Hawkhurst Parish Council

Hawkhurst Parish CouncilMeeting:Full Council

Date:9th December 2013

Ref:am.

Copt HallTyped:10th December 2013

PRESENT

Mrs M Brinsley (Vice Chairman), Mr P Dartnell, Mr G Davies, Mr B Fitzpatrick,

Mr J Hunt, Mr P Jones, Mrs J Newman, Mrs B Weeden, Mr P Whittle,Mr C Williamson

ADDITIONAL CIRCULATION

Mr. R Weeden, Mrs. B Palmer, Mr. J Cunningham, Mr.S Holden

KM, K&SC

1 / Adjournment for public speaking.
1.1 / TWBC Cllr J Cunningham was in attendance.
1.2 / Community Wardens Nigel Freeman and Ros Tolhurst were in attendance.
1.3 / Mr J Cook described the activity of being a Speed Watch volunteer and how worthwhile it is. He encouraged other residents to come forward and join this group to help monitor and check speeding traffic through the village.
He further expressed concern at the apparent conflicting reports coming from KCC regarding improvement to the traffic lights. MB confirmed the Council share these views but understand that some progress is being made to implement what was expected two years ago.
2 / Apologies for absence:
2.1 / Mr K Brown, Mr M Appelbe
3. / Declaration of interests:
3.1 / PW declared a personal interest in planning item 80, Oak Cottage, Talbot Road.
4 / Approval of minutes of previous meetings
4.1 / Received the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 11th November 2013.
4.2 / Noted the Minutes of the BuildingsCommittee meeting held on 25th November 2013.
4.3 / Noted the Minutes of the Land Committee meeting held on 25th November 2013.
5 / Matters arising
5.1 / Transport & Highways. The lights in the bus shelters seem to be on most of the time. The street lighting contractor reports it may be the sensitivity of the light sensors as there is no apparent fault.
5.2 / Youth Matters. (CW). Members discussed the possibility of the Street Cruizer youth group also having access to the Sports Hall. It was agreed the final decision would be down to the Buildings Committee and strict conditions about supervision must be included in any consent.
5.3 / Police (JH). There were 21 reported crimes last month in the village.
5.4 / Neighbourhood Planning. (JN). There is now a group of six who can begin this project. They have agreed the ”plan area” will be the entire parish.
5.5 / Speed Watch. Speed Watch observations during November added a total of 46 new eventsof speeding vehicles to Kent's Community Speed Watch Support database.
These observations generated seven warning letters, five for second detection and two for excessive (+50%) speed.
5.5 / Hawkhurst Community Centre. (BW). The appointed lawyer is dealing with the queries raised by the Charity Commission about the proposed new governing document and object.
6 / Reports of Committee Chairmen
6.1 / Buildings Committee. (BF). The Kino lease revisions are with the council’s solicitor and will come into effect at the beginning of January. The budget for next year has been agreed.
6.2 / Land Committee. (CW). The budget for next year has been agreed.
6.3 / F&GP Committee. (MB).
6.4 / Personnel Committee (MB). The appointment of the new Clerk is reported at item 13.1.
6.5 / Neighbourhood Planning Group. (JN).
6.6 / Fete Committee. (CW).
7 / Matters for further discussion
7.1 /
Hanging baskets at the Colonnade. CW explained to Members the hanging baskets used to be funded by the Council using a grant they in turn received from TWBC under the South East in Bloom banner. When this funding stream stopped, the Council wrote to the Colonnade traders stating they could no longer fund the hanging baskets but would continue to pay for the tubs and troughs which are generally in public places and not on individual properties. The Fete Committee has been asked if they will help the businesses pay for the baskets. He requested the Council consider including the baskets within the overall summer and winter planting budget with 50% of the cost of the baskets being recovered from the traders.
Members speaking in favour of the proposal said the baskets enhanced the appearance of the village and were an asset to all. Other Members believed the Council did enough and the traders also benefitted from the attractive displays which would only cost each business £50 per year. They believed the council tax payers already contributed enough.
CW, supported by JH, proposed the Council add the cost of the baskets to the planting displays budget and seek to recover 50% of the cost from the Colonnade businesses.
MB, supported by BF, proposed the Council agree to make provision under s137 rules for a grant annually if requested by the Colonnade businesses towards the cost of the baskets. This motion was defeated and the first motion agreed. 5 in favour, BW, BF and MB against, PJ and JN abstained.
7.2
8 /
Correspondence
1 / 27/11/13 / Kent Police / Remembrance Sunday parades and traffic control
2 / 29/11/13 / NALC/TWBC / Council Tax Benefit Support Grant
3 / 22/11/13 / Fete Committee / Minutes
4 / 22/11/13 / Home Start / Thanks for donation
.2 MB reported it is still uncertain if TWBC will pass on any windfall grant next year.
9. /
Finance
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE NOVEMBER 2013
A schedule of payments for the period is available on request.
Accounts for payment / £ 21,824.68
Payment received / £ 2,556.26
Net Expenditure / -£ 19,268.42
Lloyds High Interest Reserve / £ 50,000.00
Lloyds Current / £ 10,001.00
Lloyds Access Reserve / £ 93,618.36
Petty Cash / £ 30.79
9.1 / BF, supported by PD, proposed the accounts for payment be accepted. All agreed.
9.2 / MB reported she had inspected the bank accounts and the reconciliation was satisfactory.
10. / Planning
10.1 Planning and Highways Information
Ref. No. / Proposal / Location / Comments
Kent Highways / Part night street lighting / County wide / CountyMembers briefing note
13/00858 / 2 pairs of semi-detached houses / Copt Hall, Copthall Avenue / Withdrawn
13/02828 / 62 dwellings off Highgate Hill / Highgate Hill / Revised details.
Site 64 / Traffic impact / Land at rear of FowlersPark / CC correspondence from resident to KCC
13/02870 / New dwelling.
Comments deferred by HPC on 11th November pending further information re parking. / Lawns End, Talbot Road / Memo from KCC to TWBC confirming satisfaction with parking arrangement following additional information.

10.2 Planning TWBC Approved:

Ref. No. / Proposal / Location / Comments/Valid
13/02600 / Replace garage door with door and window / 4 The Chestnuts / 07/11/13
13/02787 / Infill extension / KentBridge Granary, Horns Hill / 08/11/13
13/02636 / New care home / HawkhurstCastle, Cranbrook Road / 11/11/13
13/02692 / Porch extension / Hartland, Gills Green / 12/11/13
13/02504 / Minor amendment to kitchen extension / Amery, Theobalds / 20/11/13
13/02767 / LBC. Extension / 5 Iddenden Cottages, High Street / 21/11/13
13/02765 / Extension / 5 Iddenden Cottages, High Street / 21/11/13
13/02685 / Livestock building / Ockley Farm, Ockley Lane / 21/11/13

10.3 Planning TWBC Refused:

Ref. No. / Proposal / Location / Comments/Valid
None

10.4 Planning Applications

Item / Application No / Proposal / Location / Comments / Decision / Agree / Against / Abstain / Call in
75 / 13/02884/FUL/TA1 / Amendments and changes to current plan / Gills Green Farm, Wellington Road / Members noted this had been approved by TWBC before the PC had commented / Noted / All / No
76 / 13/03192/FUL/ARJ / Ground mounted photovoltaic panels / Ditchells Farm, Delmonden Lane / Agreed / All / No
77 / 13/03348/HOUSE/SF1 / Two storey side extension and loft conversion / 1 Basden Cottages / Over intensive for the plot and overbearing onto adjacent properties. / Against / JH, GD / 5 / JN, CW, MB / No
78 / 13/03487/HOUSE/HW1 / Garage/home office / Garden House, Horns Road / Agree / 8 / BW, PJ / No
79 / 13/03277/HOUSE/SH6 / Stable block and tack room / Pear Tree House, Rye Road / No drainage is shown. Too close to neighbouring properties. / Against / JH, GD, JN / 6 / CW / Yes
80 / 13/03419/HOUSE/CP3 / Single storey outbuilding (retrospective) / Oak Cottage, Talbot Road / The sloping nature of this site creates a large overbearing effect on the adjoining property and overall is excessively large for the site. / Against / GD / 6 / JH, PD, PW / No
81 / 13/03548/FULL/GM2 / Removal of age restriction condition / HawkhurstCastle, Cranbrook Road / From condition 3 remove the words "and for persons 60 years and over". / Agree / All
11 /
Burial & Memorial
Interment Date / Deceased
None
12 /
Notes and Information
Date / From / Subject
1 / 18/11/13 / Kent High Weald / Weald Wise newsletter
13 / Confidential:
13.1 / Appointment of new Clerk. MB, supported by BF recommended to the Council Mrs Nicole Malem be appointed to the position of Parish Clerk with effect from 1st April 2014 and that handover training commences at the start of the year as described in the associated confidential report.
Agreed unanimously.
14 /
Closure
14.1 / The meeting closed at21:00
15 /
Future Meetings
15.1 / The next meeting of the Parish Council will be at Copt Hallon Monday 13th January2014commencing at 19:45.

Signed…………………………………………Date………………………………….

Margaret Brinsley, ViceChairman of theParish Council.

Page 1 of 4

C:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents\Agendas & Minutes\Minutes 13 14\PC Minutes 09 Dec 13.doc