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WOULDHAM PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of the MONTHLY MEETING
of the PARISH COUNCIL held on TUESDAY,
1st July, 2008,
in the VILLAGE HALL, WOULDHAM.
PRESENT: Mr. K Malkinson (Chairman),
Mr. D Adams, Mr T Fulwell , Mrs J Head, Ms. L Morgan,
Ms A
Parnell (arrived late) and Mr R Stone (arrived late).
IN ATTENDANCE: Mr R Dalton (Borough Councillor)
Mr D Davis (Borough Councillor)
Mr
G Rowe (County Councillor)
Mr. M J Ross (Clerk)
MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC: There was 1 member of the public
present. Action by
1. APOLOGIES: Apologies for absence were received from PC
Dalton and PCSO Honeysett.
2. MINUTES: The minutes of
the monthly meeting of the Parish Council, held on the
3rd June, 2008 were proposed by
Cllr. Adams and seconded by Cllr. Head, to be a
true record of the proceedings of the Parish
Council, and it was AGREED that they be signed by
the Chairman.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES: Members AGREED that matters arising
from the
minutes would be dealt with under the
appropriate heading as the meeting progressed through
the agenda.
4. POLICE REPORT: In the absence of representatives of the
Police, the Clerk advised
members that he had been provided with the latest crime figures for the
month. There were 9
crimes reported in the Village – 2 burglary other than dwelling, 2
thefts miscellaneous,
2 criminal damage, 2 theft from a motor vehicle and 1 vehicle
interference. In Laker Road
there were 2 crimes both theft from a motor vehicle.
Matters Arising: The Clerk reported that PCSO Honeysett had been advised that she
could have the use of the Village Hall for a public meeting to discuss parking issues
in the village, on the understanding that she would take the lead in the meeting but that
Parish Councillors would be there to support her.
5. BOROUGH COUNCILLORS REPORT: Borough Cllr. Dalton reported that
there would be
a presentation at the school on the 7th July to give
certificates to all the children who helped with
the litter pick. The
presentation would be carried out by the mayor. The yellow lines outside
the school, in School Lane, were being revised and local residents had
formed an Action Group
to fight the proposal by ANL to increase the number of lorry movements
in connection with the
filling of Margetts Pit. The
Action Group would be meeting on the 2nd July, 2008 and the
application is likely to be considered by KCC Planning on the 29th
July.
Area 3 Planning Committee will shortly be considering comments on the
planning application by
Trenport, for the road improvements associated with Peters Village.
Cllr. Davis referred to the appeal by the owner of 7 High Street,
against the decision to refuse
planning consent for the adaption to create an additional property and
stressed that objections
and relevant comments, must be submitted to the Inspector by the 28th
July.
With regard to Oldfield Drive, Borough Cllr. Davis advised that it
appeared that Taylor Wimpey
were having financial problems and KCC were seeking a list detailing all
faults within the
development, (e.g. street lights not working, etc.) that needed to be
corrected before proceeding
with the adoption.
Action by
6.
COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT: County Councillor Rowes report had been
circulated
by the Clerk and in presenting this to Members, County Cllr. Rowe made the
following
points:
1.
The
pending planning applications by ANL in connection with the proposed increase
in lorry movements to Margetts Pit
are now scheduled for consideration by County
Planning Applications Committee on
29th July. Officers have
advised County Cllr.
Rowe that they are currently in
discussions with the EA and the applicants about
other measures that can be adopted
in case they need to review their position.
So far
over 1200 letters of objection have
been received. The next meeting of the
Working
Party, opposed to the application,
is planned to be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday
2nd July at Burham
Village Community Centre. Residents
from Wouldham are
welcome.
2.
The
latest edition, (issue 122) identifies grants available for a variety of
projects,
including the annual ones normally
processed through County Cllr. Rowe.
3.
The
Parish Partnership minutes have been circulated for the meeting held on the
29th June. The autumn meeting will be providing details of cold calling
controlled
zones.
If Wouldham Parish is interested in setting one up, they should indicate
as soon as possible. (Alison Flick is the person to contact)
4.
At the
last Joint Transport Board, held on 9th June, the following items
regarding
Wouldham were raised :
(i)
£10,000
for 2008/09, has been allocated to provide improvements to
pedestrian and cycle routes in the Medway Valley.
(ii)
In
order to record and monitor the instances of fly posting, PC Members
are encouraged to report such matters to the
Contact Centre on
08458 247.
This will ensure that details and actions are recorded and
enables KHS to gather information regarding the
extent of the problem
and action can then be taken.
(iii)
A bid
for traffic calming in Laker Road at £50k was not approved to
progress.
5.
District
KCC Community Wardens have organized a football competition for young
people not normally involved in local
teams. The heats will be held at
Ditton on 19th
July with all welcome to attend from 10.0am, to
give support to their local teams.
6.
Alzheimers
Society Newsletter.
Matters Arising: The Clerk reported that following
his approach to Trenport
Investments regarding the proposed sale of land
forming gardens to the properties in
Ravens Knowle, he had received a response in
which Chris Hall of Trenport had
advised that the position had now changed
and the residents had been advised that
Trenport were prepared to sell all the plots
forming the front gardens to the
properties, to the residents for a total sum of
£10,000 plus £3,000 legal fees. This
was a much more satisfactory arrangement. The Clerk advised that, he had reminded
Chris Hall of the PC’s previous interest in the
land when they had offered to buy it
and had been told that, if they were unable to
conclude a sale to the residents, he
would review the matter with the PC.
7.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: There were no
issues raised by the public.
8. PLANNING: (a) Planning
applications considered by the Planning Committee:
(i)
Peters Village
site-Reserved matters application-Revised landscaping,
details of surfacing of combined cycleways and
bridleway and
archaeology evaluation: No comments
Action
by
(b)
Planning Consents issued:
(i)
156 High Street – New vehicular access
(c) Planning Applications refused:
There were no refusals notified this month.
(d) Other Planning Issues:
Access road to rear of High Street: The Clerk confirmed that a
Meeting was to be arranged by the
Consultants employed, with TMBC
Planning to discuss the plans for
the proposed road. He was currently
still awaiting a date and would
chase up the matters with the Clerk
Consultants.
Three Villages Liaison Group: The Chairman reported that a
meeting
Of the Liaison Group was envisaged
shortly, with the ANL planning
application top of the sgenda. Cllrs. Morgan & Head stated that they
had recently circulated flyers to
all houses in the Village regarding the
application and the need to object
to it and would be attending a
meeting of the Action Group on
Wednesday evening.
9. STREET LIGHTING: Cllr. Adams reported that street lights in Hall
Road were still a
problem and it appeared that the electricity supply had been
disconnected. It was unclear
how this had come about but EDF Energy were being chased to reconnect
the lighting units
as soon as possible.
10. HIGHWAYS & VERGES: General:
The Clerk advised that he had not yet received Cllr.
Head
the monthly Spreadsheet from KHS.
As soon as this came through he would pass it to Cllr.
Head for actioning any new items that had been determined and following
up on existing
ones. It was pointed out that
WKHS had changed the system for reporting issues on the
Spreadsheet so that maintenance problems were advised separately and
would not be
included on the Spreadsheet in future.
The Clerk advised Members that he had received an email from a local resident
regarding the
notices that had recently appeared on the green opposite the shop and
the stupidity in it
stating that no one should walk on the grass. Cllr. Head confirmed
that this was the
standard wording used by KCC in matters of this nature and agreed that
once the PC had
control of the area, which was likely to be within the next year, they
would take steps to
change the notices.
11. FOOTPATHS/PROW: General: The poor quality of the cutting back
of the footpaths
was again discussed and the Clerk confirmed that he had written to David
Munn of KCC
Footpaths, seeking to allow the PC to undertake the cutting back of
these paths in future, Clerk
With Financial support from KCC equivalent to the sum they would normally
spend on this
work. A reply was still
awaited.
12. ALLOTMENTS: Mr Andy Marr, on behalf of the Allotment Assn.,
advised members
that he had taken steps to ask all plot holders who had not attended to
their plots properly, to
tidy them up forthwith and was hopeful that this would be carried out in
the near future.
He also advised that, under the arrangements made at the inaugural
meeting between the
Association and the PC it was agreed that so long as the PC received
sufficient money from
rents to cover the cost of the rent the PC were required to pay
Trenport, together with the
costs of water supplied, any balance over and above this could be used
by the Assn. to
improve the facilities and provide any necessary equipment. As a
result, they had charged
£15 per plot this year and having paid over £360 to the PC, which
together with the income
from Mr Head of £369, covered these costs they had used the additional
funds to repair a
rotavator and some other equipment they had managed to acquire. Members were satisfied
Action
that the situation was acceptable and confirmed with Mr Marr that,
should they require it, they
could examine the books of the Assn. at any time.
13. RECREATION GROUND: The Clerk reported that he had
contacted ROSPA in
regard to carrying out safety inspections of the play equipment on the
Recreation Ground.
The cost would be £60 for the first 5 items and then £3 per item
thereafter. Zurich charged the
PC £543.24 for their safety inspection last year and therefore if the PC
were to use ROSPA for
these inspections, they would save in the region of £400. Members AGREED that ROSPA
should be asked to carry out the necessary safety inspection and to
advise Zurich Insurance,
that the PC no longer require the Engineer’s Inspections for the play
equipment. Clerk
The Clerk referred to the fact that the Burham Football Club, who have
the use of the pitch
on the Recreation Ground free of charge, had asked if they could reduce
the size of the
pitch as it is used by juniors who find the current pitch too
large. Members AGREED that
they may reduce the size of the pitch, provided that they reduce it by
the same amount at either
end and not take off the required amount from one end. They also AGREED that the Clerk
football club could scrape and roll the pitch provided it is done at
their expense.
14.
VILLAGE HALL: Cllr.
Stone reported that the next meeting of the Management
Committee
was to be an AGM, scheduled for the 7th July, 2008.
15.
FINANCE: (i) General: There were no general issues to
raise.
(ii) Bank Position:
Income this month: Nil
Current
Account: £6,550.77 (Less cheques for payment today)
Savings Account: £18,599.28
Building Society Account: £10,016.01
(iii) Accounts for Payment:
Cheque No
|
Payee
|
Detail
|
Amount
|
|
Direct |
EDF
Energy |
Street Lighting -
Electricity supply: June, 2008. |
23.95 |
|
2380 |
M J Ross
|
Sal: 768.75; Rent: 150.00;
Exp: 29.12; Imp: 15.04 |
962.91 |
|
2381 |
J Harmer
|
Litter Duties-June, 2008 |
176.64 |
All the above accounts were
approved for payment.
(iv)
Grants: Members
were reminded that applications for the KCC
Community Grant must be submitted by 30th September, 2008.
16 SPECIAL REPORTS: Church
News & Letter: Apart from the crime figures, it was left
to the Clerk’s discretion, in consultation with the Chairman, as to the
subjects to be included in Clerk
the Parish News, which would not be published until September.
17. CORRESPONDENCE: The
list of letters and other correspondence received during the
month was
circulated to Members on the e-mail, so that any Member could request sight of
any
particular
item that they wished to read.
18. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: The next meeting will be on the 2nd
September, 2008.
19. COUNCILLORS/CHAIRMAN/CLERK:
Cllr. Adams asked whether the PC had
received a
response from EDF Energy regarding the burying of the overhead cables across
the Clerk
remainder of the field that Trenport were proposing to
develop and was advised there had
been
none. The Clerk undertook to chase up
EDF Energy.
He also
asked about Knowle Pit and any further contact with Mike Bax . The
Chairman
advised that he had failed to be able to make any contact but would continue to
try. Chairman
The date by
which objections to the appeal by the owners of 7 High Street, against the
decision
of TMBC to
refuse consent to create an additional dwelling, was the 28th July,
2008, and it
was
important that everyone lodge an objection.
There being
no further business to discuss, the meeting closed at 9.15pm
Signed as a correct record of the
proceedings
Date: 2nd
September, 2008. Chairman:………………………
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