Annual Parish Meeting and Report of April 2003 Meeting

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

The 109th  Annual Parish Meeting, which was held on Monday 14^th April at 7.00pm in the Parish Hall, was attended by all members of the Parish Council, Mr.R.C.Richards (County Councillor), Mrs.J.Colenutt representing the Newchurch Parish Sports and Community Association (NPS&CA), and six parishioners.

Mr.A.Jupe, Chairman, thanked paid employees and voluntary members of the Parish Council (PC) for their endeavours during the preceding year and made a brief statement regarding the PC’s finances, emphasising that around half of the current balance was held on behalf of the Community Partnership. He then provided details of some of the projects currently being supported by the Community Partnership before listing the main issues that had occupied the PC itself  over the past twelve months.

Mr.Richards (CC) reviewed aspects of his time in office and made a statement regarding emerging changes to licensing and the possible implications thereof. He also commented on some “Highways” matters and his likely future role on the IW Council.

Mrs.Colenutt (NPS&CA) reminded the meeting of the structure and purpose of the NPS&CA. She commented on the good attendance at the recent AGM in March and stressed the need for help with the Garlic Festival. Mrs.Colenutt highlighted improvements that had been made to the facilities at Watery Lane and stated that the NPS&CA was no longer planning to extend the stage area at the Community Hall at Newchurch school. The NPS&CA had recently produced an updated Parish Directory and she thanked the PC and Community Partnership for their financial contributions towards the cost of this.

Matters raised by parishioners included the urgent need for a pedestrian crossing at Apse Heath, the need for refurbishment of the Parish Map Boards and internal redecoration of the Parish Hall, a request for repositioning of bus stops in Watery Lane and concern over misuse of PC car parks. Mr.J.Sandell proposed a vote of thanks to the PC and the meeting closed at 8.05pm.

APRIL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Under “Parish Reports” Mr.Poigndestre expressed concern that damage had been caused to the roof of All Saints church by people playing ball games in the churchyard. Mrs.Lale stated that the Parish Map Board in Alverstone had been cracked, probably by a yellow vehicle colliding with it, and  Miss Cotton reported that recently erected fencing along the old railway track near “iron bridge” had been damaged. Miss Cotton also gave brief details of a “Community Waste” meeting that she had attended, at which a plan for generating 2MW of electrical power from methane produced at tips was revealed. The Chairman raised the issue of abandoned vehicles and misuse of PC car parks and the Clerk related his discussion with several IWC departments on the matter. It was resolved to pursue the possibility of employing a security firm to clamp vehicles misusing PC car parks.

Four Planning Applications were considered to which, after discussion and debate, the Council decided to make “no comment”.

The revised salaries and payments proposed earlier in the year in the draft budget were ratified and the meeting closed at 9.55pm.