has moved from committee approval to officer-decided (Case Officer Stephen Jenkins 020 8541 9424). I have been phoning Mr Jenkins every month to check progress. He has supported maintaining the View and has written into the final plan that the area in front of the Viewpoint must be maintained below 1m in height. That maintenance is the responsibility of the Quarry Manager.
If vegetation grows over that level, Surrey's Enforcement Officers should be informed to ensure some action (Ian Gray 020 8541 9423)
j. Newsletter: The Chairman advised that the newsletter had been put together but he was still waiting for a photograph of Cllr Howe to be inserted. The newsletter will be printed and distributed week commencing 24 November.
k. Christmas Carols: The Chairman asked the Clerk to put together a list of jobs.

10. Meetings to attend:

11. Correspondence:
1 letter received this month from a resident in the Crescent concerned about the lack of parking. Cllr Marks advised that she would respond as the 2 hr parking restrictions are imminent.

12. Any Other Business:
a. Diary: All Councillors completed diary dates for November 2008.
b. Cllr Marks will place the Wreath on behalf of the Parish Council on remembrance Sunday.

Meeting ended at 9.25 pm
4 members of the public present part of the time

Before the meeting:

John Osborne spoke on getting the Viewpoint added to the grass cutting schedule
Jenny King spoke on behalf of Jan Ward regarding the grant application for the Leonard Stokes Directory.