WOMENSWOLD PARISH COUNCIL

A Meeting of Parish Council was held at the Learning Opportunities Centre, Womenswold was held on Tuesday 13th March 2018 at 7.00pm

Present: Cllr I HOBSON – Chairman Cllr M McKENZIE -Vice Chair Cllr A WICKEN Cllr C BROWN Cllr J PERRINS Mrs V McWILLIAMS Clerk

There were two members of the public present.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1 Apologies for Absence

County Cllr Michael Northey sent his apologies due to ill health. City Cllr Simon Cook was unable to attend the meeting. Cllr Wicken sent is apologies as he was unable to attend the meeting due to a prior engagement

2. Comments from the public.

There were two members of the public from Ropersole Park who came to express their concerns about the number of lorries parked in the lay by near their property The often took up too much space making it impossible for the residents of Ropersole unable to get out of their gateway. The amount of litter and filth left behind was an eyesore and very unpleasant for the locals to have to put up with. The Chairman explained that it was an on going problem all over and until the promised lorry park was built there was very little that the Parish Council could do to influence things other than to keep complaining to the police if necessary, and to contact their MP. He explained that the Council was as frustrated as the residents were and offered his sympathy. The residents said that they regularly called the police and if they came out it was long after the lorries had gone. They had taken numerous photographs which the Chairman asked them to send to the Clerk.

3. Declaration of interests by Councillors. There was no notification by members given of any pecuniary or personal interest in items on the Agenda.

4. Reports from County Cllr Northey & City Cllr Cook

County Cllr Northey sent the following KCC is engaged in big pothole repair job following the bad weather recently. I see even Highways ; with their vastly superior resources still have huge numbers to do on the roads they manage, especially on the A2 and M2. KCC is putting in £8.1 million for this work and other road repairs. Contractors are held to account before invoices are paid with photo requirements of each pothole, before, during and after. 27

The other news is on subsidies for rural transport. Originally KCC had proposed cutting the subsidies paid to companies to run otherwise uneconomic rural routes you two million pounds for 2918/19. However after further consultation this has been cut to £455,000. None of this affects our area and has been achieved by various route changes. Detailed consultations are being held by Paul Carter and others, including transport providers on how to deliver rural services in a more personalised way, by for example having a service where people can call for a minibus route or other service to take them in a more customised way. More details in the fullness of time.

5. Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the January meeting, following a couple of amendments were approved and signed; proposed by Cllr Brown & seconded by Cllr Perrins.

6. Matters arising not otherwise on the agenda.

Cllr Brown reported that the resident applying for a dropped kerb to be installed outside his home had sadly passed away, so it was no longer necessary.

There are now large potholes on the white lines that have still not been added to the crossroads to improve the Firs Road issues. Once the weather improves both the pot holes and white lines will be dealt with. All action items had been executed

City Cllr Cook is investigating ownership of the land regarding the unofficial pull-in place on the Road B2046 (close to the A2).and would arrange clearance of the litter.

7. Finance

Community Account £7,092.68 (January 29th 2018) Business Saving Account £1,873.48

Money In £500.00 (Rapid Relief Team)

Expenses Clerks Salary SCP 20 £10.50 per hour 26 hours in Nov/December £273.0 plus £80.00 Office Management = £353.00 The Fifth Trust (Church Yard) £30.00

TOTAL £383.00

These figures were approved by the Council; proposed by Cllr Brown & seconded by Cllr Perrins.

The Clerk confirmed that all Councillors were now legal signatories

There were no additional finance questions to the Clerk from Councillors

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8. Planning/Trees

The Application for a Stopping Up Order, Highways Act 1980 Section 1. The Clerk had heard from Invicta the legal firm handling the order that it may not go through as there was some dispute. The farmer did not really know very much about it and did not want it blocked off. It is now a question of waiting to see if the application is withdrawn. . 9. Environmental Issues

The Clerk had spoken to PROW who had spoken to the farmer regarding gates to be put up either side of the field on footpath CB 209 to allow pedestrians access to the footpath. He has heard nothing further. The Clerk will chase PROW.

The Litter Pick has now been arranged and will take place on Sunday 26th March at 10am.The Clerk will arrange for the litter to be collected from the designated spots in each hamlet on Monday am. City Council will not insure but helpers will be told that they pick at their own risk.

Cllr Wicken had received a complaint regarding the salt bin being to close to the hedge as when he had gone to get salt out the lid had fallen on his head. He felt that the Council should not have moved it off the triangle. KCC have recently filled the bin and had no problem with the lid going back. Councillors felt that the bin was safer where it. They will consider trimming the hedge back if it is deemed necessary.

10. Date Protection Officer

The new GDPR will come into force on 25 May 2018. The Clerk has been informed by KALC about the Satswana Online Services Contract Roles. This is an external Data Protection Officer Service provider and their service is designed to provide for an organisation that might be described as having 'a minimal data risk profile with a fractional DPO service where it is legally required because they fall within definitions of the Freedom of Information Act'. She has registered an interest with them but was advised by KALC to wait for further details.

Satswana intends to meet up with Parish Councils fairly soon to discuss the way forward. There would be a charge for their services if used.

The Clerk is booked onto the KALC Encryption Training course on the 28th March 2018.

11. Defibrillators & Sitings

Woolage Village: Cllr Brown has arranged with a local resident for one to be placed on his property. The Clerk will look into producing a board to place it on with a roof to keep the weather off.

Ropersole Park: Cllr Wicken has spoken to the residents of the Park who were under the impression that one will be placed inside the gated enclosure which is only open for about 38% of the time. Councillors felt that this would not be accessible to 29

people outside the gated area. The residents are not too happy about this but realizes that there is little alternative as time was of the essence in the event of a heart attack.

Womenswold is still waiting for confirmation from the church for permission to place one inside the church porch.

Woolage Green will be placed in the phone box. Work to install them will start once the weather has improved.

12. Councillors’ Portfolios

Kent Association of Local Councils (KALC): Nothing to report.

Amenities and Welfare: The Pest Control has now removed the moles from the Recreation Ground on .

Cllr Perrin has now got quotes for a goal post for the children to play football to be put on the recreation ground. The Clerk will now start looking for a grant to provide new swings and the goal post. She will approach the Lottery Funding in the first instance.

Andy Coles has still got to do the repairs to the playground equipment. The Clerk has chased him.

The broken bench will be repaired at no cost.

Roads & Services:

There are numerous pot holes around the villages. The Clerk will report them.

Cones have been put up on the unofficial lay by the Beacon to see if it prevents lorries parking. It seems to be working as no lorries have parked there since the cones have been up. The Clerk will now go back to Highways to see what further could be done.

Communication – Website Cllr Hobson reported that the website was up to date. He is preparing for the July newsletter and asked Councillors to think of things to put in it as nothing happens in the winter so he could be short of material. He had a very good response from the previous newsletter and the gate signs have now been adopted and will be looked after in future.

Police Liaison: PCSO Gavin Dodwell reported thefts in Barham and Woolage Village.

13. General Correspondence

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Clerks & Council Direct - January 2018 Emails to All RAMP Meeting Monday 22nd January 2018 The Guild Hall The Provisional 2018-19 Local Government Finance Settlement Consultation Paper Community Policing Volunteer Kent County Council Mineral Site Plan NALC Chief Executive's Bulletin 1 - 5 January 2018. All the correspondence has been circulated amongst the Councillors and the necessary action taken.

14 Arrangements & Date for Annual Village Meeting

As it is likely that Two Sawyers might not be available on May 15th it was agreed that we would not hold a party for the Annual Village Meeting. Instead the meeting will be held in The learning Opportunities Centre at 7.00pm followed by the Parish Council meeting at 7.45pm.

14 Any Other Business. Cllr Hobson asked the Clerk to enquire about the cameras to detect fly-tipping that we had put in a bid for were forthcoming. The Clerk will chase.

Cllr Perrins noted that we need to keep up to date regarding proposed developments at both Highland Court Farm and Lydden Hill Circuit. Both developments are near to our Parish and therefore may affect local traffic and services.

HICO Group is holding two Public Exhibitions to give local residents an opportunity to see and discuss the significantly reduced proposals. They will be held on Thursday 22March 2018 5pm -7pm at Bridge Village Hall Saturday 24th March 2018 9am – 11am at Village Hall.

There was no further business the meeting closed at 8.20pm.

14. Date of Next Meeting

The Annual Village Meeting which will take place at the on Tuesday 15th May 2018 at 7.00pm in The Learning Opportunities Centre, Womenswold. Followed by the Annual Meeting at 7.45pm

The meeting closed at 8.25pm.

The events will be held on:

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