Author: Irene - Parish Clerk

Agenda for Mountfield Parish Council Annual Meeting 13.05.25

AGENDA FOR THE MOUNTFIELD PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON 13th MAY 2025

Parish Council Members are summoned to the Annual Council Meeting of Mountfield Parish Council, to be held on 13th May 2025, at 7.30pm in Mountfield Village Hall

Members of the press and public are welcome and encouraged to attend

Irene Marchant – Parish Clerk/RFO

9th May 2025

St. Giles, Woods Corner, Dallington, East Sussex TN21 9LA

01424 838424 – clerk@mountfield.org.uk

1. Election of Chair for 2025-26

2. Election of Vice-Chair for 2025-26

3. Disclosure of interests

To receive any disclosures by Members of personal interests in matters on this agenda, the nature of any such interest and whether the Members considers the interest as a disclosable pecuniary interest under the terms of the Code of Conduct.

4. Dispensations requested

5. Apologies for absence

6. Accuracy of the minutes of the previous meeting(s)

7. Open Forum

7.1 County Council report (ESCC) – Councillor |K Field

7.2 District Council report (RDC) – Councillor E. Kirby-Green

7.3 Public Question Time – to receive any questions from members of the public on items on this agenda.

8. Approval of the Annual Governance and Accountability Relturn 2024-25 (AGAR)

For Members to approve by resolution the following:

8.1 The Annual Governance Statement (Section 1)

8.2 The Accounting Statements (Section 2)

8.3 The Explanation of Variances and Bank Reconciliation at 31.03.25

8.4 Restated Asset Register

To thank Mr. Harding for the construction and positive manner in which he conducted the internal audit for the MPC AGAR and to appoint him as MPC’s internal auditor for 2025-26.

9. MPC appointments to outside organisations

10. Playground – new play equipment and picnic tables

10.1 To approve the purchase of 2 items of play equipment (COUNCILLOR WHINES)

10.2 To approve the purchase of 2 new picnic tables made of recycled material.

10.3 To consider a maintenance contract for playground equipment.

11. Mountfield Village Hall Rest Centre/Resilience Plan

For Councillor Whines to brief on the latest situation. (COUNCILLOR WHINES)

12. Highways England/John’s Cross speed limits

Councillor Purdie is to brief on the latest situation and his email to Highways England asking for the latest data on speed limits. (COUNCILLOR PURDIE)

13. SW Solar Array

Councillor O’Sullivan to brief on the latest situation. (COUNCILLOR O’SULLIVAN)

14. Change of MPC suffixes to .gov.uk

The Clerk to brief on this change which is now urgent as MPC’s email subscription with Godaddy ends in July 2025.

  • The Clerk recommends using Uniserve as our email service provider and not Zoho as our Registrar (Geoxphere) suggests.
  • Also taking out a service contract with Uniserve for IT support (Clerk only).
  • The domain name – mountfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk – must remain with the Registrar.

(CLERK)

15. Matters outstanding

15.1 Defibrillator for Eatenden Lane – this will shortly be installed. The contractor is sourcing materials and once installed, the defibrillator will be ordered and fitted. (CLERK)

15.2 Telephone Box – the Chair to inform on the latest situation. (CHAIR)

16. Planning

16.1 Planning applications to be discussed:

  • RR/898/CM (ESCC) – British Gypsum, Mountfield

Variation of condition 2 (approved plans and drawings) of planning consent RR/853/CM to regularise discrepancies in drawings including changes to the height of the approved earth embankments. The application also seeks to vary the wording of condition 2 to include “unless these are superseded by later drawings and documents approved through the discharge of conditions attached to this planning permission” tailpiece.

Click on this link to see full details on the ESCC planning website

  • RR/2025/S497/A – Vinehall School, Vinehall Road

Erection of 1200mm x 2900mm x 70mm entrance sign, illuminated from the base upwards during low light.

Click on this link to see full details on the RDC planning website

16.2 Any other planning matters for discussion.

17. Enforcement

17.1 No Mountfield items on RDC’s most recent enforcement list.

17.2 Any other enforcement matters for discussion.

18. Highways/Right of Way

18.1 The Clerk has arranged an SLR meeting with ESCC Highways on 13.06.25 at 3.00pm. This is to discuss and hopefully resolved the ongoing issues with the A2100.

18.2 Any other highways/RoW matters for discussion.

19. Finance

19.1 Bank balances at 30.04.25

  • MPC deposit account – £23,466.94
  • MPC current account – £3,455.91
  • KGF current account – £4,322.18

19.2 To approve the following payments:

  • Clerk salary/HO (Apr/May 2025), expenses – £1,156.28
  • ESALC/NALC subscription 2025-26 – £167.99
  • Clear Councils, MPC insurance 2025-26 – £679.06
  • MVH room hire 2025-26 – £220.00
  • * Amazon, PA refreshments – £101.78
  • * SLCC subscription 2025-26 – £202.00
  • * Uniserve, IT support – £133.20
  • * Glasdon, litter bin for the KGF – £307.66
  • * Amazon, litter sign for the KGF – £26.45
  • * UserWay subscription 2025-25 – £341.65

19.2 To approve the fourth quarter accounts at 31.03.25 as presented by the Clerk.

20. Dates of next meetings

10.06.25 – Full council/planning meeting (provisional)

08.07.25 – Full council meeting

 

New planning application for Mountfield

Please note this is an East Sussex County Council application/.
RR/898/CM – British Gypsum, Eatenden Lane, Mountfield.
Variation of condition 2 (approved plans and drawings) of planning consent RR853/CM to regularise discrepancies in drawings including changes to the height of the approved earth embankments. The application also seeks to vary the wording of condition 2 to include “unless these are superseded by later drawings and documents approved through the discharge of conditions attached to this planning permission” tailpiece.
Deadline for comments – 30.05.25
This application will be on the agenda at the Mountfield Parish Council Annual Meeting on 13.05.25.
Please click on the link below to see full details on the ESCC planning website.
Click here to see full details on the ESCC planning website

VE Day 80 – Helpers Required

VE Day 80 at Mountfield Village Hall

Plans for the VE Day 80th anniversary event at Mountfield Village Hall on the afternoon

of Saturday 10th May from 12.00 – 6.00pm continue to be made. The Hall Committee would like to put out a call for help with the following tasks:

  • Help to set up the hall on Friday afternoon of 9th and Saturday morning of 10th May
  • Volunteers to assist in the kitchen serving tea, coffee and cake during the afternoon
  • Help to prepare ploughmans lunches (10am-12pm)
  • Bake a cake for the refreshment stall
  • Hold a donations collecting bucket at the entrances to the hall
  • Donate a raffle prize
  • Sell raffle tickets during the afternoon

If you can help on any of the above please let Neil Whines know on 07802 703708 or email: mountfieldvh@gmail.com

Cakes and raffle prizes can be left at the hall during the day on Friday or Saturday morning, thank you.

The event itself will include the prize winning re-enactment group ‘Barbed Wire and Bunting’ with a women’s land army display and WW2 military lorry, plus other vintage vehicles.

There will be an exhibition of Mountfield at War and a WW2 display of artefacts from Robertsbridge Aviation Museum.

There will be 1940’s music, and people will be invited to dress in period costume, with a prize for best dressed.

Ploughman’s lunches will be served (1-3pm) plus tea, coffee and cakes all afternoon along with the Mountfield Club bar.

Entry will be by donation, supporting village hall funds. The committee hope that this will be an opportunity for the village to get together in commemoration of this historic event and have some fun. See poster below.

VE DAY 80
VE DAY 80

Notice from the Department of Education – Proposed Order under Section 554 and 556 of the Education Act 1996

 

Department for Education

Real Estate Team

2nd Floor

Bishopsgate House

Darlington DL1 15Q

DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION

NOTICE

DATE: 14th April 2025

DIOCESE OF CHICHESTER

FORMER SITE OF MOUNTFIELD AND WHATLINGTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

PROPOSED ORDER UNDER SECTION 554 AND 556 OF THE EDUCATION ACT 1996

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN:

  1. That the Secretary of State for Education proposes to make an order under sections 554 and 556 of the Education Act 1996 in respect of the above mentioned Church of England educational foundation. The purpose of sections 554 and 556 is to enable the assets of discontinued denominational voluntary schools to be applied for the benefit of new and continuing voluntary schools and foundation schools of the same denomination within the state system of education. The order will, where appropriate, authorise the sale of the premises described.
  2. That under sections 554 and 556 of the Education Act 1996 any person interested may within one month after the date of this Notice make representations on the proposed order in writing to the Secretary of State at the Department’s address given below.

A copy of the draft order may be inspected from [Monday to Friday between 10 am and 4pm at #]

Additional copies can be obtained from the Department for Education, Real Estate Team, Bishopsgate House, Darlington, DL1 5QE or email: land.transactions@education.gov.uk

DECLARATION

Department for Education , Real Estate Team. Ref: EEO – Mountfield and Whatlington CofE Primary School

I, IRENE MARCHANT

 

Of MOUNTFIELD PARISH COUNCIL

in the County of EAST SUSSEX

do hereby declare that the Notice overleaf was affixed at NOTICE BOARD and PARISH WEBSITE

on the 15th day of APRIL , and remained so affixed for one month from that date.

Dated 14TH April 2025 .

Signature of Declarant IRENE MARCHANT

PARISH CLERK/RFO

15th April 2025 Affixed on noticeboard, New Cut, Mountfield, East Sussex

14th April 2024 posted on Mountfield Parish Council website

Reports Mountfield Parish Assembly 2025

Some of you have asked me to upload the reports individually as they are easier to read that way.
Unfortunately we did not receive a report from our local PCSO.
The reports are listed below.
MPC Chair’s Report PA 2025
ESCC Report PA 2025
RDC Report PA 2025
Mountfield Village Hall Report PA 2025
The Messenger Magazine Report PA 2025
Mountfield Footpath Warden’s Report PA 2025
Mountfield Football Club Report PA 2025
Mountfield Cricket Club Report PA 2025
Battle Area Community Transport Report PA 2025