Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council of Farningham Held at The
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Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council of Farningham held at the Village Hall, High Street, Farningham at 7.45pm on Wednesday 1st February 2017
Present: Cllr. P. McGarvey, Chair and District Cllr. Cllr. G. Bergne Cllr. D. Burns Cllr. H. Butler Cllr. M. Cook Cllr. C. Salmon Mrs. J. Gray (Clerk) 112. Chairman’s Welcome and Apologies for absence: 1. The Chairman welcomed five Parish Councillors; the County Councillor, Roger Gough (from 8.15pm) and one member of the public. 2. Apologies had been received from Cllr. A. McEnroe.
113. Declaration of Interests: The declarations of interest stood as recorded in the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council in May 2016.
114. Matters Arising and Confirmation of the Minutes of the last Meeting; 1. It was agreed the Vice-Chairman, Cllr. D Burns would write the report for Trident. 2. The Chairman had received a communication from Leigh Keating, Property Asset Surveyor at Sevenoaks District Council, in his capacity as District Councillor on 1st February, which he had asked the Clerk to circulate to Parish Councillors. It advised of the proposed disposal of a small strip of land along Calfstock Lane to two neighbouring land owners. Whilst the terms had been agreed, as approved by Corporate Programme Board, it had become apparent the land is designated as open space and therefore they were required to advertise the proposed disposal in local newspapers; they had wanted to inform the District Councillors of the proposal before the advertisements were placed. 2. It was agreed, following feedback from parishioners, to change the current policy of turning the parish lighting off at midnight, (or 1.00am during the summer months). This would happen when the new LED lamps were installed to revert back to the lights being left on all night. It was agreed to put an item in Trident stating if any parishioners have concerns about a lamp shining directly into a bedroom window this can be highlighted with the contractor to investigate whether a back shield could be installed. The Clerk was asked to liaise with Streetlights to confirm the LED lights can start to be installed on a street by street basis. 3. The Clerk had sourced two Pyracantha plants to replace those trampled when a ‘Dave’s Taxi’s’ advertising sign had been installed on the fence at King’s roundabout. The bill for £10.04 plus a request for £20.00 to pay for the planting had
1 been forwarded on to Dave’s Taxis in Sevenoaks confirming the Parish Council were seeking compensation for the destruction of the bushes and their replacement. Although not a lot of money, hopefully the fact that a claim has been issued to them, it will stop them doing it again. 4. The minutes of the meeting held on 4th January 2017 were confirmed as correct, and signed by the Chairman.
115. County Councillor: The County Councillor, Roger Gough, reported: 1. Although the Parish Council had requested a site meeting on the A20 (which it was understood was the most dangerous stretch of road in Sevenoaks District) he reported that Geoff Bineham, Highway Engineer, was not ready for a site meeting at the Button Street junction yet as he was looking at ten years’ data to diagnose underlying issues and to establish what the evidence shows. 2. Mr Gale had contacted him and the Parish Council regarding the approved planning application at Franks Hall and the access gate onto the A225 which would be used by any construction vehicles. He (Mr. Gale) had reported it was a dangerous access and the vehicles entering the site would have to cross a Kent Highways grass verge. Kent Highways had a different view and said the visibility splays are good and that the access onto the A225 is not a planning issue. Mr Gale, bearing in mind the history of this controversial and dangerous site, which had been agreed as entirely unsuitable for vehicle access, at the major site meeting held, urged that all steps are taken to prevent access of construction lorries at this dangerous position on the A225 which in his view was not safe or sensible. He suggested their nominated access road for this site through the grounds of Franks Hall would be entirely suitable and pose far less danger to the public. Cllr. Gough was asked to convey this view and report that good signage for this temporary access, if still permitted, would be imperative.
116. Correspondence: 1. It was agreed to settle the invoice from Streetlights for £45.50 plus VAT for a replacement lantern to column 62 in Dartford Road. 2. Cllr. Salmon and Cllr. Butler were working on a list of jobs that need doing around Farningham to improve the appearance of the village. The Clerk had also sent them a list of suggestions. All Councillors had been asked to help by looking at their own patch and reporting any suggested works. Cllr. Butler agreed to investigate purchasing twenty hi-viz vests with ‘Farningham’ lettering, preferably with reflective stripes. The Clerk had been in touch with Ian Fletcher from Sevenoaks School who was now running the Volunteer programme which had helped out with jobs in the past two years. He had responded that their enrichment week was changing this year but they still may be able to help. He replied if the Parish Council could outline what jobs the students could do he will see if he can help. Also Keep Britain Tidy is launching its biggest-ever litter campaign, the Great British Spring Clean, to encourage 500,000 people to get out there and make sure their neighbourhood is one of which they can be proud. The Spring Clean, will take place March 3-5, 2017; Cllrs Salmon and Butler would try to get flyers delivered shortly, as designed by the Clerk. The Clerk agreed to try to run them off on the Parish Council’s printer.
2 3. Jeremy Clark, Parking Engineer at Sevenoaks District Council, had updated the Clerk that their Civil Enforcement Officers (“CEOs”) made an early evening visit to Farningham on Thursday 26th January, and issued three penalty charge notices to vehicles parked in contravention of the parking restrictions; one in the bus stop in the High Street and two on the double yellow lines in Dartford Road. 4. The Chairman reported he had, along with Cllr Salmon, the Clerk and Mr V Clarke, met Mr Jamie Riches of Thames Water at the new plant in the field off Eglantine Lane, adjacent to the River Darent at 2.15pm on Wednesday 1st February. He (Mr Riches) had been very apologetic following the Parish Council’s complaint about the razor wire that had been installed atop the new plant fence and agreed the Parish Council had been right in taking their stance; it had been quickly removed as requested by the Parish Council. The plant and fencing had since been painted green and there had been planting around the perimeter fence to screen it. The attendees had a look at the new bore hole and were informed in detail of the experiment being undertaken where water is being stored at a low level underground to ascertain if it could be used as drinking water (once cleaned). 5. Jenny Newham of the Environment Agency had contacted the Clerk to report Flood Warden Training is being organised jointly with the Kent Resilience Forum on Saturday 18 March, 9-11am in Shoreham Village Hall. They will be inviting parishes within the Darent Valley Consortium plus a couple of other nearby parishes to make it relevant to the catchment area. There will be no charge for attendance. 6. Eynsford Parish Council had written to the Clerk reporting they are hoping to offer a couple of Family Fun Day dates during 2017 at Anthony Roper School and ask if Farningham Parish Council will be prepared to share the costs as in the past; this was agreed. 7. It was agreed to settle the invoice from Lothlorien Landscapes for the last grass cut of the season at St. Peter and St. Paul’s Churchyard totalling £236.00 plus VAT. 8. It was agreed the Clerk would instruct Mr V Clarke to repair the Oak Noticeboard for parishioners’ use, positioned near the river. Since there is no power available nearby it was understood the repair may be a little more time-consuming, therefore more costly. 9. It was agreed the invoice from Mr. Bint totalling £135.00 for digging out an old post and its replacement at Irving’s Corner be settled. It was agreed the invoice for cleaning the Parish’s signs and producing a report on the condition of the signs totalling £150.000 be settled. Councillors agreed the report was a very worthy exercise and the Clerk was asked to contact Kent Highways regarding a few signs that are in a poor condition and/or need repair and/or refixing.
117. Planning; 1. The following comments had been sent to Sevenoaks District Council regarding the following planning applications:
SE/16/03963 Hazeri, Button Street Formation of a dwelling house by adaptation of a mobile home. Objection: It is now revealed that the applicant never had a caravan on his land, this was a building in the green belt, placed covertly and 3 disguised as a caravan - legal issues here as with the ‘castle behind a haystack’. Our previous comment still applies. Aside from building in the MGB there are concerns over the effect of increased residential activity on the traffic in Button Street because the exit is treacherous.
SE/16/03979/HOUSE Holmwood, Eynsford Road Proposed front, rear and loft extension with the demolition of the existing garage and erection of a new double garage and gymnasium. Comments: The gymnasium is high up and close to the road and would dominate the street view. Positioned on a bend in a narrow road, there is no safe exit or entry to the property on foot and a fatal accident to a child outside the house next door is still in the public mind. Proposals to ameliorate the access and sight lines by sacrificing some frontage at street level would help but it would be difficult to condition these matters to immediate effect as neighbouring properties would, in time, have to follow suit to make a difference.
SE/16/02768/FUL Hill Farm, Farningham Hill Road Erection of polytunnels and new surface water attenuation ponds Objection: There is inadequate road safety provision in the area and multi cropping such a large area will exacerbate highways issues. Farningham Hill Road is left dirty and sometimes potholed, has no dry pedestrian walkway. Button Street access to the A20 is not controlled and when two lorries exit in tandem (see Google Earth) the A20 is blocked.
Further Comments: There is no report regarding light pollution from night lights/ night working. The water management report is too brief, some concerns are:- a) The proposed attenuation pond (not built for the last, permitted application) appears to be on higher ground than many of the polytunnels. b) Multi-cropping salad crops with high water content is exporting water from the already depleted aquifer. Flash flooding might overspill into Button Street or even the residential area at Wadard Terrace.
SE/16/03591/HOUSE Summerfield 14 Horton Way The erection of a single storey side and part front extension. No Comment
2. Planning Decisions received from Sevenoaks District Council:
16/03141/HOUSE 4 Dartford Road Extension at 1st floor level over existing single-storey kitchen. GRANTED
3. Notice of works to trees:
SE/17/00145/WTCA The Manor House, High Street Various works to trees in CA.
118. Open Spaces: 1. Robin Hadley of Kent County Council had sent updated maps and urban grass cutting schedules. He reported the revised amount that KCC would reimburse Farningham Parish Council annually is £1,464.86 which is based on six cuts per annum. Horton Kirby and South Darenth Parish Council had written to Farningham
4 and Eynsford Parish Councils suggesting that a collective offer to contractors would make it more attractive and cost-effective for them, with any savings potentially passed to the Councils. They had suggested when meeting Robin Hadley that they get two prices, one as a stand-alone contract and one as a consortium i.e how much it would be if combined with Farningham (per square metre as provided by KCC) and Eynsford (m2) – that way it would rule out whether there is any financial advantage. [???] Robin Hadley confirmed that he would help to make sure the contractors are up to the job by checking their offers (but would not be involved in the tendering) and for the first year KCC would check work and then sign it off at the end of the year so the arrangement could carry on indefinitely. However, Eynsford Parish Council had already sent tenders out to four Contractors. 2. Julian Cook of Kent Highways had responded to the Clerk regarding the three trees at the rear of 6 Hillside. He stated he was sorry that we are not happy with his decision, that he says the trees are not in Kent County Council’s ownership but belong to the resident and he appreciates there are differing views on this issue. In order to find a resolution, he has asked the Arboricultural Team Leader West Kent, Aubrey Furner, to carry out a site visit to look at these trees to give his view on the situation. He will also check the trees for any disease or potential safety issues. Following his inspection, he will write again updating the Parish Council with his findings. We understand that KCC does not want to set a precedent by being seen to tend trees that sit in someone’s private property, but if we can get them to admit that these trees are still on Highways land, then no such precedent will arise. 3. The Clerk had received a communication from Denise Roffey of Kent County Council regarding By-Way 192. She (Denise Roffey) had reviewed all the comments made on the formal consultation which ended on 15th December 2016 and will now introduce a Traffic Regulation Order prohibiting all motor vehicles (excluding quadricycles and motorcycles) between 1st September and 30th April annually and at additional times in the event of heavy rainfall in response to the Met Office’s yellow warning for rain. Barriers will be used to enforce the restriction. The Chairman asked the Clerk to respond that although this is a start, the Parish Council wanted a Traffic Regulation to be in operation for the whole year to prevent further damage to the carriageway etc. Any further representations must be sent by 24th February 2017. 4. The Clerk had received a communication from Stephen and Charlotte Wright of West Kent Nature and Nurture. Mrs Wright is an experienced Level 3 qualified Forest School Leader and is seeking to open a Forest School in the local area. They state that part of their ethos is to uphold the countryside code throughout their sessions therefore it would not affect the area and they would leave the site as they found it. The Clerk had been in touch with David Boorman at SDC to ask if he would allow this to be held in Farningham Woods. Since Farningham Woods is a Site of Special Scientific Interest the Clerk was asked to suggest they contact the Swanley Scouts to see if this is something they might consider in the Scout Camp at Farningham Woods.
119. Public Participation: 5 Mr Gale reported the Parish Council website, on the Kent County Council portal run by EIS, had been much more reliable recently.
120. Highways, Footpaths and Street Lighting: It was reported the fallen width restriction sign which was on the ground near the bus shelter had now disappeared. The Clerk had reported on the Highways Portal that it had been dislodged from the post at the A225 Eynsford Road end of Farningham High Street. It was assumed that Kent Highways had picked it up but the Clerk had logged it on the Kent Highways Portal.
121. Kent Volunteer Warden Scheme: The Clerk has logged our interest with KCC/KALC to share a Volunteer Support Warden with Eynsford Parish Council.
122. Farningham United Charities: Ms V. Parker had written to the Clerk stating two trustees were required for Farningham United Charities and to that end had been in touch with Ian Macknelly and Parish Councillor, C. Salmon. The Parish Council ratified these appointments.
123. Follow up on Darent Valley Consortium Meeting: The Clerk had forwarded the footpath proposals (previously discussed) to Geoff Kirby and Rod Shelton, the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Mid Valley representatives. It was envisaged having a circular route which goes across the river at Mill Field and re-crosses via a proposed new footbridge just downriver from the A20 motorway bridge.
124. Finance: 1. Members resolved to authorise the Schedule of Payments.
Signed ……………………………………….. Wednesday 1st March 2017
The meeting closed at 10.00 pm. The next meeting of the Parish Council of Farningham will be held at 7.45 pm. on Wednesday 1st March 2017
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