Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting of Fulking Parish Council held Thursday 14th April 2025 at 7.30pm at Fulking Village Hall.
Present
Chair: Cllr Mark Hind
Fulking Parish Council (FPC) Cllr Linda Comber, Cllr Lucy Mehta, Cllr Tom Kardos & Cllr Karen Healy
Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) Cllr Geoff Zeidler
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) Cllr Joy Dennis
Clerk Trevor Parsons
There was one member of the public present. MoP raised a concern regarding vandalised 40mph signs and ongoing planning issues.
The meeting started at 7.30pm.
25/015/OM. Apologies for Absence.
None – all councillors present
25/016/OM. Declaration of Members’ Interests.
Reference agenda item 25/022/OM Cllr Hind is a trustee of Fulking Village Hall CIO and would not partake in any decision-making.
25/017/OM. Approve the Minutes of Ordinary Council Meeting of 10th January 2025
The minutes, subject to any amendments, to be approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.
The minutes of the January meeting were unanimously approved by Councillors
25/018/OM. Reports from District and County Councillors.
Cllr Dennis (WSCC) reported:
That West Sussex County Council and Mid Sussex District Council would disappear under devolution plans and a new unitary authority would be created which would cover Fulking. Should plans proceed an election for the mayor of the new authority would be held in May 2026. This would be followed by shadow unitary elections in 2027 with the authority to start formally in May 2028.
Fulking Parish Council would like to thank Cllr Dennis for her support which enabled the 40 mph speed limits along Poynings and Edburton Roads to be implemented.
There have been 14 road closures in Clappers Lane for repairs since 2023, 5 of which were emergency closures.
School places – intake to secondary schools has started, pupil number continue to decrease.
Speed reduction measures have been approved on A281 around the Ginger Fox junction.
Riperian Team are still active where Operation Watershed grant monies are still available.
ACTION: Clerk to investigate grant funding for repairs to blocked piping to the stream by Shepherd & Dog.
Cllr Zeidler’s monthly report has been distributed to Councillors, he also understands that Project Crackdown for the removal of abandoned vehicles has been withdrawn
25/019/OM. Matters Arising & Outstanding Actions To clarify and report on actions brought forward from the last meeting
Ram Pump Roof – On receipt of confirmation from SDNPA that planning permission was not required for the repairs to the Ram Pump house roof, the repairs were satisfactorily completed with reclaimed tiles.
Notice Board – The new noticeboard was purchased and is installed in front of the village hall.
Campsite at Spring – Lawful development is yet to be determined with changes being made to the application.
25/020/OM. Financial Matters. To receive the report on the Council’s income and to approve future expenditure.
To ratify the following payments made since the last council meeting.
15th January £28.45 Sigma Accountants Payroll Services
22nd January £375.00 Owl Structural Ltd Report on Ram Pump Roof
22nd January £2,017.41 Greenbarnes New Noticeboard
27th January £162.31 N Power Streetlights
7th February £100 D Lindfield To clear sediment from out of the Ram Pump House
10th February £918 P W Beard Village sign posts
19th February £463.68 M365 Microsoft
19th February £8.52 Action Rural Sussex Fee for March
17th March £1,597.44 Clerk Q4 salary Q4 Salary
17th March £240 FPC Village Hall Hire Hall Hire
17th March £923.52 MSDC 2 x Dog bin collection (12 months)
31st March £1,020 R A Walker Repair of Ram Pump Roof
The clerk reported that the balances at Barclays Bank were current account £1774.32 and £12,000 in the deposit account.
25/021/OM. Year-end review of Income & Expenditure 2024 – 2025
Cllr Hind confirmed to councillors that FPC income for the year to March 2025 was £13,417, being the precept of £12,000 plus interest, VAT refund and CIL grant. Outgoings for the same period totalled £17,492 which included capital items including the new village signs and noticeboard, together with the repair of the Ram Pump House roof. The deficit of £4,075 was caused by the unplanned capital expenditure required to replace items damaged in the winter storms and was met from reserves.
A balanced budget has been prepared for the financial year to March 2026 which includes provision for a new laptop for the clerk (last replaced in 2015), some new grit bins and some playground repairs.
25/022/OM. Fulking Village Hall Funding Request.
The Fulking Village Hall CIO are raising funds to purchase the Village Hall from the Church. The Village Hall & Chapel 2025 – 2028 Business Plan has been produced by the CIO following community engagement, community survey and the Open Day in January 2025.
The survey produced 88% support for a more active community hub, 99% concerned by the loss of the hall and 55% support to increase the council precept.
Within revenue funding item 14.0 the CIO states that a grant will be sought from Fulking Parish Council from 2026 amounting to £2,500 pa.
Councillors would need to approval the grant funding before November 2025 to request additional district council precept for financial year April 2026 – March 2027.
Councillors raise concern that only a small amount for funds were available for capital improvements and maintenance.
25/023/OM. Reports from Outside Bodies.
Non
25/024/OM. Information Items. To receive information and items for the agenda at future meetings.
None discussed
25/025/OM. Correspondence. To discuss correspondence and respond to correspondence received.
None discussed
Meeting closed at 9.15pm
Dateof the Annual Meeting is Wednesday 14th May 2025.
Next Ordinary Meeting scheduled for Thursday 3rd July 2025.