MINUTES
OF QUARTERLY GENERAL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY,
24 APRIL 2006 AT THE COMMUNITY CENTRE
Presentation by Gwen Andrews, Managing
Director of Havant Borough Council
Chris
Curry (Chairman) explained that Gwen Andrews had decided, in order to maintain
her distance from the political process, not to make the scheduled presentation
on “Strategies and Priorities” at this meeting because of the timing (during
the Borough Election campaign with a hustings session following later in the
meeting).
Diane Akhurst (President) took the Chair for the
next item, omitted by oversight at the Annual General Meeting on 30 January
2006.
Election of Vice Chairman
Ken
Gilchrist was nominated, and, in the absence of any other nomination, declared
elected unopposed as Vice Chairman.
Chris Curry (Chairman) resumed the Chair for the
rest of the meeting.
Minutes of Meeting on 30 January 2006
The minutes were accepted.
Matter Arising from the Minutes
Cllr Brendan Gibb-Gray reported that, following the rejection of their application for a phone-mast at 1New Brighton Road, the applicants were looking for an alternative site in the Southleigh Road / New Brighton Road / Horndean Road triangle.
Report by Chairman (Chris Curry)
1. He welcomed Ken Gilchrist as Vice Chairman: also Tony Morgan, just co-opted to the Committee, to help with the collection of subscriptions; also Yvonne Copeland, who had agreed to replace Dennis Howard in the role of collecting Havant Borough Council Minutes and annotating them for circulation to committee members.
2. He reported that the Havant Liaison Group of Residents’ Associations has some concerns about current and possible future developments. The Unitary Authorities, which may replace County, Borough and District Councils, would mean fewer councilors and larger wards. Community Boards may become more important, with a formal role in planning, heading up to the Havant Community Partnership; Residents’ Associations need to monitor these developments and make their independent voice heard if necessary.
3.
He is concerned at the number of
developments, consisting wholly or partly of flats, in New Brighton Road.
4.
He is also concerned at the
traffic implications of the development of the large interbridges west site,
the only access being via North Street.
5.
We have submitted comments on the
proposed restructuring of Primary Care Trusts. The proposed Oak Park Hospital
has shrunk from 120 to 25 beds (about the same as the Havant War Memorial
Hospital, which will be closed).
6.
We will try to get the Emsworth
Design Statement, which is now being prepared, awarded the status of a
statutory document, which must be taken into account in planning decisions.
Planning Report by Denys Riley
He drew attention to coverage of planning matters in
the current EMS & reported the state of play on various planning
applications, mainly in New Brighton Road. The Southleigh Forest landfill site
is to close about mid-year, but treatment is expected to continue until about
2020.
EMS Report by Richard
Jannaway, Editor
He said that organisations need to tell us about
coming events to get notices in the EMS or on our website. He asked for a
volunteer to update the website weekly.
First Responders Unit
The Chairman said that the Unit was about to get off
the ground. The ERA had donated £500 to the set-up costs.
Borough Election Hustings
The four candidates for the Emsworth Ward were each
allocated five minutes to address the meeting. They were Hugh Benzie (Liberal
Democrat), David Gillett (Conservative, sitting councillor), Derek Smith
(Labour) and Mary Youle (Green). They then responded to questions and points
from the floor.
Any Other Business
Cllr Brendan Gibb-Gray gave notice of a public
meeting on the Market Town Initiative on 4 July, and Cllr Virginia Wilson-Smith
of one on the War Memorial Trail on 3 May. Someone suggested that parking on
the quay be banned, but the Chairman pointed out that the Council had no power
to do so, as it was private property (belonging to the Slipper Sailing Club).
The meeting was attended by about 50 people; it
closed at 9:43pm. The next meeting is on Monday, 31 July.