MINUTES of the Meeting of the Finance + General Purposes Committee held at 8.00pm on Thursday  12 

April 2018 in the Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint.  

Committee Members Present 

Also Present:   

Stephen Hoyles  CLERK TO THE COUNCIL 

3 members of the public  

F17/084. Apologies for Absence and Declarations of Interest:  The following apologies were received prior to the meeting and accepted:  Rodney Jackson,  Julia Shorrocks.   The following personal interest was declared:  Stephen Hand, Martin Machan  (Item  F17/091.7  Buildings: (2)  Hurstpierpoint Bowls Club).  There were no other declarations.   

F17/085.  Minutes of the meeting of Finance + General Purposes Committee of 8 March 2018:  The Minutes were  eceived and accepted and signed by the Chairman. 

F17/086.  Matters arising from Minutes of the Finance + General Purposes Committee of 8 March 2018:    There were no matters not otherwise on the agenda.   

F17/087.  Adjournment for questions from the public:  The Committee considered whether to adjourn the 

Meeting in accordance with clause 3(e) of Standing Orders, in order to receive questions.   

RESOLVED:  To adjourn the meeting in order to take questions from members of the public.   

Two members of the public spoke with reference to item  F17/091.7  Buildings: (2)  Hurstpierpoint Bowls Club – boundary fence and referred to an email sent to councillors on 10 April 2018.  As residents in South Avenue they were concerned about the inappropriate appearance of the new close-boarded fence installed by the Bowls club and asked for the Council to instruct the Club to replace with a chain-link fence and hedge.  The Committee noted the comments and the meeting then resumed.  

F17/088.  FINANCIAL MATTERS:  

F17/088.1  Payments and receipts:  The Committee was asked to RESOLVE: approve payment of accounts totalling £46,925.12 for month 1  (April 2018) and the total receipts of £7,958.19 for Month 12 (March 2018) (Ref: Schedule 1 and 2 

ATTACHED) 

RESOLVED:  The Committee approves the schedule of payments of  £46,925.12 April 2018.   

F17/088.2  Financial monitoring:  The Committee were advised that the Accounts Records  for Month 12 (March 

2018) were still in  preparation as part of the year-end work.   

F17/088.3  Deposits and Investment:  The Committee noted that the Council was holding the following funds on the dates shown:   

F17/089  .  CONTRACTS:  The Committee noted the following contracts with a cost over £500 + VAT: 

F17/089  .1  Street lighting Replacement Scheme:  The outstanding matters are the repainting of 5 older columns and the placing of ‘labels’ on all columns, plus two bracket-mounted lights in Brighton  Road.  UKPN had advised that the Brighton Road timber electricity poles were rotten and required replacement.  This was due to take place 24 April 2018, but had been further delayed due to WSCC roadspace requirements. It was expected that these items would be completed by mid-May.  The streetlighting scheme would then be complete.   

F17/089.2  Hurst Meadows  (Contract 2 – Little Park):   Work commenced on 5 March 2018 and fencing and most gates had been installed.  There remains the placing of ‘MoT’ on some paths, which is subject to ground conditions being satisfactory following the recent wet weather.  The alignment of boundary fencing along the Marchants Close access road and the southern edge of Big Edgerly had been agreed on site with adjoining landowners at a meeting on 22 March 2018.   

F17/089.3  Streetscene Improvements Scheme:  Further to the decision of Council (Meeting 22 February 2018  Minute C17/103.3)  the contractor Greenscene had been asked to resubmit his prices to account for the deletion of the flower-posts, the addition of winter flowering the flowerbeds, and revised layouts for the flowerbeds.  Unfortunately, the process confirmed that the contractor had misinterpreted the original requirements and the revised submitted price was £11,845 +VAT,  an increase from the original price of £5,277 + VAT.  It was suggested that this increased price did not represent value for money and the contract was not therefore awarded in this instance.  It was suggested that the matter of street side planting is reviewed and further options are presented to Council in due course.  (REF:  Finance + General 

Purposes Committee  Minute F17/ 074.3;  Greenscene email – Streetscene tender – revised,  28 March 2018)   RESOLVED:  The Streetscene Improvements contract is cancelled and the matter of street side planting is reviewed. 

F17/089.5  Cemetery wall repairs – appointment of professional adviser:  :  Following the previous report 

(Committee 8 February 2018 and 8 March 2018) the Council had now been advised, as expected,  that the insurers would not support a claim for damage.  Further to the advice of the committee at its meeting 8 March 2018, a further quote had been received from building surveyors ( price of £4,150+VAT), in addition to that previously received from a local architect (a price of £3,090+VAT).  It was suggested that the quote offered by David Jenkins Design was suitable and should be accepted.   (Ref:  BRIEFING  NOTE  Collapsed Wall at South Avenue Cemetery, Hurstpierpoint,  Brief for Architect   15 

February 2018;  David Jenkins Design email 8 March 2018;  Gould & Co  email 23 March 2018)  ) 

RESOLVED:  That David Jenkins Design is appointed to advise on the repair of the Cemetery wall at a price of £3,090 + VAT.   

F17/090.  PROJECTS:  

F17/090.1  Action List 2017/18:  The Committee noted the Action List for the Council Year 2017/18.  (Ref:  ACTION LIST 2017/18 rev26  1 March 2018   ATTACHED) 

F17/090.2.  Seats: Further to minute F17/051.3 of the Finance and General Purposes Committee (meeting 9 November 

2017) regarding the location of the seat on the corner of Willow Way.  On closer inspection the seat appeared to have been donated by the local residents and was in a good state. Therefore, the Committee was asked to agree to the replacement of the existing bench located on the B2118, in front of the Parish Councils noticeboard. The new seat had already been purchased.  

RESOLVED: Replacement seat is to be installed by the noticeboard on the B2118, in Sayers Common.  

F17/091.  OPERATIONS:  (exception reports only) F17/091.1  Street lighting:    F17/091.2  Toilets:   

F17/091.3  Trees:  A Chestnut tree in South Avenue Recreation Ground, alongside the path near the tennis courts, was dead or dying and would have to be removed.  Consideration would be given to its replacement with something larger than the usual saplings.   

F17/091.4  Cemetery  

F17/091.5  Recreation Grounds:  

F17/091.6  Waste bins:   There had been some recent confusion about the waste collection from the bin in Pitt Lane, when MSDC stopped collection.  The matter was now resolved with the Parish Council’s contractor collecting, together with the two other Parish Council bins in the Recreation Ground.  Some discussion took place around the general levels of service currently provided by the MSDC contractors, and the condition of some of the bins.  The recent experience of the Parish Council bins and its contractor had been good.  It was noted that current work was being undertaken to assess waste bin requirements around Hurst Meadows.   F17/091.7  Buildings:  

1. (1) Chantry Stables (Charity Shop):  Further to the previous report (Minute F17/081 Meeting 8 March 2018) a contractor had been appointed to excavate and inspect the existing drain, at an estimated cost of £700+VAT.  The Committee were also advised that invitations had been issued to contractors for maintenance work on the exterior of the building.   
2. (2) Hurstpierpoint Bowls Club:   

a)  Boundary fence:  Further to the previous report ((Minute F17/083 Meeting 8 March 2018) the Club had consulted the Planners at Mid Sussex District Council who confirmed that they had no objection to the fence.  They said, however, that some soft landscaping in front of the fence would be preferred, subject to the agreement of the Parish Council.  The Club confirmed that they would be willing to plant a Yew hedge (or similar) which would be grown only to the height of the fence, but in time would be an effectively screen.  The Committee considered the comments made by members of the public earlier in the meeting, in opposition to the close-boarded fence and the Committee suggested that a recommendation is made to Council that further discussion is held with the Club to attempt to reach a solution which satisfies all parties.   (REF:  Bowls Club email 27 March 2018)   

RECOMMENDATION to Council:  That, with respect to the new eastern boundary fence, further discussions are held with the Bowls Club to seek a solution which addresses the objections and satisfies all parties.   . 

F17/091.8  Allotments:   

F17/091.9  Village Centre:    

(1)  Fire risk assessment:  The committee was asked to note that the HVCA (who operate the Village Centre) had commissioned a fire risk assessment.  A number of matters had been identified but of particular interest was a suggestion that a fire delay shutter is installed at the Parish Office reception window.  The Report suggested that the risk is ‘high; and  

‘recommended looking at fire shutter’.  As there were no fire risk activities taking place either side of the reception window it was not clear what benefit  a delay shutter would bring.  The Parish Office is separated from the kitchen and halls area (and improved fire delay is proposed for the inner and outer lobby areas.  It was suggested that the Council did not consider that a delay shutter was required for its own purposes, and leaves the matter to HVCA to determine.  (REF:  Village Centre, Hurstpierpoint email 20 March 2018 and Fire Assessment report  October 2017)   

F17/091.10  Village Garden:  The electicity point box had been replaced.   F17/091.11  Highways:   

F17/091.12  Public enquiries: The Committee is advised that the Parish Office maintains a  Customer log of all public enquiries and which is available for inspection by Members.  

There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at  8.55  pm    Chairman