Longfield and Parish Council Minutes of the meeting held at Jubilee Hall, Main Road at 8.00pm on Tuesday 26th February 2013

Present: Cllr S Carlse Chairman Cllr T Mack Cllr S Brown Cllr J Drake Cllr J Kite Cllr B Hawes Cllr R Perfitt Cllr Z Snell

In Attendance: Jane Tyrrell –Parish Clerk Jude Taylor – Assistant Parish Clerk PC Tony Quilter PC Steve Coveny

2013/329: Declarations of Interest:

Cllr S Brown declared an interest as a member of the Development Control Committee and Member of Cabinet at DBC.

Cllr Kite declared an interest as a member of Directors of the Leigh Academy Trust and as Executive member and Leader of Borough Council and as member of KCC and County Councillor for Rural Dartford

Cllr Perfitt declared an interest as member of Development Control Committee at DBC.

Cllr Drake declared an interest as a member of the Hall Management Committee (Longfield Community Hall).

2013/330: Apologies for absence:

Apologies were received from Cllr Gay (holiday), Cllr MacDonald (holiday) and Cllr Tamber (illness).

2013/331: PC Tony Quilter and PC Steve Coveny were in attendance and Cllr Carlse invited them to speak. Tony gave a verbal report of the crime figures for the village for January and February:

JANUARY 2013 = 13 crimes recorded:

1 x Burglary Dwelling - Pincroft Wood, New barn 2 x Theft Miscellaneous - Nurstead Lane, Longfield & The Chase building site, Longfield 2 x Criminal Damage - car park West Shaw, Longfield & The Laurels, New barn 5 x Theft Shoplifting - 4 Coop & 1 Waitrose 1 x Making Off Without Payment - Shell Petrol Station 1 x Theft by Employee - Waitrose 1 x Attempt Burglary Other Than Dwelling - Nicks Hair Salon, Main Road, Longfield

FEBRUARY 2013 = 17 crimes recorded 2 x Burglary Dwelling - Orchard Close, New barn & Kent Road, Longfield 1 x Concerned in Production of Cannabis – New barn Road 1

4 x Theft Shoplifting - Coop 4 x Burglary Other Than Dwelling – New barn Road, 2 in Station Road, & Longfield Avenue 3 x Criminal Damage - 2 in Pescot Avenue, New barn & Rycroft, Longfield Hill 1 x Theft Miscellaneous - The Chase building site, Longfield 1 x Assault - Coop 1 x Theft From Motor Vehicle - Station Road, Longfield

Cllr Carlse asked how these figures compared with the same period the previous year and although Tony thought they were about the same, he offered to look into this and report back. Tony also mentioned that they have access to a 4x4 vehicle and often patrol the Gallops area. They had also introduced a ‘surgery’ at Longfield Academy to be run once a month for pupils and staff and it was already proving popular. It was noted that levels of truancy have severely dropped at the new school as had associated complaints from local residents.

2013/332: Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday 29th January 2013 were circulated and approved as an accurate record of the meeting by those present.

Proposed by Cllr Carlse Seconded by Cllr Drake

RESOLVED to approve the Minutes of 29th January 2013.

2013/333: Matters Arising There were none.

2013/334: Chairman’s Report

Cllr Carlse mentioned that she had attended a KALC Legal & Finance Course on 2nd February and found it very useful and it had raised several points which she would be discussing with the Parish Clerk.

She advised Members that the village signs had been installed in our neighbouring parishes but although ours were ready, we needed clarification of their siting before installation could take place. Noted Cllr Hawes to meet with Keith from to confirm positioning of two village signs.

Cllr Hawes had requested to attend a KFAS course on 22nd March – A Global Airport for Kent and this was agreed.

Cllr Carlse advised Members that she had met with Cllr Kite and Johnny Walker and Mick Nash from the Hall Management Committee to discuss progress with the proposal to disband the Trust. The proposal was to set up a group consisting of 3 members of the t Committee and 3 members of the Parish Council named Friends of Long Valley Hall or similar. Cllr Kite expanded on this idea suggesting that a new bank account be set up and that it was clarified to everyone involved that no money would be spent on anything but the Hall This was now in their hands and we are awaiting their decision.

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2013/335: Correspondence: The correspondence list was circulated in advance of the meeting and it was RESOLVED to note correspondence received during February 2013.

Item No:13 – Notification that the recent Planning Application from Pinden to extend their opening hours had been withdrawn. Item No.19 – Glass had been reported dumped at the Nurstead Lane Allotments. Community Warden, Paul Hassell, had arranged to have it removed.

9:00pm meeting adjourned for Public Question Time.

There were no members of the public present.

Meeting was re-adjourned.

Committee Reports and Recommendations:

2013/336: Finance and General Purposes a) RESOLVED to receive and approve the Receipts and Payments for February 2013 as detailed in Appendix i

Proposed by Cllr Kite Seconded by Cllr Drake b) To receive a verbal report from Cllr Hawes following the Finance Meeting held at 6:30pm. Cllr Hawes advised Members that Parish Office Procedures, Auditor and PAYE had been discussed. The Committee had resolved to investigate the possibility of outsourcing the PAYE element of the Clerk’s role to assist with workload and to ensure probity. He advised members that the Parish Office was going to investigate the cost of Indemnity Insurance for Reg Hubbard, the Litter Picker. Members had passed a Recommendation to purchase new IT equipment for the Parish Office and to establish a contact for suggestions for this and for ongoing IT support. A Recommendation had also been passed to out source the printing of the Annual Parish Assembly Report which was produced by the Parish Office last year. Cllr Hawes mentioned that a discussion had taken place in relation to possible Section 106 money from the Wards development (The Chase) and Cllr Perfitt explained that because the land for this site was owned by KCC, there was no Section 106 agreement. Cllr Hawes then advised Members that upon further investigation with Dartford, it was established that the existing Insurance policy for the Community Hall did not cover subsidence. Finally he advised Members that the Recommendation had been passed to remove the sweep facility from the Parish bank account.

Cllr Kite mentioned to Members that he thought it unnecessary to show the Clerk and Assistant Clerk’s salary on public documents and Recommended that this information was only shown on member’s paperwork only. This was agreed by Members.

Noted to remove payroll details from public documents.

2013/337: Development Control

Cllr Hawes summarised the applications received and advised that the main item of discussion was the Appeal lodged for Planning Application DA12/00489/COU – 3

Nurstead Stables, Nurstead Avenue. He explained that members were still opposed to this application and although they had already lodged an Objection to this application, they would follow it up with a written summary of their objections.

Noted to write to appeal to Bristol office copying Barbara Lidster, DBC in.

2013/338: Grounds and Environment

Cllr Carlse mentioned to Members that an invoice had been received by Mrs Sims for the grass cutting of Longfield Hill Green but this had been discussed and agreed at the Finance meeting.

2013/339: Highways & Lighting Committee

No items to report.

2013/340: Longfield Festival

Cllr Brown gave Members a summary of the Festival meeting that took place on the 21st February, explaining that bookings and planning was going ahead as expected. Cllr Carlse and Cllr Kite discussed the Hall being used for the Festival in light of the recent structural report and members were reassured that there was no reason that the Hall couldn’t be used in it’s usual capacity for this and other events.

2013/341: Longfield Community Park

Cllr Kite explained that this project was still on hold until the Hall Management Trust could be disbanded. Once that had happened, this project could start to move forward.

2013/342: KALC – Dartford Area Committee/DAPTC

Members noted the date of the next DAPTC meeting 28th February 2013.

2013/343: Dartford Borough Council – Cllr Kite advised that a budget meeting had taken place on the 25th February and a 0% increase in Council Tax had been agreed. He also explained that the Section 136 money had been cut back in the area but explained that Dartford was one of only four Borough Councils within the country to still pass this money onto Parishes. He reported that Dartford had agreed to build an outdoor theatre in Central Park and a cricket pavilion in Hesketh Park. Also to note was the forthcoming change to the size of the Green Wheelie bins. These will be reduced in size to encourage more residents to recycle their rubbish.

2013/344: Kent County Council – Cllr Kite advised that the forthcoming elections were due to take place on 2nd May 2013.

Date of next Grounds & Enviroment Meeting Tuesday 26th March at 6:30pm at Jubilee Hall, Main Road.

Date of next Development Control Committee Tuesday 26th March at 7:30pm at Jubilee Hall, Main Road.

Date of the next Full Council Meeting Tuesday 26th March 8.00pm at Jubilee Hall, Main Road.

Meeting Closed at 9.35 pm Signed ……………………………. Date……………………………….. 4

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