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MINUTES ANNUAL PARISH MEETING HELD ON
THURSDAY 27 APRIL 2006 AT 8.00PM in the Kingsley Centre
Present: Cllr C R Neville Chairman
Cllr S Carryer Vice Chairman
Cllr M Pethybridge
Cllr R Seeckts
Cllr A Blaber
In attendance: Cllr M Kemp-Gee County Councillor
Cllr W Womack District Councillor
F Witney Clerk to Council
H Dayson Kingsley Organisation
J Kincaid Kingsley Organisation
31 members of the public
06/13 Chairman’s Opening Remarks
Cllr Neville welcomed everyone to the meeting
06/14 Apologies for absence had been received from
None, although both Cllr Womack and Cllr Kemp-Gee arrived during the meeting
owing to prior commitments
06/15 Approval of the Minutes of the meeting held on the
3rd May 2005
Proposed: Cllr Pethybridge
Seconded: Cllr Carryer
The minutes were duly signed as a true record of the meeting
06/16 Matters arising there from:
The Chairman proposed to deal with these in the public discussion
06/17 Finances to the year ended 31 March 2006
Draft accounts were presented to Councillors. Cllr Neville explained that
although they showed a transfer to reserves of approximately £2000
for the year, in fact this was committed for as payment still needed to
be made for the Gold Hill streetlight and £1,000 had been promised
to the Kingsley Centre refurbishment project. Once these payments had
been made, the reserves would stand at roughly £12,500, much the
same as at the start of the year. There were no questions raised. A final
set would now be prepared for signature at the Annual General Meeting
in May and subsequent audit.
06/18 Presentation by the Kingsley Organisation
Jane Kincaid, Kingsley Centre Co-ordinator and Helen Dayson, Chief Executive
gave a presentation about the work of their organisation. They explained
how the Kingsley Centre was set up in 1989 with two main aims; to provide
learning opportunities to disabled adults and services to the local community.
Chainreaction is at the heart of the personal development and learning
opportunities provision. Jane explained its role in helping disabled adults
increase their confidence and take more control of their lives. As part
of this, they run the shop, post office and café with support from
voluntary staff, whose generous giving of free time is essential to the
project. Other projects include the Shine Saturday club (aimed at providing
a break for carers) and help in encouraging independent living in the
flats in Woodfield. Helen stressed the importance of the building as a
Community Centre and how it was used by the Brownies, the Youth Group,
the Montessori Nursery, Adult Education classes and the WRVS lunch club
amongst others. They then explained Phase 1 of the building plans to replace
the toilets, provide a new boiler and heating system, new frontage including
auto-opening doors, and a new IT resource room (where the latest equipment
will be available for the community to use and hire). Phase 2 of the plans
includes an extension to the main hall to include a rear storage area
and toilet, a tearoom and landscaping of the surround. A successful lottery
bid has been made for £260,000 but in order for this money to be
released, the organisation needs to demonstrate that further funding exists
for £65,000. To date, £10,000 of this has been raised, including
the Parish Council contribution. Helen explained the importance of this
contribution in persuading the District Council and County Council to
provide funding which it was hoped would total £22,500. So although
there was still some way to go, Helen was optimistic that the target would
be met. In the long term, the improvements to the hall and other facilities
should also increase the income generated through hiring charges and it
was hoped that the community would have an attractive and useful building
to be proud of.
Finally, Helen explained the work of the Kingsley Organisation in Camden
and South Oxfordshire and the long term objective to expand their work
with disabled adults into other communities.
Cllr Neville thanked Jane and Helen for their interesting presentation
and wondered if anyone in the village would be willing to organise a party
to help with the funding.
Cllr Neville then explained that the order of the remaining items on the
agenda would be changed
06/19 Chairman’s Report
Cllr Neville began by saying that he wished he could report that the goal
of a 30 mph speed limit had been achieved, but he could not; however there
were grounds for optimism. In order for the necessary Traffic Regulation
order to be passed, approval is needed from our County Councillor and
the policeman with responsibility for traffic in our area. Cllr Mark Kemp-Gee
has given his wholehearted support, however the police are another matter
and will not give their approval until our percentile speed averages drop
to below 40mph. It has become clear that the 2003 survey measured traffic
speed at the very fast entry points to the village, and however frustrating,
these statistics cannot be undone. The recent fatal accident to a motorcyclist
outside the Cricketers and the accident to Morgan Morrissey next to the
playground are not in themselves sufficient to force a change in the speed
limit. Therefore the next stage is to get the County Council to complete
the latest proposed traffic calming measures as quickly as possible. The
County Council will then conduct a new survey (where it is hoped to arrange
that the entrance/exit survey points are brought further into the village
and a third one introduced somewhere in the village centre). If this survey
shows that traffic speed has reduced to the required level, then the police
should then give their consent to changing the speed limit. So the current
situation is very frustrating, but all is far from lost.
With reference to planning matters, this time last year three appeals
were outstanding; two were won, one was lost. During the year, there have
been numerous planning applications of a great variety and the Parish
Council has continued to examine each one closely in the best interests
of the village.
Cllr Neville then reported that the Parish Council is currently fighting
a planning application by Grundons to extend and deepen the existing sand
cavities and to allow a low-level restoration of the site. The argument
against further extraction centres on the protection of the aquifer, and
therefore the local drinking water, since Grundons are seeking to be allowed
to use material other than gault clay for infill. Cllr Neville said their
proposals amounted to the classic “dig a hole to fill a hole”
scenario. He said their proposals for importing materials for restoration
would lead to an extra 50,000 lorry movements over five years. The Parish
Council, with the help of Brian Davey and David Graham, were proposing
an alternative, more environmentally friendly restoration which it was
hoped the County Council would accept.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association had taken over Oaklands Farm and planned
to run their annual convention there from 28th to 30th July. This would
result in very heavy traffic through the village at certain times of the
day, although villagers ought to be able to get in and out of the village
on the lanes even if the B3004 was congested. Cllr Neville said that the
Parish Council’s view was that the event would happen, since it was
a religious festival and the 28 day rule applied, and it was better to
work with the Association rather than against it.
The precept had been held at £10,000 for the second year running.
The playground remained well used and had only needed minor repairs during
the year. Thanks were expressed to the Kingsley Benefit Fund and to Mandy
Kelly for the picnic tables that were now in place and to Sabine Roach
for the new planting. It was intended shortly to returf the football pitch.
St Nicholas remained superbly looked after by the St Nicholas Repair Fund.
After a long absence, Byron’s table had finally been returned to
Ockham Hall.
Finally Cllr Neville recorded his thanks to his fellow Councillors and
the Clerk for their work on behalf of the village during the year, to
Sid Newman and Malcolm Rust for looking after Upper Green and St Nicholas
Churchyard so excellently, to Cllr Mark Kemp-Gee for his considerable
help in a number of matters in his first year as County Councillor, to
Cllr Warwick Womack for his support and advice, to Brian & Gerry Davey
and David & Audrey Graham for their help over Grundons, and to Mrs
Neville and Cllr Pethybridge for the evening’s refreshments.
06/20 Matters raised by local residents
The following questions were raised and comments made:
Would it not be more prudent to take measures to reduce the speed of
traffic before seeking to have the limit reduced? Cllr Neville replied
that the gateways had been enhanced last year as a traffic calming measure
but that it had been the aim to go straight for a reduction in the limit
without a new survey to try to achieve it more quickly. Despite the frustrating
delay, he felt that if the survey points were properly sited, a new survey
would give the result that the police required to give their support.
Was it a subjective opinion of the traffic policeman who made the decision
not to support the request for a 30mph limit? Cllr Neville said that
he believed the traffic policeman had little room for manoeuvre and was
bound to follow police policy.
At the meeting two years ago, the police had suggested that a death on
the road might move a 30mph limit “up the agenda”. What was
the impact of the recent fatality? Cllr Neville said the police no
longer referred to their previous policy of “blood on the roads”
and so it had not influenced decision-making as it might have done in
the past.
It was pointed out at the time of the 2003 that the survey points were
in the wrong place and that it had taken a long time for this to be acknowledged.
If and when it was agreed, how long would it take to implement?
Cllr Neville said that Cllr Kemp-Gee believed it could be done very quickly.
Why was Morgan Morrissey’s accident not reported in the Kings
World? The Clerk said she thought it had been, but apologised if it
was not, explaining that it had been widely reported in the Bordon Herald
at the instigation of the Parish Council and Morgan’s parents.
Roger Trout of Dockenfield PC said that they had spent 15 years trying
to get a 30 mph limit and had finally succeeded and he would pass on to
Kingsley PC the detail of the regulation they had used.
Could a natural barrier, such as hawthorn or something more children-friendly,
be used to screen the playground from the main road? Cllr Neville
agreed to write to Open Spaces for advice on what could be done within
the strict rules that exist in relation to common land.
The Parish Council should fight the Oaklands Farm Convention which could
be taken outside the 28 day rule. It would mean up to 10,000 vehicles
coming through the village, the country lanes were too narrow and there
would be numerous small accidents and chaos. Cllr Neville said that the
police were adamant they could organise the traffic to minimise disruption.
The Parish Council was waiting for the police to organise a meeting to
hear about how they planned to do this. There were common land issues
outside the farm which would make it difficult to widen the access as
the Association hoped. It was not yet known how Worldham PC would respond
to the planning applications just submitted for new tracks and drainage
systems. Cllr Neville repeated that he felt the convention was a fait
accompli.
Why are the planning applications not being added to the Parish Council
website any more. The facility should be removed if it is not being
used any more. Cllr Neville replied that the information was on the EHDC
website but that he would look into it.
06/21 Report from the County Councillor
Councillor Kemp-Gee outlined how Kingsley fitted into the democratic map
of Hampshire, being one of 19 parishes in the Alton Rural District which
was itself a very substantial area covered by seven district councilors,
one county councilor and two MPs. Hampshire County Council delivered services
rated in the top quartile and set a council tax rated in the bottom quartile.
The 4.7% increase in the council tax was regrettable but needed to be
seen in the context of a 0.2% increase in the government grant to the
county. He outlined in particular some of the very severe difficulties
experienced during the year with the Adult Social Care budget which he
felt would only increase as a problem with more than 50% of the county’s
population predicted to be of pensionable age within 15 years time.
On local matters, he said that the B3004 was scheduled to be resurfaced
in 2006/07 between Worldham and Kingsley. He had engaged extensively with
the Parish Council over the 30mph speed limit, which he fully supported,
and had heard yesterday that the white lining and signing should be complete
by the end of May so that the new survey could be undertaken shortly afterwards.
06/22 Report from the District Councillor
Councillor Womack reported it had been a relatively quiet year for EHDC.
As traffic was a County Council matter, the District Council had no influence
which he regretted and could therefore only sympathise with problems that
he knew the other villages he represented were experiencing as well.
The MOD had still not decided on whether or when they might pull out of
Bordon as a result of the Defence Training Review. If they did, it would
have significant impact on Kingsley because the sites released were all
brownfield and would go for housing development with the consequent increase
in traffic. He acknowledged that the Oaklands Farm convention was an emotive
issue but could not talk about the current planning applications as this
would prevent him speaking on them at the District Planning meeting. There
was an EHDC site visit planned for 5th May and he promised to call the
police to urge them to setup the traffic planning meeting. Finally he
welcomed the District Council’s Beacon status for recycling and an
increase of less than 2.5% for its share of the Council tax.
Residents commented about the possible impact on the village of an expansion
of housing in Bordon. It was felt that the local infrastructure would
have to change considerably and that there could be a risk to house prices
if too many were built. It was commented that a recent European ruling
on Special Protection Areas (one of which Bordon and its surrounds would
fall into) might place a restriction on the proximity of development to
such environmentally important areas. Brian Davey agreed to pass a copy
of this to Cllr Womack
06/23 Date of Next Meeting – April 2006
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.35 pm
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