WESTBERE PARISH COUNCIL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD TUESDAY 21 OCTOBER 2014

Present: Parish Councillors Jeanette Dawson (Chairman), Sylvia Harlow (vice-chairman), Georgina Glover, Kathy Wilson, Mike Prince and Karen Williams. KCC Cllr Alan Marsh (for part of the meeting) Clerk to the Council, Amanda Sparkes

56 Chairman’s Opening remarks and Apologies for absence Cllr Dawson welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Parish Cllr Maria Morcom (away).

57. Declarations of Cllrs’ Interest - There were no declarations of interest.

58. Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting dated 16 September 2014 Cllrs resolved that the Minutes were a true record of the meeting and they were signed by the Chairman.

59. Cllrs reports Cllr Dawson - Cllr Dawson advised she had nothing to report. She had missed the village hall meeting as she had been away.

Cllr Wilson report – Cllr Wilson reported that the method of neighbourhood watch co-ordinators reporting crimes had changed and a new computer system will link with neighbouring counties’ databases too. She advised she would continue to send alerts relevant to the neighbourhood. There has been car damage at and a boat stolen from Grove Ferry. Cllr Wilson advised that there had been a village hall meeting on 12 October 2014. She has submitted a grant for the insurance and licence for performing rights, and would submit a further grant to stabilise the supporting wall between the hall garden and Newlands Care Home. The recent quiz had raised £342 and the Christmas dinner event was scheduled for 13 December.

Cllr Williams – Cllr Williams explained she and the Clerk had replaced the faulty lights. The heater in the kitchen was not working and she had booked for a repair on 22 October. She has taken a couple of new bookings and another enquiry is pending after a hall visit.

Cllr Prince – Cllr Prince has completed a street light inspection for the whole village. The light at the top of Church Lane is now working.

Cllr Harlow report - Cllr Harlow has researched the Turtle Dove project since the last meeting. The parish council could put food for the birds on the village green. The project organisers would supply some information and a starter pack of food. The food will of course be taken by wildlife generally, not just Turtle Doves. Cllr Harlow will research the costs of food and report back. Bird mess may also be a consideration. Cllr Harlow commented that she had seen a grey heron in her garden for several mornings although it had eaten all her goldfish. Cllr Harlow explained she would send off wildlife reports from residents and ask KMBR for an annual report for comparison to numbers in the previous year. She also explained she had received an email from Richard Brooks forwarding an email from Clague architects regarding the conversion of three farm buildings to dwellings under permitted development rights at Hoplands Farm. The application had been refused. Westbere Parish Council support is being sought for an alternative application. The parish council welcome the site being tidied up. The Clerk and Cllr Harlow will work up a response.

Cllr Glover Cllr Glover commented that the village green looked lovely, and the refurbished seats around the village were looking very nice. She advised she had received a request from the Church that a disabled parking bay be marked out opposite the Church. All councillors were supportive of this request. Cllr Glover agreed to make the request to a city council officer and get the proposal put to the Joint Transportation Board.

The top of the hedge on the village green needs cutting down in height – the Clerk will ask the contractor to undertake this.

Cllr Glover explained she is busy at the city council with the District Local Plan and transportation plans. There is lots of talk about expensive infrastructure requirements for developers.

KCC Cllr Alan Marsh Cllr Marsh advised that had led an initiative with CPRE, some other parish councils and residents associations to look at the soundness of the Canterbury District Local Plan. Herne and Broomfield are most affected. A London QC was appointed to do a legal opinion for £1600, which was a very reasonable fee. Cllr Marsh advised that this legal opinion was given to Eric Pickles with a copy to Ian Brown at Canterbury City Council. The DCLG and Eric Pickles’ team’s response is awaited.

Westbere Parish Council was asked to consider a donation towards the QC expenses. A £200 donation was agreed and a cheque written out at the meeting.

Cllr Marsh explained that the Joint Transportation Board meeting was in two parts – firstly for the Westgate Towers and then the 20 year plan. For the Towers, there are proposals to modify the area again, to move a bus stop, reposition two pedestrian crossings, make pavements nine inches narrower and make the St Dunstan’s area a 20mph zone. There are two strongly held opposing views about reinstating railings, but none will be provided currently.

Minutes of the JTB meeting will be published next week. For the 20 year plan there are many arguments for different views. It was passed however. However, development will not be permitted until legally binding commitments are made between County Council, Canterbury City Council and developers to provide the necessary quantum of funding to enable the provision of essential highway infrastructure. Cllr Marsh commented that the planning application to develop the old Golf course was going before the development management committee with a recommendation to refuse.

Cllr Marsh reminded councillors about the Pantomime “Mother Goose” at the Sarah Thorne theatre at Broadstairs. Cllr Marsh is able to offer Westbere residents free tickets to the 2.30pm performances on 16, 17, 20 and 21 December 2014.

Governance system at Canterbury City Council Canterbury City Council has passed a resolution committing it to a committee system of governance for a period of five years, to be implemented at the Annual Council meeting in May 2015. In a Committee System, decision making power is delegated by the Full Council to various multiparty committees to make decisions on its behalf. This is in contrast to the current system where a ‘Cabinet’ of the majority party takes most of the decisions within the policies and budget laid down by the Full Council, and is held to account by the other members. A Commission has been appointed, Chaired by Mr Chris Gay, and membership comprising city councillors, to design a committee system that will deliver the business and democratic needs of the council from 2015. The Commission would like to hear the views of local people and organisations. A meeting was held on 30 September at the Guildhall. Cllr Glover agreed to ask for the Minutes of that meeting.

Cllr Marsh commented that in May 2015 there could be up to five different political parties, there could be a coalition, or there could be shambles. He felt there was a need for a reassurance that the decision making process is fit for purpose.

Cllr Marsh gave an update on Manston airport. The American company were back in the UK. The labour party within Thanet District Council is imploding. They have got senior cabinet ministers from Whitehall to assist. Thanet District Council as a whole body has to vote and get a majority vote to go for a Compulsory Purchase Order. An independent body would be appointed to help Thanet District Council if they agree to do a CPO. Cllr Marsh explained that Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council, had commented three weeks ago that he supported the second runway at Gatwick and then on 20 October had now said he supported Heathrow for expansion. Manston could have been helped by expansion at Gatwick.

Cllr Marsh explained that since 2011 Kent County Council had dropped £350m from their budget, equating to 250 staff. He explained there are no longer enough people to deal with keeping up with filling in potholes.

60. Adjournment of the Meeting – As no residents were present there was no adjournment.

61. Planning Matters Planning items are recorded on appendix two, previously circulated to Cllrs, and attached to these minutes.

62. FINANCIAL MATTERS (a) RECEIVED the bank statements for September 2014, and RESOLVED the signature of the Chairman thereon; (b) An end of quarter two spreadsheet was circulated to all councillors for information. (c) The finance subcommittee are to meet informally on 13 November to draft a precept budget for 2015-2016 and bring this to full council for approval at the 18 November 2014 parish council meeting.

63. AUTHORISATION OF ACCOUNTS The expenditure list previously circulated to Cllrs as Appendix 3 totalling £3,458.19 was authorised for payment.

64. CLERK REPORT Correspondence Southern water’s Water Resources and Drought Strategy published on October 15, following approval by Defra in September 2014.

KCC Budget Consultation KCC are planning their budgets for the next three years and estimate that they will need to find £206m of savings. There is an opportunity to have a say about how they make these savings at www.kent.gov.uk/budget. The consultation closes on 28 November 2014.

Kent Highways Seminar – 7 November 2013 Invitation to the next Parish & Town Council Seminar on 7 November at the cricket club, Canterbury from 9.00am with coffee and to end by 1pm. Cllr Dawson kindly agreed to attend.

Kent County Council Community Warden Service – Public Consultation KCC is reviewing the Community Warden Service, as part of saving £330 million over the next three years. Among several options being considered is a reduction in the number of community wardens, managers and support staff in the service, with a reorganisation which would result in continuing warden support for communities in different ways, with the possibility of reaching and serving more residents. Consultation commenced 29 September. Key decisions will then be made by County Councillors following the consultation. The consultation is available at www.kent.gov.uk/communitywardenconsultation. The final decision will be taken by KCC Members on the 5 December 2014.

65 MEETING DATES FOR 2015 Parish Council meeting dates for 2015 were approved. The Clerk had asked for extended leave in July 2015 which was approved through not having a meeting in July but holding one in August 2015 instead. The Annual Electors meeting was scheduled for 10 March 2015. The Clerk will add to consider a guest speaker for it to the next meeting Agenda.

66. NEWSLETTER The Clerk drew attention to an emergency handbook sent from KCC. Some of the articles are very useful. She agreed to send the text to Cllr Morcom to extract relevant items for future newsletters.

67 ENVIRONMENT

Hedges in Westbere Lane From the convent towards Church Lane on the convent side of Westbere Lane, the hedges are very bushy. The Clerk was asked to write to the convent to ask them to consider adding this area to their maintenance schedule for 2015.

Vegetation around salt bins The Clerk will ask the contractor to trim the areas around the village salt bins, at an additional price if needed. The Chairman agreed to do a walk about the village with the contractor and report back.

Old Pennington Close noticeboard After the last meeting Cllr Williams and the Clerk looked to see if they could change the Shrubbery Corner noticeboard for the old Pennington Close one. However the size and fixings would not work and Shrubbery Corner does have an information panel which would be obscured. The Clerk and Cllr Williams have cleaned the old noticeboard and proposed that the parish council contact the other parish councils in the Canterbury district to ask if any of them would like to buy the noticeboard.

Hedge at Westbere House Cllr Dawson agreed to ask the resident of Westbere House to cut their hedge back.

Pumping stations in the village Cllr Glover explained that during the last week she had met a representative of the environment agency who had been looking for pumping stations for sewage in the village. There are three pumping stations in the village: one by No 10 Westbere Lane, one at the bottom of Walnut Tree Lane by the railway line, and a third location to be confirmed by Cllr Glover.

68 HIGHWAYS

Road sign A28 with Church Lane The Westbere Village Preservation Society have complained that the road sign to turn right into Church Lane has been turned around – it needs turning back to be visible – or indeed there is some thought that it is rotten and may need replacing. The Clerk will report this.

The 40mph sign on the main A28 road that backs on to the back of Church Lane properties has been blown over and is on the pavement. The Clerk will report this.

The meeting closed at 9.05pm

Dates of next meetings - 18 November 2014 (No meeting in December)

Signed: ...... Date: ...... Chairman

WESTBERE PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING REPORT, 21 OCTOBER 2014 APPENDIX 2 Dates of CCC development management meetings: Tuesdays at 6.30pm: 14 October, 11 November, 9 December 2014, 6 January, 3 February, 3 March, 31 March and 28 April 2015.

New Applications

1. KCC/CA/0312/2014 Unit 3, Canterbury Industrial Park, Island Road, CT3 4HQ Variation of conditions 2,3,4,6 of planning permission CA/98/1155 to accommodate the processing of municipal and commercial waste to produce Refuse Derived Fuel including the revised layout of the building and associated plant View the application at www.kent.gov.uk/viewapplications - click on 'look at planning applications online' then enter the reference No KCC/CA/0312/2014 in the relevant box and click on 'search'.

2. CA/14/02056/LB - Laurel Cottage, 8 Westbere Lane Repaint all external walls

Notifications CA//14/00901/FUL Granted by CCC Unit 32, Thomas Way, Lakesview International Business Park, Westbere, CT3 4JZ Two-storey extension to office building

CA/14/01208/FUL Granted by CCC Sunningdale, 5 Westbere Lane Internal remodelling, replacement and enlargement of windows to west (side) and north (rear) elevations, extension to east elevation

Trees Email all tree enquiries / Notices in the first instance to [email protected] or call their planning call centre on 01227 862178.