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CHARTHAM PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT 7.30 P.M. ON TUESDAY 11th JUNE 2013 AT THE VILLAGE HALL, STATION ROAD, CHARTHAM, NR CANTERBURY, KENT, CT4 7JA.

Present:

Mr. P. Hornibrook – Clerk Cllr. D. Butcher Cllr. J. Jeffries Cllr. C. Manning - Chairman Cllr. G. Hoare – Vice- Chairman Cllr. A. Stevenson Cllr. A. Frost Cllr. S. Dungay Cllr. R. Doyle CCC Cllr. M. Goff

Four members of the public.

(1) APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:

Cllr. R. Thomas CCC (Other Meeting), KCC Cllr. J. Simmonds (Other Meeting), Cllr. S. Hatcher (Other Meeting), Cllr. G. Wells (Other Meeting), Cllr. P. Graveson (Work Commitments).

(2) CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES:

Resolution: To confirm minutes of meeting held on 14th May 2013 (previously circulated).

Proposed by: Cllr. Butcher and Seconded by: Cllr. Hoare.

All members voted in favour.

(3) COUNCIL: a) Declaration of any member’s interest in agenda items.

No member’s interest in agenda items was noted.

b) Any change in Councillors ‘Disclosable Pecuniary Interest’s’.

No change in any members ‘Disclosable Pecuniary Interests’ was noted.

(4) MATTERS ARISING:

The Clerk noted that the Parish Assembly meeting on Tuesday 21st May 2013 was a great success with over 25 members of the public attending the event.

(5) TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER CORRESPONDENCE:

(A folder of correspondence was available for all Councillors to view the correspondence and to make comment on)

The following issues were raised for discussion:

Item 1: Southern Water – Water Resources Management Plan Consultation. Details were noted to all councillors and Cllr. Butcher took the document for perusal.

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Item 2: Bob Britnell – Independent Planning Consultant. A letter from Mr Britnell was read out to all councillors.

Item 3: South East Water – Water Resources Management Plan 2014. Details of a recent visit to a Public Meeting at Broad Oak village hall were noted to all councillors. This included plans to build a reservoir at Broad Oak in 2030.

The Clerk noted a letter from the Secretary of the Canterbury District Community Transport scheme asking for a donation towards the running costs of the Shared Taxi scheme. Councillors thought that the scheme was too expensive for local residents and declined to back the project.

The Clerk also read out a request from a hirer of the village hall in July 2013 asking if they can use the Memorial playing field to erect a Bouncy castle for a wedding reception. The request was authorised.

(6) TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER REPORTS & MINUTES OF COMMITTEES:

(a) Finance and General Purposes Committee:

A resolution that orders for payment as shown in attached schedules was agreed unanimously. They were signed by Cllr. Manning and Cllr. Hoare.

The Clerk noted that he had taken new mandate forms into Lloyds TSB to have Cllr. Hatcher and Cllr. Wells added as new signatories on all Parish Council accounts. Both councillors will need to take their passport and utility bills to the Bank to confirm their identification.

The Clerk noted that Pentin Accountants have all but completed our Parish Council accounts, apart from confirming the amount of interest on our Treasures Account, which Lloyds TSB Charities Department at Taunton have been very slow to reply informing us of the interest earned over the past financial year. The information has now been received and passed to Pentins. A copy of the accounts has been passed to all councillors for perusal less this information. A Finance & General Purposes Committee meeting will be arranged in due course to formally sign-off the accounts.

All councillors were reminded to return their ‘Acceptance of Office’ forms to the Clerk as soon as possible.

(b) Planning:

The Clerk reported that there were ‘3’ new Planning Applications to be dealt with at the Meeting:

CA/13/00745/FUL – Proposal: Residential Chalet: Location: Romany View, Hatch Lane, Chartham, CT4 7LP: PC Views: A site visit is to be arranged.

CA/13/00873/FUL – Proposal: Change of use of man-made lakes at the end of Primrose Hill from Sports fishing to cable-towed water sports, with improvements to road access to lakes and erection of temporary structures: Location: primrose Hill, Chartham Hatch: PC Views: A site visit is to be arranged.

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CA/13/00925/FUL – Proposal: Erection of detached building in the rear garden to be occupied as a self-contained annexe Location: 16 The Crescent, Chartham, CT4 7PX: PC Views: The Clerk is to ask CCC planning for more information on the case.

The Clerk read out a letter from the CCC Enforcement team regarding the installation of six static caravans at The George Public House, Shalmsford Street.

It was noted that the Clerk and Cllr. Hoare have still to visit Pentland Homes to confirm the installation of a footpath with drop kerbs from the A28 Bridge to the entrance of the site at Shalmsford Street. Cllr. Butcher will also attend the meeting.

The Clerk noted that he had issued details of all the proposed SHLAA’s in the CCC District to all councillors, noting the proposed development sites around CCC and the parish area.

The Clerk noted the following ‘Granted’ planning applications:

CA/13/00472/FUL – Hope Cottage, Rattington Street, Chartham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 7JG – Demolition of existing double garage and replacement double garage with log store.

(c) Cemetery:

The Clerk reported that the tarmacing of the cemetery car park has now taken place and that the car park area now looks extremely good. We are now arranging to have the car park white-lined and have disabled parking bays located near the pedestrian gates.

It was also reported that the new cemetery disabled toilet block is nearly finished and all that remains to be done is paint the inside and outside of the toilet. The area needs grass seeding either side of the new pathway and disabled ramp and the chalk dump at the side of the sheds requires tidying up. Three new fence panels will be erected at the rear of the dump which will make the site a lot more clean and tidy.

It was noted that the Clerk has now sourced a bespoke computer system to record all Interments, Memorial applications and requests for Exclusive Rights of Burial and is investigating the costs with RBS Solutions.

The committee are also investigating the cost of installing a sign on the roadside at the cemetery denoting Chartham Parish Council Cemetery and the opening times and contact details, after a complaint from a visitor to the cemetery who stated that the name of the cemetery was not prominently displayed.

We are still waiting for a letter of support from St. Mary’s PCC regarding our Viridor grant application for the tarmacing of the car park which has been delayed due to Revd. Brown’s recent illness. The Clerk will chase Revd. Brown as it was stated that he is now back at work although only part-time.

It was reported that we have to order a new Burial Register from Shaw’s which will cost in the region of £170.

(d) Countryside:

Cllr. Butcher reported that the footpath from Shalmsford Bridge to Bobbin Lodge has now been reinstated.

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It was stated that we should ask Mrs Day to clear the footpath across the fields at Pickleden Lane.

It was noted that various footpaths which are the responsibility of the PROW Office have still not been fully cleared.

It was reported that there is a new Footpath notice opposite the old footpath at Rattington Street.

(e) Amenities:

It was reported that the ‘Red’ phone box on the village green does not take ‘cash’ calls and is only able to be used for ‘Emergency’ calls.

It was noted that the Clerk has written to Ofcom regarding the state of the two public telephone boxes on the A28 Ashford Road which are in very poor condition. We have asked them to check their usage and if it is possible to have them removed.

It was noted that ‘Play Inspections’ have now undertaken the annual ROSPA inspection of all the play areas for the 2013/2014 year, and that we now await their reports and invoice.

I It was reported that the Clerk is still investigating the cost of installing new safety surfacing at the Shalmsford Street play area and is proposing to visit Park Leisure at Ashford to obtain further quotations. It was suggested that we check what is under the current safety surfacing as it may be concrete or soil. This will have an effect on the cost of installation of any new safety surfacing.

Cllr. Stevenson, Alan Groombridge and the Clerk will investigate the infilling of some holes on the playing field at Shalmsford Street.

It was noted that there was graffiti on the bus shelters at Pomfret Road and on the triangle near the Railway Station. The Clerk will speak to Alan Groombridge to have the shelters stained and try and cover the graffiti.

It was reported that the step on the men’s toilet on the Memorial playing field requires repair. Cllr. Hoare was asked to investigate the problem.

Cllr. Dungay reported a tree down at Bakers Wood across steps leading into the wood.

(f) No Man's Orchard Management Committee:

The Clerk noted that the NMO Accounts have now been completed by Pentin Accountants and that they need to be formally ‘signed-off’ by the committee and forwarded to Littlejohn Chartered Accountants.

The Clerk reported that he is due to meet with Cllr. Conway from Harbledown & Rough Common Parish Council, Charles Chantler from Natural England and Cllr. Hoare at NMO on Thursday this week to discuss our application for the new Higher Level Countryside Stewardship Scheme agreement. Our current agreement comes to an end next year and we need to renew the agreement to keep out income stream in place.

It was reported that the installation of the new number roundels on the trees in NMO had been completed.

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A new copy of the NMO orchard leaflet is in the process of being updated and once completed the Clerk will obtain quotations for several hundred new colour copies.

There has been another incident of wire cutting on the new fence-line and the Clerk will contact Alan Groombridge to arrange repairs.

(7) SPORTS PAVILION/PLAY AREAS:

(a) Sports Pavilion:

The Clerk noted that he is still awaiting a response from the Sports Club regarding the monies owed to the Parish Council. After discussion it was agreed that we should write to the Sports Club voicing our concerns over their inability to repay the money owed or come up with an agreeable repayment proposal. It was stated that the Sports Club has dropped two local business sponsors and this was thought to be inexcusable in the current financial climate when any sponsorship should be gratefully received.

The Clerk and Cllr Hoare are also due to visit the pavilion and make a list of all the fete equipment currently stored there.

(b) Play Areas:

The Clerk noted that ‘Play Inspections’ had undertaken the 2013/2014 Annual ROSPA inspection of all our play and adult exercise equipment.

(8) VILLAGE HALL:

Cllr. Hoare reported that a recent wedding function at the hall resulted in the Fire-Alarm being set off a number of times and resulted in the VHMC calling out an electrician to disable the alarm system.

The Clerk reported that Intumescent Systems had also to be called out to repair the fire curtain in the kitchen servery as this was damaged when the alarm was continually being set off.

The Clerk and Cllr. Hoare are still investigating costs to purchase a new gas cooker for the hall as the thermostat on the old cooker is not working and the committee has decided that we need to have a commercial gas cooker in place as soon as possible.

Cllr. Dungay noted a request by a wedding party to bring in 5 large round tables to be used in conjunction with our tables. The request was agreed.

(9) HIGHWAYS / POLICE & KCC WARDEN LIAISON:

(a) Highways:

The Clerk noted an e-mail sent to Mark Carpenter at Kent Highways regarding various Highway issues identified around the parish. The Clerk noted a response to two of the issues raised and it was noted that the other issues are being investigated.

The Clerk also noted a quotation from New Road Contractors regarding the cost of tarmacing the pathway outside De’ L’Angle House. It was suggested that we write to De’ L’Angle House Management Company and ask for their comments and if they are prepared to pay towards the repairs. CPC.Parish Council Minutes – June 2013 5 Page 020 2013/2014

It was suggested that we also ask the Management Company for sight of their lease to confirm their responsibilities towards the upkeep of the footpath.

It was noted that our request for ‘Yellow Lines’ to be placed on the road at the railway triangle to deter vehicles parking there has been submitted to Kent Highways. Currently cars parking there impede the buses and HGV’s that use the road and they continue to damage the wooden bollards on the grass.

(b) Police / PCSO/ KCC Warden Liaison:

The Clerk noted that no report was available from the KCC Community Warden Sarah Wraight or our new PCSO Kelly Greenwood.

(10) DATE OF NEXT MEETING:

The next meeting of the Parish Council was confirmed to be Tuesday 9th July 2013 at 7.30 pm at the Village Hall, Station Road, Chartham, Nr Canterbury, Kent CT4 7JA.

(11) CLOSURE:

There being no further business the meeting closed at 08.32 p.m.

Chairman…………………………………………………………Date…………………….

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