2005-6 Annual Report

MESSAGE FROM THE COUNCIL CHAIRMAN
This year, as previous years, The Parish Council has been very busy and despite challenging issues a great deal has been achieved. June 2005 saw the reopening of the completely renewed Amberley Close play area. Over £106,000 has now been spent on the refurbishment of our four play areas over the last three years, with grants totalling £8,250 from Biffa and Awards for All towards Amberley Close.

The Council has committed itself to improving communication links with local residents, organisations and businesses. This has begun in three ways. Firstly, replacing Council Notice Boards - with more to be done in 2006/07; secondly, changing the style of NHPC News, the Council newsletter, in an attempt to make it more readable and will in future be available in Horsham Library, doctors and dentists surgeries – perhaps even at the local hairdressers! Thirdly and perhaps the most exciting part of the commitment is the imminent launch of a new website, which will provide easily available information on the Council’s activities and as a way of consulting with you.

The entire Council membership is up for re-election in May 2007 when it is hoped all 19-councillor vacancies will be filled as a result of those elections. In May 2003 we were short of 6 candidates, which has stopped the Council for applying for Quality Status. I am determined that we do not fail again on meeting this criterion.

I have been pleased to be Council Chairman for the last year and in particular would like to play tribute to all our staff that continue to serve the Council in an exceptional manner. Our Deputy Clerk, Sue Kemp, received the very high national accolade of Clerk of the Year 2005 for the part-time work she does as Clerk to Plaistow & Ifold Parish Council.

The message for the future is that we will continue to build on our successes and at the same time review Council policies to ensure we listen to residents’ concerns and respond as effectively as possible. I hope you enjoy reading about some of the highlights of the past year.

Councillor John Charles

PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP
Three Councillor vacancies were announced a year ago in the 2005 Annual Report. Once again, Bye-elections were not claimed by the public, so the remaining 16 Members selected Simon Relleen, Tony Rickett and Stephen Snowdon to fill the vacancies (all in Holbrook East Ward). Anne Bellringer resigned later in the year having served for just over two years. Again there was no Bye-election and, as empowered, Members appointed David Searle from Earles Meadow on 13 December 2005.

Every time a councillor vacancy occurs the Council is obliged by law to place a Public Notice in the local press. It needs just 10 electors in the affected Ward to write to the Returning Officer at Horsham District Council to make a Bye-election happen. When this fails, the law empowers the remaining Councillors to fill the vacancy. Most people feel democracy is important so it remains a puzzle why so many vacancies are filled without any democratic elections.

Two ‘Council Open Days’ are due to be arranged during the coming year to encourage local residents to find out what it means to be a Parish Councillor and how to become a candidate for May 2007. Full details of these Open Days will be provided in the summer edition of NHPC News and on posters throughout the Parish.

ALLOWANCES FOR COUNCILLORS
The Council has a Scheme of Members’ Allowances, which is independently reviewed. Currently this is £250 per year. A Parish Councillor may elect to forego payment of the allowance.

The Councillors listed below were paid the following allowances during 2005/06

Geoff Couch	£250 (plus £16.83 travel expenses)
Mrs Kim-Jean Farhall	£250
Peter Paffett	£187.50 (elected to forego payment from 01.01.06)
Simon Torn	£250

TRAINING & CONFERENCES
Councillors and staff are encouraged to attend training courses organised by a number of outlets as well as conferences. The following is a list of courses/conferences attended during the year:

Councillors	Simon Torn	Advanced Councillor Course (October 2005)
	David Searle	New Councillor Course (February 2006)
		Planning – HDC Course (January 2006)
	Ray Sutton	Sussex Association of Local Councils AMG – November 2005)
Staff	Tom O’Hara (Parish Clerk)	Society of Local Council Clerks AGM – Sussex (April 2005)
		SLCC Regional Conference – Crawley (April 2005)
		LCAS Health & Safety Seminar – organised by Zurich Municipal (June 2005)
		National Association of Local Councils Conference, Eastbourne (September 2005)
		Action in Rural Sussex and Sussex Association of Local Councils AMGs – November 2005)
		Commenced studying for the Certificate in Local Council Administration (ongoing)
		Quarterly meetings with Tom Crowley (HDC CE)
		SALC Clerks’ Information Days – twice a year
	Sue Kemp (Deputy Clerk)	NALC Conference Eastbourne (September 2005 – 1 day)
		Register of Play Inspections International – certificate of competency – Operational Inspections of Children’s Playgrounds (HSE endorsed course)
		Planning - HDC Course (February 2006)
	Stephen Rennie	Planning - HDC Course (February 2006)
	Eamon Flynn	RPII – certificate of competency – Operational Inspections of Children’s Playgrounds (HSE endorsed course)
	All Staff	Fire Safety Training – use of extinguishers, fire drill, etc (November 2005)

COMMUNITY MATTERS
Citizens Advice Bureau comes to Roffey Millennium Hall! The Council was pleased to welcome the CAB on 30 September 2005 when the weekly Roffey Drop-In service started on Fridays. Many local residents have subsequently used this local CAB outreach, which is proving increasingly popular.
December 2005 saw the first Community Carol Service held at All Saints Church, Roffey sponsored by the Parish Council. The service was very well attended with readings by Scouts and Guides. Arrangements are in hand for the Community Carol Service to be held at St Marks Church, Holbrook in December 2006. The Council wish to thank the Rev Kevin Agnew and Rev Michael Broadley for officiating.

Roffey Millennium Hall

Security has, of necessity, been improved as a result of the damage at the hands of vandals in the summer when they climbed onto the roof and pushed in two air-conditioning fans. Unfortunately, nobody was caught, but the police now regularly patrol the area. Several measures have now been put in place including anti-vandal paint, warning signs and other security improvements on the roof.

Improved acoustics at Roffey Millennium Hall – A number of baffles panels have been fitted to the walls in both North and South halls in response to complaints. Even before the work was completed users remarked on the difference. The improvements were undertaken to encourage more use of the halls for conferences and seminars.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
In response to local residents tree surgery was undertaken in February 2006 on five oak trees at Amberley Close Allotments on the boundary with Earles Meadow. These trees required the removal of dead branches and ivy. Lower branches were also removed to give 5.5m clearances from ground level.

Also in February, work was undertaken on a very prominent oak tree on Earles Meadow. In addition to removal of dead, fractured and diseased branches, a double ‘cobra brace’ was installed to retain the tree in a safe state. The tree has enormous amenity value and the District Council’s Tree Officer supported this view.

MONEY MATTERS
The Parish Council complies with the statutory requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 in the management of its accounts and financial affairs. The appointed external auditor for the Council is Mazars of Southampton; and the independent internal auditor is Peter J Consultants of Lindfield. The Parish Clerk undertakes day-to-day financial management, as the Council’s Responsible Financial Officer with regular reports to the Finance & Administration Committee. Additionally, each Committee monitors its own budget on a quarterly basis.

The Council’s Budget (Precept) for 2005/06, set in January 2005, was £247,107, an increase of 3.3% on the previous year.

How then is your money spent?

The gross budgeted expenditure in the financial year 2005/06 was £427,121, offset by £171,055 of mainly hall lettings income and £8,959 from reserves. Most of the costs of running the three community halls (Roffey Millennium Hall, North Heath Hall and The Tythe Barn/Multi Courts) are met from lettings income. About £136,000 of the total budget is provided to meet the remaining administration costs of the Council. This covers such items as the Office staff salaries, audit fees, office equipment, telephones, postage, membership of organisations and subscriptions, insurance, training, elections, etc.

In addition about £20,000 is repayment of the 26-year loan on Roffey Millennium Hall. The Burial Charges due to Horsham District Council have been maintained at the lower level of £6,000. About £36,000 is paid for grounds maintenance, amenity maintenance, litter wardens, dog bins, street lighting. £57,000 has been spent on capital projects – with nearly £50,000 on new play equipment. Grants of £8,250 were received towards the play equipment.

The budget for 2006/07 has been set at gross expenditure of £447,638 with £195,808 met from income and reserves. The remaining £251,830 becomes the new Precept and is an increase of 1.9% over 2005/06. Because there are more properties to spread the precept over the actual council tax increase is only 0.9%.

GRANTS TO LOCAL ORGANISATIONS & YOUTH AWARDS
The Parish Council makes a number of grants and awards to a variety of local organisations and individuals. This amounted to some £13,600 in 2005/06. Recipients were as follows:

Holbrook Youth Club (Sunday ‘Drop-In’)	£2,460 (prov)
Roffey InterConnect	£2,000
Horsham in Bloom (NHPC best rear gardens)	£400
Crawley & Horsham Home-Start	£1,500
Horsham and Counselling Service	£300
Crawley & Horsham Mind	£500
COMP	£500
Individual Youth Award	£360
Royal British Legion	£40
Horsham CAB	£2,798
The Springboard Project	£750
Horsham Age Concern	£2,000

THE PARISH COUNCIL & HOW TO GET IN TOUCH

PARISH COUNCILLORS

HOLBROOK EAST WARD (5 Members)

Richard Henman, 17 Hatchlands, RH12 5JX	243163	Appointed 27.05.03
Simon Relleen, 55 Amberley Road, RH12 4LJ	230955	Appointed 17.05.05
Tony Rickett, 33 Bluebell Close, RH12 5WB	217003	Appointed 17.05.05
Stephen Snowdon, 10 Mallard Close, RH12 2NB	254689	Appointed 17.05.05
Ray Turner, 8 Conifers Close, RH12 4QH	259612	Appointed 30.11.04

HOLBROOK WEST WARD (4 Members)

Mrs Karen Burgess, 27 Haybarn Drive	273533	Appointed 27.05.03
Peter Burgess, 27 Haybarn Drive, RH12 5JF	273533	Elected May 2003
Ken Spiers, “Robins Post”, North Heath Lane, RH12 5PJ	268785	Elected May 2003
Ray Sutton, 7 Cottingham Avenue, RH12 5HU	252741	Elected May 2003

ROFFEY NORTH WARD (6 Members)

Mrs Maria Aguilar, 5 Rusper Road, RH12 4BA	240092	Appointed 27.05.03
John Charles, 123 Beech Road, RH12 4TY	265351	Appointed 27.05.03
David Searle, 7 Earles Meadow, RH12 4HP	256267	Appointed 13.12.05
Mrs Elizabeth Ferran, 3 Amundsen Road, RH12 5GE	255262	Appointed 27.05.03
Simon Torn, 9 Shepherds Way, RH12 4LT	262199	Elected May 2003
Miss Morag Walker, 37 Furzefield Road, RH12 4NF	266679	Appointed 27.04.04

ROFFEY SOUTH WARD (4 Members)

Geoffrey Couch, 20 Forest field, RH13 6DZ	263933	Elected May 2003
Mrs Kim-Jean Farhall, 2 Elgar Way, RH13 3RH	242108	Elected May 2003
Peter Paffett, 21 Bracken Grove, RH12 4NE	269145	Elected May 2003
Mrs Pat Rutherford, 24 Brambling Close, RH13 6AZ	262001	Elected May 2003

HOW TO MAKE CONTACT:

By writing to the Parish Clerk – Tom O’Hara, Roffey Millennium Hall, Crawley Road, Horsham, RH12 4DT. Telephone/fax 01403 750786. Email: nhpcclerk@btopenworld.com

FEEDBACK (Tell us what you think)
The Parish Council would welcome any comments on the content of this Annual Report and would also be pleased to answer any questions you may have.

Please contact any of the Parish Councillors or the Parish Clerk.