BETCHWORTH PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of the MEETING of the BETCHWORTH PARISH COUNCIL held on
MONDAY, 4th JANUARY 2010 at 8pm in the Hamilton Room.
Present: Councillors Wilson, Higgins, Chalker, Hardy, Hurman, Stimpson, Tanner and
the Clerk. Also present part time were Glynis Gatenby MVHA; District Councillor
Maurice Homewood; PC Dominic Loraine and PCSO Aimee Lucas; Matt Collison
Dorking Advertiser; Lucia Bale, Susan & Roger Clarke, Mavis Johns and Wendy Slaytor
all residents of Atkinson House; and parishioners Paul Potter, Debbie Parmenter and
son, and Richard & Sue Perkins. (Totalling 23 people)
1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
(308) There were no apologies for absence.
2 ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE
(309) Councillors Higgins and Tanner signed Acceptance of Office forms as Vice
Chairman and Councillor respectively.
3 MINUTES
(310) The Minutes of the Meeting held on 30th November 2009 were approved and
signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record.
4 MATTERS ARISING
(311) The owner of the donkey at Hartsfield had not been identified, although the
donkey was now in stabling behind the lodge. Chairman to contact Hartsfield Manager
and request re-instatement of the electric fence. Action: Cllr. Wilson
(312) Letter received from MVHA stating that they would be inspecting the fencing
along the access road in The Street in the coming week.
(313) Clerk had contacted Jan Steel regarding the consultation on SCC School
Admissions policy. There were no issues of concern for The Acorns.
5 FUTURE OF ATKINSON HOUSE
(314) Chairman said that Atkinson House which was built about 1974 by MVDC was a
vital part of the parish. It was ideally situated next door to the Post Office with a bus stop
opposite. He invited Glynis Gatenby of MVHA to outline the future plans for Atkinson
House.
(315) Glynis Gatenby stated that Atkinson House had been transferred to the MVHA in
autumn 2007 after prolonged consultations with all the MVDC housing tenants. All
sheltered schemes had been continued but the Government Supporting Peoples Grant
(from SCC) was cut in January 2008. This cut was actually deferred but had resulted in a
need to save £175,000 per annum from five Special Sheltered Schemes. They had
managed to do this with minimum impact on the residents and this plan was due to be
presented to the Board on 21/1/10.
(316) There were no plans to demolish Atkinson House, although they were being
advised that Mole Valley has an excess of regular sheltered housing. This largely
consists of one bedroom/studio accommodation, whereas 2 bedroom flats are now
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favoured. They were being pressed to adopt mobile support working, although MVHA
were keen to retain residential managers.
(317) They had reviewed all their sheltered accommodation and identified four
schemes for further consideration (red schemes), which included Atkinson House. One
of the critical factors for Atkinson House was the average vacancy time of 152 days (in
2008). They would be holding a meeting at Atkinson House on 14/1/10 with the residents
to set up a Review Group. She was interested to know details of housing needs
identified in the village plan and was due to present a paper on Older Peoples Housing
Strategy for Surrey in May 2010. Incidentally Ashtead was the area in Mole Valley
predicted to achieve the highest concentration of residents over 85 years old.
(318) Atkinson House residents then asked a number of questions. Roger Clarke was
adamant that they had been told at the October residents meeting that it could be
demolished, and was concerned that without a resident scheme manager visitors were
finding it difficult to gain entry. He would be willing to undertake this role on a temporary
basis. Glynis Gatenby advised that any appointment would have to follow the normal
vacancy procedures.
(319) The Chairman queried the average vacancy time and asked how much of this
was due to re-decoration. He was also anxious to know how the vacancies were
advertised as he had never seen any indication of these locally. Glynis Gatenby said
that they were allocated via the choice based letting system i.e. website and paper
information systems available to anybody who registered at MVDC. A points based
system was used to establish priority. She was considering more local advertising and
the use of show flats. There were currently no vacancies at Atkinson House, but 2/3
changes were in prospect.
(320) District Councillor Homewood said that he had been involved in the transfer of
the housing stock to MVHA, and wished to point out that continuity of the provision of
sheltered housing had been promised along with a philosophy of no significant change.
He had also been present at the Atkinson House meeting where a report to the board
was anticipated on 21/1/10. He was assured that this report was still expected although
it would only provide a summary of the Older Peoples Working Group and contained
nothing new.
(321) Paul Potter was sceptical about the quoted vacancy times as he was aware of a
house in The Street which had been left empty for 12 months. He felt that local housing
was intended primarily for local people to move into and that more effort should be made
to make Atkinson House vacancies known to local tenants.
(322) Debbie Parmenter thought that MVHA ought to be aware of people living the
village who were not venturing out of one room. Social Services should be identifying
these cases and alerting MVHA to such cases of real need.
(323) Wendy Slaytor who had been an Atkinson House resident for some 5 years
thought that vacancies were normally of less than 3-4 months and said that one flat had
been nominally vacant for along period when it was used as a temporary residence
whilst showers were being installed. She was also concerned that an elderly widow had
recently moved in without being told about the uncertain future of the accommodation.
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(324) Councillor Tanner wished to clarify what the financial constraints were, and was
assured that a fully funded 30 year business plan was in place. A waiting list for Atkinson
House would be helpful and would secure its future.
(325) Richard Perkins requested a timescale for the MVHA decision making process.
Glynis Gatenby was unable to provide any indication of the timescale.
(326) The Chairman drew the discussion to an end by confirming that the Parish
Council would support the Atkinson House residents in any way that it could. The
Council really did care about the future of Atkinson House which he considered was in
an ideal location. He thanked Glynis Gatenby for attending and for her offer to provide a
short article for inclusion in the Parish Magazine.
(327) After a short break for most of the Parishioners to leave, Councillors
endeavoured to summarise the situation and establish any action they needed to take
immediately. It was concluded that the root of all the anxiety seemed to stem from the
meeting held in October, and since then the declared financial problem seemed to have
been resolved. However a review of the less popular sheltered housing schemes was
now starting and this would commence with the establishment of local working parties
although no timescale was evident. Councillor Tanner was asked to attend the meeting
on 14/1/10 and to form a direct link between the Atkinson House residents and the
Parish Council. It was important to let the residents and MVHA know that the Parish
Council would actively support the residents. The most effective safeguard would be the
creation of a waiting list and this would need input from the Community. It was
suggested that this should be discussed with the Rev. Carol Coslett. The Chairman
would include a report of the situation in the Parish Magazine in February.
Action: Cllrs. Tanner & Wilson
6 CRIME AND ORDER
(328) PC Dominic Loraine and PCSO Aimee Lucas reported that no crime had been
recorded in the Parish over the past month. In response to a question they commented
that they only occasionally had reason to visit Atkinson House.
(329) SCAPTC had organised meetings for the Chief Constable to explain his
proposals for reducing the number of Police Stations and increasing the number of
constables. Agreed that Councillors Wilson and Hardy would attend the meeting
arranged for 26th January in Smallfield. Action: Cllrs. Wilson & Hardy
7 PLANNING
New Applications and Appeals
(330) MO/2009/1414/CAT Forge Cottage, The Street, Betchworth. Reduce height of
1 No. bay tree to 1 metre, then maintain as a hedge. No comment.
Results
(331) MO/2009/1261/CAT Dillon Cottage, The Street, Betchworth. Remove 1 No.
Robina tree; cut to hedge height 1 No. Acer and 2 No. Silver birch trees; remove 3 No.
Sycamore, 2 No. Hazel and 1 No. Ash trees. No objection.
(332) MO/2009/1250/PLAH 14, Oakley Gardens, Betchworth. Amendment to
permission MO/2008/1226 for the creation of a play room above garage: alteration to
position of external staircase and wall. Approved with Conditions.
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Other Matters
(333) Barley Mow Court It was noted that an Enforcement Order was being prepared
by SCC, and would be ready to serve in mid January if Polbond failed to resolve the
problems.
(334) Hartsfield Travel Plan MVDC had been unwilling to allow the Parish Council
to be involved with the Travel Plan, whereas the whole idea was to consult with local
people. Agreed to write to Hartsfield requesting a copy of their Travel Plan.
Action: Clerk
(335) Surrey Minerals Plan Confirmed that a response to the recent consultation
had been made before Christmas supporting the CAMEL amendment to policy MC14.
(336) Reigate Road Quarry No response received from SCC regarding the volume of
sand exported and inert fill imported to the Quarry. Copy of letter to be forwarded to
Councillor Tanner to review. Action: Cllr Tanner
8 FINANCE
(337) The monthly financial summary was briefly reviewed. The Clerk emphasised the
need to complete transactions by the end of the year.
(338) A request for a donation to St. Catherine’s Hospice was considered with some
sympathy although it was concluded that this was a matter for personal contributions.
Action: Clerk, letter
(339) The Precept request form was signed confirming the Precept for the coming year
to be £6980. It was noted that the bank mandate needed revision and that Councillor
Tanner should replace Councillor Innes. Action: Clerk
(340) The following accounts were approved for payment and cheques signed:-
i.) Hamilton Room Hire(Nov/Jan) £49.50
ii.) B Hawkins (Salary & Stamps) £453.44
iii.) HM Customs & Revenue (Tax) £105.66
9 HIGHWAYS AND FOOTPATHS
(341) Recent bad weather had caused damage to many local roads. Potholes were
reported in Old Road just north of the Red Lion (partially repaired) and on the north side
of Kiln Lane (re-occurrence). Action: Clerk
10 ALLOTMENTS AND BURIAL GROUND
(342) A memorial for Patricia A Parker (additional inscription) was approved.
(343) Confirmed that the Church was proposing to erect a memorial plaque for John
Bylett. John’s relatives were still keen to place a flowering cherry in the Burial Ground
which he had maintained for so many years. Chairman and Clerk to review the state of
the trees on the perimeter as soon as the weather permitted.
Action: Chairman & Clerk
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11 ANY OTHER BUSINESS
(344) Active Papers Communications received requiring Council response were
distributed, as per Appendix 3 (Active Items) and resolved as follows:-
i.) Future Leadership style of MVDC. Councillors to email their preferences
to the Clerk by 15/1/10. Action: ALL
ii.) Nominations for the Youth Showcase. To be referred to the Rector.
Action: Clerk
(345) Passive Papers Communications received as per Appendix 4 (Passive Items)
were distributed for Councillors to peruse and report back as appropriate, at the next
meeting.
(346) Other Matters Richard Perkins reported that the canister located halfway along
the School path, which supposedly contained plastic bags for dog detritus, had been
misused. Agreed to contact the Dog Warden and investigate the provision of a third dog
bin. Action: Clerk
(347) Reported that one post of the gate to the Burial Ground had rotted through and
the rabbit proofing was dragging on the ground.
Action: Chairman & Clerk to investigate
(348) The path from the Station to The Coombe was understood to be covered in
debris, and that the seat was still in need of repair. Agreed to hold a Village Spring
Clean Up on Saturday 24th April, meantime the Chairman would inspect the path and
seat. Action: Chairman
12 DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
(349) Future meetings of the Council were confirmed as Mondays 1st February 2010,
and 1st March 2010 all at 8.00pm in the Hamilton Room. Action: ALL
(350) Agreed that Councillor Wilson would provide an article about the Atkinson House
situation for the February Magazine. Action: Chairman
(351) Agreed that the Annual Parish Meeting would be held on Monday 19 th April 2010,
and that the Gatwick Police should be invited to make a short presentation.
Action: Clerk
(352) Chairman closed the meeting at 10.07pm.
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