FELBRIDGE PARISH COUNCIL

 

Meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month (except August and December)

at 7.30pm in the Village Hall

 

Minutes of the ANNUAL PARISH MEETING held on Thursday, 25th May 2006

at 7.30pm in the Village Hall

 

 

Present:            Mr Jeremy Clarke (Chairman)

                        Mrs Linda Hainge

                        Mrs Marian Winn

                        Mrs Rosalind White (in attendance)

 

The Chairman welcomed 22 people to the meeting including Parish Councillors and Mr Ken Rimington, County Councillor.

 

1.         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE were received from Mr and Mrs S. Atwell, Mr B. Apps, Mrs R. Bingham, Mrs D Green, Mr K. Harwood, Mrs B. Huntington, and Mr and Mrs D. Webb.

 

2.         MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

 

            The Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on Thursday, 26th May 2005 were noted, having been signed previously.

 

3.         MATTERS ARISING

 

            There were no matters arising.

 

4.         PC KEVIN SMITH

 

            The Chairman welcomed PC Kevin Smith and invited him to speak.

 

            PC Smith explained that he is now based in Lingfield and also covers Felbridge, Dormansland, Haxted, Crowhurst, and part of Copthorne.  He has been with Surrey Police for 25 years based at Caterham and Oxted.  He was raised in Horley and now lives in East Grinstead.  He knows the local area and has experience in several different fields of policing. 

 

            He summarised the 27 reported crimes/incidents in his area since 1st January 2006, as follows:- 

                        1 dwelling burglary, during the afternoon, owner disturbed burglar

                        1 vehicle theft – later recovered in East Grinstead

                        3 thefts from vehicles – property left in vehicles, eg handbags

                        2 thefts of bags at nurseries

                        9 other thefts – 5 were deceptions (suspect arrested)

                        1 assault – suspect charged

                        12 other incidents – domestic/drink driving

 

            PC Smith is aware that parking in Rowplatt Lane is a big problem with the developer’s vehicles.  He has spoken to the site foreman/management.  This problem should ease as the building work is due to finish soon.  He is also aware of the problems with youths in cars and smoking in Mill Lane.  The police have used patrol


24/06

 

dogs.  New legislation means that the police can issue a warning notice to a motorist and can seize the vehicle if the motorist is behaving in an unneighbourly way.  Residents should report registration numbers to the police.

 

            WPC Cocks has set up speed surveys along Copthorne Road and Crawley Down Road and PC Smith does some speed control on foot with a speed camera in lower speed areas.  Once the results of these speed surveys are known, police patrol vehicles can target motorists at the right times. 

 

            There have been 7 garage burglaries in Dormansland recently.  PC Smith suggested alarms and locks for use on sheds and garages, engraving expensive equipment with postcodes, noting serial numbers in case items are recovered by police, and tamper proof hinges and metal plates on doors.

 

            The distraction burglary in Lingfield was due to a man asking to switch off the resident’s water.  PC Smith reminded everyone to always check the caller’s identification card.

 

            Contact details for PC Smith are as follows:-

                        Email – smith987@surrey.pnn.police.uk

                        Website – www.surrey.police.uk and select Lingfield area, or www.felbridgevillage.co.uk and click on Village Beat

 

            The Chairman thanked PC Kevin Smith.

 

5.         REPORT FROM CHAIRMAN OF PARISH COUNCIL

 

            The Chairman gave the following report:  “Planning matters have continued to occupy considerable Parish Council time over the past year.  Firstly there are those areas within Mid Sussex that directly affect Felbridge residents.  This included a proposal to build 95 houses south of Copthorne Road, and the plans for the proposed 2,500 houses at East Grinstead which are available for 6 weeks public consultation starting this week. The Parish Council are members of the Mid Sussex Council key stakeholders group and continue to object to any housing development on Imberhorne Farm due to the huge impact that this would have on our village. We are also seeing ever increasing numbers of applications for in-fill development within the village. Whilst we support the need for affordable housing, the majority of these applications have high housing densities behind the current building lines and are out of character with our rural village. We will continue to oppose inappropriate housing and have had to set up a planning sub-committee to consider the planning applications and meet our response time obligations.

 

“This last year has also seen continued use of Green-Belt land behind the Felbridge Hotel for car parking and the Parish Council have continued to drive Tandridge District Council to act in this matter which is now at the planning appeal stage.

 

“We have also considered our local environment and have had the Evelyn Chestnut trees along Crawley Down Road assessed and trimmed with the aim of preserving them in a safe condition for as long as possible, as a large number are soon approaching 300 years old (2014).

 

“We have now worked out detailed plans for the expansion of the play equipment area at the Village Hall.  These plans also include new equipment to replace some of the


25/06

 

older items as well as augment the facilities available for younger children.  The plans will take a number of years to complete, and we have budgeted for these works from our reserves, but hopefully our funding applications to local companies and associations will be awarded and we will not need to use all of our budgeted funds and may also be able to bring forward the completion date.

 

“We continue to be very concerned about road safety within the village.  We have had speed surveys carried out on both Copthorne and Crawley Down Roads, both of which showed a very high percentage of speeding vehicles.  Copthorne Road even had cars recorded in excess of 70mph near the end of Rowplatt Lane.  We continue to press Surrey Highways to progress the reduction in speed limit to 30mph along all these roads as they committed to do last Spring and remain very disappointed that they have not completed this work, which would drastically improve the road safety around the school.  We were also very disappointed that the roundabout at Judges Corner has been abandoned by the Council.  This junction is still the worst accident statistic in the whole of Tandridge excluding the M25!  I also have to report that, despite last years promise by Surrey Highways to complete the work within one year (subject to safety studies), no date has been confirmed for the start of construction of the puffin crossing at the telephone box on Copthorne Road.  Again the delay to this work increases the risk of a serious or fatal accident on such a dangerous road.  The Parish Council will continue to press our County Councillor and publicly raise the continued delays to these agreed safety improvements.  In relation to vehicle speeds, it was a shame that we were unable to find enough volunteers to join Speed Watch.  This is organised and trained out by the Police and enables a local team to record vehicle speeds in an approved and safe manner, resulting in warning letters being sent to speeding drivers by the Police.

 

“Unfortunately, this year has seen an increase in anti-social behaviour with several incidents reported at the council meetings.  There has been considerable nuisance at Hedgecourt Lake and the Village Hall.  We have awarded a contract to install a CCTV camera point at the Village Hall to be operated in association with the local Police.  This will be completed within the next months.  We all need to work together as a community, reporting petty crime and abuse to eliminate this unacceptable behaviour.

 

“During 2006 we have seen the retirement of two long standing people from the Parish Council.  First was Lis Scott our clerk who retired in September after training up Ros White our new clerk.  In November, Alec King retired after 34 years of being a Parish Councillor which is the longest period for any Councillor to date.  To commemorate his very long service we planted a hornbeam tree on the green and added a plaque to the nearby village sign.  Shortly after his retirement he suffered a fall and I am very pleased to see that he is here tonight.

 

“We are also pleased to see the start of work on the long awaited new pavilion at the playing fields in Crawley Down Road.  This is a project which has the full support of the Parish Council and will provide a great facility to the users of the playing fields and tennis courts.

 

“Finally, I would like to thank all the Councillors and the Clerk for their support during the year.  In particular I should mention Brian Apps who continues as our Responsible Finance Officer maintaining our accounts and obtaining internal and external auditor approval.  I also want to mention Ken Harwood who has to juggle the dual responsibilities of both District and Parish which generates additional


26/06

 

complications.  Other Councillors have their areas of interest and work hard for Felbridge on various topics.  We also have to thank the non-council members who work on our behalf, some of whom are here tonight.”

 

6.         ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

The Chairman invited questions or comments from the floor.  Residents of Copthorne Road are feeling intimidated by approaches from developers to buy their back gardens and don’t know who to contact for assistance.  The Chairman explained that TDC will protect green belt land but have to accept infill housing and developments of 5/6 houses seem to be acceptable to TDC.  The Parish Council will use data from the speed survey where appropriate to object to developments with access onto Copthorne Road.  Residents can contact Ken Harwood, District Councillor, speak to the Parish Council about their concerns, and contact the village website.  The Chairman was asked how the proposed speed limit reductions will affect developments and he explained that a reduced speed limit would enable the developer to provide a narrower entrance to the housing development.  Speed activated signs along Copthorne Road were suggested.  A resident asked why land opposite Doves Barn was being cleared.  The Chairman explained that this was for pasture.

 

In answer to a question regarding the provision of low cost housing, the Chairman explained that developments over 10 dwellings or 0.4 hectares (whichever is exceeded) require provision of low cost housing.  TDC take account of successive developments. 

 

The Chairman concluded by explaining that, although the EG relief road will bypass Felbridge, it will increase traffic in parts of Felbridge.

 

Lesley Robinson thanked the Parish Councillors for their hard work.

 

The Annual Parish Meeting closed at 8.55pm.

 

 

 

 

 

1 June 2006

RW