Open Session:

There were two members of the public present, neither of whom wished to speak.

Present:

Cllr N W Light (Chairman)
Cllr M F Daly (Vice Chairman)
Cllr N J Chard
Cllr D Cole
Cllr L C Ford
Cllr Mrs V A Sullivan

In Attendance:

Mr T R Simpson, Town Clerk
Mrs L A Wickens, P A to the Town Clerk

OS/4822 Absence

An apology for absence was received from Cllr Cracknell.

OS/4823 Declarations of Interest

Cllr M Daly declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 10 as he is chairman of Ringwood Cricket Club. He also indicated that he would leave the room during discussion and voting on this item.

OS/4824 Minutes of Previous Meeting

The Town Clerk advised that there was an error in the numbering sequence of the minutes of the previous meeting which would need to be corrected.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 4th October 2006, having been circulated, be approved and signed as a correct record subject to the correction in the numbering sequence reported at the meeting.

OS/4825 Ringwood Lawn Tennis Club

The Town Clerk circulated to members copies of his letter to the Chairman of the Tennis Club dated 9th October 2006 and the Club chairman’s reply dated 30th October 2006.

The Chairman advised that, as there was a still a clear difference in the views of both the Committee and members of the Tennis Club, and as members had not had time to assimilate the contents of the Club’s response, he recommended that discussion of this agenda item be deferred. He suggested that the best way forward would be to invite members of the Tennis Club to a private meeting with the Committee prior to the next Committee meeting. Members concurred.

RESOLVED: that the Ringwood Lawn Tennis Club be invited to send members to a private meeting with Committee Members at 7.00 pm on Wednesday 6th December 2006, prior to the Committee Meeting, in order to hear the views of both sides with regard to the grass tennis courts at Carvers Recreation Ground.

OS/4826  Cemetery

The Clerk reported that grounds staff had noticed that there were some stones missing from the Cemetery wall, adjacent to the School playground at the rear of the buildings. However, the Council’s Technical Officer had inspected the wall and reported that it was safe and that repair work could be carried out by the grounds staff as part of their normal duties.

RESOLVED: that the Clerk’s report be received.

OS/4827 Poulner Lakes

The Clerk reported that the Statutory Declarations required by the Land Registry were being prepared by the Council’s solicitors and would soon be ready for signature. The Declarations had been requested by the Land Registry, as there was a small discrepancy in the position of the access road between the original map and the new digitalised version. No other claims on the road had been received by the Land Registry.

The Clerk advised members that the Council’s grounds staff would soon be filling in the holes in the approach road. However, until the status of the road was confirmed by the Land Registry, the Council could not use Developers’ Contributions funds to carry out any additional work. Over the course of the winter months the pathways would be restored by the grounds staff and enhanced with rolled gravel. In order to preserve the habitat for wildlife, the grass would not be cut until February/March 2007.

RESOLVED: that the Clerk’s report be received.

OS/4828 The Bickerley

The Clerk advised members that no further major enhancement work would be carried out until the District Council had published its Waiting Restrictions Order for Bickerley Road and notification had been received from the County Council regarding the installation of kerbing along the road.

In reply to an enquiry by Cllr Chard, the Clerk informed the Committee that the Town Council would welcome donations from the public who wished to have memorial trees/shrubs on The Bickerley as part of the enhancement. A press release would be issued in due course.

Cllr Cole enquired whether some of the trees could be taken out in the Pocket Park as at present the picnic table did not get much use as the trees made the area rather dismal. In response it was confirmed that work would commence shortly on the trees scheduled for removal and replacement and the footpath adjoining the Millstream.

RESOLVED: that the Clerk’s report be received.

OS/4829 Long Lane

The Clerk reminded members that to date, the Council had leased the Ten Acre Field from the District Council, constructed sports pitches at the site and had agreed to enter into an agreement with Ringwood Town Football Club to use two of their changing rooms in exchange for some remedial ground works. As soon as Planning Permission, which was imminent, was received, the Council would wish to go ahead with works to the changing rooms and entrance, erection of a portakabin for toilets and associated works. New goal posts and nets had already been provided. The cost of these works was substantially less than providing facilities on the ten acre field and had less impact on the visual environment.

However, no confirmation had been received from the District Council that funds for these works would be available from Developers’ Contributions. The Chairman of Committee wished therefore, to request the Policy & Finance Committee to agree to the use of the funds included in the Capital Programme for these works. However, when that provision had been made it had been expected that income to cover the expenditure would be received from Developers’ Contributions. If the District did not approve the release of Developers’ Contributions, expenditure would have to be met from Reserves.

RESOLVED: that in order to bring the sports pitches into use, the Policy & Finance Committee be requested to authorise expenditure on accommodation works at Ringwood Town Football Club in advance of approval by the District Council of the use of Developers’ Contributions and, in the event of the District Council not giving such approval, the cost of the works be met from Reserves.

OS/4830 Inspection of Play Areas

The Clerk advised that he felt that it would be appropriate for members to carry out an inspection of Play Areas and equipment before preparation of next year’s budget.

RESOLVED: that Members carry out an inspection of the Council’s three play areas at Carvers Recreation Ground, Ash Grove and Toad Corner on a date and time convenient to Members.

Cllr Daly left the meeting before the following item was discussed.

OS/4831 Carvers Recreation Ground

The Clerk reported that a price for the refurbishment of the pavilion was imminent. He confirmed that replacement windows would not be fitted but that toughened glass would be fitted to the existing windows. New kitchen fitments and new showers would be installed and, where necessary, rewiring carried out.

RESOLVED: that the Clerk’s report be received.

Cllr Daly returned to the meeting.

OS/4832 Urgent Business

(1) Disabled Toilet at Cemetery

Grounds staff had reported that someone had been sleeping in the disabled toilet over the past two weekends. The ensuing cleaning up had taken considerable staff time each Monday morning.

Members agreed that this situation could not continue. The Clerk said that at present the toilets are locked each weekday evening but are left unlocked at the weekends. The Clerk made the following suggestions to overcome the problem: (a) the toilets could be locked at the weekends (b) special RADAR locks could be fitted or (c) the grounds staff could be requested, in the short term during the winter months, to work on a rota basis at the weekends opening and closing the toilets.

Cllr Ford suggested that it might be possible to install time locks.

RESOLVED:

(a) that in the short term, grounds staff be requested to lock and unlock the Cemetery toilets on a rota basis at the weekends

and

(b) that the Town Clerk investigate whether time locks would be suitable for the toilets at the Cemetery.

(2) Play Equipment

The Town Clerk reminded Members that grounds staff check the Council’s play equipment early each week day morning and he felt that it was now necessary to have the equipment checked at weekends also.

RESOLVED: that the grounds staff be requested to check the Council’s play equipment on a rota basis at the weekends.

OS/4833 Exclusion of Public and Press

RESOLVED: That under Section 100 (A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information. (Annex’A’).

OS/4834 Cemetery Footpath Between Cemetery and Ringwood Junior School

The Clerk reported on negotiations with Hampshire County Council for the sale of the footpath between the Cemetery and Ringwood Junior School on the terms now reported.