Minutes of Parish Council Meeting on 18th March 2020
Sidlesham Parish Council
Minutes of Parish Council Meeting 18th March 2020 in the Church Hall, Church Farm Lane at 7.30pm
Members of the council and the public were informed that the evening’s meeting would be recorded.
Present: Mr M Mellodey (Chairman), Mr R Ryder, Mrs C Hall, Mrs P Tull, Mr C Field, Mr L Ramm, and Mr A Harland, Cllr C Purnell (CDC) and the Clerk, Mrs T MacIntyre.
1. Questions from the public present at the meeting on subjects other than those on the agenda. None
2. Apologies for Absence: Mrs M Monnington, Mrs L Gibson-house, Cllr P Montyn and Cllr D Johnson
3. Declarations by councillors of personal interests in items on this agenda. None.
4. Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 19th February 2020 to be signed as a correct record. Mrs Hall proposed and Mr Harland seconded that the minutes be signed. All agreed.
5. Matters arising from the above minutes not dealt with in separate items below.
None.
6. CDC Councillor
Cllr Purnell informed the PC that CDC’s public meetings have been cancelled until the end of April due to the Coronavirus.
All parishes, except Sidlesham, have agreed to the cost of the Selsey/Witterings Mobile Waste Service. There will be no service at Christmas or New Year which will keep the cost as previously stated.
7. Neighbourhood Plan
Mr Ryder informed the PC that planned meetings have been cancelled but work will continue by email. The PC has been informed that any grant money unspent at 31st March 2020 (end of the financial year) must be repaid. The PC will review its financial needs for the NP before it applies for a 2020/21 grant.
Mrs Tull had read the draft document on the website. She considered it too long, with too many policies and had identified inaccuracies within the document.
8. Memorial Playing Field
8.1 Mr Mellodey reported that he, Mr Ryder and Mr Robson had met. They had decided on three actions.
(i) Tie up the leaving process. The PC has had advice from its lawyer and this will be passed on to SFC.
(ii) Pursue interim uses and opportunities for the MPF, pending agreement on the long term development of a sports/recreation centre. Meetings with interested parties have been delayed due to coronavirus.
(iii) Development of a business case supporting the PC’s vision for a community centre.
Mr Robson hopes to present the PC with a business plan by July 2020.
The PC continues to have a problem with access to the building which must be resolved.
9. Highways, footpaths and cycleways.
9.1 VAS for Paddock Straight.
The PC has received a reply from WSCC Highways in which it said that the PC did not have sufficient funds for a VAS. However, it could purchase a SID which should be mobile and only operational for a limited period of time.
9.2 Selsey to Chichester Greenway Project
The meeting was cancelled.
10. Assets & Amenities Workgroup.
10.1 Relaying ground matting at playground.
The Clerk had circulated a quotation for the ground matting at the playground to be raised and relayed where soil had covered and compacted over the existing matting. The cost was £1,000. This was approved unanimously by the PC.
11. Charitable Donations for 2019/20
The PC has £645 remaining in the budget for charitable donations. The Clerk did not have sufficient information to make a decision so it will be decided by email and confirmed in April 2020.
12. CDC Grant for celebration of 75 years since end of WW2
The celebration event in conjunction with the SCA has been cancelled. It was decided that the Clerk write to CDC and request that the whole grant be redirected to the project to print the booklet on Sidlesham during WW2.
13. New Homes Bonus
The PC has been informed that it has an allocation of £3,107 from the New Homes Bonus fund. Councillors were asked to consider possible projects for the village.
14. Speaker for Annual Parish Meeting
Because of Coronavirus, the APM will be postponed. The PC will not make plans until a date can be set.
15. Finance
15.1 Payments
15.1.1 Sidlesham PCC (subscription for Clerk’s Sidlesham Parishioner) £7.00
15.1.2 Play Inspection Company (annual external inspection of playground) £210.00
15.1.3 T MacIntyre (February salary) £537.50
Mr Mellodey proposed and Mr Harland seconded that items 15.1.1 to 15.1.3 be taken en bloc. All agreed.
16. Reports
16.1 Mr Field attended the Selsey/Witterings Mobile Waste Service meeting. The project will go ahead without a contribution from Sidlesham. The Clerk of Selsey had expressed disappointment that at a time when the parishes need to work together, Sidlesham had decided not to contribute.
17. Correspondence. None.
18. Matters of urgent public importance.
Mr Lewis suggested that the PC discuss ways in which it could help parishioners during the coronavirus crisis. Mr Field reported that the Sidlesham Parishioner will publish a list of volunteer contacts for villagers and they, in turn, have a list of contacts to help parishioners. The Sidlesham Spread will also publish the list. The Clerk will ask the editor for a copy to put on the website. Cllr Purnell stated that there are several shops in Selsey which will deliver, free of charge, to those who are self-isolating. The list is on Selsey’s Facebook page.
19. Matters of Information. None
Meeting closed at 8.30 pm
