Author: Irene - Parish Clerk

Revised agenda for MPC meeting on 16.01.24

AGENDA FOR THE MOUNTFIELD PARISH COUNCIL MEETING TO BE HELD ON 16th JANUARY 2024

Parish Council Members are summoned to a meeting of Mountfield Parish Council, to be held on 16th January 2024, at 7.30pm in Mountfield Village Hall.

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

Irene Marchant (Parish Clerk/RFO)

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

01424 838414/07711224150

clerk@mountfield.org.uk

1. Disclosure of Interests

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

2. Dispensations

3. Apologies for absence

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

5. Open Forum

5.1 County Council report (ESCC) – Councillor K. Field

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

5.3 Public Question Time – to receive any questions/concerns from members of the public on matters on this agenda.

6. Approval of the draft revenue budget for 2024-25 and setting the precept for 2024-25

6.1 To approve by resolution the draft revenue budget for 2024-25.

6.2 To approve by resolution to amount of the precept for 2024-25.

7. Highways England/John’s Cross speed limits

For Councillor Purdie to brief all on the current situation. (Councillor Purdie)

8. Grants and donations

To consider the recent grant request from Battle Area Community Transport.

9. Mountfield Village Hall Rest Centre/Resilience Plan

Councillor Whines to brief on the work done so far. (Councillor Whines)

10. MPC Environmental Policy

To discuss and agreed the latest draft. (Chair)

11. Affordable Housing

Councillor Farhall to brief on the work done so far. (Councillor Farhall)

12. MPC change of domain name

The Clerk to inform Members of the current situation. (Clerk)

13. Defibrillators

To agree the location of a defibrillator to benefit the residents of Eatenden Lane.

14. Matters Outstanding

  • Welcome Packs, in progress.
  • Telephone Box, specification/quotation required (Councillor Farhall)
  • Broadband, Eatenden Lane (Clerk)

15. East Sussex Local Transport Plan 2024-2050

To consider MPC’s response to this consultation.

16. Planning

16.1 No planning applications for consideration.

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/Rights of Way

To discuss any highways/RoW matters.

19. Finance

19.1 Bank balances at 31.12.23:

  • MPC deposit account – £31,708.08
  • MPC current account – £2,076.62
  • KGF current account – £4,332.77

19.2 To approve the following payments:

  • Clerk, salary/HO (Dec23/Jan24) – £1,080.20
  • *Godaddy (email essential R. Purdie 3 years) – £129.17
  • *Godaddy (ultimate domain protection 3 years) – £70.48
  • *Mastercard fee – £3.00
  • *UT service charge – £18.00

* Already paid.

19.3 To approve the 3rd quarter accounts at 31.12.23 as presented by the Clerk.

20. Dates of next meetings

  • 12.03.24 – KGF meeting (starts at 7.00pm)
  • 12.03.24 – Full Council meeting (starts 7.30pm)
  • 13.02.24 – Planning meeting (provisional)

21. Exclusion of Public and Press

Pursuant to Section 1((2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, to resolve

that the public and press be excluded from consideration of item 20., as it may include contractual information.

22. Closed Session

 

14.01.24 – All Saints Church, Extraordinary Service by the Bishop of Chichester

Apologies for the error on my previous post. Both Dallington and Mountfield websites have had problems with the Godaddy (hosting) firewall, unable to gain access and things have been done in a rush.
The Extraordinary Service is on 14.01.24 at 10am and the Celebrant will be the Bishop of Chichester, the Right Reverend Dr. Martin Warner.
The regular monthly service will be on Sunday 21.01.24 at 10am and the Rev. Kevin Mepham will be the Celebrant.
All are welcome at the services.

Petition opposing the planned speed limit changes through our village and past Mountfield Heath and Vinehall Schools

Link to sign the petition below

Click here to sign the petition

Why this petition matters

There have been five serious accidents in the last 12 months on 16 Oct 22, 24 Jan 23, 16 Mar 23, 18 June 23 and 27 Oct 23 and two of which sadly were fatal.

The children at Mountfield Heath School have complex needs, meaning that they have limited danger awareness.  A faster road will increase the danger posed to these young children.  Sometimes vehicles travel at speed down the slip road towards the school thinking they can bypass the roundabout, and many near misses have occurred here.

Sussex Police classify John’s Cross as a high-risk section of road. Section 7 of the Government Guidelines states that the set speed limit should be the maximum speed vehicles should be driven at, not the minimum.

Over 14,000 vehicles (Geo report) use this stretch of road every day, and the speed motorists travel at is a danger to everyone.

Our MP, Huw Merriman, our County Councillor, Paul Redstone, our District Councillor, Kathryn Field and our Parish Councillor, Robert Purdie plus Surrey and Sussex Police and Road Safety and Traffic Management Team all support our campaign.

What action should be taken?  

We demand that National Highways revises their current A21 safety package project currently being carried out to:

1)     Retain the Johns Cross speed limit of 30mph: National Highways must follow government guidelines and retain the 30mph through this stretch of road.  Government guidelines for rural villages state that all villages with 20 or more residential properties should have a 30mph speed limit.

2)     Reduce the 60mph zone North of Johns Cross to 50mph & a further reduction to 40mph before going through the 30mph gateway: Currently from the North, a 60mph leads directly into our 30mph, contravening section 7 of Government Guidelines/own policy.

3)     Reduce the 50mph zone just South of Johns Cross roundabout to 40mph:  Approaching from the South, the 50mph past Vinehall School leads straight into a 30mph. Again Section 7 of Government Guidelines states that not only should a gateway be used to slow traffic but there should be an extended area of a lower than national speed in problem areas, “The speed limit on the road outside Vinehall School should be reduced from 50mph to 40mph before going through the 30mph gateway.

THE ANSWER ISN’T TO INCREASE THE SPEED LIMIT FROM 30MPH TO 40MPH.  THE ANSWER IS TO REDUCE THE SPEED LIMITS EITHER SIDE TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS, SCHOOL CHILDREN AND EVERY MOTORIST THAT TRAVELS ALONG THIS DANGEROUS SECTION OF THE A21!

Your support for this petition is vitally needed.

Please add your signature and share this petition with others. The petition will be presented to National Highways by our MP and made known to the Department of Transport and to the East Sussex County Council.

With thanks from the residents, businesses owners and schools located in John’s Cross, Mountfield and surrounding villages.

Signatures: 333Next Goal: 500

333

500

Signatures

Next Goal

238 people signed this week

Sign this petition

Click here to sign the petition

 

 

New planning application for Mountfield

EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL APPLICATION
RR/867/CMNM/1 – British Gypsum
Non-material amendment to vary Condition 4 of planning permission RR/867/CM to remove the date specific time for the importation of gypsum by road.

Comments should be made directly to ESCC Planning at
Click on this link to see full details on the ESCC planning website

Deadline for comments is 19.12.23

 

Dallington Winter Solstice Event – 2023

The annual Dallington Winter Solstice Event will take place at Dallington Recreation Ground on Friday 22nd December 2023, starting at 6.30pm and we will light the beacon at 7.00pm (weather permitting).
There will be refreshments – mulled wine (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, soft drinks, baked potatoes and sausages – yum. Vegetarians will also be catered for.
Come along and join us, meet up with friends and start the Christmas Celebrations off. Children are very welcome.

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