Leigh Parish Council s1
LEIGH PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Leigh Parish Council Meeting held in the Small Hall, High Street, Leigh
on Monday 7TH NOVEMber 2011 at 8pm under the chairmanship of Cllr. Stratton-Brown
PRESENT: Cllr. C. Stratton-Brown (Chairman), Cllr B. Doherty, Cllr A. Johnston, Cllr J. Knock,
Cllr G. Marchant, Cllr S. Smith and Cllr R. Swallow
APOLOGIES: Cllr D. Bennie, Cllr P. Croft, District Cllr A. Cook and County Cllr P. Lake
IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs L. Kleinschmidt (Clerk)
Open Session
There were no reports from District or County Councillors and no questions from members of the public.
Closed Session
1. Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Bennie and Cllr Croft and their reasons for absence were accepted by members of the Parish Council. Apologies for absence were also received from District Cllr Cook and County Cllr Lake.
2. Declaration of personal and prejudicial interest in respect of matters to be discussed – none.
3. The minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 3rd October 2011 were approved and duly signed. Proposed by Cllr Doherty, seconded by Cllr Smith and all were in favour.
4. To report on matters arising from the minutes not otherwise on the agenda
Item 16 (ii) – the Clerk reported that she submitted a response to the Open Spaces Allocation consultation.
5. Planning
i. to consider applications received
i. SE/11/02612/FUL: South Wing, Knotley Hall, Chiddingstone Causeway TN11 8JH - erection of single storey orangery extension to rear elevation. Members had no comment to make on this application.
ii. SE/11/02675/FUL: Wickhurst Brook, Coppings Road, Leigh TN11 8PR - erection of single storey sitting room extension and porch extension. Members supported this application provided that it does not exceed 50% of the original.
iii. SE/11/02760/FUL and SE/11/02761/LBCALT: Moorden Farm, Moorden Lane, Chiddingstone Causeway - convert existing attic room in roof void, running across south end of house (to which original main staircase already provides direct access) into games room, with the installation of two small dormer windows into south facing pitch of roof. Members supported this application.
iv. SE/11/02722/CONVAR: Sevenoaks Boxing Club, Gaza Trading Estate, Scabharbour Road, Hildenborough
- Vary condition 4 (hours of use of the building) to 08.30 to 21.30 on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 10.00 to 12.00 on Sundays, and the use of the building as an office from 08.00 to 17.30 on weekdays and Saturdays. The buildings will not be used at any other time, including bank holidays.
- Vary condition 6 (use of the building) to training of individuals for boxing or boxing related exercise classes.
- Vary condition 9 (no amplified music) to remove this condition of SE/05/00972/FUL
Members deferred discussion on this application until the Planning Committee meeting on 21st November.
Cllr Doherty reported that the Planning Committee has considered the following applications since the last meeting:
v. SE/11/02507/LBCALT: Moorden Farmhouse, Moorden Lane, Chiddingstone Causeway TN11 8JD - convert corner bedroom into two new shower/wc rooms. Remove existing fireplace, reinstate fireplace onto same chimney breast in room below. Replace 2 first floor windows. Replace external door & adj. window on south elevation with pair french windows. Members supported this application, provided that there are no adverse comments from the Conservation Officer.
vi. SE/11/02615/FUL: Baytree Cottage, Greenview Avenue, Leigh TN11 8QT - erection of two storey rear extension and internal alterations. Members supported this application.
The following notification of planning / listed building approval has been received:
SE/11/02260/FUL and SE/11/02261/LBCALT: Little Keepers, Charcott – demolition of existing domestic outbuilding and construction of rear extensions incorporating a glazed link
ii. to agree process for discussions regarding land to the rear of Garden Cottages
Members agreed that they did not wish to meet with the Planning Consultants or Developers until a formal planning application has been submitted.
iii. to review planning procedures
Cllr Doherty suggested that the following planning procedures be implemented:
1. Clerk receives the planning applications from SDC and logs them on the Planning spreadsheet.
2. Clerk emails all members of the Planning Committee to inform them that a new planning application has been received. The email will contain the planning application number and the SDC website URL so the Planning Committee can view the plans online if they wish. In addition the Clerk delivers hardcopy of the plans to the Chair of Planning Committee who will review and then circulate these to the Planning Committee members.
3. Clerk will put a copy of the Planning spreadsheet on the Parish Council noticeboards before Planning Committee and Parish Council meetings, so that members of the public know what applications have been received by the Parish Council
4. The Planning Committee will review the planning applications at their Planning Committee meetings and will make their recommendation to whole Parish Council at their next meeting or if deadline is prior to the next Parish Council meeting to send the response to SDC and advise whole Parish Council at their next meeting.
Please note the following:
(a) If the Parish Council does not get its response in by the SDC deadline, the Planning Officer may still take the Parish Council's comments into account (but they are not obliged to) and further a late response removes the Planning Officer's requirement to contact the SDC member (currently Alison Cook) to discuss the application and agree together whether the application should be discussed by committee or by delegation.
(b) The Parish Council's response will be either 'support' or 'object' with evidence relating to the local plan policies. Clerk to ascertain from the SDC Planning Department whether the Parish Council can submit a ‘no objection’ or ‘no comment’ response to consultations and what impact these responses will have on the planning process.
6. To update on pedestrian link between Knotley Hall and Chiddingstone Causeway
The Clerk reported that the draft agreement has now been sent to the landowner by KCC.
7. To discuss the location of Queens Diamond Jubilee beacons on 4th June 2012
Cllr Doherty reported that D.Cllr Cook has advised that the beacon cannot be situated on the church tower as it is prohibited by the ecclesiastic insurance policy. Members agreed that the Parish Council will not pursue the beacon idea. Clerk to mention in the parish magazine that volunteers are sought to form a team to organise the Diamond Jubilee events and it may be possible for this team to organise a beacon, if they wish.
8. Environment
i. advice regarding pond management
The Clerk reported that she has met the Hildenborough Pond Warden at the pond at the end of Crandalls. She does not think that the pond is too bad for the sort of pond it is, and offered to take water samples every six months or so to monitor the water quality. She suggested that the Parish Council could, if they wished, remove some of the lower overhanging branches on the left hand side, and clear some of the bulrushes, but generally it’s in quite good condition. The Clerk added that she has also spoken to David Boorman, who said that he is happy for the Parish Council to carry out additional strims to the two provided by SDC and any other maintenance work in the area. He has suggested that the Parish Council replace the padlock and keep the key to allow access. Members agreed.
ii. tree management
The Clerk reported that Bartletts have carried out the work on the small tree on the War Memorial Green, and have agreed to carry out annual checks on all the trees on the Green and the poplar on Porcupine Hill, free of charge.
The Clerk also reported that she has written to Mr and Mrs Shepherd-Barron regarding the dead branch on the tree in their garden that overhangs the War Memorial Green. Cllr Marchant reported that there is an overhanging branch from a tree in the Vicarage garden and it was agreed that the Clerk should write to Rev’d Kevis to bring the matter to his attention.
The Clerk reported that she has spoken to Peter Penn who wishes to stand down as Tree Warden for the parish, and has suggested Jonathan Cook as his replacement. Members agreed.
9. Highways
i. To consider winter road maintenance including possible Parish Council liability
The Clerk reported that one of the speakers at the Finance Conference she attended was a representative from the insurance company, Came & Co, who raised concern regarding liability with winter maintenance. Clerk to check with Zurich to see what is covered under the Parish Council’s insurance policy. The Clerk asked whether members wished to order a free bag of salt/grit again this year, as KHS has informed the Parish Council that the mix will be 50% sand and 50% salt. Members agreed that they did not wish to order a bag, but would purchase salt if required. The Clerk reported that Julian Cook at KHS has responded to her request to include the area in front of the school in KHS’s winter maintenance programme. Cllr Doherty declared a personal interest in this item. There are limited resources for salting and, where possible, KHS try to salt the Primary and Secondary routes and this road does not qualify.
ii. To report on outstanding highway matters
a. The Clerk reported that she requested a reduced speed limit by Knotley Hall, as requested by resident Kate Thurman. Laura Squires from KHS has responded to say that this site is not classed as a priority as the personal injury crash record for the last 3 years of available data, which is supplied to KHS by the Police, shows no evidence of a consistent pattern which could have been prevented by reducing the speed limit.
b. Coppings Road, Leigh - Request for advisory 20mph sign: again Laura Squires from KHS has responded to say that this site is not classed as a priority as the personal injury crash record for the last 3 years of available data, which is supplied to KHS by the Police, shows no evidence of a consistent pattern which could have been prevented by reducing the speed limit. Members agreed that C.Cllr Lake had agreed to fund this second sign from his Members’ fund.
c. KHS has informed the Clerk that the light bollard at Hunter Seal does not belong to Highways so they will not repair/replace it. Clerk to contact SDC to see if there was a condition of the original planning consent that required lighting and, if so, who would be responsible for its maintenance.
d. Allan Gibbons has advised that he hopes to put an order in for the complete resurfacing of Greenview Avenue in this financial year.
e. Allan Gibbons has advised that the Parish Council’s request for a salt bin on Church Hill will not meet the necessary criteria, and he has also had a request from the churchwarden for a salt bag, but Allan suggests that the church has access to the Parish Council’s salt.
f. Fraser Ward from WKHA re: Charcott development: ‘I have been in touch with the contractor and engineer for the project. The contractor is happy to come back and rearrange the gullies to their correct positions. We are now waiting on a revised report from the engineer detailing the extra works required - we are on the second version as the first did not appear comprehensive enough. We are expecting this next week and thereafter it will just be a case of getting a price agreed for the extra works before getting everything underway.’
g. KHS has forwarded to the Clerk an application form for the tennis signs for Greenview Avenue. Cllr Swallow undertook to complete and return the form on behalf of the Tennis Club.
h. Cllr Stratton-Brown reported that C.Cllr Lake has been chasing KHS on the request for speed reduction at Laundary Cottage, and members thanked C.Cllr Lake for pursuing this matter on their behalf.
10. To consider request for a plaque on an existing bench on The Green in memory of Bett Smith
Members agreed that, with regret, they would not allow Mr Lindsey to place a plaque on an existing bench on the Green as it would set a precedent.
11. To consider the Family Fun Play Scheme for August 2012
The Clerk reported that the group of parishes are again working together to organize a series of family play sessions for August 2012. The basic charge this year as £339.51, and costs for next year are not yet known. Members agreed to budget for, and run, this event again next year, depending upon costs.
12. To consider the provision of the freighter service for residents
The Clerk reported that SDC will provide the freighter on Saturday 10th December with 45 minute stops at each of the following sites. The cost for Leigh will be will be £63.00 + VAT:
1. 07.45 to 08.30 Penshurst
2. 08.45 to 09.30 Fordcombe
3. 09.45 to 10.30 Chiddingstone Village by Cemetery.
4. 10.45 to 11.30 Bough Beech Wheatsheaf Pub (car park).
5. 11.45 to 12.30 Chiddingstone Causeway by Richards Close.
6. 12.45 to 13.30 Leigh by The Green
Cllr Knock proposed that the Parish Council proceed on this basis and share costs with the other parishes. This was seconded by Cllr Doherty and all were in favour. Clerk to advertise in the parish magazine, the Tonbridge Courier and noticeboards.