HIGHCLERE PARISH
COUNCIL
Minutes of a meeting held at
Highclere Village Hall on Tuesday 12 March 2002
Present
Councillor Mrs S Roberts,
Chairman
Councillor T Farmer
Councillor I
Davidson
Councillor J
Pearson
Councillor R
East
Also
Present
Borough Councillor Patrick
Hedgeland
26/02 MINUTES OF THE LAST
MEETINGS
The minutes of the Council
meeting held 18 February having
been circulated were taken as read, agreed by all, and signed by the
Chairman
27/02 MATTERS ARISING FROM
THE ABOVE MINUTES
·
The
solicitor has advised that any grant to subsidise the rent for Penwood Village
Hall must be applied for annually.
·
Clearing
of land at Woodlands by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has begun. One Heathland's resident has suggested
that there be a footpath from Heathlands to the site.
·
The
lottery grants for the Queen's Golden Jubilee will now be decided on
17th April
·
The
verge at Halfacre has now been seeded
·
Oakfern
and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council have agreed to regularly inspect
Woodlands and Heathlands estates.
There is still litter remaining on the connecting
footpath
28/02
CORRESPONDENCE
The following correspondence
is received and relevant information copied to
Councillors:
29/02 PLANNING
MATTERS
The following correspondence
item has been received:
The following notices of
Refusal are received:
The following notices of
approval are received
30/02 ADOPTING THE NEW CODE
OF CONDUCT resolution
The Chairman, Councillor Mrs
Sue Roberts proposed the resolution that:
This Parish Council
adopts the Parish Councils (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2001 as the Local Code
of Conduct to come into effect from 2 May 2002.
A
vote
was taken and the resolution was approved unanimously.
Councillor Jim Pearson
wished it to be recorded in the minutes that he felt that stricter rules of
conduct were being imposed on local Councils than were expected of Government.
31/02
REPORTS FROM MEETINGS
ATTENDED:
·
Clerks Parish Liaison
Meeting 27 February
The
Chief Executive, advised the meeting that she was continuing to pursue the issue
of charging market rents for village and community halls with the district
auditor, so that possible changes to the current system could be addressed by
the Borough Council as a matter of urgency.
The
meeting noted that it was the Government's intention to move rapidly on the
planning green paper and progress to legislation without going through the white
paper stage. Of particular interest
to Parishes was the review of enforcement that was putting forward the notion of
custodial sentences for certain breaches.
·
Local Plan Strategy Meeting
11 February
Councillor
Mrs Roberts attended this meeting at which there was a presentation on the local
plan review and the planning green paper.
Within the local plan review, the Borough has identified more urban
capacity for housing which might remove some of the pressure from the
villages.
The
Borough in principle supported the proposals in the planning green paper. The chief concerns being in changes to
planning approval required for business development. Parish Councils were urged to respond to
the consultation document.
32/02 TO CONSIDER THE
PLANNING GREEN PAPER
CPRE
has produced a briefing on the Planning Green Paper with its considered replies
to the response form. Councillors
considered each question on the form and agreed that the Council should submit
it's own response, which is appended to the minutes.
33/02
TO CONSIDER THE VILLAGE
DESIGN STATEMENT
Each
Councillor was supplied with a draft of the Village Design Statement. When adopted by Basingstoke and Deane
Borough Council the Design statement will act as supplementary planning
guidance. The draft has also been
submitted to landowners for their comment.
It was agreed that Councillors' comments should be submitted to the Clerk
before March 22nd. The Village
Design working group, prior to a meeting at a later date, will then consider the
comments.
34/01 TO CONSIDER THE AGENDA
FOR THE PARISH ASSEMBLY 15th APRIL
The
theme for the current year is "Threats and Opportunities" for the Parish. Basingstoke and Deane Borough
Council have accepted an invitation to give a report on the Local Plan. There will also be presentations on the
Village Design Statement and the Tree and Hedgerow survey.
It
was agreed that there should also be a report by the Cemetery committee on the
works implemented with funds from the Precept, and County Councillor John Wall
will be invited to give a report. It was regretted that Borough Councillor
Patrick Hedgeland would be unable to attend.
35/01 INCREASE IN NUMBER OF
COUNCILLORS UPDATE
The
Parish Council has received approval to increase Councillor numbers from five to
eight. To date seven parishioners
have expressed an interest in standing for election to the Parish Council and
have been issued with application papers.
36/02 BOROUGH COUNCILLOR'S
REPORT
There
was nothing further to report.
37/02 ACCOUNTS FOR
PAYMENT
P.M.Clarke,
P.C.C, W Bendall, C Corrall, HAPTC
38/02 COUNCILLOR'S
QUESTIONS
It
was reported that motorbikes and quad bikes are driven along the footpath
between Heathlands and Woodlands.
It was recognised that this is a police issue, which should be drawn to
the attention of HCC Highways who own the footpath.
AS THERE WAS NO FURTHER
BUSINESS THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED
The next Full Council
Meeting will be held on Tuesday 9th April 2002
Planning Meetings will be
called when necessary
PLANNING
GREEN PAPER: RESPONSE FORM
Name: Highclere Parish
Council
Address: Parish
Clerk
Midstreams,
Mount Road
Highclere
RG20 9QZ
Email
address: parishclerk@highclerevillage.com
1. We propose
to replace local plans and Unitary Development Plans with a Local Development
Framework (paras 4.8-4.32)
Do you
agree? No
Comments:
What is meant by
local? This
Parish Council can only agree if there is proper consultation at Borough and
Parish level
2. We propose
that Local Development Frameworks should include community-based action
plans (paras 4.13-4.15).
Do you agree?
Yes
Comments As
long as these come via Parish Councils and Civic Societies
3. We are
proposing new arrangements for community involvement in preparation of the Local
Development Framework and in significant planning decisions (paras 4.21-4.24 and
5.52-5.58).
Do you agree?
Yes
Comments:
This should be
led by Parish Councils and Civic Societies
4. We are
proposing to simplify the hierarchy of plans by strengthening regional planning
and abolishing county structure plans (paras 4.36-4.51)
Do you agree?
Yes
Comments:
This Council
agrees that County Structure plans should be abolished, but is concerned that
"regional planners" may be too far removed from local
communities.
5. We propose
to review national planning guidance to reduce its volume
and complexity
(paras 4.54-4.58).
Do you agree?
No
Comments:
The correct
decision rather than the quickest decision should always be achieved and
National planning guidance gives clarity, which can be applied at local
level
6. Do you have
any further comments on our proposals for reforming plans? No
7. We are
proposing to speed up the planning system, and set new targets for local
authorities and central government for dealing with applications and appeals
(paras 5.20-5.24, 6.9-6.18, 6.43-6.47).
Do you agree?
No
Comments:
Whilst this is desirable from the applicant's point of view it may not give
sufficient time for comment from Parish Councils and consideration by planning
officer. Targets should not be the
priority against the quality of decision making.
8. We are
proposing to impose new performance standards for statutory consultees and allow
them to charge fees for consultation, to help improve their performance (paras
5.29-5.35).
Do you agree?
no
Comments: What would be
the implication for a Parish Council asking advice of Borough Council or other
statutory body regarding a planning application.
9. The Green
Paper continues a number of other proposals aimed at making the planning system
faster, simpler and more effective. Do you agree with
them?
–
user-friendly
checklist (paras 5.7-5.8) yes
We would suggest
an addition to the model checklist.
If there is a different land level between applicant's land and
neighbours land, elevation drawings showing the comparison must be
supplied.
– master
planning larger developments (paras 5.39-5.42) yes
–
business
planning zones (paras 5.36-5.38) no
There is too
much emphasis on interests of new business and not the existing community. Business will put pressure on developing
green field sites rather than utilising brown field sites.
– preventing
twin tracking and repeated applications (box, page 40) yes
– limiting
planning consents to 3 years (box, page 40) yes
–
increasing
planning fees to help finance better local authority performance (paras
6.32-6.37) yes
10. Do you have
any further comments on our proposals for improving the development control
process? yes
Comments:
There is
too much emphasis on speed
and not making the right decision.
Developers
should be required to submit a bond until the development is complete and
planning department is satisfied that all conditions have been complied with.
This will also prevent developers ripping out hedges and trees and apologising
afterwards
This council
also approves that some enforcement issues shall carry a custodian sentence.
Concerns
addressed and agreed at committee stage should automatically become a planning
condition of any approval and be carried forward to an amended application and
approval.
Do you want
this response to be confidential? No
Are you:
Business
Environmental/Community Group
Other
Local
Councillor
Have you been
involved with planning system as: An applicant Objector
Interested
Local authority P
Respondant to
plan consultation P
This is the
agreed response of Highclere Parish Council after discussion
(tick all that
apply)