Archived decisions

                      Item 3

AT A MEETING of the YATELEY COMMON MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE held in the Rose Rent Room, The Tythings, Reading Road, Yateley on 14 November 2006

Hampshire County Council

p Councillor A. P. Collett.

a Councillor J.K. Glen.

a Councillor P.R.C. Hutcheson.

p Councillor D. Simpson

Yateley Town Council

p Councillor D. Benham.

p Councillor R.E. Harward ( Chairman )

p Councillor Rita Jenkins.

p Councillor D. Murr.

Observers

a M. Mann.

a. P. Tipton.

p Mrs. A. Hughes.

39 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

    Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should declare their interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9,10,11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed. Any declaration to be made at the time of the debate. There were no declarations of interest.

40 MINUTES

    The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 June 2006 were agreed as a correct and signed by the Chairman.

41 SITE MANAGER'S REPORT

    The Committee considered the report of the Site Manager ( Item 4 in the Minute Book )

    The Site Manager reported that fly-tipping was still occurring on site. Investigations would continue into the possibility of installing CCTV on the Common.

    Police had given first warnings to local motor cyclists who were still illegally resorting to the Common. Many motor cycles had been brought on trailers.

    Councillor Murr expressed the view that the stronger assistance of the Police be sought in deterring possible competition motor cycles.

    Ten new ` D ` boards had been erected around the Common. Mr. Tipton

    enquired whether the English Nature wording regarding £20,000 fines had been included on the signs, as this legislation would deter damage on the Common.

    The Team Leader North had secured £4,700 to cover the cost of production

    of five map boards; and leaflets about the common.

    The Rights of Way issues at Brandy Bottom would be completed as soon as the Estates Practice review had been completed.

    Problems had been experienced with overflowing ditches on areas of the Common, and it was possible that these could be re-dug after Christmas and in the Spring 2007. Mr. Tipton congratulated the Site Manager on the preventive management carried out on the Common.

    Wyndhams Pool was still experiencing problems with algae but it was hoped that the colder weather would resolve this situation naturally. Investigations were in hand to see what repairs could be effected along the top of the dam, which had been damaged.

    There had been good numbers of volunteers from the Yateley Society, Berkshire Conservation and Community Services. The work of Mike Young and Roger Harris had been particularly appreciated and Members wished that their tremendous effort be placed on record. A shaft about 10 feet depth had been discovered at the west end of the Common. The County Archaeologist had been consulted and it was possible that Mr. Tipton might be able to identify it in local records.

    There had been further leaks of sewage onto the Common, believed to emanate from The Ely public house's pipe across the Common. This had now been repaired.

    There had been a drop in the attendance at summer events this year and the possibility of advertising would be considered in 2007.

    Archaeologist Carol White had carried out further excavations at Brandy Bottom. A report on her findings was due shortly.

    Mr. Tipton enquired about the future of the Committee under the new system

of Hampshire Action Teams, and whether the consideration of business

currently restricted to Yateley Common should be widened to include the

former Country Park land and Ministry of Defence land.

Councillors Collett and Simpson were to raise this in the HATS forum to

    establish the way forward and ensure that matters at present in the remit of the Yateley Common Management Committee be formally taken on by HATS.

    Members wished to know how the function of the Committee would be operated; if there would be public participation, and how DEFRA might

    be involved to reflect its interest in the condition of the Common as an important part of the natural environment.

42 EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED :

    That, in relation to item 6, the press and public be excluded from the meeting, as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present during the item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972, and further that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons set out in the report.

43 138 ACRES AT BLACKBUSHE AIRFIELD, SECTION 52 OF THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT, 1971

The Committee received the oral confidential report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage regarding 138 areas of land at Blackbushe Airfield.

    44 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING

    Tuesday 13 February 2007 at 7.00pm