Durley Parish Council held its AGM on Tuesday 19th May, 2015 in the Ken Stainer Suite at Durley Memorial Hall, Durley. 5 Parish Councillors, the Clerk – Mrs Anne Collins, and 1 parishioner were present. Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Charles, County/District Councillor Humby and District Councillor Ruffell.

As this is a new Term of Office the following Officers were Elected:

Cllr Charles – Chairman
Cllr Watts – Vice Chairman
Cllr Smith – Hall Committee Chairman
Cllr Pitter – Hall Commitee Vice Chairman
Cllr Farr – Highways Officer
Cllr Smith – Footpaths Officer
Cllr Watts – Recreation Ground Chairman
Cllr Pitter – Transport Representative

Councillors agreed to leave the post of Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator Representative until the next Meeting and after the next PACT Meeting. Another Footpaths Officer was also needed, this will also be agreed at the next Meeting.

Councillors signed the Declaration of Office Forms and the Register of Members’ Interest Forms.

As only 6 Councillors stood at the Election for 7 vacancies, the Clerk has advertised for an additional Parish Councillor to be co-opted. 2 candidates came forward and they were both very good candidates. However, Councillors proposed Steve Delmege to come onto the Parish Council. Steve will be asked to come to the next Parish Council Meeting. The other candidate will be informed that they were unsuccessful on this occasion, but hopefully they will stand again in the future.

Councillors also wished to congratulate Councillor Rob Humby on his re-election as our District Councillor. He could not be at the Meeting as he and District Councillor Ruffell had to attend the first Meeting of WCC after the Election.

The Financial Regulations were adopted as previously.

Cllr Burton said that the Parish Plan Report is going to the Printers at the end of the week and will be then circulated to residents. The Public Parish Plan Meeting will be held on Thursday 25th June at 7.30 p.m. in Durley Memorial Hall. It is hoped that many residents will attend.

The cycle racks have been installed at Durley Memorial Hall (under the stairs outside of the Committee Room). These are being used by school children catching the bus, but they are for anyone to use – be green and come to the Hall functions on your bike!

Views are needed from members of the public on the future use of Moorgreen Hospital. An Open Drop in Event is being held on Thursday 28th May from 5.00 – 6.45 p.m.

An e-mail was shown to Parish Councillors from a resident who lives in Greenwood Lane showing the rubbish which has been dumped at Church Copse. Authorities are aware of the problem.

Some highways problems were reported to Cllr Farr so that they can be reported to HCC Highways. Cllr Pitter offered to take photographs so that exact locations can be found by Officers. Clerk said that the telephone cable is still exposed alongside Mincingfield Lane where the roadside is very bad. The problem is mainly caused by large vehicles pushing in the ditch.

The Chairman and Clerk signed the Annual Return for 2015, and Councillors agreed the Accounting Statements for 2014/15 and Annual Governance Statement for 2014/15. These will now be sent off to the External Auditor.

The Memorial Hall sign over the front door has been re-varnished and some broken ceiling tiles have been replaced.

The swings have been replaced at the Recreation Ground, but the chains to the cradle seat are too short so the Clerk is returning them for longer ones. The tidy-up of the lock up continues and will be completed by the end of the month.

There being no further business the Chairman declared the Meeting closed.