September 1998 PC Meeting Report

The monthly meeting of the Parish Council was held on 1 September with Mr AD Walmsley in the Chair.

Problems of parking at Shawford and traffic safety.

No feedback yet from Mr J Soutar, County Surveyor’s Department, following the Council’s meeting with him in June, but City Councillor Mrs M Campbell-White reported that there is money in this year’s budget for traffic safety improvements at the Shawford Road junction with Otterbourne Road.

Park-and-Ride at Bushfield.

City Councillor Mrs M Campbell-White reported that she is to meet City Councillors for neighbouring areas about traffic implications if a park-and-ride scheme is permitted on the Bushfield Camp site.

Police Report.

PC Clive Barham reported that the police had marked white spots on roads and had been measuring motorists’ speeds northbound towards the junction with Compton Street, also, on the Crime and Disorder Bill involving a Police and Local Authority partnership to combat crime. He further reported on a Crime and Disorder Audit with a 3 years plan to tackle crime which may involve Parish Councils.

Bus shelters.

A submission is to be made for improvements to siting of the bus shelters, opposite each other on Otterbourne Road, and for the provision of public transport from the village to Twyford Surgery.

Twyford Meads

is the new name for Compton Lock and its surrounding patch, which is now minded by a committee mostly from Twyford Parish Council, but Cllr TJ Threlfall appointed to keep a watching brief Twyford Meads Committee has appointed an Ecological Consultancy to produce a management plan.

Proposed closure of Twyford Fire Sub-Station.

It was reported that the Public Meeting held at Colden Common Community Centre, on 27 August, was very well attended, with the Chairman of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Services, Cllr Mrs ESM Brett, in attendance. Numerous questions had been submitted from the floor including references to fire cover times compared to other areas and the Authority’s wish for permanent full time firemen. Agreed that the parish council support the other parish councils in this issue but the view was expressed that the fire station will probably close.

Planning objection.

The parish council agreed to write to the Local Planning Authority pointing out that earlier planning decisions had explicitly excluded the use of the ancillary residential annexe (originally constructed as a garage) at Kingsmere Acres, Shawford, as self-catering accommodation.

Tree Preservation Orders and communication masts.

A letter from the Arboricultural Officer, WCC, advised that he is consulted by the planning department when trees are a concern on applications for masts and if the trees are of sufficient merit a TPO is considered.

The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996.

Cllr. Whitaker reported on the Public Meeting and that there is general support for implementation of this discretionary Act, which specifies that it is an offence for owners not to clear up after their pets. Cllr Whitaker to complete a Parish Questionnaire for return to Winchester City Council.

New sports pavilion.

Architects, Michael Weakley Associates, are working on revised plans which should improve the interior layout and the external appearance of the pavilion. These plans and an updated licence to be reviewed at a meeting with the Sports Club on 10 September. PC Barham offered to contact the local Crime Reduction Officer on how to obtain “Secured By Design” status for the new pavilion.

Refurbishment of the Parish Hall.

Commencement of works is anticipated early next year.

Parish Hall development land.

Planning permission has been granted for the erection of two pairs of semi-detached houses on land adjacent to Shawford Parish Hall, and documents signed for transfer of the land to builders and developers, Goodall Barnard Ltd, for the sum of £162,500.00. There was a lengthy discussion about the need for a retaining wall between the Parish Hall car park and the new houses. The retaining wall has to be constructed at a very early stage, and its construction had not been part of CASCA’s financial plans. The Parish Council therefore accepted for safety reasons that it would have to meet the cost of the retaining wall between the development land and the retained land at a cost of approximately £13,000.00, even if the impact on the Council’s capital plans meant that the costs would eventually have to be funded by borrowing.

Millennium Celebrations:

Cllr Wilmshurst had chaired a meeting to which all societies in the Parish had been invited. The main proposal from the meeting was to hold a week of events along the lines of the successful Parish Hall Centenary Celebrations sometime in the summer of the year 2000. Other suggestions include a visual/photographic record of the Parish at the beginning of the new millennium, a “millennium maze” on the Parish Hall patio, a family event on the Playing Field at midnight on 31 December 1999, and a church service on 31 December 2000 to mark the end of the first 2000 years of the Christian era. Two or three volunteers came forward but more will be needed. A further meeting is planned in October.

DWH Richman
Parish Clerk
12 September 1998