January 2019 NEWINGTON PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 29 January 2019 in the Newington Room, Newington Village Hall. Present: Cllr Debbie Haigh (Chair), Cllr Tony Mould, Cllr Dean Coles, Cllr Steve Godmon, Cllr Mel Harris, Cllr Stephen Harvey, Cllr Elaine Jackson, Cllr Eric Layer, Cllr Richard Palmer and Cllr Graham Staff; and Mrs Wendy Licence (Clerk). Also present were KCCllr Mike Whiting, Ward Member Cllr John Wright, visiting Ward Member Cllr Alan Horton and six members of the public. 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies had been received from Cllr Jeannie Milburn (personal): apologies accepted. Cllr Jackson had advised she would be late due to work commitments. Apologies had been received from SBCllr Gerry Lewin (unwell); apology noted. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Cllr Palmer declared a pecuniary interest in item 8. iv 3. MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 11 DECEMBER 2018 Cllr Haigh PROPOSED to accept the minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 2018 as a true record; SECONDED by Cllr Godmon; AGREED UNANIMOUSLY. Cllr Haigh duly signed the minutes as a true record. 4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES Hole in Track- Cllr Haigh reported that ATS has filled the hole with hard core type one, free of charge and thanked Mr Smith for his help. One-way system in Bull Lane – To be discussed with County Councillor at agenda item 6. Website- Cllr Haigh said the Council had a cost for a .gov.uk website but this can only be registered by a Registrar, the cost for a domain host to register the name for two years is £109 for two years and then £61 per annum thereafter. Cllr Haigh PORPOSED to accept the quotation from Fasthosts; SECONDED by Cllr Palmer: AGREED UNANIMOUSLY. Cllr Haigh PROPOSED the website name be newingtonpc.gov.uk: AGREED UNANIMOUSLY. Cllr Harris said there should be a map of Swale on the home page to ensure residents know it is the right Newington for the parish. 5. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME The meeting was adjourned for the public time #1- A resident asked KCCllr Mike Whiting about the charges for non-domestic waste and raised concern that it would increase fly tipping. KCCllr Whiting said Kent County Council made the proposal to charge for certain types of rubbish at THE Sittingbourne, Faversham and Sheppey Waste Recycling Tips, the charge will be for the waste the Government has said the Council odes not have to accept free of charge, such as rubble. Half of the Councils in the country make a charge for this type of waste and 1 | 2 0 1 9 Newington Parish Council January 2019 there is no evidence that a charge on the waste increases fly tipping. The problem is that some people are charging householders to dispose of waste and then dumping it on the highway, this is a criminal offence. It is important that residents ensure anyone disposing of rubbish for the has a waste carriers licence. Swale Borough Council is fining individual house holders who use illegal waste removal firms and also those who illegally dump the waste, some have had their vans confiscated. #2- A resident asked if offenders can be named and shamed. KCCllr Whiting said Swale Borough Council advises people to check the operators licence and if they do not have one, not to use them. SBCllr John Wright said the Borough Council does publish advice for residents using waste carriers. Everyone caught is named and shamed in the Swale Magazine. Cllr Jackson arrived. #3- A resident said she could not get her trailer into the tip and asked that not charging people to get rid of waste be monitored. Concern was raised about the amount of rubbish in Bull Lane, much of which is thrown from vehicles. SBCllr Alan Horton, Swale Cabinet Member for Housing and Safer Communities, said the Borough Council will be involved in the annual Spring Clean campaign from 22 March to 23 April, if the area is cleaned it stands more chance of keeping clean. Cllr Haigh said she has seen anti fly tipping posters and the Parish Council would be agreeable to posters being sited on the posts. KCCllr Whiting said the posters must not cause an obstruction and that he is will work with SBCllr Wright and SBCllr Horton. ACTION: Councillors to identify affected areas and make recommendations for sites for posters. Cllr Harris said the Parish Council used to organise volunteer clean-ups in the village. The Parish Council has a litter picker contractor for the paved areas but the areas with no pavements are not cleared. As there is concern regarding insurance SBCllr Horton said Upchurch Parish Council has an annual spring clean and carries out a full Risk Assessment; briefs volunteers; provides rubber gloves, hoops for bags and litter pickers are provided by Swale Borough Council who also arranges for the rubbish to be collected. The event is covered by the Parish Council’s insurance. Swale Borough Council has equipment which is lends out. Gordon Henderson MP has Litter Angels to help. ACTION: Village Spring Clean for next agenda. Cllr Palmer said Charlotte Court has no wheelie bins and the rubbish is piled up by the side of the road and animals tear the bags open. Cllr Harvey said the S106 money from the Working Men’s Club should cover this. #4- A resident raised concern about parked cars in Church Lane being damaged by passing lorries and vans and said that her car had been hit six times. Cllr Haigh said the matter will be considered when 20’s Plenty is discussed. #5- A member of the public reported the entrance to the Cemetery is breaking up and needs to be examined. 6. VISITORS i. Borough Councillors SBCllr Wright reported that he had attended the Air Quality Meeting in Newington with Swale officers and Parish Councillors. The strategy is looking at air quality from traffic pollution as well as from industrial and domestic pollution. SBCllr Wright said he is dealing with a number of planning issues and had sent comments regarding Paradise Farm although the KCC planning portal is not a publicly viewed portal. He 2 | 2 0 1 9 Newington Parish Council January 2019 is waiting to hear back from the Kent & Medway Safety Camera Partnership regarding having average speed cameras on the A2. Cllr Haigh thanked SBCllr Wright for attending and for his report. ii. County Councillor KCCllr Whiting reported that he is chasing for a response to enquiries made on behalf of a resident about the way trees and bushes have been cut back by the village green. The subject of making Bull Lane one way off the A2 has been raised again and options from officers have been drafted; 1. Traffic restricted to southbound only between High Street and The Willows. 2. Traffic restricted to southbound only between High Street and Callaways Lane. 3. Traffic restricted to northbound only between The Willows and High Street. KCCllr Whiting said he is still waiting on a definitive reply from highways regarding the dropped kerb situation outside the old Working Men’s Club. Kent Highways have commenced a programme of pavement clearance, particularly where the footway is covered by overgrowth and mud from adjacent land. These obstruct those pushing prams and pushchairs and those using wheelchairs or mobility scooters, often forcing people to use the road instead. Any further issues will be added to the list. Kent Highways have made a start along the A2 in Newington and along the Sheppey Way in Bobbing. A copy of the pothole report has been circulated, showing how many potholes have been filled. KCCllr Whiting said he has signed off the grant application for the LED lights. Cllr Haigh thanked KCCllr Whiting for the grant and for his report. 12. HIGHWAYS This item was brought forward. iii. 20’s Plenty Cllr Palmer reported there was a lot of support for the scheme in the summer for a 20mph speed limit in Newington covering Bull Lane, Playstool Road and part of the A2. A petition with six hundred and eighty signatures was submitted to the Swale Joint Transportation Board but it needed one thousand signatures to be taken forward by Kent County Council. It is difficult to get one thousand signatures within a village. Jesse Norman MP, Minister of State for the Department for Transport, has instructed Councils to review the benefits of 20mph schemes. Cllr Palmer said a speed survey has to be carried out to justify a 20mph scheme, it may be possible to obtain funding from Kent County Council or Swale Borough Council, if no grant funding is available it would fall to the Parish Council. The Parish Council could seek a trial scheme in Newington if Kent County Council are looking at supporting a 20mph scheme. The Government has to reduce air pollution and it could be in the interest of Swale Borough Council and Kent County Council to use S106 money. 20mph signs will not make much difference and it will be down to enforcement and education, the Police would need to monitor the area. Average speed cameras would be better to assist with this. Cllr Haigh thanked Cllr Palmer for his report. KCCllr Whiting said that Kent County Council is not against to 20mph speed limits and there are some schemes in the county. The issue with the A2 is that Kent County Council is not minded to permit speed humps on A roads to slow down the traffic, the Police will not support traffic calming measures on A roads.