April 2011 PC Meeting Report

Report of the meeting held on Tuesday 5 April 2011 in the Reeves Scout Hall, Compton.

There was good news for road users at this month’s meeting of the parish council. County Councillor Charlotte Bailey reported that resurfacing of the roads in Martins Fields and Attwoods Drove should begin in April and that Compton Street should be resurfaced, within the first quarter of this financial year. She added that she had made a request that the latter should take place during school holidays.

While this news was very welcome, several councillors expressed concern about the quality of the tarmac used in resurfacing of Otterbourne Road last year. As a consequence, the clerk was tasked with writing to the head of Hampshire County Council Highways Department requesting that a much higher quality tarmac should be applied to Compton Street. [A reply has yet to be received.]

Parking

Some concern was expressed by local residents about the construction of the parking area in Attwoods Drove. While the additional parking slots will be much appreciated, the excavated area bears little resemblance to the original plans. District Councillors George Beckett and Eleanor Bell remarked that the contractors will be confined by permanent structures, such as telegraph and lighting poles. As a consequence there might be some minor changes to the original plans.

Police Report

The clerk informed the council that PCSO Cooper had advised him that there had been four incidents reported to the police in the past month. These included an incident of road rage in Otterbourne Road, two bikes removed from an unlocked shed in Southdown Road and a vehicle had been broken into whilst parked at the base of Shawford Down. The chairman reminded councillors that next PACT (Partners and Communities Together meeting), hosted by Sergeant Chris Hills, would be held at Shawford village hall at 7.00 pm on Thursday 7th April.

Local Development and Planning

District Councillor E Bell reported that Winchester City Council (WCC) was currently producing a draft ‘core strategy’ based upon Blueprint submissions. This should be ready for submission to the WCC cabinet in early June. Once approved it would be circulated to towns and parishes for comment. Councillor Beckett added that many of the Blueprint submissions were similar to those included in the Local Development Framework (LDF). He suggested that the council should consider contacting neighbouring parishes to see whether they have similar concerns to those of submitted by organisations within Compton & Shawford. Following discussion, the chairman, Councillor Stevens, agreed to include a short briefing on the subject in her address to the Annual Parish Meeting.

Councillor Bell presented the planning report. Since it included an application for the provision of hard standing for a shed and conservatory display at George Beckett Nurseries, Councillor Beckett declared an interest and offered to leave the room. Several councillors expressed concern about the manner in which the WCC Planning Department had considered the application to reduce the number of parking places at the Captain Barnard site as a ‘non-material minor amendment’. Local objections to the original plans had only been assuaged by the company’s agreement to provide more (not less) parking spaces. Despite considerable effort, Councillor M Bell reported that he had been unable to obtain a definitive reason for treating the application as such. Following a short discussion, it was agreed that the clerk should write to the Head of the Winchester City Council Planning Department to seek an explanation.

In response to an inquiry about the Compton Post Office building, Councillor Beckett offered to consult the WCC Planning Department to investigate why there was a delay in converting the building into two flats.

Administration

Since this was the first meeting following the end of the financial year, the council was obliged to make the annual governance statement, under which it “ensures that public business is conducted in accordance with the law and proper standards, and that public money is safeguarded and properly accounted for, and used economically efficiently and effectively”. This was duly done. The council also approved the annual statement of accounts known as the “annual return”.

Playing Fields

Mrs Wilmshurst expressed concern about the condition of the bench on the corner of Attwoods Drove and Compton Street. Mrs Haste added that several slats on the bench within the confines of the Compton Street Play Area were broken. Councillor Millar reported that she was already in discussion with a local contractor about effecting repairs to all benches within the parish. Action would be taken shortly.

Councillor Millar confirmed that the Sports Club was prepared to make a contribution of £1000 towards a second cricket net at the Memorial Playing Fields. The council subsequently agreed that, subject to obtaining funding from the WCC Open Spaces Fund, it should accept the quote of £6,970 from Durantcricket. Councillor Millar also reported that invitations to tender for improved netting around the Compton Play Area had issued. The deadline for quotations is 21 April 2011.

Following a request from Michael Greenhough, the council agreed that it should extend his authority to cull rabbits at the Memorial Playing Field until 31 August 2011.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

The chairman reported that, since the Scouts had indicated a willingness to participate in plans for the Queens Diamond Jubilee, it was time to consider organising a planning committee. The clerk was asked to organise a meeting of all interested parties at the Sports Club.

Date of the Next Meeting

7.30pm Tuesday 3 May 2011 in the Compton Room, Shawford Village Hall.

David Drake
Clerk