03/07/2024

OUTWOOD PARISH COUNCIL

C/O 2 Dirty Lane, Ashurst Wood, West Sussex RH19 3RY

Tel:  07592 151985 ~ Email: parish.clerk@outwood.org

MINUTES OF THE MEETIG OF OUTWOOD PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON 5^TH JUNE 2024 THE CHURCH ROOM, WASP GREEN LANE, OUTWOOD AT 7.30PM

PRESENT:                             Cllrs. Devlin (Chair), Baldock, Howard and Malley

APOLOGIES:                       Cllr. de Wiggondene-Sheppard

IN ATTENDANCE:              County Cllr. C Farr, District Cllr. S Farr, District Cllr. A Bolton, the Clerk

ALSO PRESENT:                 One member of the public

06/00760            MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING 

1. 1. Minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the following meetings had been circulated in advance and were proposed for approval by Cllr. Malley.  This was seconded by Cllr. Howard and the minutes were signed as a true record.                                 

1. 1. 1. Annual Council Meeting
      2. Ordinary Meeting of the Council

SO RESOLVED

1. 2. Matters Arising - not covered elsewhere on the agenda. - none

06/00761            DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None

06/00762            COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT – Nothing to report

06/007663         DISTRICT COUNCILLORS' REPORTS

It was reported that the Head of Planning (Helen Murch) had resigned with immediate effect.

06/00764            PLANNING APPLICATIONS

1. 3. Application:        2024/356

Proposal:             Part change of use of land and buildings from Class E, B2 andB8 use and sawmill use, to use of land and buildings for Class e, B2 and B8, sawmill and car repair, restoration, and sales area.  Removal of hardstanding (1062sqm) construction of car park and erection of fencing (retrospective)

Location:              Sawmills, Green Lane Outwood RH1 5QP

Comments:         Outwood Parish Council does not support the granting of retrospective planning permission for the change of use at the site, to include car repairs, restoration and sales.  The development of the land associated with the change of use commenced in May 2023, so we note that it has taken the applicant a year to seek retrospective permission.  Given that the work undertaken includes building outside of the area certified as lawful in the 2020 CLEUD, and on green belt land (as identified in the planning statement prepared by Work By Here on behalf of the applicant) the applicant should have been aware that this would require permission.  Had permission been sought at the time we would have objected to it.  We do not support the use of green belt land for the purpose of operating a vehicle business, nor do we support the enclosure of previously open green belt land with fences.  We are also very concerned about the potential environmental damage that may have been caused by the development of the site ; we note that expert agencies have now advised that no development should have taken place without proper assessment.  

We support a return of the greenbelt land to its previous state, and removal of the development that has happened without approval.  If there is to be any change of use for the site in areas that are not green belt then adequate provision needs to be made to ensure there is no noise disturbance for neighbours; no risk of trade effluent (car oil/fuel etc) entering the watercourse; and minimal traffic movements.  A 50 car, car park is clearly excessive for a business that according to the planning application will have zero additional staff.  If this is intended as hard-standing for cars for sale, or for customers, this is an inappropriate scale and will lead to an increase in vehicle movements in the area

06/00765            AVIATION AND TRANSPORT – Nothing to report.  It was AGREED that this item only appear on the agenda when there is something to report.

06/00766            COMMUNITY MATTERS

1. 1. First Aid Courses – This has been arranged for 20^th June.  It was AGREED to extend the invitation to Burstow Parish if numbers are low.
   2. Emergency & Resilience Plan – The updated Surrey County Council template provided an ‘In Case of Emergency’ form to be filled out by residents.  It was AGREED that this would be a useful addition to the Outwood Emergency & Resilience Plan.  It was also considered useful to have aa Safe & Sound Asessment evening run by Salfords Fire Station.  The Clerk was asked to look into this.

AGREED

1. 3. National Trust – volunteers had strimmed the grass round the Trim Trail
   4. Finger Post – The deposit had been paid.

06/00767            FINANCE

1. 1. To approve Annual Governance and Accountability Statement (AGAR).  All the documents had been circulated in advance and were proposed for signature by Cllr. Howard.  This was seconded by Cllr. Malley and the relevant documents were signed by the Chair.
      1. Accounting Statements
      2. Internal Audit Report
      3. Annual Governance Statement
      4. Explanation of Variances
   2. Request for Grant from St. John the Baptist Church – a request had been received in the sum of £2,336.96 (inc. VAT) to cover the necessary costs for advertising the proposed Compulsory Purchase Order of land for the extension of the burial ground.  This had already been budgeted for and was therefore                             AGREED

1. 2. 1. The following documents had been circulated in advance and                      APPROVED
   3. To Approve Bank Reconciliation
   4. To Approve Detailed Receipts and Payments by Budget Heading
   5. To Approve List of Payments: June 2024

05/00768            AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING – None

The meeting closed at 8.16pm

Signed: ……………………………………………………..                           Date:………………………………………………….

CHAIR