Ordinary Meeting of Ringwould with Kingsdown Parish Council

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Ordinary Meeting of Ringwould with Kingsdown Parish Council

12th March 2012

Attending The Chairman, Cllr P Macwilliam, Clerk Sarah Spanner,

Cllrs: N Jackaman, D Clark, C Price, R Broadley, H Paice, Rev Sigrist.

Cllr Shepherd joined the meeting at agenda item 7

1. Record of members present

Members as listed above attended. Apologies received and accepted from Cllr D Bucknell (personal commitments). PCSO Lisa White and Community Warden Malcolm Wells and 2 members of the public also attended . KCC Councillor Manion also attended for part of the meeting

2. Declaration of interest with regard to items on the agenda,

Cllr Clark declared an interest relating to Rural Roundup

3. Public Participation,

The meeting was adjourned and a number of topics were raised which Cllr MacWilliam confirmed would be dealt with as part of the main agenda. The condition of the historic sign at Kingsdown beach was mentioned. Cllr MacWilliam confirmed that these had previously been maintained by Dover District Council and the Clerk stated that she had previously asked for volunteers to repaint the two signs in the Parish. Cllr MacWilliam had subsequently taken on the sign at Ringwould but there had been no volunteers for the one at Kingsdown. The member of the public volunteered to do this work, the Parish Council will cover the cost of the paint.

The meeting was re convened

4. Read and confirm minutes of the previous meeting

Subject to an amendment proposed by Cllr Price, that he wished it to berecorded that he had suggested events such as beacons and bonfire for the jubilee and that he had made the suggestion to start to clear the land adjacent to the Kingsdown recreation ground, Cllr Broadley proposed and Cllr Paice seconded that the minutes be accepted as an accurate record. All voted in favour

5. Community Warden / Partners and Community Together initiative.

PCSO Lisa White advised the Parish Council that she had been transferred to cover Mill Hill and Walmer and so was leaving the Parish on 18th March. She said she had greatly enjoyed the community atmosphere in both villages and would miss the area. PCSO Gary Faulkner would now be responsible for both this Parish and St Margarets. On behalf of the community Cllr MacWilliam thanked Lisa for her work and support and wished her good luck for the future.

There had been two incidents of criminal damage, one in each village during the month. The Community Warden reported that he had asked KCC whether a convex mirror could be erected at the top of Upper Street but this request had been turned down as such mirrors were no longer used on KCC land.

6 Matters arising (not covered elsewhere on the agenda)

In response to issues relating to storage of waste at The Zetland Arms, Cllr Broadley agreed to meet with the Landlord and discuss possible solutions ACTION CLLR BROADLEY(The clerk confirmed that Enterprise Inns had been made aware of the issue)

Cllr Paice reported that he had been advised that no solution had been agreed in relation to new waste collection arrangements for North Rd residents, not all residents were able to agree on one solution. South Rd haD been reviewed by Dover District Council and bins had been removed in favour of purple waste sacks. North Rd residents do have garden space and therefore it had been deemed suitable for new bins (This topic is referred to again under agenda item 11 information exchange when a report from the District Councillor suggested that a solution had been reached). Cllr Price stated that the impact on the conservation area was significant and should be used as justification for removal of these bins. ACTION CLLR PRICE to review legislation relating to conservation area. ACTION CLERK on receipt of information from Cllr Price to contact Dover District Council and challenge the use of these bins in a conservation area.

Cllr Price updated the meeting on progress with regard to possible new road signs and that options were limited due to regulations around size and use of logos. Cllr MacWilliam proposed and Cllr Jackaman seconded that a quicker solution might be the design of village sign boards for each village utilising the PC logo which all agreed was very attractive. This was agreed, Clerk to pass names of other local sign makers to Cllr Price.

Cllr MacWilliam reported that Leader of Dover District Council was holding a tea party on 10th May and had asked each parish to nominate 4 residents to attend who might have strong memories of the coronation. ACTION COUNCILLORS to let the clerk have details of 2 residents form each village who might wish to attend this event

The clerk confirmed that she was in contact with Kent Highways and trying to set up a meeting to review Kingsdown traffic management proposals and how to deal with the signage of alternative routes

Cllr Price raised the new Green waste collection proposals which he felt were unacceptable and penalised sections of the community and were just another income stream for District Councils. Cllr Macwilliam adjourned the meeting to allow a comment from Cllr Steve Manion who disagreed and stated that green waste had only been in existence for 6years and previous to that green waste was composted or taken to the recycling centre, the intention was to reduce waste and try and offset the costs of collection. The meeting was reconvened. Cllr Price proposed and Cllr Paice seconded that the Council express its disagreement in relation to this scheme to Dover District Council ACTION CLERK

Cllr Price stated that he felt it would be useful to develop and maintain closer contacts with neighbouring Parishes, Walmer, Ripple, St Margarets as each could learn much from each other, as inevitably would be dealing with similar issues. This was agreed and Cllr MacWilliam stated that meetings had previously been run for Deal, Walmer and Ringwould with Kingsdown members attending.

Cllr MacWilliam reminded all councillors about the first drop in/surgery event to be held which had been arranged for 10am on Saturday 17th march in the Upper hall of Kingsdown Village Hall. Information gathered at such events would inform future decisions of the Parish Council in relation to such things as Neighbourhood plans

7. Misc Land and Play Areas

The land adjacent to the recreation ground in Kingsdown and used for car parking is not owned by the Parish Council but was fenced off in 2004. The Council will seek legal advice on adverse possession but a land registry search is required before NALC can be approached. Cllr Broadley proposed and Cllr Price seconded that this be initiated, all voted in favour ACTION CLERK to undertake this search

The Clerk confirmed that the plot of land adjacent to this area and the property known as Highlands is the subject of enforcement action by Dover District Council

The planned meeting with BTCV had been deferred , advice on management and maintenance of trees in Freedown Wood was required

8. Planning

The following recent response of the Planning Committee were noted

TC/12/00018 / 2, Home Farm, Ringwould, 30% crown reduction one walnut tree, re pollard two ash trees / No objections
12/00078 / White Webbs, Queensdown Rd, erection of a single storey front extension / No objection, a modest development in keeping with the property
12/00047 / Tremissary, Edward Rd. retrospective application for a detached garage / No objections

The following recent decisions of Dover District Council were noted

11/01147 / Plot adj Mer Vista, erection of a detached dwelling and widening of vehicular access / Granted Permission
(PC had no objections)
11/01014 / 6, North Rd, erection of a rear dormer roof extension / Refused
(PC raised objections)
11/01060 / Garibaldi Farmhouse, conversion of garage workshop to dwelling, erection of extension and associated external alterations to car parking / Refused
(PC raised objections)

9. Finance

9.1 Cllr Sigrist proposed Cllr Jackaman seconded that the following schedule of payments be submitted for approval, all voted in favour

811 / Cllr Price, travel to planning training in Lenham / £30.40
812 / Kingsdown Village Hall – hire 17th March / £18.00
813 / S Spanner Annual homeworking allowance of £3 per week / £144
814 / P Macwilliam Chairs Civic Allowance* / £100
815 / P Godden Litter Picking / £54.90
816 / Staples, office supplies & stationery / £85.90
817 / S Spanner Clerk’s March salary / £387.68
818 / Post Office Ltd (March PAYE deduction) / £97
819 / S Spanner, office phone calls / £10.95

* As set out in Parish Council Procedures

9.2. Grant request , Ringwould & Kingsdown Village Jubilee events

Cllr MacWilliam advised Councillors that £200 would be donated towards marking the jubilee within the Parish by KCC and he thanked KCC Cllr Manion for this grant. Grant requests were discussed from Kingsdown and Ringwould and Cllr Price proposed and Cllr Shepherd seconded that a grant of £250 be made to each event all voted in favourACTION CLERK TO ARRANGEchq nos 820/821

A grant request had also been received from Rural Roundup ( a copy of the accounts was also available for councillors). Cllr Clark confirmed that donations were also made by individuals, Cllr MacWilliam allowed a comment from the KCG member attending the meeting who confirmed that the KCG collection boxes could also be used to collect voluntary donations from residents to Rural Roundup. Cllr Clerk thanked KCG for their help. Cllr Price proposed and Cllr Broadley seconded that a grant of £600 be made to rural Roundup All voted in favour ACTION CLERK TO ARRANGEchq no 822

Cllr Shepherd asked whether any grant request had been made in relation to a new table tennis table at Kingsdown, the Clerk advised no such request had been made, which should come from the organising group. Cllrs Broadley and Clark asked Cllr Shepherd to ensure that any such request was first agreed with Village Hall trustees as there were space issues to be considered.

10. Correspondence for Parish Council Action

10.1 The copy of letter from Kingsdown Conservation Group regarding Kingsdown Holiday park parking arrangements was discussed. Cllr MacWilliam allowed comments from the KCG member attending the meeting who confirmed that the group was awaiting a response from Dover District Council in relation to this letter . Currently there was a large amount of parking on site but this exceeded allowable spaces and restrictions on parking were a condition relating to the 52 week opening but could have a significant and detrimental impact on Kingsdown. KCG wished the Parish Council to be aware of this issue, Dover DC Cllr Sue Le Chevalier was also being kept informed.

11Information Exchange

Cllr MacWilliam reminded councillors of the walk around the boundary on 15th April. The Clerk would circulate the risk assessment for the event

Cllr Clark queried whether anyone was aware of a coloured fence erected at a property close to Glen Dale Lodge. No one was aware and Cllr Broadley suggested that the local resident who raised the query approached the property owner; outside the conservation area there we no restrictions.

Cllr Paice advised that beach refurbishment was due to commence shortly ACTION CLERK to contact Dover DC with regard to the slip way that had previously been closed for safety reason to ascertain whether there was an intention to re open.

Cllr Shepherd was disappointed at the large posts that had been left at Carfrae following the enforcement action on the over large fence

It was agreed that a working group would meet to prepare for site meetings and future Dover District planning committee meetings with regard to the application at Greenleaves.

There being no other business the meeting adjourned at 9.40pm . The next meeting is at 6.30pm on 16th April at Learning Opportunities Centre Ringwould. This being the Annual Parish Meeting a public meeting, to be followed by the April meeting of the Parish Council. Anne Russell the Dover District Tree Conservation Officer would be attending to discuss her role.