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WOULDHAM PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of the MONTHLY MEETING
of the PARISH COUNCIL held on TUESDAY,
7th OCTOBER, 2008,
in the VILLAGE HALL, WOULDHAM.
PRESENT: Mr. K Malkinson (Chairman),
Mr. D Adams, Mrs J Head, Ms. L Morgan,
Ms A
Parnell, Mr T Fulwell and Mr R Stone
IN ATTENDANCE: Mr G Rowe (County Councillor)
Mr R Dalton (Borough Councillor)
Mr. M J Ross (Clerk)
MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC: There were 3 members of the public
present. Action by
1. APOLOGIES: Apologies for absence were received from
Borough Cllr. Davis, PC Dalton
and PCSO Honeysett.
2. MINUTES: The minutes of
the monthly meeting of the Parish Council, held on the
2nd September, 2008 were proposed by
Cllr. Stone and seconded by Cllr. Adams, 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 period 1st September to
6th October, 2008. There had been 7 crimes reported in the Village of which 3, which were drug
related, had been detected. The remaining 4 were made up of 2 theft from a motor vehicle, 1
criminal damage and 1 assault. There were no crimes reported for Laker Road.
PCSO Honeysett had also referred to the bollards that had been installed outside Wouldham Court/
Church and had indicated that she had received very positive feedback on this and would like the
PC to consider installing similar outside 25 High Street. Members were doubtful whether this
would be acceptable to WKH but AGREED to approach them to see what the reaction was.
The Clerk reported a letter from KCC confirming that a replacement Community Warden for
Wouldham, Burham and Eccles, had been appointed and was currently undergoing training.
It was envisaged that the person concerned would be available for duty as of Monday 17th
November, with the temporary cover continuing until that time.
5.
BOROUGH COUNCILLORS REPORT:
The Clerk reported
that Borough Cllr. Davis had
advised him that the only item he
wished to report to Members, was the fact that fly tipping was
continuing on Common Road and Hall
Road, with a large tip of tyres that he had reported at the
weekend.
Borough Cllr. Dalton reported that
he had 3 issues, the first with regard to parking in the Village
and the fact that he had emailed
TMBC in this regard and had been advised that Parking
Attendants came out to Wouldham on
average 3 times per week. The next
issue was one of a
serious nature and the fact that
there had been an abduction attempt in Burham recently and as a
result there had been an approach to
TMBC for CCTV. A presentation on this
subject, was
planned at TMBC offices on the 17th
October, at 10.0am and the Chairman indicated his
intention to attend this.
Finally, Borough Cllr. Dalton
reported that appeals in relation to the development proposed at 7
High Street and on land fronting
Church Place had been dismissed, thus proving that the PC
working together with the Borough
Council works successfully.
Action by
6.
COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT: County Councillor Rowe referred to his report
that had
been circulated by the Clerk. The
report contained information as follows:
1.
Kent’s
Local Democracy Week is to be held 13th – 19th
October. Parish Councillors
may be asked to give a talk at their local
school and they are encouraged to do so.
2.
Inside
Track (No. 129) has been issued
3.
Maidstone
Voluntary Action has been selected by KCC to co-ordinate recruitment
and placement of volunteers to help with events
and one off events across the county
between now and the 2012 Olympic Games.
4.
Cold Calling Controlled Zones of Ditton and Eccles in County Cllr.
Rowe’s County
Division, have been identified as areas
for consideration because:
(a) they have a well organized
Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in operation
(b) they have areas of concern,
identified
(c) they have shown an interest
He
has allocated £5,000 from his Kent Police Authority grant with, some local KCC
Members grant money, to support setting up the scheme in locations
across the
Borough. If the PC are
interested, contact should be made with
5. KCC
Select Committee on Provisions of Activities for Young People in Kent – County
Cllr. Rowe has been asked to join this group set up to develop a
comprehensive strategy
of
providing more youth activities for young people throughout Kent. The website set
up
is www.togogo.info and is being developed
to signpost what is available, where and
from whom. The PC is encouraged
to submit details of all its known youth
organizations and opportunities for young people within the Parish. As part of this
iniative, TMBC have developed Freedom Passes for all 11 plus year olds
which will
entitle holders to travel free throughout the area on production of this
pass which will
cost £50 per year.
6.
A
skateboard and BMX bike park has been established in Laker Road, known as Unit
1
Skatepark.
New Venture Coaches has formed a co-op and is arranging to provide
subsidized transport to this facility which has
2 hour blocks for the use of the facilities.
Contact can be via www.unit1skatepark.co.uk for more
information.
7.
Wouldham
Guides have submitted an application for grant for camping equipment.
Have the PC any other applications
pending. The Grants Committee meet of
the
13th October.
8.
The
Public Transport Panel meets of the 4th November; the Parish
Partnership Panel on
The 13th November and the
Joint Local Board on 26th November. All meet at 7.30pm
Councillors and public are welcome
at these meetings.
9. Aylesford Sports Collage has 2
Governor vacancies.
7.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: A member of the public asked about the bollards outside the
Church and Wouldham
Court and asked why they were so ugly.
The need for a bollard in the
area of
Nelson Road and the Riverfront was also raised, to stop driving onto the green
area. Cllr. Head
Cllr. Head
undertook to raise the matter with TMBC (John Dicker).
The poor
signs around the green in the center of the Village were also the subject
raised by the
public and
they were advised that the PC hoped to change these in 2009. when they take
over the
management
of this area.
Another
resident stated that they were disappointed that no bollards had been installed
outside 29
High
Street, since they have problems with parking outside their house and obtaining
access to and
from
it. The Chairman stated that he would
be meeting with a representative of KHS shortly
and would
raise the matter with him and at the same time would ask the PCSO to monitor
the
Action by
situation. The matter of dog mess on the pavements in
the High Street and on the Recreation
Ground was also
raised, with criticisms that people did not always clear up after their
dogs.
Members
AGREED that the Clerk should include reference to this in the article for the
Parish
Magazine, suggesting that anyone
noting dog’s mess not cleared up, should contact the Clerk
Dog Warden
at TMBC.
The condition of the Recreation
Ground car park was also referred to and the fact that the
Pot holes
were getting worse. Cllr. Stone
undertook to follow up on this and try and arrange Cllr. Stone
for these
to be filled in.
Another
resident stated that he felt that the Village Green opposite the shop needed
brightening
up with
flower beds and some form of posts to deter parking on it.
8. PLANNING: (a) Planning
applications considered by the Planning Committee:
(i)
15 School Lane-Erection
of 2 dwellings: The PC is still firmly of the
opinion that the proposed development should not be
permitted and
object to the proposal most vehemently. The maisonette is far too
close to the substation and the PC question whether
this is “piggyback”
planning and had the applicant applied for the whole 6
units on the
original application, rather than the 4 applied for
and approved, the
application would have been refused.
(ii) Peters Village-Details of archaeological
management: No comments
(b) Planning Consents issued:
There were no planning consents notified this month.
(c) Planning Applications refused:
(i)
7 High Street-Demolition
of offside extension & erection of new 2
storey house: Appeal dismissed.
(ii)
Land adjacent 230 High
Street-Erection of 2 storey Victorian style
house: Appeal dismissed.
(d) Other Planning Issues:
Access road to rear of High Street: The Chairman reported on a
Meeting
he, together with Cllr. Stone, had attended with KCC &
TMBC, arranged by the consultant in
this matter. KCC had asked
why they should adopt the proposed
road since they felt it would not
serve the community but mainly just
the residents of part of the High
Street. However, he felt that they had managed to convince the officers
that the provision of this road
would benefit the whole village in the
alleviation of some of the parking
problems that currently exist and
would provide a valuable link in the
Village. It would provide a
pedestrian and cycle link between
Knowle Road and the Tramway.
Martin Hunt, the Consultant, was now
gathering the required
information, arising out of the
meeting, in order to progress the
matter.
Miscellaneous Planning Issues: The Clerk reported that he had
received a letter from the SE
Regional Assembly advising of their
search for sites for gypsies and the
fact that each local authority was
responsible for identifying suitable
sites within their areas. A meeting
for west Kent was planned for the 27th
October, 2008, at Oakwood
House, Maidstone.
Matters Arising: The Clerk referred to the report to
the September
meeting of the PC, regarding
possible breaches of planning control that
had been reported at Upper Nashenden
Farm, in regard to car breaking
and siting of caravans. He had now received a letter from TMBC Action by
stating that there would be no
action by the Enforcement Team in regard
to the car breaking investigations.
9. STREET LIGHTING: Cllr. Adams reported
that there were a number of street lights out
but, despite chasing KHS, no action
was forthcoming. Cllr. Head suggested
that he make
contact direct, with Brian Chitty,
who would hopefully, act on the matter.
10. HIGHWAYS & VERGES: General: The Chairman reported on a meeting that he,
together with the Clerk, had had
with KHS, who had recently moved to new premises in
Aylesford.. The meeting had proved most useful and it
had been confirmed by KHS, that the
Spreadsheet would only include
enlargement/improvement issues in the future and all other
maintenance issues had to be
reported through the Call Centre and should be reported via the
telephone number 0845 247 800. The Spreadsheet will eventually disappear,
probably early in
2009, and be replaced by a computer
system which will allow, with a password, for interrogation
on the latest position on issues.
The bollards that have been erected
in front of the Church and partly in from of Wouldham
Court, have been erected in the
wrong place. Terry Dury of KCC was
made aware of this fact
at the meeting held with KHS and has
suggested a site meeting to resolve matters.
It was
hoped that this meeting will be held
very shortly when the Chairman planned to determine with
Mr Dury, not only the exact location
of the bollards, but also the type, as the current ones are not
attractive and it was felt that
wooden ones would give a softer image.
Matters
Arising: The Clerk reported that following the instruction at last months
meeting
he
had made enquiries of Burham PC in regard to the costs of hanging baskets and
their
maintenance. The cost of the 14 baskets they have was
£406.00 with a maintenance
cost, involving daily watering, of
£420.00 per month.
The Chairman reported that he had
made tentative enquires regarding the acquisition of
the verge area owned by Lefarge, at
the entrance to the Village and the signs were
favourable.
11. FOOTPATHS/PROW: General: Currently awaiting a quotation from
Headland Garden
Services, for the maintenance of the
footpaths within the Parish so as to be able to determine
whether to accept the offer of KCC,
who would pay the PC a fixed annual sum for carrying
out this work.
12. ALLOTMENTS: There was nothing to
report on the allotments this month.
13. RECREATION GROUND: The repair to the Teen Shelter was
raised and Cllr. Stone
stated that the material that he had
in mind to use to repair the window, proved to be almost as
expensive as the approximate figure
quoted by the suppliers. In view of
this, it was AGREED
the Clerk should approach the
suppliers and obtain a firm quote for the necessary repair.
The possibility of obtaining funds
for this repair, from TMBC in connection with the 106
Agreement, was raised but it was
pointed out that these funds were only for maintenance of Clerk
items purchased from the money
provided by the developer and the Teen shelter was not such an
item. The Clerk confirmed that he had chased EDF Energy regarding the
piles of earth, etc. on
Clerk
the Recreation Ground, by Murphys.
14. FINANCE: (i) General: The Chairman
reported on a meeting he, together with the
Clerk, had
held with Barry Hutchings regarding the establishment of the PC’s own
website.
Mr
Hutchings had indicated that he was prepared to design an appropriate website
for the PC
with 5 page
headings, all having common navigation and including any necessary photography,
Action by
for the sum
£700.00. In addition to this he would
host and manage the website for the sum of
£80.00 per
annum. Members discussed this and
decided that before committing to
Mr
Hutchings quotation, they should seek alternative quotes so as to be able to
carry out a
valid
comparison. It was therefore AGREED
that the Chairman investigate alternative quotes Chairman
for the
creation and setting up the PC’s website.
The Clerk
reported that Nat West Bank had recently introduced monthly charges for
handling
the PC’s
Bank accounts. Members AGREED that the
Clerk should investigate the possibility Clerk
of changing
the PC’s bank accounts to another bank that does not make these charges and
report
back.
(ii) Bank Position:
Income this month: £12,738.50
Current
Account: £12,220.74 (Less cheques for payment today)
Savings Account: £18,836.21
Building Society Account: £10,016.01
(iii) Accounts for Payment:
Cheque No
|
Payee
|
Detail
|
Amount
|
|
2395 |
Came
& Co. |
Premium for PC’s Public
Liability Insurance |
2998.38 |
|
Direct |
EDF
Energy |
Street Lighting -
Electricity supply Sept. 2008 |
23.95 |
|
2396 |
M J Ross
|
Sal: 768.75; Rent: 150.00; Exp:
40.32; Imp: 13.96 |
973.03 |
|
2397 |
Ms
J Harmer |
Litter duties – September,
2008 |
220.80 |
All the above accounts were approved
for payment.
(vi)
Grants: Cllr. Morgan stated that she was awaiting information
regarding the Members grant
application for picnic, etc. facilities to be provided on the
Common and would be submitting the
application to County Councillor Rowe as soon as all Cllr. Morgan
the required information was to
hand.
16 SPECIAL REPORTS:
Church News & Letter: It was AGREED that reference to
the
bollards and the fact that they have
been put in the wrong place should be made, together with
the crime figures for the
Parish. It was also suggested that
mention should be made of the
problems with dog’s mess in the High
Street and on the Recreation Ground and ask people to
make sure they collect their dog’s
mess and anyone observing someone failing to pick it up, to
be reported to the Dog Warden at
TMBC.
The proposal to install a CCTV
camera in the High Street should also be mentioned and the Clerk
views of the residents sought on the
plans.
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 4th
November, 2008.
19. COUNCILLORS/CHAIRMAN/CLERK:
Cllr. Adams enquired about the land at Ravens
Knowle and
whether the residents had resolved their issue with Trenport over the sale of
the
land to
them. The Chairman advised that so far
as he was aware, the residents had not yet
indicated
their acceptance of the offer by Trenport who were awaiting their reaction to
the
offer. Jonathan Shaw, the local MP was involved.
Cllr. Head
asked if there had been any response from Trenport over the request to re-open
Old Church
Road and was advised that a response was still awaited.
Cllr.
Parnell stated that it appeared that numbers of houseboats and caravans were
building up
at the
lower end of Ferry Lane and she asked if anyone knew what was going on. No one
was aware
of this and was unable to give an
answer.
Action by
The Clerk
reported that he had received an email from Action with Rural Communities in
Kent asking
about community transport schemes and whether there was any such schemes
in Wouldham. The answer was that there were no such
schemes.
Another
email received referred to publicity for Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre, based in
Canterbury
and asked if the PC could display posters advertising their operation on the
PC’s notice
boards. Members AGREED that this was
not something they could agreed to
as the
space on the notice boards was limited.
There being
no further business to discuss, the meeting closed at 9.45pm
Signed as a correct record of the
proceedings
Date: 4th
November, 2008. Chairman:………………………
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