Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on Monday September 19^th 2005 at 7.45 pm in Amport School Hall.

1. Present
Mr I. Morrison, (Chairman), Mrs Diana Preston, Mr Maurice Hardy, Mr Bill Gore, Mr Neville Geake, Mr Ian Long (8.10pm) and Mrs Suzanne Hoare (Clerk).
Visitor HCC Cllr Pat West.
2 members of the public attended.
The village correspondent was in attendance.
Apologies. Lt Col Stephens, (Vice Chairman), Mrs Carolyn Mallam, Mrs Sarah Hammer and Mr Tim Southern

2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting
These were agreed and signed.

3. Matters Arising from the last meeting
None

The Green
During August Mr Walker from Test Valley Gardencare informed Ian Morrison and Carolyn Mallam that a further cut was required on the Green, as the grass had grown too long for his mower. Ian Morrison as part of the Chairman’s remit approved the expenditure of £62. Mr Walker felt an additional cut would also be needed in September but Ian Morrison was hopeful that this would not be the case.
Ian Morrison urged all members of the Parish Council to think ahead to next years contract and proposed spending on grass cutting on the Green.
Cllr West commented that currently schools have much more control over their budgets and that they may be able to contribute to some extra cuts. Cllr West will check with other similar schools and see how much they spend on mowing playing fields.
Ian Long felt after talking to the school that they would pay for some of the cuts in May, June and July. Ian Morrison suggested a contribution of £350 a year towards the grass cutting. All councillors present discussed the concept of the School contributing to the cost of grass cutting approved this figure. Ian Long will continue to liases with the School over this issue. IM
Maurice Hardy will contact Clive Hutchinson as a possible alternate contractor for the future.

Village Design Statement
Tim Southern has informed Neville Geake that October is a good time to take the photographs needed to complete the VDS and that he will do this. TS
A date in November is needed for a public meeting to review the VDS.
Councillors will be urged to attend and bring neighbours to try and attract as many people to comment on the Design Statement. The organisation of this meeting will be an agenda item at the next meeting. The size of the print run needs to be discussed with David Bibby at TVBC. NG

Footpaths and Highways
Bill Gore posed the question of whether the parish needed a further cut of the footpaths this year. There were various comments about overgrown footpaths such as No 13.
The decision as to whether the paths are cut again this year will be taken in October Agenda.
The two proposals which have been received from HCC were discussed and the following decisions approved by all councillors present :

A letter has been received commenting on the new stile on the watercress bed footpath.
Bill Gore will contact HCC and gain advice on accessibility of public footpaths BG

The track on the Green.
Maurice Hardy has spoken to John Chappell who thinks a permanent grass-crete surface would work as a solution to the problem of the damaged surface of the track. He is not prepared to try filling in the holes and regrading again as he feels this is a waste.
The grass-crete would not be extended beyond the current parking area.
Legally the Parish Council is not responsible for the repair if the track as it technically is only a footpath.
Ian Morrison asked the two members of the public present who live at the end of the track for their observations.
Paul Wilson replied that grass-crete would seem a sensible option, but commented on the cars, which travel to the end of the track to turn around.
Parish Councillors commented that further development at the end of the track will not help the situation and no attempt to change the track should be considered until this has been completed.
Cllr West felt that the project could attract some Grants from HCC as well as TVBC. Alison Quant is an Environmental Director at HCC and Ernie Sage is responsible for road safety and school children. Ian Morrison will contact both parties to see if funding is available. IM
Cllr West further suggested that CPRE might contribute towards the track.
The School PTA may consider this project worth fundraising for especially as so many children arrive at the School by car. Future Agenda Item

Highways
Maurice Hardy has received a reply acknowledging his letter concerning the realignment of the slip lanes at the top of Sarson lane as it meets the A303. This is a matter to review in the near future. Jan Agenda
HCC have invoiced the parish for the new salt bins. It is hoped they will be in place shortly - if not, this matter will be followed up clerk
A letter informing the Parish Council that the ditches in East Cholderton are full of leaves and garden rubbish had been received. Maurice Hardy will contact HCC to see if these can be cleared before the winter rains MH
2 letters of complaint have been received concerning the wide hedge outside Sarson Farm. Cllr West was asked by Sir George Young MP to investigate this continuing concern in the village. Cllr West visited the site with a representative from Hampshire Highways who felt that the hedge should be cut back. A letter was delivered to Dr Hoole informing him of the necessity to cut back the hedge, if this is not done the work will be carried out by TVBC and Dr Hoole will be billed. Councillors asked that Hampshire Highways check the road on both sides as hedges opposite Sarson Farm are also overgrown still despite being trimmed. Cllr West stated that she would follow this up with Hampshire Highways.

5. New Matters

Village Welcome Pack
Caroline Unwin presented a draft copy of a proposed welcome pack to the Parish Council. It is intended to be loose leaf to enable it to be updated easily. This will also be a very economical format for the welcome pack. Ian Morrison took the draft and will review it and pass it on to other councillors for comment before the next meeting. Ian Morrison thanked the sub-committee for their work so far.

Draft Conservation Review
Neville Geake commented that some views across the water meadows were not being given the same consideration as others. Bill Gore felt there were some small areas of concern. The definitive comment will be made at the next meeting and interim comments may be needed by the 27^th September clerk to check.
The village meetings are on October the 6^th from 7-9pm and October 8^th from 10am-1pm where individuals can attend and discuss the proposals with representatives from TVBC. These meetings are to be held in Amport and Monxton Village Hall.

6. Planning Applications

7. Planning Results

Cllr West left the meeting and was thanked by Ian Morrison for attending.

The national pay awards for clerks recommend an increase for clerks of £5.97 a month as of 1 April 2005. This was approved by the Parish Council.
The clerk expressed a wish to attend a days training on desk top publishing held in Winchester at the end of Nov and run by HAPTC. This was approved.
The following cheques were presented for signature by Ian Morrison and Diana Preston:
        S A Hoare - August +Sept salary plus back pay     £ 452.30
        S A Hoare - 3 months expenses                              £39.74
        Mr Horne - Bus Shelter cleaning                              £33.00
        John Hanson School Book Prize                             £25.00
The following cheques were signed during August by Ian Morrison and Charles Stephens:
        Test Valley Gardencare - August cut                      £160.00
        Test Valley Gardencare - extra cut                         £62.00
        HCC salt bins                                                     £ 556.53
        HAPTC Training - desk top publishing                     £45.00
All of the above cheques were approved by those Parish Councillors present.
The 3-month budget update was discussed and no specific comments were made.

A letter of thanks has been received from the Hampshire Youth Band.
A letter asking for a donation to the Annual Prize giving ceremony was received and a cheque was prepared and approved.
The Red Lion in Clanville has written to warn of a firework display on 22 April 2006.
Neville Geake asked whether the Parish Council had formal guidelines for implementing expenditure. The Chairman stated that projects were selected on their merit.
Ian Long asked when the goal posts were going to be replaced on the green IM
Ian Long also commented that some nuts securing the climbing wall steps on the play equipment were loose IM

Meeting closed at 9 40pm.

Date of next meeting - October 17th at the AMPORT SCHOOL - 7.45pm