Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting of Fulking Parish Council held Thursday 3rd July 2025 at 7.30pm at Fulking Village Hall.
Present
Chair: Cllr Mark Hind
Fulking Parish Council (FPC) Cllr Linda Comber, Cllr Lucy Metha, Cllr Tom Kardos & Cllr Karen Healy
Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) Cllr Geoff Zeidler
Clerk Trevor Parsons
There were nine members of the public present. The meeting started at 7.30pm.
25/035/OM. Apologies for Absence.
Apologies received from Joy Dennis (WSCC)
25/036/OM. Declaration of Members’ Interests.
Cllr Hind declared his interest as a trustee of The Fulking Village Hall CIO.
25/037/OM. Approve the Minutes of Ordinary Council Meeting of 10th April 2025 and Annual Meeting dated 15th May 2025. The minutes, subject to any amendments, to be approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.
Councillors read the minutes of the meeting which were approved unanimously.
25/038/OM. Reports from District Councillor.
Cllr Zeidler reported that council staff are working towards devolution including the election of the mayor and the restructure of local government.
MSDC are in discussions with the Planning Inspector who currently is minded to reject as MSDC has not specifically indicated how many houses they can build for neighbouring districts.
25/039/OM. Matters Arising & Outstanding Actions To clarify and report on actions brought forward from the last meeting
Operation Crackdown is failing. MSDC establish whose car it is and then the Police assist in its removal. A resident reported an abandoned vehicle with no tax or MOT parked on the public highway, however MSDC say it is not abandoned and have closed the case.
Action: Clerk to report the vehicle again to the relevant authorities.
25/040/OM. RoSPA Report & Playground Inspections.
The annual inspection report has been received from RoSPA and has highlighted two pieces of equipment which requires urgent attention. A working party has been formed to make the necessary remediations later in July.
Following likely changes to the NTF lease below, the Council will be required to inspect the whole of the field rather than just the playground. With tightening of risk assessment legislation, Councillors voted in favour of engaging a former RosPA inspector, Trevor Cox to undertake this work on behalf of the council. The cost will be £100.00 per month. His work biweekly checks will include
A comprehensive playground equipment check and a corresponding email report with an attachment checklist.
A full ground check and email report with attachment, checklist
Some ideas for our signage.
Going forward, a risk assessment for the open area.
Training if required.
ACTION: Clerk to write to the insurance company to confirm that biweekly inspections are acceptable
25/041/OM. North Town Field Lease
The existing lease on the playground between North Town Field Trust and Fulking Parish Council expired in 2022. The Trustees are working with the Council to create a new lease. As the Trust is looking for the Council to provide public liability insurance for the whole field, it was agreed that in the new lease, the Council would lease the whole field including the playground. A term of 40 years was discussed which would help the Council in any grant applications for new play equipment.
Action : North Town Field Trust to present a new lease to the Council
25/042/OM. Fulking Village Hall CIO Presentation and Funding Request.
Fulking Village Hall CIO provided an update to Councillors on the progress being made to raise funds to purchase the Hall from the Church. This is an opportunity to breathe new life into the Hall and Community. Just over 50% of the funds required has been raised to date with Trustees being confident but not complacent the full £85k will be raised by the end of the year. Further fundraising events are scheduled throughout 2025.
The Trust’s five-year business model details a break-down of revenues and costs of running the Hall. The Trustees advised Council that a recent survey of residents confirmed that 65% of respondents (25% of villagers) were in favour of a rise in Council precept to cover a grant, applied for on an annual basis, to cover the shortfall between income and expenditure. The Trustees are looking to increase hall utilisation by 200% and create an arts cafe (with a lease) which so that after five years the Hall will be self-funding. Councillors raised a concern whether the Plan included a sufficient contingency for maintenance and repairs and advised Trustees that evidence would need to be presented each year that budget plans are on track before the next grant is approved.
25/043/OM Financial Matters To adopt revised Standing Orders
Councillors have read the updated Standing Orders provided by National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and approved these unanimously.
25/044/OM. Financial Matters. To review payments made since the last meeting.
Fulking Parish Council – Payments April 1st to 30th June 2025
Sigma Payroll £ 28.45
WSALC Subscription £112.88
Clerk Salary £426.08
HMRC PAYE NIC APRIL £123.72
SLCC Subscription £144.00
Lenovo Laptop £324.26
Clerk Salary £426.08
Clerk Training £ 78.00
Parish Online £ 30.00
Action in Rural Sussex £150.00
Sigma Payroll £ 34.10
Clear Insurance £561.21 less £82.02 refund
ICO £ 47.00
Web Hosting £ 71.99
Sigma Payroll £ 34.10
HMRC PAYE NIC MAY £123.72
Clerk Salary £425.88
HMRC PAYE NIC £123.92
25/045/OM. Correspondence & Information Items
Fulking Parish Councillors are meeting Alison Bennett MP on Wednesday 30th July 2025
25/046/OM. Date for next meeting: Thursday 9th October 2025