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Draft minutes - to be approved at the next meeting
Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council
held at
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Present:
Cllr
Cllr
Cllr
Sue Wotton – Clerk
Gail Gosden – Assistant Clerk / RFO
There were 3 members of the public present. No questions were asked.
Cllr Hendy opened the meeting at 8.39pm.
Apologies for Absence
Cllr Fitzpatrick Family commitment
Cllr Hoy Holiday
Apologies for Absence
1. Personal & Prejudicial Interests
There were none declared.
2. Minutes of the Meeting held 6th April 2009 and Matters Arising
Cllr Coleman pointed out a typing error on page 5 Item 294 – item should read ‘confirmed without modification’ – amended.
Cllr Biggenden then proposed the minutes be accepted as a true record, seconded by Cllr Coleman, agreed by all and signed by Cllr Hendy.
(i) Min
289(iv) – Repairs to surface of old play area - The Assistant Clerk has tried
to contact Total Property to discuss their quote and issues raised by Cllrs and
despite sending emails and leaving phone messages she has been unable to make
contact. Cllr Coleman will endeavor to obtain further quotes.
ACTION – Cllr Coleman
(ii) Min 300(iii) – Membership of Kent County Playing Fields Association - The Clerk has ascertained that membership would be £20 per annum. Councillors agreed unanimously to become members of the Association. ACTION - RFO
3. Planning
Applications:
(i) MA/09/0463 – Orchard Farm Nursery,
(Councillors wished this application to be approved, however with the condition that the mobile home is approved as a staff facility only and not as a residential dwelling).
(ii) MA/09/0635
– 1 Barrack Cottages,
(iii) MA/09/0636 – 1 Barrack Cottages, Broomfield Road, Kingswood – Listed building consent to install flue system (re-submission of MA/08/2113) and change of address (Should read Barrack Cottages, Broomfield Road, Broomfield – Cllr Evans) Approve
(iv) MA/09/0644 – Friningham,
Decisions (MBC):
(i) MA/09/0348 – Great Ivy Cottage,
4. Responsible Finance Officer’s Report
The balance of accounts as at the end of April 2009:
Current Account - £200.00
Reserve Account - £34,275.36
Receipts for the month include the Parish Precept of £28,388.00 from MBC, also received is the rent for the coming year for the Tall Trees space x 2 and a refund from KALC for the Councillors’ training day.
The Internal Auditor has reviewed the accounts for the year end and has signed the Annual Return ready for Councillors approval.
5. Finances
(i) Invoices for payment: £ Chq No
Clerk – Pay, mileage & room expenses, 20 Mar to 20 Apr ’09 441.93 531
Ass Clerk/RFO – Pay, mileage & room expenses, 20 Mar to 20 Apr ’09 489.18 532
Clerk’s expenses – Annual anti-virus subscription 44.99 533
Ass Clerk’s expenses – Gift Voucher, nappy sacks, parking, IT support 85.05 534
HMRC – Clerks’ PAYE & Employer’s NI contributions 6.68 535
P Coleman – Clerk’s office BT line & calls, 3 months to 19 Apr ‘09 40.10 536
B & K Village Hall – room hire 24.00 537
Came & Co – Annual Insurance Renewal 832.52 538
Payment of these invoices were proposed by Cllr Evans, seconded by Cllr Bowker and agreed by all.
(ii) Payments for ratification: Chq. No
Ratification of these payments were proposed by Cllr Rouse, seconded by Cllr Coleman and agreed by all.
(iii) Other:
Bank reconciliations – for Year End 2009 and April 2009 were examined by Councillors, approved and signed by Cllr Hendy.
Annual Return for year ended 31st March 2009– following examination by members, the Annual Return was unanimously agreed and signed by the Chairman, Clerk and RFO.
Concurrent Functions 2009/10 –Cllr Evans proposed that the following payments are included on the Concurrent Functions End of Year Certificate:
Conferences £368.00
Cost incurred administering Concurrent Functions £3,018.00
Recreation Grounds £4,750.00
Tourism Encouragement £1,955.00
Village Greens £764.00
War Memorials £50.00
£10,905.00
This was seconded by Cllr Hobson, agreed by all and signed by Cllr Hendy and the Clerk.
Purchase LCA 8th Edition – Councillors agreed unanimously to purchase the 8th edition via KALC
ACTION - Clerk
Funding request – Village Fete 4th July, a member of the Village Fete Committee had approached both Clerk & RFO requesting a donation from the PC towards the costs of equipment for the use at the Village Fete. Councillors requested a written application for the funding confirming details of what any monies donated would be used for. Cllr Coleman proposed that upon satisfactory receipt of this application the PC should donate £50.00; this was seconded by Cllr Hobson and agreed by all. The RFO pointed out that this donation would have to come from the contingency fund as donations for this financial year have been accounted for. This was agreed by all. ACTION - Clerk
ASHE – Annual Survey of Hours & Earnings 2009, Statistics of Trade Act 1947 – The RFO advised Councillors of the legal requirement to complete this document with details of the Clerks employment history with the PC. ACTION - RFO
6. Affordable Housing
Clerk reported that the Planning Hearing had not taken place on 30th April and it is now anticipated the Application will go before MBC Planning Committee on 21st May. Councillors ME, DH, MB & BH will attend with Assistant Clerk who will obtain and notify confirmation of the agenda at the earliest opportunity. ACTION – A/Clerk
7. Tall Trees
Assistant Clerk reported that the Solicitor at MBC has now drafted the new Tenancy Agreement which will be sent out to the Solicitor of the new tenant this week.
8. Reports
(i) Eastern
Rural Parishes Transport Group, 23 March – Cllr Hobson reported that the cost
of running the No. 59 bus has reduced in the last year. There were no Arriva representatives at the
meeting. Every effort was being made to
run buses with facilities for the disabled whenever possible. The Arriva
contract for the No. 59 bus route expires in April 2010. Cllr Hobson had queried that on occasions the
No. 59 bus had been reported by
(ii) KALC Area Meeting, 21 April – Cllr Evans report was circulated prior to the meeting – copy retained on file.
(iii) KIG Planning Hearing, 7 May – Cllr Coleman had attended in place of Cllr Biggenden, the meeting was well attended by the public, MBC Planning Committee had refused the Application unanimously. Next KIG meeting to discuss future finances re: Appeal by AXA – Wednesday 20th May, 7.30pm, Tudor Park Hotel. Cllr Evans agreed to attend. ACTION – Cllr Evans
9. Sports Field
(i) Ratify e-mailed Maintenance Contract Preferences - Assistant Clerk advised that there was a need to establish the maintenance Contract for the coming year and that the majority of members had agreed via e-mail, to once again offer the Contract to Steven Waring. Cllr Evans proposed this decision be ratified, seconded by Cllr Rouse and agreed by all.
(ii) Star Football Club – Assistant Clerk has now forwarded the end of season invoice to the Football Club requesting payment of the outstanding balance. Mr Chambers has confirmed that the Club wishes to continue hiring the Sports Field for the next season.
(iii) Closure of gates – Incident at Sports Field occurred 3rd May, group of approx. 8 men & women in early 20s camping and had fire going, damage to grass – similar to incident that occurred last year. Vehicle details and photos taken and reported to Police by resident, occurrence downgraded to ‘reported incident’. Kent Police Policy dictates that damage to land is not recorded as a crime, confirmed to Clerk by PC Older, but he will follow it up. Only course for recompense to put right damage to grass, clear litter, etc. would be via Civil action.
Cllr Coleman proposed that as a result of these recent incidents, the Sports Field gates be closed at night for a trial period of 3 months and that a local resident has undertaken the daily closure/opening of the gates. This was seconded by Cllr Bowker and agreed by all. Cllr Hendy requested that a sign be displayed, warning users of the Sports Field and its facilities, that the gates will be closed at night from
1st June 2009 for a 3 months trial period, and details be placed in the Village Magazine. ACTION - Clerk
(iv)
10. Correspondence File – Clerk
(i) Equality and Human Rights Commission – Public Sector Equality Duties sets out legislation and responsibilities in respect of seven equality strands, i.e. age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation
(ii) Kent Highways Services – invitation to attend speed limit review presentation – Wednesday 20th May, Lenham Community Centre – Cllr Bowker will try to attend.
(iii) Emergency Planning Training in
(iv) Civic Parade invitation – 24th May, to welcome the new Mayor - Cllr Hobson will attend.
11. Items for next Meeting’s Agenda
(Items i, ii, iii & iv carried forward from meeting 6 April)
(i) Recycling facilities at the Village Hall – Cllr Hoy
(ii) Re-visiting the parish plan – Cllr Hoy
(iii) Village of the Year competition – Cllr Hoy
(iv) Pavements – Cllr Fitzpatrick
(v) ‘No cold callers’ signage
(vi) Traffic calming,
(vii) Maintenance Holly Trees Close <>
Cllr Evans apologized that he would not be able to attend the next meeting.
12. Any Other Information
(i) Freightliner attendance dates at Village Hall car park:
Saturday 13th June 1315 – 1415 hours
Saturday 8th August 1315 – 1415 hours
Notification also received from MBC that as of Saturday 16th May, the Weekend Freightliner Service will not be able to accept electrical items or any type of hazardous waste. Any electrical items can be disposed of via MBC’s paid-for bulky collection service
(ii) Clerk reported that she had recently been contacted by the new Neighbourhood Police Officer, PC Steve Older, who was appointed on 4th April. PC Older had introduced himself and subject to his shift pattern, hopes to attend a Parish Council meeting in the near future, to make himself known to Councillors. PCSO White has now resigned upon his appointment to the regular Force. Clerk had written to Inspector Sandwell on behalf of the Council, thanking PCSO White for his service and assistance during his time here, wishing him well in his career with Kent Police.
(iii) There
will be an F & GP Meeting on Wednesday 27th May at 10am at
13. Parish Council Meetings
The next full Meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Monday 1st June 2009 at Kingswood and Broomfield Village Hall,
There was no further business; Cllr Hendy closed the meeting at 10.03pm
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