BEPTON PARISH COUNCIL
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Chairman: Mrs Rosalind Hart
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 28 November 2019 at The Park Hotel, Bepton

Present: Mrs R Hart (Chairperson), Mr L Sadler, Mr J C Beaumont, Dr J Wilkinson,
Mr J A. Beckett
Cllr J Fowler (District Councillor)

753. Apologies – Cllr K O’Kelly (County Councillor), Mrs C Bower
754. Declaration of Interests of Members on Agenda – There were none.

755. Minutes of the Meeting 19 September 2019 were agreed and signed.
756. Casual Vacancy – Councillors encouraged to consider suitable members of the community.

757. Report from the County Councillor – Emailed by Cllr Kate O’Kelly
a) WSCC small Schools consultation
The cabinet member has made his decision to proceed with the consultation on the future of 5 schools in West Sussex including Stedham and Compton locally.
Community consultation events at all the schools all done.
The consultation is open until 25th November –it is recommended that as many people as possible respond to the consultation. There is free text at the end of the consultation – don’t be put off by technical questions re finances- it is ok to answer don’t know for those.
http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/smallschools
b) Transport
The County are considering no longer funding the free senior railcard – anyone who currently gets a free card through the county might want to take part in the consultation at https://haveyoursay.westsussex.gov.uk/highways-and-transport/concessionaryrail/
Buses – early 54 – 07.34 service from Harting to Chichester, there is a 8k funding gap, I am liaising with the bus team to find a way forward – currently waiting to hear back from them. A group of college students rely on this service Monday to Friday.
c) Grants
The County now has a Microfund for grants for up to £750 and so far, this year, there have been no bids to this fund from the North Chichester area. This Microfund should be a much easier application process than the one for larger grants.
If anyone has a project please consider a bid, the next meeting where funds are allocated is in March 2020.
The website link is https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/leisure-recreation-and-community/grants-and-funding/funding-for-voluntary-and-community-organisations/community-initiative-fund/#micro-fund
Highways Service Levels
d) At the County Local Committee recently WSCC Highways presented their new service levels for Highways
There is a significant reduction – new contract in Jan 2020 with a new way of working more proactively with communities and parishes.
Winter maintenance reduced salting from 41% to 28% of the network
Reduction in grass cuts – urban from 7- 5 and rural from two 1m swath cuts and one full cut to one 1m swath cut and one full cut

Minutes of Bepton Parish Council meeting 28 September 2019
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758. Report from District Councillor, Cllr Judy Fowler
a) A Christmas tree made of old plastic bottles would be lit on 29 November.
b) Christmas trees can be recycled – Google St Wilfred Christmas tree recycling.
They will collect and ethically dispose of the trees in return for a donation.
c) Chichester District Council is consulting on plans to increase pay and display charges at its car parks by the rate of inflation from April. One of the options already ruled out was to remove the free of charge parking period in all rural areas however other charges may be increased.
d) Following on-going concerns about air quality on Rumbolds Hill it has been designated as an area needing to be monitored. Anything above the criteria must be reported to central government.
It is hoped that monitoring will be enable identification, whether it is delivery trucks, HGVs, buses, cars. It should also be able to identify the times and seasons.

759. Matters arising –

760. Public Participation – Jeremy Wilkins Manager, The Park House Hotel (TPHH)
a) Proposed development of The Country Inn, Severals Road, Bepton
There has been ongoing discussion of a partnership between the hotel and the Cowdray Estate to develop The Country Inn. The building was built in 1901 and requires a considerable amount of modernising. Discussions have been taking place with an architect, James Wells. Initial plans have been prepared and it is now up to the Cowdray Estate to submit them. Improvements to the car parking have been included in the plans which would allow for 28 car parking places. An extension is planned for the rear of the building. There will be no changes to the front of the building.
Bepton Parish Council said that there had been local concerns about an increase in noise, but Mr Wilkins advised that this was unlikely because there are no proposals to hold large events there i.e. weddings, large parties. They would continue to be held at The Park House Hotel.
Unfortunately, it looks likely that once the pub closes at the end of December when the lease comes to an end, the pub will remain empty until new plans are agreed so that development can take place. It is expected that the community will be without a pub for at least 12 months.
b) Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on the Beech tree – An application has been made to the CDC Tree Officer, Henry Whitby on the Beech tree at The Country Inn.
c) Parking at The Park House Hotel – The Park House Hotel has received a letter from CDC regarding a possible breach of their Planning Permission regarding the field opposite. This allows the hotel to use the land for 15-17 times a year for the Cowdray Estate shoot. Mr Wilkins believes they are adhering to the planning agreement. The planning permission is for overall use of it whether it was The Park House Hotel or The Cowdray Estate.

761. Chairman’s Items
a) Mr Beckett, Dr Wilkinson and herself had met with Mike Dare, WSCC Highways to discuss gateways along with a range of other items including: –
1) The relocation of the SLOW marking on the road by Frogmore on the Bepton Road. Mr Dare raised a job reference number, and this has been now been done.
2) Bollards on Severals Green –These can be replaced under a WSCC License and would have to have reflective marking and be “passively safe”.
b) Parish Plan review – Work to review the Plan started in 2017. Mrs Hart has made some comments on the document which will be circulated. The photographs need updating and councillors were encouraged to take photographs. Once the document is updated it will then go out for community consultation via the website.
Mr Beckett commented that at the recent SDNPA Workshop they had been encouraged to consider doing a Neighbourhood Plan, but it was probably not necessary for such a small parish with no plans for development.
c) Several Green grass cutting in 2020 – Mrs Sadler agreed to look into this matter for 2020 onwards.

Minutes of Bepton Parish Council meeting 28 November 2019
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762. Finance report – Mrs Grocott, RFO
a) Statement of Accounts – Payments for approval

These payments were approved.

b) Precept proposals 2020-21 – for approval

These proposals were agreed.

c) Melanie Kite, Gratuity Fund –Wilkins Kennedy, email 27.9.19, have advised that because her earnings will fall below the threshold for qualifying earnings the council can agree to a Gratuity Fund.

d) The Chairman had reviewed the Risk Assessment and Asset Register for 2019-20.
Minutes of Bepton Parish Council meeting 28 November 2019
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763. Planning Report – Mr. John Beckett
a) Councils response to applications: –
SDNP/19/03606/PRE
Metis Homes request pre-planning to develop the Council Depot and Former Brickworks in Bepton Road.
Development proposed would erect 72 dwellings with associated access, parking and landscaping.
Application in progress.
SDNP/19/03124/HOUS
Mr & Mrs Moore of Lares, Bepton Road, request planning permission for a two-story front extension including replacement front porch and 1 no. roof lantern and associated alterations.
Application in progress.

OTHER PLANNING MATTERS
The Country Inn
Bepton Parish Council have applied to CDC to have a TPO applied to the Beech tree situated in the garden of The Country Inn. Awaiting feedback
Half Timbers
A resident of Bepton has written to SDNP Planning raising concerns over the condition of Half Timbers, a Grade II listed property in Bepton which has been empty for over a year.
Awaiting feedback)

b) Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) – Severals Road in 2012 – Following discussion with Mr. Mike Dare, WSCC Highways he suggested the TRO may now be successful because they have now changed the goal posts. This would enable a reduction from 40mph to 30mph along Severals Road. The new proposed development plans for 72 dwellings may provide evidence for a need for improved traffic management (Ref: Item 763a)
c) SDNPA Workshop attended by Mr. Beckett and Mr. Beaumont. The SDNPA Local Plan was discussed along with plans for the local development including the Brickwork site.
d) SDNPA are revisiting the 30% extension rule on properties because several planning applications which have gone to appeal have been lost.
e) Soft Sand Consultation – Mr Beckett advised that the Consultation has started on the “Soft Sand Review Proposed Submission Draft Document” before it goes to the Government Inspector for approval in 2020. The consultation period started on 25 November. Unfortunately, we have not been notified, as stakeholders, of the consultation start. The link to the document is
https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/NPA_2019Oct1-Agenda-Item-Appendix-1.pdf. There is also a video of the SDP Planning meeting where they discussed the future of the existing Minsted sand pit.
f) Minsted Sand Pit reworking – At the SDNPA planning meeting in November the committee agreed that the Minsted Sand Pit can be reopened. This will enable the contractor to start doing restoration work on sections they have not done.

764. SDNPA – Community Infrastructure Bids (CIL) – Village gateways
The Chairman has been in touch with SDNPA and has been advised that the CIL payments held by the Council can be used for the purchase of village gates. Dr Wilkinson presented proposals and costs from two companies. The proposal is for gates to be installed at the end of Severals Road, the northern and southern entry points to the Parish. Further discussion will take place.

765. Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Jack Keen has been appointed to the area as a result of the investment opportunity provided by the precept increase proposed by Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne. The areas follow established electoral division boundaries and his area is Midhurst. Currently he is getting to know the area and understand issues within local communities.

Minutes of Bepton Parish Council meeting 28 November 2019
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766. Website – Accessible Website Regulations and other information
Mr Beaumont met with Mr Marshall at PosAbilities and the website now has policy statements for GDPR, Cookies and a Website accessibility which can be found on the home page tabs. Mr Marshall recommended the Council change the comments boxes for an e mail address so the sender can keep a copy. Also there are security benefits to this change. The new comments e mail is info.beptonparishcouncil@gmail.com. All documents should be PDFs so that can’t be changed.
He now has a password which he will distribute separately. Regarding the Council’s e mail addresses Mr Marshall recommended that the Council use Google mail as this provides better security and bears no cost to the Council.

767. Community Winter Resilience
Mrs Sadler has liaised with WSCC and ACS Ltd and has reviewed the Plan. WSCC will provide £35 per hour, the standard NFU rate) as a contribution towards the local contractor (ACS Ltd) to clear snow because of a significant snow event, from the roads identified in paragraphs 4 & 6 of the plan. The ACS ‘call out’ rate is £85 per hour for the first hour and £45 thereafter. The shortfall will be payable by Bepton PC. If the Parish Council decides to ask a contractor to do any further gritting or snow clearing that was not agreed by WSCC, the full cost would fall to the Parish Council. Regarding the southern end of the Severals, Woolbeding and Redford PC have said that they will install a salt bin.
The Community Winter Resilience Plan will be placed on the Bepton website.

768. SALC training sessions, September and November
a) The Clerk and Mr Beaumont attended the Legal and Finance Day on 26 September. Items of interest include Website Accessibility, Fixed Asset Registers, Code of Conduct and a Legal Update.
b) Mr Beaumont attended a Finance Workshop on 13 November which was useful given that he was meeting with the Clerk shortly after.

769. Midhurst Area Cycling
a) The Jubilee Path north and south Midhurst/Easebourne and to Rother College is all gradually making progress with funding being provided by CIL funds and Sec 106 money.
b) Centurion Way – West Dean to South Down Way, Cocking Hill was approved by the SDNPA at its planning meeting in October.

770. Community Use Defibrillator – VETS system
Mr Beckett investigated further the VETS system for Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) emergencies, where a lone rescuer is with the patient, the emergency is out of the activation radius, or there are children present. Unfortunately, he was advised that the S.E service will not make a 2nd call. The Heartbeat Trust are working on a system which maybe in place sometime next year.

771. Environment / Highways & Byways
The Public Rights of Way inspection was carried out in October. Dr Wilkinson to ask for an update.

772. Other Meetings
a) AGM West Sussex Association of Local Councils Ltd, Arundel, 3.10.2019 – JCB attended.
b) AGM Midhurst Community Bus Association, Midhurst, 3.10.19 – JAB attended and advised that the group are looking at a specification for purchasing a new bus in 2020.
c) CLC, 12.11.19, Midhurst -Mr Dye WSCC Highways, spoke about the reduction in services including salting of the roads during the winter period and verge cutting.

773. Date of next meeting 7pm, 23 January 2020 at the Park House Hotel, Bepton.

Chairman: …………………………………. Date: ……………………
These Minutes are unconfirmed untiled signed by the Chairman