BEPTON PARISH COUNCIL
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Chairman: Mr Howard Ewing – Email: howardewing@me.com -Tel: 07958 316552
Clerk: Mrs Lorraine Grocott BEM, BA (Hons): Local Policy
23 West Meade, Milland, Liphook, Hants GU30 7NB
Email: postmaster@milland-wsx-gov.co.uk Tel: 01428 741393
Website: http://www.bepton.org

MINUTES of the ANNUAL STATUTORY MEETING of
BEPTON PARISH COUNCIL held on Thursday,
24 May 2018 at The Park House Hotel, Bepton
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PRESENT: Mr H Ewing (Chairman) Mrs R Hart (Vice Chairman), Mrs L Milner,
Mrs A Cunningham (late), Mrs C Bower
Four Members of the Public

636. a) Election of Chairman for 2018-19:
Mr Howard Ewing was elected Chairman for 2018-19.
Proposed by Mrs Milner and seconded by Mrs Bower Agreed
Mr Ewing advised this would be his last year as Chairman.
Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office: Signed by Mr Ewing
b) Election of Vice-Chairman: Mrs Ros Hart was elected Vice-Chairman.
Proposed by Mr Ewing and seconded by Mrs Milner. Agreed

637. Apologies: Dr J Wilkinson, Mr J Beckett
Cllr K. O’Kelly and Cllr C Neville

638. Declaration of Interests on the Agenda items: There were none.

639. Confirmation of dates and times of meeting of the Council for ensuing year: –
2018 – 12th July, 20th September, 22nd November and
2019 – 24th January, 21st March, 23rd May (ASM/APA 2019).
Meetings will be held at 7pm in The Park House Hotel, Bepton

640. Minutes of the Meeting – dated 22nd March were agreed and signed.

641. Matters arising – The National Lottery has turned down our application for funding for a defibrillator to be installed in the old telephone box on the Bepton Road. We contacted them to ask why they would not support us and it was suggested we should reapply, once we could prove the project would be more community led. We intend to give a presentation on the subject at the APA to inform the wider community of the merits of the project and to get everyone involved. We also discussed the pros and cons of drawing up a petition to put before the community but decided to see what the response would be from the APA. We are very keen to ensure we have both community participation and support.

642. County and District Councillors reports will be given at the Annual Parish Assembly to following this meeting.
a) Cllr O’Kelly’s report in brief:
• Midhurst Household Waste Recycling Site -WSCC have confirmed they wish to retain a site within Midhurst following proposals to develop the WSCC Depot and former Brickworks site.
• WSCC bus strategy consultation for future Stagecoach services 54,91,92 and 93.
• Community grants from WSCC – Crowdsourcing model http://www.westsussexcrowd.org.uk.
• North Chichester County Local Committee meeting Elsted VH 7pm on 19th June.
Minutes of Bepton Parish Council Annual Statutory Meeting 24 May 2018
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• Highways – Rumbolds Hill – reconstruction dates 10-23rd June. 24-hour closures.
• WSCC “Rove and Fill” to add to current teams working on pothole repairs. Currently filling 250 potholes a day. 35% increase in enquiries this year compared to same period in 2017.
• A27 Decision – 2 options for WSCC and CDC to decide between a mitigated Northern option and a Full Southern option. As a member for a Chichester Division Cllr Kelly has asked to make a
statement on the 4th June for WSCC committee dealing with the issue. Views from residents would be helpful. Email to kate.okelly@westsussex.gov.uk
• What Matters to You survey – Now open – This is a biannual survey asking residents about their priorities for West Sussex. They provide services for 850,000 residents every day and have a budget of 533 million. The answers will help shape the way West Sussex plan to deliver services over the next few years. http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/whatmatters2018
• KOK Drop-in @ The Grange, Midhurst, 28th June 10.30-12.30.

b) Cllr Neville’s report in brief:
• Velo South, 15,000 strong bicycle race, on 23 September. It will take around 7 hours for the cyclists on a 100-mile closed route which starts and finishes at Goodwood Race Track.
• Data protection – Three important points –
1) It is not necessary to pay other businesses to do it for you.
2) There must be a specific address for parish council business.
3) Keep information in the folders of that email address. Do not confuse with your own personal email accounts. Most importantly if you make a mistake and send sensitive information to the wrong people then you now only have 3 days to report it to the ICO. They will help you.
• CDC is now committed to phase out one-use plastics to reduce plastic pollution.
• Friends of Priory Park are planning a series of events including an archaeological dig. For more information visit the website http://www.visitchichester.org
• Community Safety Partnership – The focus is on education of children and adults of all ages. It covers all aspects of crime and disorder and safety in our community, as well as supporting victims and the vulnerable. There have been changes in policing areas to be targeted and those which are being targeted have been highlighted. The Police receive over 19,000 Emergency 999 calls each month. Each is assessed and prioritised based on the level of threat, harm, risk, and vulnerability. Community Investigation teams have been invested in and they work to identify organised crime groups. Some householders have been disheartened that a break-in is only given a crime number and not investigated, however all given details are kept and when there are link ups to other cases, that has led to capture and prosecution. The community is encouraged to not hold back – ‘If they see something suspicious – report it’.

643. REPORTS:
a) Finance: The Clerk reported on the following:

These payments were approved by the Council.
Minutes of Bepton Parish Council, Annual Statutory Meeting, 24 May 2018

b) 1. Approval of Statement of Assurance for the year ended 31 March 2018: –
The Internal Audit has been carried out in accordance with the Council’s needs and planned coverage and has been examined by Mr. Richard Buckler the internal auditor. He has signed the Internal Audit report. The members acknowledged their responsibility for the accounts and approved the Accounting Statements. The notice of appointment of date for exercise of elector’s rights will be placed on the notice boards. The Right to Inspect will commence on 4 June and end on 13 July 2018.

2. Internal Audit report – Mr Buckler’s Internal Audit Report and the Responsible Financial Officers response is attached to these Minutes. The Internal Audit has been carried out in accordance with the smaller authority’s needs and planned coverage.

3. Summary and Opinion – One of the functions of the Internal Audit is to give assurance to members of the Council that the financial systems are operating correctly and can be relied upon. Regarding the examination, and having regard to the items reported, no matter has come to the Auditor’s attention that gives him reasonable cause to believe in any material respect that the regulatory requirements have not been complied with. The accounting arrangements, procedural control, records and documentary evidence are satisfactory, and accurately record the Council’s financial position.

4. Certificate of Exemption – The Council wishes to certify itself as exempt from submitting an Annual Governance and Accountability Return to the external auditor because during the financial year 2017/18, the higher of the authority’s gross income for the year and gross annual expenditure for the year did not exceed £25,000.
The Annual Internal Audit Report, Annual Governance Statement, Annual Accounting Statements, an analysis of variances and the bank reconciliation plus the information required by Regulation 15 (2), Accounts and Audit Regulations2015 including the period for the exercise of public rights have been completed and a copy of this certificate, published on the public website http://www.bepton.org before 2 July 2018.

c) NALC New pay scales for 2018-19 – to be implemented from 1 April 2018 and New pay scales for 2019-2020 to be implemented from 1 April 2019. 2018-19 Part-time clerk – Hourly Rates April SCP24 = £11.643 per hour / £22,401 per annum.

d) Donation to Air Ambulance, Speaker at Annual Parish Assembly – Agreed £75.

644. General Data Protection Regulations – Effective from 25 May 2018
a) Policies for adoption by the Council: –
a) Information and Data Protection Policy
b) Social Media and Electronic Communication Policy
c) Data Retention and Disposal Policy
These policies were agreed by the Council.
b) Other Consent documents and associated Notices
a) Consent to hold Contact Information
b) Councillor Privacy Notice
c) Email Contact Privacy Notice
d) Data Security Breach Report Form
e) Inventory of Personal Data
Councillors completed their Consent to hold Contact Information.
c) As advised in the District Councillor’s report Item (642b) the Council will take forward the recommendation that councillors have an email address specific for parish council. They can then keep council and personal email accounts separate. Consideration will be given to opening a Drop-box file. The Clerk was thanked for her time and effort in preparing the GDPR file.
Minutes of Bepton Parish Council Annual Statutory Meeting 24 May 2018
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645. Planning matters: Mrs Hart reported on the following applications –

COUNCIL’S RESPONSE TO APPLICATIONS: –

SDNP/18/00415/HOUS
Mr & Mrs Brian Marien of Woolbeding Cottage request permission to build a single storey rear garden room extension, and a first-floor side extension together with associated alterations. Refused.

SDNP/18/01562/TCA
Bepton Hotels Ltd at Park House Hotel requests permission to fell a clump of Leyland Cypress tree and one Ash tree. Also, on one Sycamore tree and on one Holm Oak to raise the crown to 3m above ground level and thin by max 20% to clear roof by 1m. Approved.

SDNP/18/01564/TPO
Bepton Hotels Ltd at Park House Lodge requests permission to fell one Scots Pine tree and two Lawson Cypress trees. Also, on two Oak trees, one Beech tree and one Sweet Chestnut tree to raise the crown to 3m above ground level and thin by max 20% to clear roof by 1m. These trees are within Group G1 which is subject to BP/05/00012/TPO. Approved.

646. Highways & Byways –
a) It has been noted that since the work has been carried out by Highways on the new headwall in the area on Bugshill Lane/Bell Lane seems to have resolved the flooding problem.
b) MAC – Agenda for the meeting on 23 May – Items include 1) a meeting with Cowdray Estate about the Midhurst to Easebourne Route to Rother College; 2) Improvement of the Half Moon crossing; update on the Cocking to Midhurst A286 path.
c) Wiggle Sussex Gran Fondo cycle ride on Saturday 2nd June which will be coming down the Bepton Road.

647. County / District / Local Organisations
SDNP – WS Parishes Workshop, Memorial Hall, South Downs Centre, on 6th June 18.30-21:00. RH

648. Date of next meeting: Thursday, 12 July 2018, 7pm at The Park House, Bepton

Chairman: ………………………… Date: …………………….

These Minutes are unconfirmed until signed by the Chairman.