February 2000 PC Meeting Report

REPORT ON THE FEBRUARY MEETING TUESDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 2000, SHAWFORD PARISH HALL

Councillor Mr N Campbell-White was in the Chair and was pleased to welcome eleven members of the public to the meeting.

County Councillor’s report

County Councillor Mrs A. Bailey confirmed that the traffic calming measures in Hiltingbury/Hocombe roads were going ahead but the lorry ban was in abeyance while Eastleigh Borough Council decide on their financial priorities.

The County Council’s plans for reorganising education for children with special needs have been agreed by the DfEE (Department for Education and Employment). Shepherds Down School will become an all through primary school catering for a wider range of learning abilities. Cllr Bailey is keeping an eye on the traffic implications of this proposed change.

District Councillor’s report

City Councillor Mrs M Campbell-White reported that at the Periodic Electoral Review the idea of combining Compton & Shawford with Otterbourne and Hursley to create a larger ward with two district councillors had been put forward by the City Council in order to meet targets for the average number of electors per councillor. The Commission will be publishing their recommendations later in February after which the Parish Council will have another opportunity to comment.

Parish Project

Winchester City Council is prepared to consider part funding projects of up to £3,500 from any village organisation, with grants of up to £750 provided the project is supported by the Parish Council. If your organisation would like to suggest a project please contact the Parish Council before the meeting on 7 March.

Planning

Shawford Park has applied for planning permission to build a stable block, situated close to Park View and Bridge Terrace, to house 30 polo ponies. Although Shawford Park itself is in Twyford parish, the proposed site for this development lies within our parish. Following representations from local parishioners who would be affected by the siting of the stables close to residential houses, and because of the creation of increased traffic through the villages and the ecological effect on the Itchen’s SSSI, the Council has written to Winchester City Council opposing this development.

Play equipment

Our playground equipment in Compton Street and the Memorial Playing Field recently passed the annual safety inspection carried out by the Parish Council’s insurers.

The subcommittee met with Winchester City Council to review the two playgrounds within the Parish. The City Council advised us to reassess our equipment in the light of forthcoming new guidelines. For example, they suggested that play areas be fenced off, larger safety surfaces provided, and swings for older children kept separate from those for younger children. The Parish Council felt that further professional advice and feedback from parents with young children should be sought before any decision is made. Any parishioners who have ideas for improvements, including safety aspects, should contact the Parish Clerk on 01962-713143.

Cricket Square

As reported last month, the subcommittee has been investigating alternate sources of funding for essential remedial work to the cricket square. Winchester City Council has confirmed that such work is an appropriate use of the Open Space Funding money which the City Council holds for us. The Council decided that, subject to the Finance and Playing Fields subcommittees’ evaluation of three estimates to be provided by the Sports Club, and a contribution of £1,000 from the Sports Club, the PC would apply to the City Council for the release of up to £2,000 from the Open Space Fund for the cricket square.

New Pavilion project

A meeting with Sport England took place on 26 January attended by Councillor Staunton, Martin Dearlove (Sports Club) and Michael Weakley (Project Architect) to discuss the lottery bid for the new pavilion.

Considerable advice was given by Sport England and it was learnt that:

• Much of the material from the original bid can be used for the new bid.
• Stage 1 of the new bid is competitive. We will be vying with other organisations.
• If we are successful in stage 1, money would be set aside for our project during a second stage in which we may be asked to refine certain elements of the bid.

Changes to the building design were agreed to bring it completely within Sport England guidelines. The changes mainly revolve around the positioning of and access to the toilets.

Sport England advised us to show a phased plan whereby snooker and table tennis are excluded from the application but shown as a potential future development to make good use of the roof void.

If all goes well the new bid document could be completed by the end of March.

Parish Hall

The Parish Hall under CASCA continues to go from strength to strength with very favourable reports from users. The hedge planting scheme under the Horticultural Society has been authorised and the first stage is already completed. The final stage is delayed until the car park is finished. The tree in the corner of the car park will be lopped within the next few weeks.

Street Names

The questionnaire on the naming of Bridge/Hunts lane has been collated. There were 11 returns of which 7 favoured Bridge Lane. This represents a majority of the votes cast but not a majority of residents. Winchester City Council is being consulted as to whether these numbers are sufficient to confirm the name of the road.

Dates of meetings

This is an election year for the Parish Council, with elections on the first Thursday in May (May 4th). The Annual Parish Council meeting, at which the chairman, vice chairman and subcommittees have to be voted in for the coming year, will therefore be moved to the second Tuesday of May (May 9th) instead of the first Tuesday of the month as would be normal.

The Annual Parish Meeting, which is usually held in the second half of April, will be on Tuesday May 2nd to avoid the two weeks either side of this year’s late Easter. Meeting notices will be distributed to all households.

Mike Andrews, Clerk