Minutes of Parish Meeting 14th February 2019

Challock Parish Council Meeting minutes

Memorial Hall, Audrey Allen room

Thursday, 14^th February 2019, 7.30pm

Members of public present: 4

Apologies

None

Present

Michael Fisher (Chair), Annabel Burden, Trevor Smith, Max Thomas, John Ramsden, Emma Fox, Anthony Aitken, ABC Ward Councillor Larry Krause & Di Sandy (Clerk).

Welcome

Michael Fisher thanked everyone for attending.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors Michael Fisher, Annabel Burden, Max Thomas, Trevor Smith, John Ramsden, Emma Fox and Anthony Aitken had no new changes to the declarations of interest.

Minutes of Last Meeting

Minutes of 10^th January 2019 meeting were signed by Michael Fisher as an accurate record.

All agreed.

Clerk’s Report

Highways

Clerk reported multiple pot holes along Canterbury Road opposite Green Lane entrance.

Clerk has reported a fallen branch lying close to the edge of the Faversham Road, Kings Wood.  This is also prone to flooding which is creating a hazard. 

Clerk has reported to KCC Highways a dangerous tree at the entrance of Green Lane, Canterbury Road.

The Lees

A DPD van got stuck on the Lees recently leaving tyre track marks and debris on the grass.

Clerk has put in a complaint to DPD.

Clerk has arranged for Clean Cut Tree Services to carry out a survey of the trees on the Lees and to notify of any trees that require urgent attention.  The tree surgeon has already indicated that the tree adjacent to the entrance to the post office is dangerous and needs to come down.  Clerk has requested the tree surgeon to email details of cost.  This is a large tree covered in ivy and may require the road to be closed whilst works are being carried out.  The tree surgeon said that the trees opposite and adjacent to the Old Vicarage require attention. 

Funding

Clerk has applied to the Pocket Play Park Funding.  The funding requires match funding of at least 30%.  Clerk has applied for replacement trim trail.  The existing trim trail is in need of replacing as the parts are becoming quite worn particularly the wooden posts. 

Correspondence

• Received an enquiry from parishioner regarding their 10 year old son operating a home-made lemonade stall adjacent to the post office shop or on the Lees. Enterprise idea with half the proceeds going to a charity.
• Parishioner contacted the Clerk to apologise for the damaged caused on the Lees by a lorry making a delivery and will make good if required.
• An email from Ellen Froggat Open Spaces Society notifying parish councils/local communities of pocket park funding.
• An email from KALC regarding Planning Conference on 15^th March 2019 which includes training module An Introduction to Planning for local councils.  To be held in the Lenham Community Hall. 
• An email from KCC re Consultation on the Early Partial Review of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013-30. The County Council is now seeking views on the soundness and legal compliance of the Draft Mineral Sites Plan & The Early Partial Review of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2013-30. The consultation period for both projects will run for 8 weeks from 09:00 on Friday 11th January 2019 and will close on Friday 8th March at midnight.  Consultations are accessible online on our consultation portal. (http://consult.kent.gov.uk/portal/)
• An email from Samantha James regarding Litter Campaign 2019 and will be running from 22^nd March to 23^rd April.  Encouraging all parishes, villages and community groups to join in.
• Received an email from a parishioner requesting Ashford BC to send a letter to all at Prestige House reminding them that they are not supposed to turn left from or right out of Green Lane and should access from the Village end of Green Lane.
• Received an email from Harry Kenton regarding the fee at £250+ Vat for drawing up the farm tenancy agreement. It is also standard practice to split the fee in drawing up the tenancy 50:50 between the landlord and tenant (i.e. £125 each.  Clerk replied to Harry Kenton that Alex Collier offered to pay for the costs of drawing up an agreement as the William Oure is a charity.
• An email from KCC -  invitation to the Lord Lieutenant’s Annual Civic Service at All Saints Church in Maidstone on Tuesday 12th March 2019.  The invitation is for ONE member from each Parish/Town (either Chairman or nominated representative) and guest.  
• A copy email from KCC Soft landscapes to confirm they’re able to source two replacement trees (Holm Oak – Quercus ilex) for replanting at Faversham Road opposite King & Johnson Development and these will be planted this planting season i.e. before end of March.
• An email from Amy Casey Waste & Recycling Education Officer regarding the Refill Scheme Campaign happening during this year and a request for volunteers to help with its launch. Details to be displayed on the notice boards and in the Forester.
• An email from James Laidlaw Aspire regarding last year’s grounds maintenance. Due to the hot weather there was a reduced amount of mowing required and therefore we only completed 11 full cuts to the areas. Consequently I propose to invoice for 11 cuts at the agreed rate of £95.79, which is a total of £1,053.69.
• An email from Kent Transport informing they have launched a Bus Feedback Portal. It includes information about how to make a formal complaint or compliment about bus services and who to contact in the event that bus users experience problems.  KCC is encouraging people to use the form to let us know about their experience of using buses and the quality of service provided. (www.kent.gov.uk/busfeedback).
• An email regarding Parishes in Bloom competition.  Parishes are invited to enter for free.

• An email from Duncan Murray (Chairman to Rolvenden PC) re KALC Insurances – reminding parish councils to check awareness of insurance clauses and liability regarding internal auditing of accounts.  Parish Council’s has in place accounts are checked monthly by nominated councillor and solely not reliant on Clerk as responsible finance officer. Monthly Reconciliation of accounts is carried out by Clerk and the monthly accounts are approved by the Councillors at Parish Meetings.  The Chairman is the representative for the parish finances.  The Parish Council arranges for Mr Lionel Robbins to carry out an internal audit as well as PKF Littlejohn to do an external audit. 

• Received an email from KCC Highways requesting to cut back a stem back to the union along the footpath Canterbury Road as it is leaning over into the footpath.  Clerk has arranged with Clean Cut Trees to cut back the stem.
• An email from KALC of information available from Kent Resilience Forum – a business continuity checklist and a household emergency plan leaflet.  The information is to assist either businesses or residents what to do in a crisis. Parishes should have received the household emergency plan leaflet in the post.  Parishioners can email the Clerk if they would like a leaflet. 
• An email from a parishioner regarding the Lees track and the condition of the grass.  Enquiring about if wooden posts on both sides of the Lees track to the Methodist Chapel have been considered. 
• An email from Paul Libreri ABC concerning the election candidates briefing and invitation to attend the meeting on 27^th February.  Clerk has replied to say she will be attending.
• An email from Pat Feddon Methodist Chapel requesting the use of the Lees for their annual boot fair on bank holiday Monday, 27^th May 2019.
• Received a copy of email sent to Gerry Clarkson, ABC Larry Krause & Damian Green MP & KM newspaper from a parishioner regarding Faversham Road and pursuant of a foot path – a fatality waiting to happen.   

Matters Arising from Correspondence

• Councillors agreed for the village to take part in the litter pick campaign.
• Councillors agreed for the Methodist Chapel to have their annual boot fair on the Lees on Monday, 27^th May.
• Discussion took place regarding having wooden posts installed on the Lees adjacent to the track from top of Church Lane towards the Methodist Chapel to prevent cars parking on the grass.  The general consensus was the posts would appear unsightly and would move the problem of school parking somewhere else. Having a barrier installed, plastic grass protector mesh and raised banks at either side of the Lees track were also discussed but considered either unsightly or not feasibly. 

Finances

The current account balance on 31^st January 2019 £11,375.11

The NS&I account balance is £11,739.71

Cost savings has been made with the printing of the forester.  ABC announced that they have been able to reduce the cost of printing from £254 to £162.08 per month.  A saving of £920 per annum.  This will reduce the deficit quite significantly.

Received a cheque for £160 re poor field rental, the William Oure fund stands at £3782.09

The following cheques were approved and signed:-

Cheque No: 102581 J Sandy Groundworks (Salting & Lees Track) £100

The Lees Track

The Clerk raised concerns regarding the condition of the Lees track and encroachment onto the Lees through the current maintenance programme of the pot hole filling.  The track is now getting wider and in places is twice as wide as it was originally.  About 10 years ago a meeting took place with residents of the Lees to consider a number of options.  One was to tarmac the track but due to costs not all residents were able to contribute.  The Parish Council is also aware that permission would need to be granted by the Secretary of State for the Lees to be tarmacked.  The Clerk has contacted Open Spaces in the past but the advice received has been unclear. Clerk has contacted KALC legal adviser who has provided a number of legal bulletins and options to consider.

Clerk proposed to seek further clarification on our responsibilities through our solicitor Girlings.  Councillors approved the Clerk to contact Girlings to arrange an appointment for advice and clarification. 

Planning

There were no planning applications to discuss.

Ratification of Planning Applications

There were no planning applications to be ratified.

Defining Village Confines

Items for Information

Play Park Equipment

Clerk has applied for funding to Pocket Parks Plus for a trim trail.  The total cost of the trim trail is £6013 and the parish council’s match fund contribution is £2,200.  This is budgeted for 2019/20 financial accounts.  The existing trim trail is in need of replacing and can no longer continue to be repaired.  The Clerk suggests that a review of the play park to take place to consider replacing all of the older equipment and to revitalise the play area including looking at the adjacent scrub land and possible funding resources. 

Easement

Owners of the development between Hurstwood and Haverbrack have informed the Parish Council that Tom French from BTF Partnership are assisting them with the easement and will be in contact with the Parish Council in due course.

Meeting closed. 

Councillor Annabel Burden stood as parishioner under the parish forum to inform the parish council regarding the easement for the development between Hurstwood and Haverbrack that plots 1, 2, 4 & 5 will be proceeding with the easement negotiations.  Plot 3 will remain vacant and future easement negotiation will commence when the future plans of the plot have been decided.

Meeting opened.

Parish Office Telephone & Email

The parish office telephone through BT now costs £300 per annum.  The cost savings can be made by switching from a landline to a mobile.   

The Parish Council’s email address is on outlook which is now dated and subject to spam email. 

Councillors approved for Clerk to purchase pay as you go mobile phone and to change email provider.  Clerk to publicise new contact details in the Forester.   

A.O.B

ABC Ward Councillor Larry Krause suggested to the Parish Council to purchase white posts with chains as a temporary measure to install during the winter months to allow the Lees grass to be repaired.  

ABC Ward Councillor Larry Krause updated the parish council on the Faversham Road footpath and a recent email from a parishioner to ABC, Damian Green MP and the KM newspaper has prompted a meeting to take place eminently with the Leader of the Council Gerry Clarkson and Chief Executive Tracey Kerly to discuss funding contribution to the footpath.

ABC Ward Councillor Larry Krause has proposed to Ashford Borough Council to consider creating a rural project fund as not to leave out villages as there has been a concentration of money being spent in urban areas.

Councillor Max Thomas raised his concerns regarding an overgrown hedge, creating a hazard for drivers exiting from Church Lane onto Canterbury Road.  This is a reoccurring problem and the Clerk has reported the hazard on the KCC portal regularly.  It was agreed for the Clerk to pursue this with KCC Highways to reach a more permanent solution. 

Councillor Michael Fisher requested an update on Skate Park.  Clerk confirmed there is £6,000 ring-fenced for the skate park and we are currently waiting for the extension works at the cricket pavilion to be completed before commencing with the planning permission and installation of the skate park in the top end of the cricket ground. 

Councillor Michael Fisher commented on projected costs for new play park equipment and how the parish council is going to fund this.  Clerk confirmed that funding will need to be sought via lottery and community grants. 

Parish Forum

A parishioner informed the parish council that the drain at the junction of Westwell Lane and Canterbury Road is blocked and causing flooding on one side of the triangle grass area. 

Clerk to report this to KCC Highways portal.

Councillor Michael Fisher thanked ABC Councillor Larry Krause for all his help in dealing with the Faversham Road footpath.

The meeting closed at 8.40 pm                                                                                           

Parish Council Meeting Dates for 2019

Next Parish Meeting 14^th March 2019

Future Parish Meeting Dates:

Thursday 11th April

Thursday 16th May

Tuesday 18th June 2019 Annual Parish Meeting Main Hall

Thursday 18th July

Thursday 19th September

Thursday 17th October

Thursday 21st November