Annual Report

Municipal Year

2007 - 2008

CONTENTS

1.         CONTACT DETAILS

Address: -      Lancing Parish Council,

Lancing Parish Hall,

South Street,

Lancing.

West Sussex

BN15 8AJ 

Tel:                  01903 753355   

Fax :                01903  765096

E-mails:          clerk@lancingparishcouncil.gov.uk

office@lancingparishcouncil.gov.uk

admin@lancingparishcouncil.gov.uk

Office hours – Weekdays 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Fridays to 4:30 pm

Information on the Council, meetings, events etc can be obtained by visiting our web site: www.lancingparishcouncil.gov.uk

2.         MISSION STATEMENT                                                              

The Council's Mission Statement is:-

"The Parish Council is committed to promoting community values, economic well being, and pride in Lancing."

Corporate Objectives

The Council's Corporate Objectives are:-

·        To engage, whenever possible, in an open dialogue with residents, to understand their needs, and to explain how the Council will address these needs within the resources and powers available.

·        To understand the issues and aspirations of residents and promote these ideals for the future.

·        To provide high standard cost-effective services.

·        To enable, assist and encourage other local organisations and agencies to provide services.

·        To promote and represent the best interests of the village for the betterment of the local community.

·        To encourage and promote the economic and commercial vitality of the village through partnerships and other means.

·        To encourage and promote social and community values in the village by working in co-operation and supporting, where practicable, local organisations and groups.

·        To embrace progress, improve the quality of life and healthy living.                                                                           

3.         INTRODUCTION

This Annual Report outlines the workings and operations of the Parish Council during the last municipal year 2007/8.

The aim of the report is to give a better understanding of the role the Council plays in issues relating to Lancing, and its communities, as well as the work the Council has been involved in, and carried out, over the past year.

To understand the role and responsibilities of the Parish Council, in relation to other Councils and bodies, it is useful to have some knowledge of its operations and make up, and in this respect it is hoped that the information below will offer a brief but informative guide to what the Parish Council is, and does.

History:

The Lancing Parish Council has been in existence since 1894 and has been representing the communities of Lancing continuously since that time.

It is publicised in some books that Lancing is the largest Village in England although it is unclear whether this relates to the number of residents residing in the parish or total area.

The current Parish Hall in South Street is partly built on the site of the old Lancing Fire Station which dates back to the late nineteenth century. The most recent addition was the building of the Jubilee Hall which was opened in 1976.

What is the Parish Council?

The Parish Council is the third tier of local government – the first tier being West Sussex County Council and the second Adur District Council.

Lancing Parish Council makes every effort to represent the views of, and provide the best possible service to residents of Lancing, through its own operations and by close liaison and partnership working with the District and County Councils and other representative bodies and agencies in the community.                         

Parish Councillors

There are currently sixteen (16) Councillors that sit on the Parish Council, and these are democratically elected on a four year cycle basis. A new Council was elected in May 2008 and details of the current ward Councillors can be found later in this report.

The sixteen Councillors represent the four electoral wards of Lancing (four for each ward) which are Mash Barn, Manor, Churchill and Widewater.

Committee Structure

The Council has three programme Committees which deal with the varied and extensive activities and issues that are carried out, and affect, residents of Lancing.

The Full Council has all sixteen Councillors represented on it, while the Amenities & Environment, Finance & General Purposes and Planning Advisory Committees have nine Councillors each. Each of these Committees meet on a monthly basis with the exception of the Planning Advisory Committee which meets twice monthly.

The public can attend any of these meetings and can ask questions on any of the operations of the Council.

Agendas and dates of meetings can be found on the Lancing Parish Council Notice Boards at the Parish Hall and outside the Post Office in North Road, Lancing or by visiting the Lancing Parish Council’s web site www.lancingparishcouncil.gov.uk.

Copies of agendas and minutes are also available for public inspection at the Parish Hall, Lancing upon request.

The Community of Lancing

Lancing currently has a population of approximately 18,700 persons, 14,680 of whom are on the electoral register.

The area spans from the lower part of Western Road in the west northwards to Lancing Ring, east to the River Adur with the southern boundary being the English Channel.

What the Parish Council Costs

The Council spent just over £321,077 last year (2007/8) to carry out its operations and works in the community.

The Council generated £131,532 in income from assets and bookings in the past year.

The difference was raised through a precept on the Council Tax.

For explanation purposes, the Council Tax bill for last year, for a band D property in Adur was £236.52.  For the same band D property in Lancing the bill was £268.47 a difference of £31.95 which came to the Parish Council (approximately 61pence per week per household).

Community Assets

The Parish Council, on behalf of the community of Lancing, is responsible for, and operates, a large number of assets.

These include:-

• The Parish Hall Complex (incorporating the local Citizens Advice Bureau).
• Lancing Beach Green
• Monks Recreation Ground (other than the Toilets).
• Croshaw Recreation Ground.
• East Lancing Recreation Ground.
• 250 Beach Hut Sites (but not the huts).
• 2 Public Car Parks at Beach Green and Widewater.
• Widewater Local Nature Reserve.
• 2 Beach Kiosks at Beach Green and Widewater.
• Allotments at East Lancing.                                                                           
• 4 Childrens Playgrounds (all located within the above Recreation Grounds).
• Play Wall, Youth Shelter and Basketball Facility at Croshaw Recreation Ground.
• Works Depot.
• 4 Adult and 2 Junior Football pitches.
• 2 pocket gardens (Headborough & W’Lencing).

The Council is responsible for the maintenance and enhancement of all the above facilities.

Capital Programme for 2007 - 2008

The Council as part of its annual budget setting process, implements Capital Programmes for refurbishment of Community Assets.

Those carried out last year included:

(i) Parish Hall

·        Replacement external fascia of garage and Jubilee Hall

·        Replacement rear entrance doors to Parish Hall

·        Replacement windows in flat

·        Replacement front entrance door

·        Replacement tables for Jubilee Hall.

·        Replacement extractor fans in Jubilee Hall.

 (ii) Outside Facilities

·        New play equipment in Croshaw playground.

·        New play equipment in East Lancing Recreation Ground Playground

·        New play equipment in Monks Recreation Ground playground

·        Galvanised crash barrier to south side of Beach Green Car Park

·        Part resurfacing road Monks Recreation Ground to North Road

·        Part resurfacing of Widewater Car Park

·        Tarmac area in front of Beach Green Kiosk

·        Replacement Entrance barrier to Widewater Car Park

4.         THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNCIL 2007 - 2008

The following are reports on the works and operations of the Council.

This is laid out by Programme Committee, for ease of reference, and for the reader to gain an understanding of each Committees’ responsibilities, the issues they discussed and the decisions they subsequently made during the course of the past year.

Full Council

Representation          16 Councillors

Chairman:                  Cllr Mrs Angela Mills 

Vice-Chairman:         Cllr Tony Nicklen

Meetings:                   Monthly (other than August) on the first Tuesday of each month.

Business:                   the overall Policy & Decision Making Body of the Council.

The report of the outgoing Chairman of the Council can be found later in this document under section 9.

A summary of all issues discussed by the Full Council during the municipal year (2007- 2008) can be found under section 11 Appendix 1

Amenities and Environment committee

Representation:         9 Councillors

Chairman:                  Cllr Geoffrey Shore   

Vice-Chairman:         Cllr Mrs Ann Bridges

Meetings:                   Every other month on the second Monday of the month.

Business:                   Maintenance, management & improvements of:-

·        Sports Pitches & Pavilions

·        Playgrounds

·        Play Equipment

·        Allotments

·        Beach Hut Sites

·        Car Parks – Widewater & Beach Green

·        Council Works Depot & Vehicle

·        Widewater Local Nature Reserve

·        Bus Shelters

·        Seats

·        Recreation Grounds & Booking of assets and facilities

·        Headborough & W’Lencing Gardens

·        Environmental Issues

·        Youth Issues

A summary of all issues discussed by the Amenities & Environment Committee during the municipal year (2007 – 2008) can be found under section 11 Appendix 2    

Finance and General Purposes committee

Representation:         9 Councillors

Chairman:                  Cllr Tony Nicklen     

Vice-Chairman:         Cllr Joy Hartley

Meetings:                   Monthly - on the second Wednesday of each month.

Business:

·        Parish Hall & its Operation

·        Payment of Accounts

·        Financial Audits

·        Budget Collation & Setting

·        Personnel & Human Resources Issues

·        Budget Planning/Annual Budgets including Setting of Fees & Charges

·        Capital Projects & Spend

·        All Licences/Leases and Agreements

A summary of all issues discussed by the Finance & General Purposes Committee during the municipal year (2007 - 2008) can be found under section 11 Appendix: 3

Planning Advisory committee

Representation:         9 Councillors

Chairman:                  Cllr Christopher Kemp    

Vice-Chairman:         Cllr Patrick Beresford.

Meetings:                   Twice Monthly - on the first Tuesday and second Wednesday of each month.                                            

Business:

·        All Planning Applications relating to Lancing

·        Highways Matters & Issues

·        Public Transport

A summary of all issues discussed by the Planning Advisory Committee during the municipal year (2007 - 2008) can be found under section 11 Appendix: 4

5.         COUNCILLOR ATTENDANCE AT PARISH MEETINGS 2007 - 2008