Further members briefing on measures to accommodate expected cuts in rate support grant. It's a bit like shadow boxing until the government announce the scale if not the detail of cuts on October 20.
Returned from two weeks holiday in Turkey. Noted that the euro is now an acceptable alternative currency to the Turkish lira. The pound has no status.
Church Commissioners publish scheme for merger of Merston with North Mundham and the closure of St Giles for all services. Response to consultation due by November 2. Once the scheme is implemented, care and maintenance of the church building will pass to the Chichester Diocesan Fund and Board of Finance pending a decision on its disposal.
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Marsh Lane Watch
Problems with gas guns but after contacting Langmead Farms management they were resolved. They do seem louder this year though and despite calls to the relevant vermin controller there are still instances of late night shots.
Meeting of Walnut Tree farm composting site liaison group. Good meeting as usual. Central issue is the production of a odour management plan based on national guidelines. The report that is expected to be signed off by site owner and EA in next few weeks sets out what action the owner take in the event of odour emitted at given levels. The levels are 1 to 5 with 3 indicating moderate odour, four, strong and five very strong.
It was confirmed that the site is working to the principle that salad waste as a proportion of input should not exceed 15% so as to minimise the risk of some of it being aerobic on arrival at the site.
One resident who keeps meticulous reports said that in his experience there is noticeable odour for over 50 per cent of the time. That's not my experience which shows how local perception can be. The EA officer reported five calls that he investigated. One on July 2 that he substantiated both on and off site was scored as 4.
North Mundham Parish Council. New councillor appointed, Claire Boffee, replacing Jacqui Symes who resigned.
Three items of interest:
Residents at Fletcher Close whose flats face on to the church have trouble sleeping because of the quarter of the hour chiming of the church clock. They seek an eight hour gap of silence or at least just hourly chimes. Priest in charge advised them that it would cost £1500 to have the chimes silenced. I am sympathetic and will keep tabs on it.
A working group was set up to carry forward the proposal for affordable housing in the parish comprising three councillors and myself.
No objection was made to Natures Way Foods application for a very large packhouse on the Chichester Food Park (NM/10/03529/Ful). I have looked at the design and access statement. It's certainly going to be large, half as large again as unit 1, which itself looks pretty large isolated as it is on a flat plain. The salad producing business is obviously a thriving one with growth of over 20 per cent per annum. There will be a significant boost to local employment both managerial, engineering and operatives, on good salaries. Still with this and other developments on the site, not to speak of the proposed AD plant, it's getting to look more and more like an industrial estate.
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The Executive Board approved the collection of glass with other recyclate in the same Burgundy bin beginning early 2011. This will save the Council £100,000 per annum from 2012, will be convenient for residents and will result in removal of many of the bottle banks across the district. The downside for the green enthusiasts is that it will mean that only 60 per cent of glass collected will be reusable for new bottles. The rest will go to road aggregate.
Peninsula Forum. Presentation on prospective budget cuts in light of prospective reduced rate support grant, ranging from 25 to 40 per cent over three/ four years. Government will announce settlement October 20 but could be later. Council officers are developing a financial model of three dimensions. Could be a loss of £4 million per annum out of a budget of £15 million.
It's going to be an uncomfortable ride, with a lot of breakages. Full Council decision December 7, prospectively.
Private visit to Tangmere Military Aviation Museum. It has expanded in recent years with new aircraft and exhibits. For a volunteer staffed museum it is impressive. Listening to the voices of BBC announcer John Snagge, Generals Eisenhower and Montgomery on the eve of Overlord is stirring.
Committee to determine AD plant deferred to November.
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