Chestfield Parish Council
CHESTFIELD PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 12 MAY 2014
Present: Parish Cllr Steve Bailey (Chairman)
Parish Cllr Chris Brealy
Parish Cllr Len Claisse
Parish Cllr Tricia Chapman
Parish Cllr Adrian Young
Parish Cllr Chris Ellis
Parish Cllr Alex Candy
Ms Amanda Sparkes, Clerk to the Council
6 x residents
1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN FOR 2013-2014
The Clerk opened the meeting explaining this was the annual meeting of the parish council and that the first order of business was to elect a new Chairman for the forthcoming year. She explained that prior to the meeting she had received three nominations for Cllr Bailey to continue in the role and that he had said he would be happy to continue. There were no other nominations for the position and Cllr Bailey was therefore elected. Cllr Bailey thanked everyone for voting him Chairman again and then signed the Acceptance of Office.
2. ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN FOR 2013-2014
The Clerk explained there was also a need to elect a Vice Chairman for the forthcoming year. She explained that prior to the meeting she had received three nominations for Cllr Brealy to continue in the role and that he had said he would be happy to continue. There were no other nominations for the position and Cllr Brealy was therefore elected.
3. OPENING REMARKS AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Eileen Watkins (annual leave) and Cllr Joe Hunter (unwell)
4. Representations on outside bodies
RESOLVED that Cllr Claisse and Cllr Watkins would continue as the parish council’s representatives on the Kent Association of Local Councils, Canterbury Area Committee (KALC).
KALC appoint the Kent Councils representative on the Kent International Airport Consultative Committee – this has been Cllr Claisse for a number of years. RESOLVED that Cllr Claisse continue as the representative provided KALC wish to appoint him, and provided that the KIACC meetings/committee will continue in light of light of the news of the airport’s closure due next week.
5. Annual subscriptions:
RESOLVED that the parish council renew its annual subscriptions to the Kent Association of Local Councils; Society of Local Council Clerks; Campaign for the Protection of Rural England; Action for Communities in Rural Kent and Navigus Planning. The Clerk confirmed there was budget provision for these within the 2014-2015 budget.
6. Cllr Responsibilities for 2013-2014
RECEIVED and NOTED the write up and allocation of duties for 2014-2015 previously circulated to all Cllrs. There were no changes requested or proposed to Cllrs’ duties.
7. MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
Cllr Young declared an interest in the emergency grant to be considered for the cricket club as his son is a member.
8. OMMISSION FROM LAST MEETING MINUTES
The Clerk ‘lost’ the last paragraph from the 14 April meeting Minutes. This should have recorded:
Tony Blake, local historian (deceased), archived materials
Cllr Ellis advised that he has been in touch with the person holding archived materials. He is unable to give copies of the videos until permissions from the people in them are given, and this could be very time consuming.
However, Cllr Ellis has found that some information is already held in The Beaney library in Canterbury.
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 14 APRIL 2014
With the above addition, Cllr Claisse proposed and Cllr Chapman seconded and the Minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting and the Chairman duly signed them.
8. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING MINUTES
RECEIVED the Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 28 April 2014. There were no outstanding actions arising thereon (Note these get approved at the APM in 2015)
RECEIVED the report from Maydowns Road Residents Association – this had not been received in time to be read to the Annual Parish Meeting. The Chairman read this out to the meeting as follows:
Maydowns Road Residents Association – Annual Report April 2014
We started our year with our first quiz and raised a nice sum towards our road repairs whilst having great fun and a lovely fish and chip supper.
Also held several committee meetings during the year to make sure all members of the Residents Association are kept up to date about road business.
In August we held a garden party in the garden of the resident at 63 Maydowns Road. All residents and friends took our BBQs and cooked our own food and wine and had a wonderful afternoon. This is an opportunity where we get to meet neighbours we many never speak to otherwise. There was also:
- A competition for children – the Best Dressed Teddy – there were some fantastic entries.
- An Auction also raised more funds for our road and was great fun.
- The result of the yearly Sunflower and Scarecrow Competition was announced. This was very kindly judged by our unbiased judge Amanda Sparkes. We are indebted to her for this, as she will tell you all is not what it seems. She has issued several red cards.
Our next trip was in September to Faversham Brewery – another very interesting and tasty afternoon. Highly recommended.
Also in September, 40 plus of us went to France for the day (no shopping) – a delightful trip through all the very pretty villages with a stop for lunch at a small town. Also at a Chatelier delicious. Returning via the coast route. A very successful day. This year we are off to Holland for the day - the coach is already full and we are really looking forward to it.
November brought our second Quiz. This was very enjoyable and of course raised more funds for the road repairs. This is always a good evening.
The committee had a very enjoyable evening at the Wheatsheaf funded by themselves of course, as a relaxing get together – this is a yearly event.
In February 2014 we had a wonderful Murder Mystery weekend at the Walpole Bay Hotel (our second one). Very well supported and enjoyed by all 40 people who took part.
Our APM 2014 is a quiz evening and is fully booked – and as always a good fund raiser for the road. The condition of the road and paths, all things considered, and funds raised, are in good condition.
The trees continue to enhance our road greatly and the care taken by all residents to keep the gardens looking so well-kept make our road a very desirable place to live.
We are in the process of getting parking tokens for the cut out at the beginning of the road, for residents who may wish to park there.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to our road news for the past year.
Michael Clarke, Chairman, on behalf of Maydowns Road Residents Association
Cllr Ellis commented that he holds a similar role for a residents association for the private roads of The Drive and The Drove. He thought Maydowns Road association is doing exemplary work. He commented that there quite a few associations now for private roads and that there may be some merit in the committees getting together.
Cllr Bailey explained he had sent a long email regarding a resident’s enquiry about an unadopted road. He has researched a long Government publication. For unadopted roads councils have no legal responsibility for upkeep – it is down to the road frontages. Cllr Bailey
has suggested to residents that they create a residents association.
Cllrs then commented that the Shrubhill road resurfacing is to be commended – this had been funded by residents themselves (and through an amount bequeathed in a will)
9. ACTION LIST APPENDIX 1a - The list was presented to Cllrs prior to the meeting.
10. POLICING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Cllr Young explained he had looked at crime statistics for March, which were similar to February. There had been eleven reports, six of which were thefts including one from Sainsburys. The rest were anti-social behaviour.
The new Police Contact Point sessions are moving to a new location at the B&Q car park.
Cllr Young advised he was to attend the Police Forum at Littlebourne on 13 May 2014.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Cllr Claisse advised of a report of a customer driving off without payment at the service station, and another report of a lawn mower stolen from B&Q. Some damage to windows in Primrose Way and an attempted burglary in Polo Way. Another report was theft by finding of scrap metal from a unit at the John Wilson Industrial Estate, and at Radfall Ride two terracotta planters were stolen.
11. The meeting was adjourned for parishioners’ questions.
A resident drew attention to the leaflet distributed to residents inviting them to a public exhibition on Friday 16 May and Saturday 17 May to learn of proposals for development at the land at Bodkin Farm. These include 300 plus homes, a care home, medical centre, offices/retail and open space. He raised concerns around infrastructure, traffic, surface water, and the need for pedestrian crossings across the Thanet Way. The resident commented on the proposal of a new health centre when the existing one had just been granted planning approval for an extension.
Cllr Bailey explained he and the parish council agree with the concerns. Plus the proposal would significantly impact on the demographics of the village, changing it significantly.
The parish council had not been invited or made aware of the exhibition – but had learned of it through residents and through the Cllrs receiving the leaflet as residents themselves.
Cllr Bailey felt that the way forward may be to hold an extraordinary meeting to solely consult on this proposal once/if an application is made and invite residents with key skills and knowledge to it to build a valid response.
A resident explained there were queries over the ownership of the road in Maydowns, and there had already been enquiries to Land Registry. To get absolute ownership there must be a road barrier in place every day for 12 years. Whereas an actual land owner only needs to have a barrier in place for one day a year.
A resident commented that with the current Herne Bay Golf Club application for 200 plus homes, with the addition of more at this Bodkin Farm site there would be an accumulative effect on increased traffic.
Cllr Claisse commented that the only access would be via the Thanet Way and this would create an isolated group of residents – who would not interact with the rest of the village.
Cllr Bailey encouraged residents to attend the exhibition and to get their friends and neighbours to. Residents should also submit their own representations to Canterbury City Council on any subsequent planning application.
Cllr Ellis proposed that the parish council should create a subcommittee re these Bodkin Farm proposals and co-opt key residents to it to form a response to the proposals. Cllr Brealy seconded this and all Cllrs were in agreement with this. Cllrs felt that an open-minded approach should be adopted to any development proposals and any Agenda should include both pros and cons.
On another subject, a resident commented on the removal of trees and hedging along a stretch of the public right of way between Share and Coulter Road and Polo Way. This vegetation housed many birds, some in decline, and the removal has decimated their habitat. It was thought that the removal was done during bird nesting season, and without the land owners permission (this land is owned by Allied London after Sterling Homes had built the development, and they ceased maintenance of the area in 2011 after 20 plus years of paying for maintenance. They offered the freehold to the parish council at the time but the parish council declined this offer and subsequently agreed to pay for grass cutting along this footpath only; not for hedge/tree works).
The resident explained there is a remaining 15 foot of native hedgerow still intact which she would like preserved (it does not impede on the walkway). She also explained she and some other residents would like to reinstate the affected area. The Clerk gave the resident the landowners details to get permission first and commented that planting needs to be appropriate and have regard to future maintenance. Cllr Bailey suggested the resident may like to speak to the Kent Wildlife Trust. He also asked that she let the council know what happens.
The meeting continued.
12. PLANNING
Councillors considered planning applications in Appendix 2 previously circulated. Decisions reached and latest information now attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes.
13. FINANCIAL MATTERS
RECEIVED the bank statement for April 2014, and RESOLVED the signature of the Chairman thereon;
NOTED a payment of £16.33, for the Plusnet Internet account taken by direct debit;
Confirmation from Canterbury City Council on 28 April 2014 of a payment to be made by BACS for the precept 2014-2015 totalling £59,437.00
RECEIVED the Internal Auditor’s report for the internal audit and year end inspection undertaken on 17 April 2014. There were no concerns or recommendations noted.
MUGA Phase 3 works
Phase 3 work replaces broken posts, some chain link fence replacement and some fencing re-tensioning. Cllr Young proposed and Cllr Chapman seconded and all Cllrs were in agreement to go ahead with the work. This should be completed in time for the school summer holidays.
Emergency grant application from Chestfield Cricket Club