Minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 2000 and Finance and Planning meeting held on 5 December 2000, having been circulated were taken as read, agreed by the Councillors, and signed by the Chairman.

1. West Berkshire District local Plan

This Council has confirmed it's support for the removal of the proposed development at Sandleford from the plan.

2. Traffic Calming

(c) Penwood Community Safety Improvement

(d) Developer's Contributions

4. A Meeting is arranged for 29 January with June Balcombe from Community Services.

5. Legal Costs

The Chairman asked the Clerk to check what level of legal advice could be obtained from HAPTC. The Clerk believed it was limited, as an earlier query from her predecessor had been answered by advising the Council to contact the Charity Commissioners. The Clerk will make further enquiries.

6. Planning Application- Half Acre

this has been passed to the Parish Magazine

This information has been placed on notice boards

This information has been placed on notice boards

All Councillors approved the document. The Chairman had read in detail but had no response and Councillor Farmer took the document to consider further.

The Clerk passed this to the P.C.C.

Contractors had been instructed to replace the missing cats' eyes along the A343 and white "Give Way" lines at the T junction in the Drove.

There was serious discussion and all Councillors agreed that supporting the church was personal not institutional, and promoting the Council's future objectives and website demeaned worship and was more suitable to events such as the Annual Parish Assembly. This service was in fact a family service with the theme "Our place in the Future" It was a Holy service and not a "Civic service". The Clerk would therefore advise Mr Mitchell that the Council would not be participating.

The Clerk reported this and BDBC arranged for removal.

This was welcomed by Councillors

Councillors wishing to respond will pass their questionnaires back to the Clerk.

Councillor Mrs Sue Roberts will consider this, but no other Councillor wished to attend.

Councillor Mrs Sue Roberts took the document to read and the circulate.

The Council did not consider it should be represented, but the Chairman would pass the information to the Parish Society.

The Clerk was asked to research "Salt bins" and the item would be placed on the February agenda

Councillors expressed outrage at this type of behaviour, which was now a police matter.

No Councillor wished to attend, but the Clerk was asked to obtain details of the new programme.

H.C.C will put an illuminated kerb where the old A343 has been "stopped"

Conversion of Coach House/Garage into an additional bedroom and living accommodation

Conversion of garage and addition of room in roof space. Erection of Car Port

The Chairman advised the meeting that the Parish Council is never advised when a planning application is referred to committee, although an individual who has objected to a planning application does receive notice. Councillors agreed that they would like this information, as it would be useful to attend and gain insight into the decision process. The Clerk was instructed to ask if this could be possible.

The Council has received two recommendations for footways

1. Along the southbound carriageway of the A343 from the existing footway, North to Seven Stones Bridge to connect with a new footpath within LittlePenwood leading up to the Penwood Housing Estates.
2. Between Star Lane and Mount Road linking Westridge Studio and Highclere Village Hall.

Councillor Farmer felt that the whole of the A343 through Highclere Village should have a footway. All possibilities were discussed, and a footway from Star Lane to Mount Road, in front of both the Village Hall and Westridge Studio, which could perhaps be tied in with the Traffic Calming, was considered to be beneficial. Accordingly Councillor Mrs Sue Roberts proposed the resolution that:

A vote was taken and the resolution was passed.

1. Parish Liaison Meeting 22 November

The Clerk and the Chairman attended this meeting which had initially been intended as an introduction to both the Rural White Paper and the Local Government Act 2000 Modernising Agenda. As the Rural White Paper was delayed, a more detailed presentation of the modernising agenda was given, and the new "Leader and Cabinet Model" for the Borough of Basingstoke and Deane was outlined.

2. Basingstoke District Association of Parish and Town Councils Meeting 12 December

The Chairman attended this meeting. There was a presentation on the Local Development Plan Issues Report and reports from the Citizens Advice Bureau, Basingstoke Voluntary Services and the Police Liaison Committee. She has agreed to be on the Police Liaison Committee.

3. The Mayor's Reception 14 December

Councillor Jim Pearson and the Clerk attended this meeting. Further details were given of the pilot "Leader and Cabinet Model", adopted by the Borough of Basingstoke and Deane. Members of the new cabinet were introduced and they answered questions from the floor.

The Clerk advised Councillors that she had an information pack of factsheets for the year 2001 census, and had displayed posters recruiting staff to act as enumerators.

East Woodhay Parish Council will host this meeting and the Clerk has invited items for the agenda. The Chairman queried the purpose and usefulness of attending the Joint Parishes meetings as opposed to, or as well as, attending the DAPTC meetings. She felt that much of the effort put into the Joint Parishes Meetings duplicated the DAPTC meetings. It was agreed to put this forward as an agenda item.

Advance notice of this scheme, which all Councillors found very interesting, has been received from HAPTC. The Chairman commented that at Village Design meetings, the need for a central green or recreational area for the village of Highclere is frequently identified. The Clerk was instructed to respond positively to HAPTC and request further information.

Each Councillor was given a copy of the report together with questionnaire. All Councillors agreed to read, and complete the questionnaire by the next meeting on February 13^th. Responses would then be analysed and discussed before submitting a response by 16 February. The Chairman was trying to arrange a presentation by Andy Blaxland from BDBC Strategic Policy Team before the next Parish Council meeting.

A duty of Best Value has replaced Compulsory Competitive Tendering for large Councils, whilst smaller ones are required to embrace the principles and follow the "Spirit of Best Value" through a process described as the 4 C's. HAPTC has provided all Parish Councils with self review questions and a check list to ensure that this is achieved.

The Councillors agreed to use this self review check list in decision making.

Councillors agreed that the date for the Annual Parish Assembly would be Monday 2 April. The main item on the agenda should be an update of the Traffic Calming scheme.

Another item could be a report on the "Parish Paths Partnership"

Councillor Ian Davidson has recruited two other parishioners on to a footpaths committee and together they will assess the condition of all footpaths and stiles. Councillor Farmer advised that if there was not already in the parish files a complete list of Highclere footpaths, then one could be obtained from Hampshire County Council. Councillor Davidson was also undertaking to have the footpath through Highclere Estate formally dedicated and has spoken to Albert Saxton from the estate and to the footpaths network officer.

As the meeting had over-run this item was deferred to the February agenda when Councillor Mrs Sue Roberts will give a more comprehensive report.

Councillor Jim Pearson informed the meeting of the excellent efforts by the Penwood litter warden Mr Bill Bendle. When the planned post-Xmas refuse collection was cancelled due to snow, he single-handed cleared a great deal of scattered debris. The Clerk was asked to write and thank him, and to also inform Blanche Miles at the Borough of Basingstoke and Deane.

Councillor Mrs Sue Roberts asked the Clerk to inform Hampshire County Council Highways department of several potholes in the road, on the A343 and down Hollington Lane.

Councillor Jim Pearson pointed out that the slip road to Penwood from the south bound carriage way of the A343 was poorly marked and had a soft verge at the beginning. The Clerk was asked to also report this.

BDBC, Penwood Village Hall

W Bendle, C Corrall

THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS THE MEETING WAS BROUGHT TO A CLOSE