BEPTON PARISH COUNCIL
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Chairman: Mr. Howard Ewing
Clerk: Mrs. Lorraine Grocott, BEM, BA Hons (Local Policy)
23 West Meade, Milland, Liphook, Hampshire, GU30 7NB
Tel 01428 741393… Email: postmaster@milland-wsc-pc.gov.uk
Website – http://www.bepton.org

MINUTES of the Meeting of BEPTON PARISH COUNCIL
Thursday 12 July 2018 at The Old Library, Midhurst

Present: Mr H Ewing (in the Chair), Mrs R Hart, Mr J Beckett, Dr J Wilkinson,
Mrs C Bower,
Cllr K O’Kelly (County Councillor)

649. Apologies – Mrs L Milner, Mrs A Cunningham, Cllr C Neville (District Councillor)

650. Declaration of Interests of Members on Agenda – There were none.

651. Minutes of the Annual Statutory Meeting 24 May 2018 were agreed and signed.

Minutes of the Annual Parish Assembly 24 May 2018 agreed and signed as amended.

652. Report County Councillor – Cllr Kate O’Kelly

1. Health – Closure or the Bailey Unit at Midhurst Community Hospital – indefinite closure
17 beds in The Bailey Unit are for short-term rehabilitation for patients over the age of 18, with the aim of preventing unnecessary acute hospital admissions and supporting timely discharges from the local acute hospitals. Patients will now be discharged to Bognor or Littlehampton.
Announced 2 weeks ago – staffing issues – shortage of local staff. Sussex Community NHS Trust – did not bring this decision to HASC although any significant change in the service should have been brought to HASC. Councillor members who liaise with the CCG were not informed. This decision will now be scrutinised at the Sept meeting of HASC. I am liaising with Midhurst GPs and Friends of Midhurst Community Hospital.
2. Education strategy consultation – Included statement about 210 pupils required for viability.
I had a meeting with WSCC education team 21st June to hear more about their plans for small primary schools. Education team at WSCC have said – that an assessment has been carried out regarding the long-term prospects for each of our small schools, following which conversations would be instigated with a small number of schools where the assessments indicate that it might be necessary to consider the possibility of amalgamations, federations or closures. Looking at clustering/ federations to improve financial viability in the longer term. Rogate / Rake newly agreed arrangements is an example of small schools partnering and sharing some resources.
3. Bus Update – Meeting of NW West Sussex group 10th July 6pm at Rogate Village Hall.
4. Full Council – Velo South – I have submitted a motion to be debated at Full Council on Friday 20th July calling for WSCC to think again, to consider cancelling the road closures or failing that to have much shorter rolling closures.
5. Broadband – Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme – national scheme – vouchers up to £3000 for a small, or medium sized business or £500 to residents to help with costs of connecting to full fibre broadband. Gigabit will be taken to Midhurst LA building The Grange – possibility of other local authority buildings / businesses / joining in with this project.

Minutes of Bepton Parish Council meeting 12 July 2018

653. Report District Councillor (previously emailed) – Cllr Caroline Neville

1. Universal Credit (UC) – The new system was launched on 4 July 2018. Some postcodes in the district which are covered by Guildford go live in October. Claims must be made online. To start the process, people are being urged to ensure that they have already verified their identity at http://www.gov.uk/government/publlications/introducing-govuk-verify. People who do not have access to the internet can use the computers at CDC offices in Chichester. Support on how to use the system Tel: 01243534509 or benefits@chichester.gov.uk. To start a claim the applicant must go to the Job Centre in Chichester to confirm identification or for those in the Midhurst area it will be possible to do this in the library at Midhurst. Housing costs will have to be paid out of their own UC.
2. Well-balanced workshop at the Grange in Midhurst – 25 July run by the Wellbeing Officer at CDC. The workshop will provide 6 simple exercises for adults to practice at home to help them avoid the risk of falling.
3. Midhurst Cottage Hospital is under threat again. The Bailey unit has been closed. The Health and Social Care Committee (HASC). Cllr Neville is a member of this committee.
4. There has been an economic downturn in the retail sector. The House of Frazer in Chichester is unfortunately one of the victims and will be closing.
5. Cllr Neville would be interested in hearing from business or individuals who have suffered because of the business rates changes.
6. There are enabling grants for new businesses http://www.chichester.gov.uk/enablinggrantscheme.
7. Archaeologists will be returning to Priory Park from 17 July to 22 July. The archaeologists and volunteers will be uncovering the whole of the building from last year to give people the chance to see the whole site. On 21 July the team will hold a special day for the public, which includes a programme of talks.
8. Economic Development is asking local business what is important to them and what sort of support they would like to see from the Council. The survey will be available online between 2 July and 26 August. http://www.chichester.gov.uk/letstalk.
9. Contract services are relaunching 3 months free promotion to new customers signing up for the garden recycling services.
10 The Novium Museum is soon to launch its new exhibition – A history of Britain in Lego Bricks from 28 July – 31 October. There will be more than 30 Lego models including an 8m long model of the Flying Scotsman. There will also be events for children. http://www.thenovium.org/britannia.

654. Chairman’s Items –

Car parking at The Park Hotel – complaint about parking on the verges. The Chairman wrote requesting information on the Park House proposals for improving customer car parking.
Reminding councillors about the recent history of the site. He said Park House had applied for permission to turn the area across the road into a permanent car park. At a site meeting both the Council and the neighbour supported the proposal. However, subsequently the neighbour and the Council both decided to object to the proposal. Initially the SDNP told the Council and Park House that approval had been given. This was subsequently changed. The planning application went to appeal, and the inspector refused. “The inspector acknowledged that cars were parking on the roadside. But, in effect, said that this was preferable to having a car park in the field opposite”.
The car parking is continuing to cause a problem for Bepton residents and Park House will explore with the Cowdray Estate whether there are other options to use Estate land in different locations.

Minutes of Bepton Parish Council meeting 12 July 2018

655. Finance report – Mrs. Grocott, RFO
a) Statement of Accounts – Payments for approval

The above payments were approved by the Council.

b) A Letter of Thanks was received from Air Ambulance for the total donations of £180.50 from the presentation given at the Annual Parish Assembly. £75 from Bepton PC and £105.50 from those present.

656. NALC Model Standing Orders 2018 -Standing Orders are the written rules of a local council. Model standing orders that are in bold type contain legal and statutory requirements. It is recommended that councils adopt them without changing them or their meaning. The Council agreed to adopt them. The model standing orders do not include model financial regulations.
Financial regulations are standing orders to regulate and control the financial affairs and accounting procedures of a local council. The financial regulations, as opposed to the standing orders of a council include most of the requirements relevant to the council’s Responsible Financial Officer.

657. GDPR Update – Democratic Services Manager, CDC advised as follows:
The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) came into force on 25 May 2018 alongside the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR mentions public authorities, however pursuant to section 7(3) of the new Act, despite being subject to FOI, will not be deemed ‘public authorities’ for GDPR purposes now that the relevant changes are applied by the new Act. Most notably this includes parish councils. Consequently, although parish councils still need to comply with the Act they will not need to appoint a Data Protection Officer. Three policies appear on the Council’s website,
these are 1) Information and Data protection Policy, Social Medial, 2) Electronic Communication Policy ad 3) Data Retention Disposal Policy.

658. Planning Report – Mrs Hart

SDNP/18/02288/FUL
Mr R Bailey of The Paddock, Severals Road requests permission to demolish the existing dwelling and associated outbuildings, and to erect a replacement dwelling incorporating garage. Await decision.
SDNP/18/03299/FUL
Mrs L Moore of Cowdray Estate requests permission to resurface the existing access track for Church Farm Bugshill Lane. The Council voted to object to this application.
SDNP/18/03150/HOUS
Mr & Mrs Brian Marien of Woolbeding Cottage requests permission to replace an existing flat roof over the single storey room at the rear of the existing dwelling with a pitched roof, clad in tiles to match main building and the extension of the room by some 2.3mtrs as well as minor building works with a dome being provided in an existing flat roof and a replacement of a window with French doors and side light. No objection.
Minutes of Bepton Parish Council meeting 12 July 2018

OTHER PLANNING MATTERS:

CDC/SDNP PLANNING APPLICATION CHANGES
The current consultation arrangements for new planning applications includes an email notification sent to us followed by an electronic weekly list of all new applications received and finally a paper copy of the new application is sent. Any consultation comments are expected to be sent via the Councils Public Access system within 21 days from the date of the electronic weekly list.
From 1st October 2018, paper copies of the applications will no longer be sent, although for the meantime, in exceptional circumstances, paper copies of plans over A3 in size will be provided on request. This arrangement will ensure only one copy of the Planning Application documents are required by the Service which will help to streamline administrative processes and reduce postage costs. It also reflects the approach currently taken by the SDNP itself in dealing with those applications that it administers. The CDC will continue to consult entirely electronically for those applications outside of the SDNP, as it has for the last few years.
This is a matter which has been threatened for some years and many smaller parishes have resisted due to lack of funds for an overhead projector or expertise. I do not see this as a problem for Bepton and I’m sure that we could obtain a hard copy from the CDC/SDNPA on an exception basis should the need arise. I will be attending a training meeting about this in September.

SDNPA LOCAL HERITAGE LIST CONSULTAION JUNE 2018 (ENDS 30 JULY 2018)
Further to Howard’s email of 10 July, the SDNPA are creating a Local Heritage List for the Park and are consulting on the criteria. As you know, important historic buildings can be given protection by being ‘Listed’. There are also other ways of protecting the historic places, including Conservation Areas, Registered Historic Parks and Gardens and Scheduled Monuments. In making such designations, a building or site is usually assessed against national standards; only Conservation Areas are designated locally. However, there are many buildings and sites that do not meet those national standards, but which are important from a local or regional perspective. It is this sort of place that a Local Heritage List can help to protect. It achieves this through the planning system, making the impact of any planning proposal on a Locally Designated Heritage Asset a ’material consideration’ when considering that planning application. This is not as high a degree of protection as listing but nor is it without weight.
In Bepton we have one Grade I listed building (St Mary’s Church) and 11 Grade II listed buildings (see Bepton Parish Plan Appendix IV) as well as a Conservation Area at Bepton Village. Parish Councils will be invited to offer additions to the Local Heritage List at a later date.

SDNPA PARISHES WORKSHOP JUNE 2018
A number of issues were brought up at this meeting but those that effect Bepton were:
Highways and roads in the South Downs
Whilst stressing that the SDNPA is not the highways authority, its role does include joint guidance on roads in the SD, entry signage / shared identity, to promote and encourage sustainable transport as well as to represent protected landscapes of SE on Transport for South East – sub national transport body. From what I could take away, this means to protect local distinctiveness such as the River Rother bridge, Woolbeding, historic routes and geology such as the sunken lane near Woolbeding as well as controlling speed through design. On this latter point, we were told that unlined roads introduce a sense of uncertainty and motorists drive more cautiously and therefore by removing the central white line can cut the average speed of vehicles by 13 per cent. Is this something that Bepton should investigate?
There was also a Roads in the SD survey and, as a result of all your views submitted to me, speeding was found to be the number 1 issue followed by rat running and safety of pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians.

Minutes of Bepton Parish Council meeting 12 July 2018

Public Rights of Way
Whilst describing the LHA’s (WSCC) statutory responsibilities as to include maintenance, signage, enforcement work and working with landowners so they comply with the law whereas landowner responsibilities include maintenance of existing stiles and gates, keep rights of way free from obstructions and overhanging vegetation, not to plough paths at the edge of fields and to keep cross field paths free from crops, not to keep dangerous animals where a right of way passes and not to deter/endanger the public.
In order to manage these Rights of Way, there is a 15-month cycle when the ranger – Kevin Drewitt for Bepton – will contact the clerk to see if there have been any problems in the preceding period. “Urgent” ones such as an overhanging vegetation will be dealt but if it is “non-urgent” such as the disappearance of a way mark, this would be logged but not dealt with until the next inspection. Kevin is due to inspect our rights of way in July. It was noted that the vegetation on Minching Lane had become overgrown.

659. Lottery Application for Community Use Defibrillator in Telephone Kiosk in Bepton Road.
Mr Beckett advised that a new application will be submitted in due course.

660. Highways & Byways & Environment
Midhurst Area Cycling meeting 23 May – The County Councillor is looking out for WSCC reports on the feasibility study on the Jubilee Path North and South. There has been a meeting with Cowdray Estate and members of the committee to talk about extending the by-path from the Ruins to Easebourne. Update on the Cocking to Midhurst A286 path – The Centurion Way would be terminating at the car park at the top of Cocking Hill. The plan was for it to cross the A286 to Manor Farm and come down the track into Cocking, then along to the Post Office, which would require SDNPA to work with WSCC Highways and along the path to Midhurst. It was agreed that this was not a preferable leisure route and more consideration should be given to the railway line. Centurion Way: West Dean to South Downs Way (and Midhurst) Tunnels and bats. The bats in the tunnels were the very rare mouse-eared bats and are a protected species which means it is unlikely that the tunnel could be used. Midhurst to Lodsworth – It appears that there is no chance of getting a cycleway from Lodsworth at present.

661. Other matters
a) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)– South Downs National Park Authority and the Association of Local Councils within the South Downs. The MoU provides a framework through which the SDNPA and the Associations of Local Councils within the South Downs – comprising The Hampshire Association of Local Councils and Sussex Associations of Local Councils – (The Associations), can retain their independence whilst developing a relationship of trust and mutual understanding that leads to a constructive approach to delivery that benefits the SDNP – the landscape, wildlife, heritage and the people that live in, work in and enjoy the area. The MoU involves voluntary commitments and is not legally binding. For the purpose of this Memorandum the term Local Councils does not include District Councils, Borough Councils, County Councils or Unitary Authorities.
b) World War One – 100th Anniversary – It is understood that there will be special church service on Remembrance Day 11 November.
c) Sussex Flag – Mrs Bower will contact Mr Ryan to retrieve the flag.

662. Date of next meeting – 7pm on 20 September 2018 at The Park House Hotel.

Chairman: …………………………………. Date: ……………………