HIGHCLERE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the
Annual General Meeting
held at
Highclere Village Hall on
Tuesday 8th June 2004 at 7.30pm
Present:
Councillor Robert Drew
Councillor Don
Langan
Carmel O’Hara (Orange)
Ron Snipp (Chairman – Highclere Village Hall
Committee)
Jane Meredith (Newbury Weekly News)
64/04 Carmel
O’Hara – Orange
The Chairman, Councillor Pearson
welcomed Carmel O’Hara to the meeting and went on to explain the concerns the
Council had over the size of the mast at Penwood and the number of companies
using the mast. The Council were
concerned that once the 3G and internet phones were in use there would be far
more emissions from the mast. They had
invited Ms O’Hara to attend a Council meeting to talk about the Penwood mast
and the emissions from it and so allay the Councillors’ fears.
Ms O’Hara started by explaining that
controls for mobile phone masts were
very tight and they were in line with the rest of the world using watts per
metre square as measurement. The safety
limit was up to 9 watts per metre square.
The most callers using the site at any one time for each company was up
to 130 and the emissions from that would only be between .01 and .05 watts per
metre square. If more people tried to
use their phone they would not be able to get a signal till less people were
using the signals from that particular mast.
Ms O’Hara explained that when the 3rd
generation phones came in they would take more power so therefore less people
would be able to make calls at the same time.
She explained that Orange do not do
frequency or emission tests. This was
done by the radio Communications Agency, who audit their equipment sites on a
random basis. If the Councillor wanted
she would be willing to ask their consultants, once the third operator was
using the mast, to do frequency and emissions tests. Also they could do the tests from areas suggested by the Council
ie: near schools, in the rush hour, when school finishes. Times when more phones might be in use. Ms O’Hara then went onto explain that more
damage is done by holding the phone to the ear continuously. This can amount to up to 8 watts depending
on the phone. When buying a phone you
will find (probably in the small print) the scale of emissions from that
phone. If using a mobile phone for any
length of time it is sensible to change to the other ear every so often. Scientist say that full time exposure to the
heat might be a problem but at the moment they do not know what the damage from
the heat can do.
Ms O’Hara concluded by saying that
she would be in touch with the Clerk re the check on frequency and emissions
and if the third company were not using the phone within the next few months
they still might go ahead and do the checks. The Chairman thanked her for
coming.
65/04 Mr Ron Snipp – Chairman Highclere Village Hall
Committee
Mr Snipp had asked to attend the
meeting as he wanted to update the Parish Council on the progress on the
alterations to the village hall.
There had been a launch on June 1st
when the plans and costings for the extension to the village hall were shown to
the Parish. The aim was to start the
rebuilding next May when most of the regular users of the hall were on holiday
for several months. They hoped the work
would not take longer than about three months.
The cost of the project was likely to be £155,000.00. The village hall committee had had their
best year ever last year at raising money, raising £8,000 in one year. Altogether they had raised £20,000 towards
the works. There was also £18,000 earmarked
from B&DBC from 106 monies due to the Parish. The Village Hall Committee had also written to many local
companies asking for support and were also applying for various types of
grants. They had also written to more
prominent local people to see if they were willing to help and also had letters
for gift aid by local residents. This
last idea had already raised some £800 since the launch last week.
The Village Hall had two proposals to
ask the Council’s help with:
1.
The cost of the building work would include VAT. As the Council did not pay VAT the Village
Hall Committee wondered if it was possible for the Council through the
committee to pay for the works and therefore reclaim the VAT. The Council thought this was a good idea if
it was possible. The Clerk would look
into this and report back.
2. The second
proposal was for the Council to give the Village Hall Committee a grant of
£10,000. Mr Snipp realised that the
Council did not have this type of money but it could be put into the precept
for next year. The Council were
concerned that this would double the precept and would local residents be happy
to pay extra council tax for their village hall. Also the Parish Council had another hall, ie, Penwood that they
were also Custodian Trustees of and they could not give to one without the other. The Council suggested that the Village Hall
Committee should perhaps check with the parishioners and see if they would be
willing to pay extra council tax for their hall. As this item was going to need a lot of discussion it was decided
to put it on the agenda for next month’s Council Meeting.
Mr Snipp was thanked for coming and
the Council would get back with their answers in due course.
66/04 To elect the Chairman of the Parish Council
Councillor Pearson was nominated by
Councillor Farmer and seconded by Councillor East. His appointment as Chairman was then passed.
67/04 To
approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 11th May 2004
The minutes of the meeting held on 11th
May 2004 had been circulated, were taken as read, agreed by all, and signed by
the Chairman Councillor Pearson.
68/04
Matters arising from those minutes
59/04 Community
Enhancement and Community Safety Grant Schemes
- Councillor Drew had been in
touch with Mark Thorpe the Community Funding Officer from B&DBC. He had given him a couple of contacts in
regards to grants which Councillor Drew was looking into
69/04
Correspondence received
The following
correspondence had been received and relevant information copied to
Councillors:
1. Forestry Commission – The
Clerk had at last received an answer to her letter . The Council were very concerned that this had taken well over a
month to be answered, whilst the letter Sir George Young had sent had been
answered very much quicker. Also the
letter still had not answered the questions posed. There had been a meeting the previous week at Great Pen Wood with
Sir George Young. He had then written
to the Forestry Commission following the meeting with local residents concerns.
The Clerk had spoken to Nick Hazlett from the
Forestry Commission the previous week.
He had agreed if the motor cycle rally went ahead the cars would use the
entrance on the A343 opposite the northern entrance to the A34. The cars would be able to drive into the
forest so would not be on the road. He
also asked the Clerk to let the Council know that they were doing work in Pen
Wood not because of the proposed rally but they would be thinning the trees at
the end of the year so the roads in Pen Wood needed to be in better condition
for the large lorries removing the trees.
The Council hope that now Sir George is behind the cause to stop this,
the rally will not take place.
2. B&DBC
- Energy
Conservation and Prevention of cold-related illness – Anyone over sixty can
apply for insulation for their house and B&DBC will pay for it. This is so that people can save on their
cost of heating and not so much energy is being used up. This is a very good idea of B&D.
3. Thomas & Co
- Coombe Cottage
Highclere - A letter had been received from Thomas & Co who had put in
planning permission for Coombe Cottage, this planning permission had been
rejected by B&D. A site meeting had
been arranged between Thomas & Co and the planning committee from Highclere
Parish Council. After the meeting
Thomas & Co did make several alterations to their plans which the Council
were very happy with but they did not decrease the number of houses being built
from 6 to 5 which the Council had hoped.
Because Thomas & Co and the Council could not agree, Thomas & Co
had kindly written to the Council to let them know that they were putting in
planning permission with some alterations but still 6 houses.
4. Sir George Young – Copy of letter to Forestry
Commission – Sir George Young had sent a draft letter to many of the residents
who had attended the meeting last Tuesday (1st June) at Pen Wood)
asking for their comments. This was a
copy of the final letter with locals comments included. The Council were delighted with the letter
and hoped it would have some impact.
5. HCC – Community Safety Initiative (CSI) Street Lighting
– Earlier in the year HCC had asked
Councils to bid for funding from this year’s Community Safety Initiative. Highclere Parish Council had asked for
funding for three street lights along Foxs Lane between Heathlands and
Woodlands. Unfortunately Highclere had
not been selected but was being held in reserve and will be added onto the main
list if budget expenditure allows and after confirmation with the local
Council. It was suggested by the
Chairman that as the Parish Council had received £500 extra grant this year
perhaps this could go towards the lighting.
This would be an agenda item at the next Council meeting.
7. HAPTC – ISITFAIR Campaign – a replacement for Council Tax –
no comment
8. HAPTC – New Initiative from HCC Hampshire Village Initiative
9. HAPTC – Hantsweb awards 2004 – no comment
10.B&DBC – New Grants Schemes – Copy given to Councillor
Drew
The following
correspondence was available for the Councillors if they requested - there were no comments arising
Hampshire Constabulary – Country Watch Member
N Hants NHS – Avoiding Emergency Admissions into
Hospital - Copy given to Councillor
Hosie
West Berks Museum
B&DBC – Admission of Public to Meetings
B&DBC – Transport – Copy given to Councillor
East
North Wessex Downs – Management Plan
HAPTC - Bulletin
70/04 Penwood Village Hall Lease
The Chairman Councillor
Pearson and the Clerk had received the latest updated copy of the Lease. He had passed a copy onto the Penwood
Village Hall Committee and was awaiting their comments. The solicitor had only 3 final comments and
the Chairman now feels that we are nearly ready to sign the lease. There had been a discussion with Mrs Levy
from B&DBC about what date would be put on the lease. The Chairman had suggested 1st
August 2004 as it would then be ten years since the last lease expired. Once the final comments were checked
hopefully all parties would be happy and the lease could be signed.
71/04 Update on Village Plan
Now that Councillor Drew
had looked at other places for funding he and Councillor Langan would meet on
Tuesday to discuss the way forward.
72/04
Report on Meeting held on the 25th May - Penwood Cross Roads
& the A343
Minutes following the meeting
had been circulated to Councillor members and a copy sent to Mr Pauw at
HCC. On the whole the Councillors were
not happy with the outcome of the meeting with Keith Pauw. They felt that he explained to them only
what he could not do and had not answered their queries. Councillor Farmer was now concerned that
there would be even more heavy lorries through Highclere as the A34 at
Whitchurch was being repaired and that it would take till December for the
works to be done. The Council did feel
that the idea of chicanes that had been mentioned at the meeting was a good
idea and looked forward to seeing these installed. Also Mr Pauw had explained that there were some new reflectors
for bollards which he would look into.
Mr Pauw hoped to get back to the Parish Council by the end of July with
some ideas HCC can go forward with and hopefully will be what the Parish
Council are happy with. The Clerk would
chase Mr Pauw at the beginning of July in the hope that there will be something
to report at the next Council meeting.
73/04 Community Enhancement and Community Safety
Grant Schemes
This had already been
covered under matters arising from the last minutes
74/04
Proposed Motor Cycle Rally at Pen Wood
This had already been
discussed in some depth under correspondence.
Permission had still not been granted.
Councillor Langan said that a couple of nights ago, 6 cars and 6
motorcycles had gone into Pen Wood at about 9.00pm. It looked as if they were doing a reccy for the rally and did not
want the local people to know what they were up to. The latest information on the rally had been delivered to most of
the houses in The Drove and Penwood Road with a copy of Sir George Young’s
latest letter.
75/04 Accounts for Payment
The following accounts were passed for payment. L McClelland (litter warden) £70.72, W
Bendle (litter warden) £1157.32, C
Corrall (litter warden) £124.68, D
Mitchell (Telephone) £44.23, D Mitchell
(expenses meeting 25/05/04) £13.76, D Mitchell (mileage) £44.23
76/04 Councillors’ matters arising to be
included in the next agenda
Grant for the Village Hall, Lighting in Foxs Lane.
There being no other business, the meeting closed at
10.20pm. The next full Council meeting
will be on Tuesday 13th July 2004 in Highclere Village Hall, Jubilee
Room at 7.30pm.
Planning committee meetings will be held as and when
necessary.