Bishop's Waltham Parish Council
Annual Report April 2010 – February 2011

Policy, Resources and Planning Committee Report - Chairman’s Report

The Council has continued to use the improved system of accounting which gives the various Committees month by month details of income/expenditure against budget heads. Except in the few instances where emergency work is required Committees have greater control of expenditure. Bearing in mind that precept budgets are prepared many months in advance there is always the possibility of subsequent unbudgeted expenditure but as this is classed as unbudgeted proposals they have to be costed and submitted to the P, R & P Committee for scrutiny prior to acceptance.

The Council continues a policy of balancing overspends and under spends at the end of a financial year, with any credit being passed back into reserves. This means that any allocated funds not spent in the relevant year cannot be carried forward to the following year, thus encouraging councillors to ensure their proposals come to fruition within the time agreed frame. The Council’s expenditure is set within the context of its Financial Regulations which are subject to annual review.

The Precept details for the year 2011/12 are included in the Parish Chairman’s Report so I will not repeat them here. However, I believe it is important for precept payers to realise that Bishop’s Waltham Parish Council manages a very large estate which bears no comparison to other smaller parishes. For instance, this Council owns on your behalf three community use buildings, the Jubilee Hall, Priory Park and Hoe Road pavilions, together with acres of sports fields, tennis courts and many children’s play areas. The Council also has a responsibility to maintain, in partnership with Swanmore Parish Council, the cemetery at West Hoe. For the year 2011/12 the Council has been asked to set aside £6,000 as its contribution to the costs.

During the year it was necessary to reorganise the duties/hours of the office staff to meet the changing needs of both staff and efficiency. We were fortunate to retain the services of the ex Project Officer by moving him into the role of Responsible Financial Officer (for which he is well qualified), previously within the Job Description of the Deputy Clerk (who wished to work less hours) without any extra staff costs. We were also able under this review to extend the hours of the Assistant Clerk in order to free up the Clerk for her more important extensive role as the Council’s Proper Officer. All of this was achieved within the staff budget.

The Council took the decision during the year to bring the grounds staff up to establishment at the time our Senior Groundsman wished to retire from the full time post. Our existing Groundsman was promoted to the senior post, a new fulltime Groundsman commenced work in January, we retained the shared Village Caretaker/Groundsman post and were fortunate to retain our experienced previous senior groundsman on a controlled part time basis to cover leave/sickness/absences and to generally help out at times when the grass grows more quickly than they can mow it. Yes it really does happen in the football season! Because of the lower rates of pay than previously pertained the Clerk is to be congratulated on arranging these changes within budget.

The Council continues to meet 50% of the costs imposed by WCC for retention of the Public Conveniences in the Central Car Park. However, WCC subsequently advised they could no longer cover the costs of locking and unlocking these premises. Bearing in mind that having previously been requested by the local Police to close the toilets at an earlier time, to reduce anti-social behaviour and vandalism, the Council agreed that the process had worked successfully and arranged for our groundsmen to undertake these duties at our expense on their way to and from their workplace. The toilets will remain open later on special occasions.

The Council is very much aware that some of its activities are heavily subsidised, particularly in respect of football. The charges have now been reviewed and more equitable fees are in place to reflect the actual cost of preparing pitches for use, but in no way do these cover the actual cost of maintaining these facilities. The Council is endeavouring to reduce the subsidy over time in fairness to all tax payers, without discouraging participation in sport over all areas.

Hire fees for all built facilities have been increased as have ground rents for other land holdings. Following a report from its Internal Auditor the Council was advised to approach a VAT Consultancy, which advised the Council that it should register The Jubilee Hall and Hoe Road Sports and Recreation Ground for VAT and this advice has been accepted as of 1st January 2011. This course of action will undoubtedly increase charges to hirers to the tune of +20% and it is hoped this will not decrease bookings of the facilities. However, having asked the experts for advice it would be foolish not to accept that advice.

Planning matters continue to be monitored and commented on by a small Planning sub-committee; decisions are then reported to the full Committee for acceptance or review. The applications were many and varied but only one was changed to an objection instead of comments by the full Committee following lobbying by neighbours. This application was subsequently refused by WCC officers but will no doubt be the subject of a costly appeal if WCC cannot negotiate a more acceptable development.

I consider that although we have lost some and won some, it is important for the Parish view to be taken into consideration. The Clerk has established a good rapport with the Planning officers, who are helpful with their guidance. We always base our input on Material Planning Considerations as objections cannot be sustained unless they are contrary to Policy and we are always mindful that attendance is required at the Winchester Development Control meeting to sustain our views if they differ from those of the Case Officer.

The controversial application in respect of the Abbey Mill - Sainsbury’s supermarket and Doctor’s surgery - is dealt with by the full Parish Council in accord with PC policy.

With ‘Localism’ on the horizon, whatever that eventually entails, I am sure that Bishop’s Waltham Parish Council will meet any challenge which is thrown down from on high to the same standards as it has in the past! My hope is that this Committee will be proactive and not reactive. We might have a lot to gain.

I would like to record the full Committee’s thanks to my fellow members of the Planning Sub Committee, Cllrs Alan Foster and Judy Marsh, for regularly fulfilling these additional tasks when required on Wednesday mornings.

The P, R & P Committee has important duties to fulfil and it couldn’t function without the advice and input of our Quality Clerk, Lindsay Edge, whose knowledge and experience is a valuable asset for all to access, whether it is a Councillor or member of the public. However, an appeal, please restrict your access to office hours, between 10am and 2pm, she does have a lot of work to do!

My personal thanks to the Chairman of the Council, especially my vice-chair Steve Miller, fellow members of the Committee – some of whom don’t always concur with my views (but that is how democracy works!) – and all staff for their continuing support during the past twelve months.

It has been a busy year for all of us, and I for one actually enjoyed it. Becoming a Parish Councillor or even chairing a Committee is not for the faint hearted. It is however an excellent opportunity to become involved in the life of the community in which one lives, working towards making it an even better place and I commend all of those reading this report to consider fulfilling such a role.


Cllr Mrs Dorothy Quiney
February 2011