Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting of Fulking Parish Council held Thursday 11th April 2024 at 7.30pm at Fulking Village Hall.  

Present 

Chair:                                           Cllr Karen Healy 

Fulking Parish Council (FPC)     Cllr Linda Comber, Cllr Lucy Metha & Cllr Tom Kardos 

Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) Cllr Geoff Zeidler 

FPC Clerk                                          Trevor Parsons

There was one member of the public present. 

The meeting started at 7.38pm. 

24/014/OM.         Apologies for Absence. 

Apologies were received from Cllr Hind who was away on holiday. 

24/015/OM.         Declaration of Members’ Interests. 

No Interests declared. 

24/016/OM.         Approve the Minutes of Ordinary Council Meeting of 11th January 2024 

The minutes, subject to any amendments, to be approved and signed as a true record of the meeting. 

The minutes of the Ordinary Meeting were approved unanimously by Councillors and duly signed by the Chair. 

24/017/OM.         Reports from District and County Councillors.   

Cllr Zeidler (MSDC) reported: 

• Discontent amongst some Councilors with the new Sunday and late parking charges to be introduced in Mid Sussex. In addition, increases to usual parking charges were also approved.   
• Concern over potential changes to General & Business Rates could result in Mid Sussex receiving less income due to the likely changes. 
• MSDC are looking closer at carbon reduction and how district, town and parish councils can reduce their footprint. Various apps are now available to measure one’s own footprint. 

24/018/OM.         Matters Arising & Outstanding Actions To clarify and report on actions brought forward from the last meeting.  

TRO Poynings Road / Edburton Road – The Clerk reported that WSCC have acknowledged the application, Sussex Police have indicated no objection and the necessary forms are now with the TRO Team at WSCC. 

WSCC drain unblocking – WSCC acknowledged the online requested and have confirmed the drain has been unblocked. 

Small Acres – The Planning Inspectorate upheld the SDNPA enforcement notice with corrections and variations and refuse to grant planning permission on the application deemed to have been made under section 177(5) of the 1990 Act as amended. 

Village signs – Cllr Comber showed the meeting a photograph of the first village sign which has been repaired by local artist, James Lightfoot. Councillors were delighted with the results and unanimously agreed to commission Mr Lightfoot to repair the other two village signs. The £500 invoice has been present and will be paid for the work done.  

24/019/OM.     Parish Plan 

Progress is being made with the ongoing project, assisted by Action in rural Sussex (AirS)  to create a Community Survey which will help structure the next Fulking Parish Plan. 

Action: Cllrs Comber and Metha have agreed to combine their ideas into a questionnaire format to be submitted to AirS for their consideration. 

24/020/OM.        Reports from Outside Bodies.  

None received 

24/021/OM.       Information Items.  To receive information and items for the agenda at future meetings. 

None received 

24/022/OM.       Correspondence.  To discuss correspondence and respond to correspondence received.  

None received 

24/023/OM.        Financial Matters. To receive the report on the Council’s income and to approve future expenditure. 

The Clerk reported to Councillors via email that the current account balance in Barclays Bank was £1,849.49 with £16,000 held in the deposit account. 

The meeting closed at 9:15pm

Date of the Annual Meeting is Wednesday 15th May 2024.  

Next Ordinary Meeting scheduled for Thursday 11th July 2024.   

Minutes of the online Extraordinary Council Meeting Fulking Parish Council held Tuesday 30th April 2024 at 7pm via Microsoft Teams. 

Present 

Chair:                                               Cllr Lucy Mehta 

Fulking Parish Council (FPC):             Cllrs Tom Kardos and Linda Comber 

Parish Clerk                                     Trevor Parsons 

The meeting opened at 7:00pm. There were no members of public present. 

24/024/PM.          Apologies for Absence. 

Cllr Mark Hind who is away on holiday. 

24/025/PM.          Declaration of Members’ Interests. 

Cllr Karen Healy as she is the applicant for the planning request. 

24/026/PM.          Planning matters – SDNP/24/01082/FUL 

Proposal: Change of use of the space above the garage annex, to be used for business purposes  

Location: Site Of Oldwood , Clappers Lane, Fulking, West Sussex, BN5 9NJ  

It was noted that: 

The application is for a member of the family to use this space for commercial use and the SDNP have a number of policies which will cover this application and we suggest we leave that with them.   

Whilst there may be an increase in road usage we cannot see this as being significant nor can we foresee any other nuisance which could arise from this change of use. 

Councillors unanimously supported the application with a requested condition, should SDNP be minded approving, restricting the use to family member use with a small team described in the application and within the hours requested in the application. 

The meeting closed at 7:20pm

Date of APM & AGM to be Wednesday 15th May 2024. 

Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting of Fulking Parish Council held Thursday 11th January 2024 at 7.30pm at Fulking Village Hall.

Present

Chairman: Cllr Mark Hind

Fulking Parish Council (FPC) Cllr Karen Healy, Cllr Linda Comber, Cllr Lucy Metha & Cllr Tom Kardos

Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) : Cllr Geoff Zeidler

West Sussex County Council (WSCC) : Cllr Joy Dennis

There were three members of the public present the conversation is highlighted in item 24/011/OM.

The meeting started at 7.45pm.

24/001/OM. Apologies for Absence.

There were no apologies received as all Councillors were present.

24/002/OM. Declaration of Members’ Interests.

There were no interests declared

24/003/OM. Approve the Minutes of Ordinary Council Meeting of 12th October 2023

The minutes, subject to any amendments, to be approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.

The minutes of the Ordinary Meeting were approved unanimously by Councillors and duly signed by the Chairman.

24/004/OM. Reports from District and County Councillors.

Cllr Joy Dennis (WSCC) reported:

There is likely to be pressure on secondary school places when applications are reviewed in February 2024. The bulge in numbers seeking places remains high, but she is optimistic that in 2 – 3 years time the issue with resolve itself with lower numbers of children requiring places. Already WSCC can see lower numbers seeking primary places despite the additional houses built in the District.

The is now a booking system in place at Burgess Hill tip.

WSCC has a balanced budget with all current services retained.

Cllr Geoff Zeidler (MSDC) reported

At the Council meeting on 13th December District Plan was approved with all but one independent member voting for it to progress to Reg19 consultation. The Council has also released its draft 2024-25 Corporate Plan and Budget for consultation. The revised NPPF was published a couple of days later and made clear that there was no basis on which MSDC could rely to reduce its housing targets; and that DHLUC was taking action against Planning Authorities who had not progressed in Planmaking.

The next stage will be a Reg19 public consultation that will start on 12th January for 6 weeks. Responses are limited to ensuring that the plan is “Sound” and “Legal” and is not an opportunity to amend any of the specific elements. If approved by the Inspector next year, then all sites will still need to go through detailed assessment when they submit planning applications.

24/005/OM. Matters Arising & Outstanding Actions To clarify and report on actions brought forward from the last meeting.

Village signs – Cllr Tom Kardos reported that progress was being made on the new posts, the contractor is waiting for prices for materials before submitting a quote.

24/006/OM. Small Acre Update

The date for the Planning Inspector appeal in relation to un-approved development at the Small Acres site is set for two days starting on Tuesday 27th February 2024 at the South Downs National Park Centre in Midhurst.

24/007/OM. Parish Plan Update

Cllr Linda Comber and Cllr Tom Kardos attended a Parishes SDNPA workshop however the meeting appeared to be more of a call for sites exercise than a workshop to support Local Plans. A discussion was held over the benefits of producing a “Neighbourhood” vs a “Parish” Plan. It was decided to arrange a separate meeting to discuss this further and to agree the next steps. A private meeting of Councillors has been arranged at 7pm on Monday 5th February.

24/008/OM. 2024 – 2025 Precept

The Clerk presented councillors with a draft budget for the 2024 – 2025 financial year. Based on the draft budget Councillors unanimously voted in favour of a 5.3% rise in precept to £11,250 pa.

24/009/OM. Proposed TRO – New speed limit.

Further to a previous agreement to request a TRO on the road from Saddlescombe roundabout to the junction of A2037 at Small Dole, there is disagreement between Fulking, Upper Beeding and Poynings Councils as to the preferred limit to apply for. Fulking and Upper Beeding wish to request a 40 mph limit along the whole of Edburton/Poynings Road whereas Poynings are in favour of a 50 mph limit. Cllr Joy Dennis (WSCC) agreed to contact the Chair of Poynings to resolve this possible misunderstanding.

ACTION: Cllr Dennis to contact Poynings Chair and then advise Fulking Clerk as to the preferred TRO option.

24/010/OM. Information Items. To receive information and items for the agenda at future meetings.

None received

24/011/OM. Correspondence. To discuss correspondence and respond to correspondence received.

A resident in Clappers Lane had made an online report to WSCC on their website advising of blocked drains causing flooding in Clappers Lane. WSCC maintenance visited the site and cleared the initial problem however with more rainfall the drain is blocked again and when the resident resubmitted an online report the system keeps saying “Case Closed”

ACTION : Cllr Joy Dennis to speak to Highways Department to reopen the case and to arrange for maintenance to clear the blocked drain. She requested that the Clerk register a new report online to WSCC.

24/012/OM. Financial Matters. To receive the report on the Council’s income and to approve future expenditure.

The Clerk reported to Councillors via email that the current account balance in Barclays Bank was £7,346.56 with £13,612.38 held in the deposit account.

24/013/OM. To set a date of Annual General Meeting of the Council and Annual Parish Meeting:

Date of the next Ordinary Meeting: Thursday 11th April 2024.

Annual Parish Meeting : Wednesday 15th May 2024 at 7pm.

The meeting closed at 9.30pm.

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Council and Annual Parish Meeting of the Council held Thursday 18th May 2023 at 7.30 pm at Fulking Village Hall. 

Present 

Chairman:                              Cllr Mark Hind
Fulking Parish Council (FPC):   Cllrs Karen Healy, Tom Kardos and Lucy Mehta 

Mid Sussex District Council: Cllrs Geoff Zeidler 

West Sussex County Council: Cllr Joy Dennis
Parish Clerk:                                Trevor Parsons 

There were three members of the public present who were offered an opportunity to speak.  

The meeting opened at 7.30pm. 

Agenda: Annual Meeting of Council 

23/038/AMC Chairman’s Welcome followed by Election of Chairman 

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. 

Cllr Healy proposed that Cllr Mark Hind be elected as Chairman for a further 12 months, seconded by Cllr Mehta. Councillors unanimously in favour. 

Meeting closed at 7.35pm 

Agenda: Annual Parish Meeting 

23/039/APM Apologies for Absence 

None received as all councillors were present. 

23/040/APM Approval of previous years’ minutes Annual Parish Meeting 12th May 2022 

The minutes of the 12th May 2022 Annual Parish Meeting were proposed by Cllr Kardos, seconded by Cllr Healy and unanimously accepted as a true record of the meeting. The Chairman signed the minutes accordingly. 

23/041/APM   Chairman’s report 

I would like to start by thanking Karen, Lucy and Tom for putting themselves forward to stand again as Parish Councillors for the next 4 years. I would also like to congratulate Geoff Zeidler on his election as District Councillor for our new Downland Villages ward. 

Finally, I would like to thank Linda Dyos, who has just stood down as a Parish Councillor after 8 years, for her hard work and dedication. I would like to present her with this gift as a small token of our appreciation for her commitment to support our community. I wish her all the best for the future and continued progress in her recovery from her accident. 

I will now provide a brief summary of activity undertaken by the Council over the last 12 months: 

Full Fibre Broadband Scheme 

Installation started in January and several properties now have access to Superfast Broadband. It is anticipated installation will be complete across the whole of the village by the end of the summer. 

Fulking Village Hall 

As part of the plan to eventually buy the village hall from the Church, the Council provided support to enable a registered charity, The Fulking Village Hall Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) to be set up. This CIO was set up following advice from the Sussex branch of “Action with Communities in Rural England” (ACRE) who suggested this would be the best structure to run the hall and secure it as an asset for the community. Discussions remain ongoing with the Church regarding the purchase of the hall. 

Drainage works Operation Watershed 

The Parish Council received funding from West Sussex County Council (WSCC) under “operation watershed” to undertake drainage repairs near Perching Drove on Edburton Road, to stop run off of chalk from the Downs and on Clappers Lane to reduce run off from the fields. 

Ladybrook Spring and Edburton Road 

Following requests by the Parish Council works were undertaken by WSCC to stop the flow of water across the road. Unfortunately, the extremely high levels of rainfall over the winter created numerous potholes and new springs across the road. The Council has requested WSCC to undertake more permanent repairs. 

Clappers Lane – new signs 

Following a suggestion from a resident in Clappers Lane the Parish Council bought and installed two new “Single Track Road” signs in an attempt to reduce the number of vehicles using the road. We remain in discussions with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) to extend the 20 mph limit up Clappers Lane to its northern entrance. We hope to have further information on this later this year. 

Planning 

All planning applications for our village are decided by the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA). The Parish Council however is a consultee on any planning applications received and has commented on 5 applications during the past year. One application was referred to the SDNPA Planning Committee and is currently subject of an appeal to the Planning Inspector. The Council employed a planning consultant to assist with this appeal. 

Playground 

The Parish Council owns the playground equipment in the North Town Field and as part of the insurance arrangements Councillors undertake a 2 weekly safety check. Unfortunately, as the equipment is aging an increasing number of repairs are being required 

23/042/APM    Reports from District & County Councillors 

Cllr Ziedler reported for MSDC  

A new Council was elected on 4th May 2023. The balance of the Council is Liberal Democrats 20; Conservative 18; Independent 5; Green 4; Labour 1. The first Council meeting is on 24th May at which time a Chairman and Leader will be elected and future roles appointed. At present there have been one of two days of induction meetings and so I am not yet fully briefed. 

Given the focus of the Ward I have requested to participate in the District Plan Committee; the Scrutiny Committee for Executive Leader, Deputy Leader, Planning, Economic Growth and Net Zero; and the MSDC representative on the Board of the South Downs National Park. 

District Plan 

The Council is currently progressing the District Plan under the current NPPF although changes to this are expected. I have written to our MPs to request their assistance in having any revision published as soon as possible. The Policy approach to the District Plan may change with Leadership of the Council. The present District Plan is open to challenge as it is over 5 years old and the first speculative SoS appeal has been launched. 

Services 

The budget for the Council was adopted unanimously before the election and so the services plans outlined in the budget are expected to be progressed. 

Infrastructure 

There was a meeting with Southern Water organised by residents of Sayers Common with the support of Bob Sampson and Andrew Griffith MP. This reflected flooding issues in the area, particularly related to new developments. I am aware that there are similar issues in Albourne and I will be ensuring I am engaged in the follow-up. 

Parish Issues for DC Support 

Common Issues 

Almost all the Parishes are seeking TROs or other approaches to mitigate speeding on dangerous roads; flytipping remains a regular issue, as is management of dog waste disposal facilities. Flooding also remains evident in a number of areas. 

Albourne 

An appeal to the SoS has been launched by Croudace relating to 120 houses South of Henfield Road adjacent to Albourne School. 

Fulking 

There is an appeal scheduled in relation to un-approved development at the Small Acres site. This arises under SDNP Planning. 

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common 

The actions arising from the meeting with Southern Water include resolving the level of service from the Capita call centre and four actions to be completed by the end of May. 

Poynings 

None at present. There is local pressure for an extensive re-surfacing of the road through Poynings. 

Twineham 

Response required by 30th May to the Rampion 2 extension socket consultation and there are 3 planning applications for Battery Energy Storage System facilities. DM/23/1184 – Lightrock Power; DM/21/2276 – Envirotech and DM/23/0769 – One Planet. Planning consent exists for a 42 acre solar array. 

The major concern about BESS is Fire and Environmental risk as these are relatively new technologies. Stuart Malcolm is the MSDC Officer with responsibility for electrical applications. 

ACTION : Cllr Zeidler to arrange a joint meeting for the seven parishes under his control. 

Cllr Dennis reported for WSCC that 

• Adam Denby has now replaced Richard Speller at West Sussex CC and any new Operation Watershed applications should be directed to him. 
• Superfast Broadband in the area is making progress 
• Off-site Electric Vehicle Chargers. Town and Parishes are being asked top put forward sites for new EV Chargers. Difficult for Fulking as the Council does not own any land but other Councils are making proposals. 
• School Places – Brooksmead senior school in Burgess Hill is under construction and is expected to take around 18 months to build. 
• “Ditch The Problem” challenge has been set to remind landowners of the ramparion responsibilities to keep roadside ditches under their ownership clear. 

23/043/APM    Questions to Matthew Thompson Communities Lead – Fulking Water Treatment Works 

Matthew kindly attended the meeting to provide a brief overview of the current works to substantially improve the present treatment works for those properties linked to the mains sewage outlet. The work involves installing new equipment which will help with the removal or Phosphates (typically found in cleaning products) and iron.  Due to the size of the site the project team has to work from the rear of the site out towards the gate. This has resulted in the project taking longer than it ordinarily would do on a larger site 

23/044/APM.   To consider and agree the Internal Audit Report Letter dated 20/04/2022. 

The Internal Auditor Report was reviewed by Councillors. Acceptance proposed by Cllr Hind, seconded by Cllr Mehta and approved unanimously 

23/045/APM.   To consider and agree the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) for the year ending 31 March 2023 ensuring it accurately presents the financial management of the Council as required by the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015. 

The Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) for the year ending 31 March 2023 was reviewed by Councillors. Acceptance proposed by Cllr Kardos, seconded by Cllr Healy and unanimously approved as a true record of the accounts. 

23/046/APM.   Date of next Ordinary Meeting Thursday 6th July 2023. 

Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting of Fulking Parish Council held Thursday 12th October 2023 at 7.30pm at Fulking Village Hall. 

Present 

Chairman: Cllr Mark Hind 

Fulking Parish Council (FPC) Cllrs Karen Healy, Cllr Linda Comber, Cllr Lucy Metha & Cllr Tom Kardos 

Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) : Cllr Geoff Zeidler 

West Sussex County Council (WSCC) : Cllr Joy Dennis 

There were two members of the public present and the meeting started at 7.30pm. 

23/65/OM. – Apologies for Absence. 

All councillors were present therefore no apologies for absence 

23/066/OM. – Declaration of Members’ Interests. 

There were no interests declared 

23/067/OM. – Approve the Minutes* of the Ordinary Meeting of 6th July 2023 and Planning meeting 26th July 2023 The minutes, subject to any amendments, to be approved and signed as a true record of the meeting. 

The minutes of the Ordinary Meeting and Planning Meeting were approved unanimously by Councillors and duly signed by the Chairman.  

23/068/OM. – Matters Arising & Outstanding Actions – To clarify and report on actions brought forward from the last meeting. 

Village sign – Cllr Hind advised the meeting that he had approached Jen Green to see if she would be able to refurbish the village sign but sadly she was not able to do so. After further discussion it was agreed that Cllr Comber approach James Lightfoot to see if we would be able to help. 

Clappers Lane TRO – The Clapper Lane TRO to reduce the speed from 60mph to 30mph has been approved by WSCC and appropriate signage will be installed soonest. 

23/069/OM – Small Acres Appeal. 

Cllr Hind informed the meeting that a date for the appeal against the enforcement action at Small Acres been set for 27th / 28th  February 2024 with a venue still to be arranged. 

23/070/OM. – Reports from District and County Councillors. 

Cllr Zeidler provided a written update from MSDC – 

MSDC was briefed on steps being taken to ensure a development plan for the Martlets in Burgess Hill was brought forward by July 2024; and the Gatwick DCO which anticipated departures increasing from a current level of 32.8m to 75.6m by 2038. 10 Local Authorities are co-ordinating their opposition. Councillors will be attending Remembrance Services on 12th November. The next full Council meeting is on 13th December. 

District Plan 

MSDC has met with the Parishes most affected including a combined meeting with Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common; Albourne and Twineham. At that meeting the context and evidence relating to the plan was discussed and as a result a further meeting to focus on Master Planning and Traffic is being scheduled. There was also the opportunity for Parishes to prioritise the Local Infrastructure that they would like to be included in relation to the “Sustainable Community” sites. The Reg 19 plan is expected to go to an extraordinary Scrutiny meeting on 22nd November. The revised NPPF has not been launched and Michael Gove has written to Councils on Planning in a letter which is attached. 

Services 

A new contract has been let for maintenance of Open Spaces (including playing fields) which starts on 1st October. Recent performance of the departing provider has been substandard, leading to a number of complaints, and it is hoped that the new “output specification” service will improve. 

The Open Spaces strategy, which may provide clarification on how playgrounds will be supported, will come to Cabinet for review in October. I will keep the Parishes informed of any impact or changes that are envisaged to ensure that parish views are represented. 

Parish Issues for DC Support 

Common Issues 

An informal meeting of Chairs & Clerks from all Downland Village Parishes was held on 14th September at which most Parishes were represented. Joy Dennis also attended from WSCC. It is hoped that this will assist collaboration on common issues such a traffic and managing engagement with the Council to resolve issues. 

Fulking (12th October) 

The date for appeal in relation to un-approved development at the Small Acres site is not yet set. The PC is also seeking funding to renew playground equipment. 

Newtimber (24th October tbc) 

Common issues on speeding with Pyecombe, Poynings and Albourne. 

Poynings (8th November) 

Awaiting feedback from WSCC on issues including speeding and road re-surfacing. 

Cllr Joy Dennis (WSCC) reported – 

The contractor who successfully tendered for the new school in Burgess Hill and withdrawn from the agreement resulting in WSCC having to restart the tender process which is likely to delay completion of the school by at least 12 months. 

RAAC concrete in schools. Central government has instructed all local education authorities to inspect their premises. So far, no major issues have seen reported in West Sussex, issues appear to be linked to additional buildings / extensions rather than the original structure. 

The Gatwick Airport Consultation remains ongoing. 

The Burgess Hill Green Circle – a green pathway for horses, cyclist and walkers was nominated for a national award. 

WSCC are making progress with the ash die-back project to remove diseased trees. 

Riparian – Householders duty to keep their ditches clear. WSCC continue to send letters to householders who are neglecting the duty to keep the ditches they are responsible for clear of debris. 

Electric Vehicle Charging Points – WSCC continue to look for and install suitable EV charging points across the County and are open to suggested sites. 

Pot Holes – WSCC are continuing to focus on repairing pot holes across the County. 

23/071/OM – Village hall and its running costs 

The long-term future of the village hall was discussed by Councillors and concerns were raised on how the future running costs of the facility would be managed and paid for.  

ACTION: Further investigation of discussion with all groups is needed and Cllr Hind agreed to take this forward. 

23/072/OM – RoSPA Playground Report and Maintenance 

The RoSPA Report was circulated to all councillors prior to the meeting. CLLR Hind advised that the urgent items raised in the report had been dealt with as we await the repairs to be undertaken by Heartwood Creative Limited. 

23/073/OM. – Fulking Parish Council Budget 2024/2025.  

The Clerk reported that budget planning for 2024/2025 was in progress and that costs continue to rise. An increase in precept from £10,680 will be sought to cover the Council’s commitments. 

23/074/OM. – Speed Limits in Edburton Road 

Following the successful application for a speed reduction in Clappers Lane, Councillors agreed that a similar restriction for Edburton Road, should be requested. Cllr Dennis (WSCC) recommended that one TRO Application should be presented to WSCC by the parishes of Poynings, Fulking and Edburton to cover the whole stretch of road, outside the 20mph village speed limits. 

ACTION: Clerk to liaise clerks of Poynings and Upper Beeding to make a joint application.  

23/075/OM. – Planning application – Conifer House SDNP/23/03790/TCA 

Proposal: Reduce to just below previous pruning points and thin canopy on 1 no. Maple tree in rear (eastern side) garden (T1) 

Councillors reviewed the application and were unanimous in their support. 

23/076/OM. – Reports from Outside Bodies, Information Items & Correspondence 

An email was received from Action in rural Sussex (AirS) regarding support with community plans including Parish Plans, Neighbourhood Development Plans and Parish / Neighbourhood Priority Statements. 

ACTION: Clerk to email AirS to request an initial consultation. 

23/077/OM. – Financial Matters: To receive the report on the Council’s income and to approve future expenditure. 

The Clerk reported that the current account balance in Barclays Bank was £8,944.84 with £13,612.38 held in the deposit account. 

Date of the next Ordinary Meeting: Thursday 11th January 2024 

Meeting closed at 9.05pm.