Open Session:

There was one member of the public present, who wished to speak.

Present:

Cllr N W Light (Chairman)
Cllr N J Chard
Cllr Mrs B A Charlton
Cllr D Cole
Cllr D E Cracknell
Cllr M F Daly
Cllr Mrs V A Sullivan
Cllr N Wood

In Attendance:

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

OS/4742 Absence

An apology for absence was received from Cllr C Ford.

OS/4743 Declarations of Interest

Cllr M Daly declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 8 as he is Chairman of Ringwood Cricket Club. He also indicated that he would leave the room during the discussion and voting on this item.

OS/4744 Minutes of Previous Meeting

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 1st March 2006, having been circulated, be approved and signed as a correct record.

OS/4745 New Flower Planters

Members were advised that the County's highways' surveyor for the Ringwood area had inspected the sites the committee had suggested for new planters and had agreed exact locations with the Grounds Foreman. It was hoped that a cast iron planter could be obtained for Fridays Cross to complement the seat and also a new litter bin which the District Council would be installing. The extra baskets for the lamp posts in the Market Place had been delivered to the Council's contractor for planting up.

RESOLVED: that the report on the new flower planters be noted.

OS/4746 Sponsorship Board

The Town Clerk reported that a request had been received from the Chamber of Trade for the Town Council to erect a board by the VIC, indicating the names of sponsors of planters/railings troughs, rather than each individual planter/trough showing the name of the sponsor, as was at present the case.

Members discussed the merits of such a change. It was noted that most of the sponsorship had already been renewed for the coming season under the present system. None of the sponsors was a member of the Chamber of Trade. The present system of showing the name of the sponsor on each individual item was not costly and it was felt that this should be continued.

RESOLVED: that the Chamber of Trade's request to erect a sponsorship board by the VIC be not supported.

OS/4747 Pocket Park

The Clerk reported that Catherine Harris, the Council's architect for the project, expected to be ready to go out to tender for the remedial works in approximately two months' time. The Council was pursuing a grant application as part of the Avon Valley Initiative.

RESOLVED: that the Clerk's report be noted.

OS/4748 Footpath between Ringwood Cemetry and Ringwood School

The Clerk reminded members of the status of the footpath. Historically, the Town Council was not responsible for the boundary between the cemetery and the adjoining land. In 1933 the Council had installed an iron fence, approximately 5ft from the boundary, with angle iron supports. In 1962 the school had asked for permission to use the land outside the fence as a footpath for pupils to get to the school playing field, rather than take the longer route around the roads. This had necessitated removing the angle iron supports from the fence.

As a consequence of removing the fence supports, a section of the fence had now collapsed. The Clerk suggested that as a permanent repair, the section of fence would need to be replaced with the remainder of the existing fence being supported by concrete posts to avoid it also falling over. Since the Town council owned the land on both sides of the fence and schoolchildren are supposed to be escorted between the two school sites, there was no absolute need for the Council to retain this fence. However, it would be better to retain a separation between the pathway and the cemetery and he would continue to negotiate with the school over the possibility of sharing the cost of replacing the damaged portion of the fence.

RESOLVED:
(a) that, as a temporary measure, the Town Council remove the collapsed section of the fence and install concrete posts to support the remainder of the fence line,

and

(b) that the Town Clerk continue negotiations with the school over the possibility of sharing the cost of replacing the damaged portion of the fence.

Cllr Daly left the room during discussion of the following item.

OS/4749 Carvers Recreation Ground

The Clerk reported that he had been unable to contact the Council's architect who had been contracted to oversee the refurbishment of Carvers pavilion to ascertain when the work would commence.

RESOLVED: that, if the architect did not commence the necessary work within seven days, the contract be cancelled and the Council obtain fresh tenders for the work.

Cllr Daly returned to the meeting.

0S/4750 Long Lane

Members were updated on progress of developing temporary changing accommodation at the above site. The Clerk reported that a Planning Application would be submitted to the District Council shortly. The cost of portacabins had been higher than anticipated, but should be vandalproof. They would be situated in the corner of the Football Ground car park, next to the allotments. The Football Club had agreed for the Council to carry out some remedial work to the surface of the car park.

The Town Clerk said that, together with the Mayor and Chairman of Committee, he hoped shortly to have another meeting with the two local landowners regarding purchase by the Council of land for the development of sports facilities for the town. If no positive response was received he felt it was time for the Council to pursue other measures to acquire the land or withdraw proposals for new sports facilities.

RESOLVED: that the Clerk arrange a meeting with the two local landowners and that if no positive response is received, the Council pursue other measures to acquire the land required for the provision of sports facilities for the town.

OS/4751 Dr Little Gardens

Following the recent anti-social incidents in the Gardens, members discussed ways of keeping the area free from vandalism and anti-social behaviour. The possibility of lowering the height of the wall was considered. Cllr Mrs Sullivan opined that there might possibly be money available for such a purpose from the Walking & Cycling Group.

Members also considered the removal of the seats and litter bins. However, Cllr Cracknell was opposed to this as he felt the Gardens were generally well used by members of the public, who would be disappointed if the seats were removed. The possibility of introducing byelaws banning the lighting of fires in the Gardens was also considered. It was agreed to leave this in abeyance for the time being and see how the Police dealt with any further problems in the area. The Town Clerk said that the grounds staff would remove litter on a regular basis and the situation in the Gardens would be monitored over the coming months.

RESOLVED: that the Town Clerk's actions in controlling and monitoring the current problems in Dr Little Gardens be endorsed and no action be taken to remove the seats and litter bins in Dr Little Gardens or to adopt byelaws.

OS/4752 Cemetry

(a) Access for undertakers' vehicles

The Clerk reported that there had recently been a site meeting with a director of a local firm of undertakers who had experienced difficulties when manoeuvring hearses in the cemetery.

A demonstration had shown that, except when a hearse needed to be taken to the top end of the cemetery, there would be no need to use the access road adjacent to the War Graves. On these occasions, it might be necessary for the vehicle to reverse around into the access road to the new part of the cemetery.

This manoeuvre would be facilitated by the Committee's previous decision to remove three macracarpa trees and stumps on the right hand bend of the access road into the new part of the cemetery. The groundsmen would realign that corner by the introduction of an additional hardened area so that vehicles would not sink into the grass. This would be achieved by removing the grass and subsoil, inserting a new kerb, retaining the old kerbstones and filling the gap with hardcore and a finish of gravel or similar surface material.

It had also been agreed with the undertakers that the fir trees planted along either side of the access road in the new part of the cemetery would be removed so that vehicles can drive down without interference and turn round in the hammerhead at the end of the road. New evergreen trees or shrubs would be planted, but further away from the road so that they would not cause any interference to vehicles.

RESOLVED: that the actions taken by the Town Clerk to resolve the difficulties in manoeuvring undertakers' vehicles in the cemetery be endorsed.

(b) Car parking provision for school staff during tree work

The Town Clerk advised members that whilst essential work to the tree line between the cemetery and Ringwood Junior School was carried out, part of the school's car park would need to be fenced off for safety reasons. The Head Teacher had requested permission for school staff to park in the cemetery car park during the duration of the tree works. The Town Clerk felt that this request could be accommodated and he would arrange to have grounds staff on duty in the cemetery car park at school opening and closing times. The staff would also ensure that when funerals were taking place there was ample parking for those attending.

RESOLVED: that the Town Clerk's actions in providing car parking for school staff in the cemetery car park during tree works be endorsed.

OS/4753 Urgent Business

(a) Copper Kettle Site

The Clerk reported that following a site meeting, arrangements were in hand to transfer the freehold of the land to the Town Council.

RESOLVED: that the transfer of the land be noted.

(b) Castleman Way

The Clerk reported that the transfer of the freehold of land at Castleman Way from Laings to the Town Council was still being pursued.

RESOLVED: that the Clerk's comments be noted.

(c) Carvers

drain to tennis pavilion The Clerk advised members that a blockage, caused by hedge roots growing into the drain, had been discovered in the drain leading to the tennis pavilion and this would need attention.

RESOLVED: that action be taken to repair the blockage caused to the drain leading to the tennis pavilion.

OS/4754 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 items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information. (Annex `A').

OS/4755 The Bickerley

The Town Clerk advised members that £2,000 had been estimated in the committee budget for drainage work opposite Kingsbury Lane. However, a contractor asked to quote for the work had estimated that £4,800 would be required to carry out remedial works. It was suggested that further quotations should be obtained.

Those contractors tendering would need to visit the site whilst water was accumulating in the area in order to evaluate the extent of the problem.

RESOLVED: that the Council seeks further tenders to carry out remedial drainage work on The Bickerley opposite Kingsbury Lane.