Quarley Parish Council Minutes - November 2005

Minutes of the Quarley Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 22nd November 2005 in the Quarley Village Hall at 7.30pm.

WELCOME.
Cllr Mrs Ferguson welcomed everyone to the meeting.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
Cllr Mrs Ferguson signed the minutes of the previous meeting as a true record. Matters arising from those minutes :-

ROAD MATTERS - The Clerk has reported the tree roots lifting the road surface to the Highways Department. Hampshire Highways will investigate the problem and have noted the Parish Councils concerns about loosing the trees.

There is no further news on what or when the Highways Department will tackle the drain that keeps getting blocked on the corner of Park Lane.

STREET LIGHTS - Street Light No 1 has not been repaired, despite being reported as faulty three times, and is still on during the day. The Clerk will persevere with the Street Lighting Department.

WAR MEMORIAL - The Clerk reported that Jack Cullen the Stone Mason from Stockbridge has looked at the War Memorial and has confirmed that it is structurally sound. Some of the lettering needs attention and it would benefit from a good clean.

Mr Cullen has refurbished the War Memorials in Longparish and St Mary Bourne, the stone work is cleaned and the lettering re-enamelled at a cost of around £1500.

The Parish Council were pleased to hear that the War Memorial was structurally sound but did not feel that it needed refurbishing at this stage. It was suggested that the missing lettering enamel could be repainted in the spring, this has been done before by someone from the village.

DUX OR DUCK STREET - Cllr Mrs Tubbs reported that she is still investigating the history of the name and hoped to have more information soon.

FOOTPATH SIGNS - The Clerk has spoken to Hampshire Paths and new Footpath Signs will be provided for the village to replace the broken and missing ones.

PLANNING.

• 05/00735/FULLN - Erection of side and rear extension to provide dependents accommodation at ground floor, bathroom, en-suite bathroom and bedroom at first floor with storage in loft - 6 Etwall, Quarley. The Parish Council had NO OBJECTION to this Planning Application.
• 05/00641/TREEN - Horse Chestnut tree - thin by 25%, remove 4 X 3” secondary branches away from Crab Apple tree and deadwood. Ash tree - remove 1 lower branch and lift canopy to 3.65 meters. - Bank Cottage, Quarley. The Parish Council had NO OBJECTION to this Tree Application.

2006/2007 PRECEPT.

The Clerk produced a financial report showing estimated results for the year 2005/2006 and a budget for the year 2006/2007. Each item was discussed, it was agreed to add a further £500 to the Village Reserve in the next financial year to bring it up to £1000. The Parish Council all agreed that the precept for 2006/2007 should be set at £2100.

DATES FOR 2006 MEETINGS

March 21st, June 20th, September 19^th, November 14^th

COUNCILLORS REPORTS.

CLLR MR W MARSHALL - Reported that Saddle Stones have been stolen from the drive of Fieldway House, Quarley. The Police have been informed.

CLLR MR M VENABLES - Reported that while the lighting of the church is a good idea and will be an asset to the village, there are some who have taken exception to the size of the donation they have been asked for, to assist with the financing of this, not everyone can not afford to give the amount asked for. Cllr Mr Venables suggested that for the future it might be helpful if the Parish Council were to act as a co-ordination body between those who need funds and those who had kindly offered to run fund raising activities. The other Councillors were undecided.

Cllr Mrs Ferguson said that she would give the history to this fund raising. Ms. Tennant and Mrs Stacey had taken over the running of the village barbeque for 2006. They also had ideas for other fund raising events. they had consulted upon the figure asked to assist the lighting of the church, before printing and circulating the forms. Cllr Mrs Ferguson spoke about the running costs of the church, approximately £12,000 a year and that consequently the PCC were very grateful for the fund raising in the “Light up a Life” sponsorship for the lighting of the church over the Christmas period.

Cllr Mr Venables thought it would be a good idea if representatives of the PCC and the Village Hall could come along to the next meeting to give an indication of the running costs of these buildings, in order that the village might become aware of what fund raising might be required.

This was discussed at great length and the Parish Council agreed that the stake holders in the village should be invited to the next meeting. In particular that would present an opportunity to discuss whether to consult with the village more fully about future fund raising activities, perhaps through a questionnaire.

Cllr Mrs Ferguson felt that the request for financial assistance from the village towards the lighting of the church was made in good faith by the she was sure it was not intended to offend.

CHAIRMANS AFTER NOTE : The fund raisers have very helpfully already planned just such a questionnaire, which would take place before the March Parish Council Meeting, rendering a separate Parish Council questionnaire unnecessary.

CLLR MRS FERGUSON - Reported on the November 3^rd T.V.A.P.C. Meeting held inKings Sombourne. The Licensing Act 2003 was discussed at length with special reference to Village Halls.

The new Alternative Bin Collection was discussed at length and is due to commence in February 2006. Test Valley Borough Council will be writing to every household nearer the time to inform them of how the change will work.

It was reported that the extra off road parking spaces have been provided in Etwall.

CHEQUES ISSUED IN NOVEMBER 2005

CLOSE OF THE MEETING. Cllr Mrs Ferguson thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting.

DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING - March 21^st 2006 in the Village Hall at 7.30pm