Minutes of 15th May 2017 Parish Council Meeting ....1

Venue: Evelyn Hall, Abinger Common

Chair: Ros Doree (RD)

Councillors: Richard Frost (RF), Deardre Cunningham (DC), Mike Brady (MB), Paul Cleaver (PaulC), Peter Farley (PF), William Corke (WC), Henry Barnard (HB), Carla Jones (CJ)

Clerk: Trevor Haylett

Attending: Michael Miles, chairman of Walliswood Village Hall; Chris Box and Brian Woods of Box Broadband

Ref 1/5/17: (Chaired by Clerk)

Nominations for Chairman for 2017-18 - RD was proposed by WC with MB seconding. RD was elected unanimously. RD said it was always her intention to stand down at this point but after the resignation of previous Vice-Chairman Gary Bennett she felt she couldn’t stand down now but would serve one more year. PaulC, on behalf of all the other Councillors, thanked her.

2/5/17 (Chaired by RD):

Nominations for Vice-Chairman for 2017-18 - RD proposed RF with PF seconding. RF was elected unanimously.

3/5/17: To Appoint Representatives:-

Planning - DC
SALC - RD
Representative for the Green at Forest Green – DC and RD
Representative for the Green at Abinger Hammer - PaulC
Representative for the Green at Abinger Common - RF
Representative for the Green at Walliswood - CJ
Walliswood Village Hall Committee - PF
Okewood Hill Village Hall Committee - MB
Forest Green Village Hall Committee - MB
Abinger Hammer Village Hall Committee - WC
Abinger Common Village Hall Committee - RF
Transport Representative – RD and MB
WASP Community Bus - PF

4/5/17: To declare any Interests - None

5/5/17: To confirm and sign Minutes - The Minutes of the meeting held on 20th March 2017 were agreed, proposed by RF and seconded by DC, and duly signed.

6/5/17: Box Broadband - Chris Box and Brian Woods, respectively Managing Director and Head of Operations at Box Broadband were welcomed to the meeting. Box want to extend a fibre-optic network that is currently under construction to include Froggetts Lane in Walliswood and other properties in Abinger Parish but mostly it will be in Ewhurst. To facilitate this, Box want to install a green box in the grounds of Walliswood Village Hall and would provide broadband and wifi to the Village Hall free of charge. It would be partially community funded – donations of £15,000 have already been received – and government funding may be available later this year.

RF said it would be welcome for residents to enjoy increased broadband speeds but he was concerned that it was a new venture for the company (Box have installed about 100 networks but this is their first venture as principal). They were happy to pay an appropriate payment to APC and to sign a wayleave for the access across Parish Council land (paying APC’s lawyer fees for reviewing the wayleave agreement). There was concern among some Councillors that the finances wouldn’t add up but RF said that as far as the Parish Council was concerned the only downside was that it would be left with a cabinet which would need de-commissioning. WC wondered should the business take off, whether the possibility would exist for leveraging more local investment from the company.

RD proposed that permission be granted for the cabinet subject to the approval of the lawyers. RF would first look through the contract before handing it on to the lawyers to examine.

7/5/17: Finances - Financial Statement: The Clerk’s financial statement had previously been circulated. There were cheques to pay for the Clerk’s salary (£701.71) for SALC’s annual subs (£555.03) and for Burley’s first grass cutting of the season (£454.16). The financial statement was approved - the balance of the current account at 15th May was £29,308.99.

The Clerk explained that he had hoped to present the Annual Return’s Governing Statement and Accounting Statements to be approved at the meeting but a meeting with the Internal Auditor had highlighted some issues which would cause a delay in the process. RF said both he and RD wanted a meeting with the Internal Auditor and asked the Clerk to set it up.

Internet Banking – RD said she was alarmed that when accessing the bank account online she was able to view her own account at the same time and there seemed nothing to stop her transferring money from one to the other. The Clerk added that he had now applied for a different internet banking method with NatWest and the previous online facility would be stopped.

Parish Council insurance – The Clerk explained that he had received a quote from a broker that would entail a saving of around £120 – a Hiscox proposal of £825 compared with Zurich’s renewal quote of £941.99. Agreeing a three-year deal with Hiscox brought it down to £783.75. Councillors agreed to opt for the long-term deal subject to ensuring that the new broadband cabinet would be covered and that Keyman cover was included.

Section 137 Grants - None

8/5/17: Public Question Time – None

9/5/17: Highways – There was nothing new to report

10/5/17: Planning Applications received since the last meeting:-

MO/2017/0664/TFC - Moonflete, Fern Lane, Wallis Wood – Tree felling Consent
MO/2017/0618/PLA - The Pheasantry, Froggetts Lane, Wallis Wood - Detailed
MO/2017/0687/PLAH - Farleys Cottage, Walliswood Green Road, Walliswood - Detailed Householder
MO/2017/0616/PLA - Abinger Village Hall - Detailed
MO/2017/0665/TFC - Starbank, Fern Lane, Wallis Wood – Tree Felling Consent
MO/2017/0628/PLA - Hale House, Okewood Hill - Detailed
MO/2017/0416/PLA - Furzen Farm, Furzen Lane, Wallis Wood - Detailed
MO/2017/0406/PLA - Leith Vale (demol), Standon Lane - Detailed
MO/2017/0592/PLAH - Bramley, Abinger Lane, Abinger - Detailed Householder
MO/2017/0577/CC - Abinger Hall, Guildford Road, Abinger Hammer - Variance of Conditions
MO/2017/0364/PLAH - 2, Evelyn Cottages, Abinger - Detailed Householder
MO/2017/0341/CC - Hunters Moon, Horsham Road, Forest Green – Variance of Conditions
MO/2017/0378/CAT - 6 Mount Pleasant, Guildford Road, Abinger Hammer - Conservation Area Trees
MO/2017/0365/CAT: Hope End, Pasture Wood Road, Abinger - Conservation Area Trees
MO/2017/0355/TFCM - Broadway House, Stane Street, Ockley – Tree Felling Consent
MO/2017/0379/TFC - Woodview, Fern Lane, Wallis Wood – Tree Felling Consent
MO/2017/0349/LBC - Northlands, Froggetts Lane, Wallis Wood - L
MO/2017/0348/PLAH - Northlands, Froggetts Lane, Wallis Wood – Detailed
MO/2017/0295/LBC - Mays Cottage, Walliswood Green Road, Wallis Wood – Listed Building Consent
MO/2017/0294/PLAH - Mays Cottage, Walliswood Green Road, Wallis Wood – Detailed Householder

DC said the Parish Council had made no comment on any of the above applications.