May 2005 PC Meeting Report

Report on the Meeting held
Tuesday 3rd May 2005, Compton Room, Shawford Parish Hall

Annual Meeting of the Parish Council

This being the Parish Council Annual Meeting, the principle task was to appoint a new Chairman and Officers for the forthcoming year. Cllr. Adrian Walmsley was appointed Chairman and Cllr Jeremy Dolphin was appointed Vice Chairman. Responsibilities for the Convenorship of the various Committees remain as before with the exception of Cllr. Jeremy Dolphin assuming Convenorship of the Planning Committee.

The new Chairman, Cllr. Adrian Walmsley, on behalf of the full Parish Council, thanked Cllr. George Beckett for his work on behalf of the Parish Council during the past three years when he served as Chairman.

Cllr. John Richardson, being a new councillor co-opted onto the Parish Council at the last meeting was welcomed.

Jubilee Pavilion

Cllr. Nick Campbell-White reported that the list of outstanding snags in respect of the Jubilee Pavilion had now been reduced to just four issues. These were being actively worked upon and it is hoped that satisfactory resolution can be achieved in a short time. Quotations had been received for work to be undertaken on extending the Jubilee Pavilion car park together with certain remedial work to the existing car park. It is expected that this work will commence within the next six weeks.

Planning

Cllr. Adrian Walmsley reported upon various Planning Issues, including the Appeal concerning Highdown, the proposed extensive development at St. Cross and proposals concerning the Walcon’s Yard in Shawford. The outline proposals advised to the Parish Council by the owners of Walcon’s Yard, involve the establishment of some 80 lockable containers for renting out to individuals and businesses for self-storage. The proposal does not encompass the whole of Walcon’s Yard, the buildings at the far end being the subject of later deliberations. These proposals will be reviewed by the new Planning Committee with a view to establishing a Parish Council position on the proposal.

Playing Fields

Cllr. Mary Shaw reported that the long awaited Cricket Nets due to be installed on the Memorial Playing Field, have been ordered from the supplier. Unfortunately, due to pressure of work, the supplier cannot install these Cricket Nets until July or August 2005.

Highways and byways

Cllr. Patricia Caffyn reported that work on resurfacing the Main Road, Shawford, is due to commence 14th May 2005 and is expected to last for some twelve weeks. Due to the nature of the machinery to be used in this work, all busses and heavy goods vehicles will necessarily have to be re-routed to avoid the area. It is anticipated that such re-routing will be via Fairfield Road.

Questions from the Annual Parish Assembly

At the Annual Parish Assembly, questions were raised as to the state of Shawford Down and the fact that significant overgrowth of grass, shrubs and brambles had occurred. The previously reported proposal of grazing Highland Cattle on the down had not as yet come to fruition and it is now understood that the Countryside Service, Hampshire County Council, who are responsible for managing the Down, have had problems in arranging the necessary funding. It was agreed that it is regrettable that progress has not been achieved, but this did not absolve the Countryside Service from maintaining the Down in the meantime. Strong representations to the Countryside Service will be made with a view to having the Down properly managed pending the cattle grazing issue coming to fruition. The longer the Down is left in its present condition, the more difficult and costly it will be to cut the significant growth of vegetation that is currently encroaching over many parts of the down.

Cllr. Tom Threlfall was charged with endeavouring to arrange for the Department of the Environment to make repairs to the footpath along the Itchen Navigation towpath, which had been reported as falling away into the navigation. Similarly, questions concerning trees falling across the navigation are to be addressed again.

M LANGFORD, CLERK