CHESTFIELD PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 15 OCTOBER 2012
Present: Parish Cllr Steve Bailey (Chairman)
Parish Cllr Christopher Brealy (Vice-Chairman)
Parish Cllr Len Claisse
Parish Cllr Eileen Watkins
Parish Cllr Joe Hunter
Parish Cllr Chris Ellis
Parish Cllr Wendy Lockton-Goddard (co-opted at the meeting)
1 x vacancy
Ms Amanda Sparkes, Clerk to the Council
City Cllr, Jenny Samper
Kent County Cllr, Mike Harrison
7 x residents
94. OPENING REMARKS AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Parish Cllr Patricia Chapman (work commitments).
95. VACANCIES ON THE COUNCIL
The Clerk advised that a resident had enquired about the vacancies on the council. Mrs Wendy Lockton-Goddard was new to the village. The Clerk spoke to electoral services at Canterbury City Council to check she was on the electoral role. A slightly odd situation transpired. The city council are in their annual canvass period and anyone contacting them after 1 July does not go on the roll until it is published on 16 October. This was the day after this meeting. However the 'qualifying day' is 15th October, the date of the meeting. Electoral services have confirmed that Mrs Lockton-Goddard was going to go on the register on 16th October. They also checked the legal books and confirmed that unlike city councillors/Members the rules around eligibility are different for casual vacancies in parish councils. The 12 month live in or work in the parish does not apply. So the parish council was able to consider co-opting Mrs Lockton-Goddard.
Mrs Lockton-Goddard had provided a few words about herself which were circulated to all Cllrs prior to the meeting. She spoke a few words about herself. She explained she has 18 years experience of working with local authorities and third sector organisations in the South East and London. Her experiences place her in a strong position to add value in the following areas: Climate change, Regeneration, Environmental improvement, Sustainable housing, affordable warmth, Carbon reduction, Public sector corporate performance and local area agreements. She has a BA (Hons) Public Administration and has maintained an interest in serving her community, she is an experienced fundraiser, project develop/manager and facilitator. Currently she provides advisory services in Kent and has recently managed the Climate Change Programme for Kent County Council as a private consultant. She lives in Chestfield with her husband Mark, two children and a dog.
Cllr Bailey proposed and Cllr Brealy seconded and all Cllrs agreed to co-opt Mrs Lockton-Goddard to the council and she duly signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
96. MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
There were no declarations of interest.
97. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 10 SEPTEMBER 2012
Cllr Claisse proposed and Cllr Hunter seconded that the Minutes were a true record of the meeting.
98. ACTION LIST APPENDIX 1a
The list was talked through and deletions and progress noted.
99. POLICING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Cllr Bailey commented that he was saddened that there was no longer a police counter in Whitstable. Cllr Claisse advised that on 23rd and 24th of September a number of items were stolen from a garage in The Drove, and there were two burglaries in Birkdale Road. Cllr Samper suggested advertising to residents about garage and shed alarms as a deterrent. Cllr Claisse agreed to ask the neighbourhood watch co-ordinators to get this information out and Cllr Bailey agreed to mention this in the next magazine. Cllr Ellis agreed to speak to a contact for details of where to get them from.
A resident at the meeting volunteered to be a neighbourhood watch co-ordinator for Molehill Road. The Clerk and Cllr Claisse will give her more information. She will canvas Molehill Road and also offered to cover Carnoustie and Birkdale also – the Clerk will run an article in the next magazine for residents of these two roads to contact her for inclusion in the scheme.
100. The meeting was adjourned for parishioners’ questions.
A resident mentioned dog fouling on the rugby pitch. A player had slid into dog mess. Cllr Bailey explained the council runs regular articles in the magazine and now has some dog fouling signage to put up.
The meeting continued.
101. CITY COUNCILLOR REPORT
Cllr Samper explained the city council is bidding for the new cleansing contracts currently. And working with the county council as the disposal council to cut back on landfill waste and make savings.
102. COUNTY COUNCILLOR REPORT
Cllr Harrison explained that Kent County Council are currently setting their budget, the rate is frozen again for another year. He said he had been trying to retain the police counter at Whitstable for the last 12 months, and was sorry to see it go, but is still trying to resurrect it within the Swalecliffe library. He also spoke about problems with KCC’s school policy and buses from home to school transport changes and cut backs.
Cllr Brealy commented on pressure on the school bus number 918 which runs from Whitstable to Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys – by the time it reaches Cherry Orchard three children regularly get left as it is full. The next bus the 914 leaves them late for school. Cllr Brealy agreed to email the details of this concern to Cllr Harrison for follow up.
Cllr Harrison confirmed that the new waste recycling site is coming on well and on schedule.
An election will be held on 15 November for a new Police Commissioner.
He would also like to give copy for the next magazine to the Clerk about the county’s winter preparations.
Cllr Brealy asked that thanks be recorded for the excellent recent road works in Molehill Road.
103. PLANNING
Councillors considered planning applications and tree works in Appendix 2 previously circulated. Decisions reached and latest information now attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes.
104. FINANCIAL MATTERS
(a) RECEIVED the bank statements for September 2012, and RESOLVED the signature of the Chairman thereon;
(b) NOTED a payment of £16.33, for the Plusnet Internet account was taken by direct debit on 18/09/2012.
c) NOTED 5 hours overtime to the Clerk to deal with the magazine advertisers renewals, amendments and reminders, paid in the September salary, and a further 2 hours overtime (to be paid in the November salary) to deal with the reminder invoices and letters to the advertisers who had not paid for their renewal by 1 October.
d) NOTED at 6 October 2012, 23 advertisers renewed their adverts and the Clerk banked £1,435.00 for these. Plus a further £285 received for a further four advertisers’ renewals at 15 October 2012.
e) NOTED that the Clerk received details of the £50,104.11 fixed term deposit maturing on 24 September 2012 and re-invested the returned amount of £50,198.62 in another fixed term deposit for a further 5 months at .035% interest, to mature on 25 February 2013 with £74.13 interest.
f) NOTED that the Clerk added the Tidy Bear novelty bin and the 6 liveried bins to the fixed asset register.
g) NOTED that the Clerk wrote to the council’s insurance company on 4 October 2012 to ask them to add the Tidy Bear novelty bin and the 6 liveried bins to the parish council’s insurance schedule.
C) INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT
First quarterly audit:
NOTED that the Internal Auditor completed his first quarterly audit for this financial year on 10 July 2012. His report from that inspection has been circulated to all Councillors. He ensured the brought forward figures in the cash book were correct, and also read the Minutes and checked the accuracy of the first quarter’s accounting records including the cash book, payroll, VAT records, vouchers and bank reconciliations. All the records were accurate and up to date. He confirmed that he had no matters to report, that the record keeping is of a good standard and the parish council’s approach to the management of risks is sound. The level of the Fidelity Guarantee has been reviewed and increased and meets recommended minimum level of cover.
Second quarterly audit:
RECEIVED the Internal Auditor’s report of the end of quarter 2 internal audit inspection undertaken on 4 October 2012. Noted his concerns about the errors of the pay roll outsourcing company which have already been reported to Members.
(D) END OF QUARTER 2 EXPENDITURE REPORT
RECEIVED a report prepared by the Clerk for the end of quarter 2 detailing the expenditure against budget headings to date (Appendix 3b)
(E) Precept budget preparation
The Clerk explained the council needs to consider their precept budget for 2013-2014. The Clerk and Chairman will draft a proposal with notes to the figures. This will then be brought back to full council meeting in November to be ratified. All Cllrs were asked to consider projects requiring expenditure and advise the Clerk within 14 days, of the details and anticipated costs of these, to ensure budget provision is considered.
(F) AUTHORISATION OF ACCOUNTS
The Clerk presented finance sheets for cheque payments requiring authorisation totalling £1,866.85, together with the direct debits schedule for Clerk salary, employers and employees national insurance and paye and salary calculations fee. Cllr Bailey proposed and Cllr Hunter seconded and it was RESOLVED that the financial matters and accounts, as previously set out in Appendix 3 be authorised for payment.
103. CLERK’S REPORT
(a) Action with Communities in Rural Kent News electronic newsletter
(b) Action with Communities in Rural Kent Annual Summary 2011-2012
(c) Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership “Stour View” newsletter.
(d) Minutes of the 42nd Blean Initiative meeting held on 18 September 2012, and TO NOTE the date of the next meeting is Wednesday 12 December 2012 at 1pm at Mayton Oast
(e) The Conservation Volunteers Autumn electronic newsletter
(f) The Whitstable Society electronic newsletter
(g) Invitation to the third FREE joint KALC & Kent Fire & Rescue Service (KFRS) workshop atMaidstone Fire Station, on 27 October .
KCC BUDGET SETTING
Kent County Council is consulting on setting their 2013/2014 budget until 1 November. KALC will be drafting a response and will circulate it by mid-October. The KCC press release is at http://kent.gov.uk/news_and_events/news_archive/2012/september/council_tax_freeze.aspx.
Consultation at http://kent.gov.uk/your_council/council_spending/budget_proposals.aspx .
MR TONY BLAKE DECEASED
The Clerk took a phone call on 26/09/12 from a Mrs Betty Quinn – she is Tony Blake’s sister.
She lives in Hampshire. She had written to us earlier in the year – but only addressed her envelope as Chestfield parish council, Whitstable and it did not reach the council. She has been told about the memorial bench and was delighted. The Clerk told her all about the initiative and how she had tried to get permission from a family member. The Clerk also told her about the bench being blessed at a memorial service – and again she was very pleased about this.
The Clerk has looked out a copy of the Memorial service sheet that Rev Gillibrand drafted and sent a copy.
Mrs Quinn also advised that all of Tony’s film archives and other materials has been left to his closest personal friend and executor, who lives in Sturry – and who has been holding the materials and has offered them to the Beaney Museum now that it has re-opened.
Cllr Bailey advised he would try to contact the executor. He said next year was the 25th anniversary of the creation of the parish council and it would be nice to hold some sort of exhibition.
FAULTY BT CALL BOX
NOTED that the Clerk reported the missing door on the public payphone at 50 Chestfield Road, CT5 3LD telephone number 01227 792200 to BT’s fault reporting tool on 27/09/12.
CONTRACTOR FOR PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY
NOTED that the Clerk confirmed with the current contractor of the cutting of some of the public
footpaths in the village that the contract will carry on with him for 2012/2013 starting at the end of October. He has agreed to hold the price the same for 2013 but will have to review, should he be offered the contract thereafter.
SPEEDWATCH
i) KENT POLICE DOCUMENTATION
The community speedwatch (CSW) support team had advised that the Kent Police website now hosts a selection of the very latest CSW-related reference documents. The documents can be accessed through the 'hotlinks' at the bottom of the Speed Watch home page at: www.kent.police.uk/advice/community_safety/initiatives/speed_watch.html
ii) NEW ROTA FORMATTING
One of the Speedwatch volunteers made the suggestion to the Clerk that when she next devises
the rota that the second person becomes the lead person on the next session. This would avoid having to transport the equipment to the next lead person on the list, as the second person would take it ready for the next session.
The Clerk contacted all the speedwatch volunteers and asked if anyone has any objection to this being implemented from the next rota. Initial responses all came back in favour but then one replied that they were not particularly keen on the suggestion because
a) It means that a "watcher" would be involved for 2 weeks running and it may be preferable to have space between duties so as not to unduly impinge on the domestic situation.
b) Members taking over the equipment would have to use their cars; some prefer to walk/cycle to chosen location.
c) More space between duties could mean that weather conditions are more likely to change, alleviating the possibility of a "double washout".
The Clerk sought permission to share these thoughts again with the other volunteers, and agreed that a majority vote would determine the outcome. Further feedback received was that the comments had a point, especially the one for domestic reasons, but the new suggestion would mean more space between sessions for everybody. The majority felt the new method should be given a try and if it doesn't work out we can revert back to the current system.
FAULTY SPEEDWATCH EQUIPMENT
Volunteers did a speed watch check week commencing 17 September and had a problem with the big screens. As both were not working they thought this must be a ‘dongle’ issue (the thing attached to the ‘gun’ to transmit the signal to the screens). The Clerk advised the next two volunteers and they did a check on 28 September and again both screens were not working.