December 1997 PC Meeting Report

The monthly meeting of the Parish Council was held on 2 December with Mr. AD Walmsley in the Chair.

Routeing of Aircraft

The Parish Transport Representative, Group Captain MEH Dawson, reported that he and Captain R Tice had had an useful meeting with Mr. C. Hobbs, Managing Director, Southampton International Airport on 20 November. The airport do now understand our concerns and that we are monitoring air traffic over the village. They have committed to do their best to minimise noise disturbance although clearly they have to consider all the communities involved. One positive factor is the planned introduction of quieter aircraft by Air UK, KLM and British Airways.

Parish Paths Partnership Scheme.

Parish Footpaths Representative, Cllr. Threlfall, had written a letter to the Countryside Commission, concerning the Parish Paths Partnership Scheme, advising that paths are usually inspected after each winter-gale and fallen trees across footpaths reported to HCC. Because of the lack of support from such reporting Cllr. Threlfall and other volunteer labour cleared blocked paths and shall continue to do that. Also, in the matter of Waymarking, he advised the Countryside Commission that Waymarking could be carried out at Parish level if oak posts and a supply of direction arrows were supplied. The letter also stated that HCC had carried out much appreciated grass cutting of edges of many paths during mid-summer with excellent results.

Transfer of Shawford Parish Hall to Compton and Shawford Community Association.

A model Parish Hall lease had been obtained and will form the basis for a 30 years lease to be proposed to CASCA, who are to meet on 9 December to consider amendment of their Constitution to conform to the terms of the lease. An estimate of the hall running and maintenance costs are to be provided to CASCA. If the CASCA lease goes ahead it will meet the two objectives of broadening the management of the hall to include those organisations which use it, and, through the charitable status of CASCA, qualifying for grants.

Bushfield Camp/Park-and-Ride.

Following proposals by WCC, reported in the Hampshire Chronicle, that Bushfield Camp should be developed for a Park-and-Ride scheme on the southern approaches to the city, City Cllr. Mrs M. Campbell-White is pushing for all possible sites – including the former Tarmac “Base Camp” – to be re-investigated. The Parish Council is particularly concerned that a Park-and-Ride scheme on Bushfield Camp would aggravate the congestion at the Bushfield roundabout which is already very difficult for vehicles coming from the Compton direction.

Memorial Playing Field.

Three replacement trees, 2 Cherry and 1 Sorbus, are to be supplied and planted by Holmes and Sons for the sum of £96.00. As the gate in the NE corner is in poor condition and not serving any purpose it is to be removed and the area tidied, and repairs are to be carried out to the pavilion.

Childrens Playground. Attwoods Drove.

Prices are to be obtained for a new gate post and hinges and for replacement chain link fencing on the West boundary. Following complaints of balls continually entering the shop garden, a notice is to be displayed reminding the public that the playground is for children up to 14 years old, in the hope that it will prohibit entry of older children who cause the problems with balls.

Sports Club Lease/New Pavilion Building

The sub-committee met on 27 November, when the planning permission with 17 conditions were read through. An estimate had been received for building the pavilion and car park, which taken with the additional costs for services and a new tennis court would bring the total project cost to around £300,000.00. A further estimate is to be sought. The committee had reached broad agreement with the Sports Club on the terms of the Agreement to sign the lease and the pavilion lease itself. The Sub-committee is to meet again to consider the merging of the terms of the current Sports Field Licence into the new lease.

Parish Hall Development Site.

1. Having reviewed and suggested revisions to the purchaser’s Draft Agreement, the Parish Council are to instruct their solicitors, White and Bowker, to proceed with the Agreement to sell the unencumbered freehold land to Goodall Barnard Ltd for the agreed sum of £162,500.00.
2. The crown of the protected yew tree is to be lifted and 3 no. trees felled on the front lawn for the sum of £325.00 plus VAT.

Parish Hall refurbishment

Plans are to be submitted to WCC shortly. We hope that full planning permission will be granted by February 1998.

Sites for affordable housing in Compton

Correspondence with Hampshire Voluntary Housing Society and the City Council revealed that the site at the end of Martins Fields was ruled out both by the County Council’s intention to retain the land within its farm estate and by the site’s location in the Strategic Gap. Without further work to prove the need and assess alternative sites, it now appears that there is little prospect of such a development within the village.

Street lighting

Letters are to be sent to HCC following complaints about the poor lighting on Otterbourne Road at the bus stops near the junction with Compton Street, and to WCC regarding the complaint of Compton Tenants’ Association about the lack of lighting at the far end of Martins Fields.

Traffic Calming in Otterbourne and Compton

County Cllr. Mrs. Bailey reported on the Traffic Calming Public Exhibition in Otterbourne on 13 November, which was also attended by Cllr. Whitaker and Cllr. Ellis. The Parish Council is concerned that any traffic calming measures in Otterbourne are likely to divert traffic through Compton. It was decided to write to Cllr Mrs Bailey to press for a less ambitious traffic calming scheme in Otterbourne in order to leave some funds available for simultaneous traffic calming along the main road through Compton.

Compton Parochial Church Council

As previously budgeted, a donation of £320.00 was given to the PCC. This is the Parish Council’s annual contribution towards costs of churchyard maintenance and publication of the Parish Magazine.

D W H RICHMAN, Clerk

11.12.97