Minutes of the Annual Parish Electors’ meeting of Westbere Parish Council held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 25 March 2014 at 7.30pm.
Present
Cllr Jeanette Dawson- Chairman
Cllr Sylvia Harlow- Vice Chairman
Cllrs Mike Prince, Georgina Glover, Maria Morcom, Kathy Wilson, Karen Williams
KCC Cllr Alan Marsh
Clerk to the council, Amanda Sparkes
Guest Speaker, City Cllr John Gilbey, Leader of Canterbury City Council
12 Electors signed the attendance register
Apologies for absence – Bruce and Diana Poulter, Robin and Lyn Peters, Jean Boyce, Mr and Mrs Nigel Denne, Mr and Mrs Steve Carter, Miss Malindi Tucker and Mr John Morcom.
Minutes of the Electors’ meeting held 7 May 2013
Resident Mrs V Smith proposed and resident Mr Colin Dawson seconded and it was RESOLVED to accept the minutes as a true record.
Matters arising – None
Chairman’s report
Cllr Dawson presented her report detailing Parish council activities over the year (attached as an appendix to these minutes, and also available on the Parish council website).
County Cllr report
KCC Cllr Alan Marsh added a welcome to all present, and commented that Westbere Parish Council was his favourite parish council. He said that residents were very lucky for such a small community to have such an active parish council. He explained that KCC Members value liaison with parish councils, 52% of the area is parished and Members with one are appreciative.
Cllr Marsh commented on the parish council’s refurbishment of the red telephone box and then the red salt bin – other parish councils now want one! Cllr Marsh said praised Canterbury City Council and their staff for their efforts during the recent bad weather and flooding, and that there had been much co-operation between city and county council.
Cllr Marsh advised that the East Kent Health Foundation Trust have a proposal to reduce the number of outpatients’ centres for East Kent from 16 to 6. All Herne Bay and Faversham residents have to go as outpatients to Whitstable. Travel for Sturry and Westbere residents is really only viable to Kent and Canterbury Hospital at Canterbury or the QEQM at Margate. Cllr Marsh explained he is trying to enhance the services of the Queen Victoria at Herne Bay and keeping that as a seventh outpatient centre, and has had immense help and support from the Friends of Herne Bay group. He was flagging issues up on behalf of Westbere residents, but urged residents to monitor and have a voice through their parish council.
Cllr Marsh reminded residents that the Barton Court School is consulting on relocating to the coast, and the Chaucer Technology school is to close. The Spires Academy which has had £31m spent on it will take another 200 pupils. With this in mind he urged residents to take extra care at school times.
Cllr Marsh explained that the draft Canterbury District Transport Strategy 2014-2031 has just been published. This goes to full council on 24 April and then to a six-week consultation. He again urged residents to check the document and have a voice both individually and through the parish council.
Cllr Marsh explained the recent prolonged bad weather had caused serious pothole problems on roads. £8.6m more has been allocated just to improve roads. He asked residents to report potholes to KCC or via the Clerk.
KCC council tax has gone up for the first time in four years, but most Westbere residents will pay 69 pence to 89 pence per week more. If inflation can stay low, the county may have a chance to catch up.
Cllr Marsh concluded by thanking residents for attending and asking them to support Westbere Parish Council and that it was a pleasure to work for everyone.
City Cllr report
City Cllr Georgina Glover explained she looks after planning and read her report to the meeting.
A resident asked Cllr Glover about the increasing number of retail units being allowed at the Lakesview Industrial Estate. Cllr Glover confirmed this is allowed under their permissions. She commented that the number of local residents now employed there had increased.
A resident commented on all the ugly banners/signs on the roundabout and entrance to the estate – Cllr Glover agreed to find out if George Wilson are managing the estate.
Annual report of the Westbere charities
Doctor Geoff Jones read the charities annual report. This is held as an appendix to these minutes. Cllr Dawson commented that the Westbere charities do a wonderful job and as mother of one the students who has received an award for the last three years, she was very grateful, and that the village is very lucky to have such a charity.
Cllr Glover wished to record this as an excellent report.
A resident asked about how the trustees are chosen. Cllr Glover explained that the Westbere Village Preservation Society appointed one representative and the parish council appoint another – they are not appointed by their predecessor. A trustee once appointed remains a trustee until they surrender the role.
Neighbourhood watch
Cllr Wilson is the Village co-coordinator for the neighbourhood watch and keeps residents alerted to all activities. She commented that Westbere was very lucky not to have any reported incidents in the last year. She explained the Canterbury district is divided into nine areas and she is one of five people who do one day a week to print off relevant reports. Cllr Wilson monitors any incident in Westbere, Sturry, or Hersden and forwards neighbourhood watch alerts by email.
Cllr Wilson commented that with 200 more students to attend Spires Academy from next September she urged residents to be mindful of any mischief incidents.
After the last parish council meeting, when a resident had raised concerns about three men who were leaflet dropping in Pennington Close, but who appeared to be checking out properties, Cllr Wilson had immediately contacted the PCSO. The PCSO contacted the double glazing company who confirmed they had people in the area on the day concerned. Cllr Wilson then emailed to all contacts about the legitimacy of this activity to put minds at rest.
Village Correspondent
Cllr Dawson introduced Michael Steed, who, although he lives in Fordwich, is the new Westbere village correspondent for the Kentish Gazette village column. Michael commented that he has an old map and originally numbers 19 and 21 Westbere Lane were in Sturry and number 23 was in Fordwich. He explained he has become the Westbere correspondent almost by accident – the KM Group put him down for both areas once he enquired about Sturry.
Michael explained he does not get sent anything, and urged residents to send him reports, dates of events, etc – email to
Electors Participation
There were no questions from the electors at this point.
There was then a short break for refreshments
Guest speaker – Canterbury City Cllr John Gilbey, Leader of Canterbury City Council
Cllr Dawson said she was delighted to introduce Cllr Gilbey and welcomed him to the meeting.
Cllr Gilbey commented that Cllr Marsh had been modest in his earlier comment and that the response of Kent County Council, the Salvation Army and the army itself to recent flooding had been terrific – all the partnership agencies worked with the city council to assist. He explained that at the end of April he is to travel down the river Stour to the estuary – there are still lots of blockages and the river needs dredging badly. Cllr Gilbey advised he has sent a letter to the secretary of state and DEFRA although they are liable to be swamped by requests from those at the Somerset levels.
Cllr Gilbey commented that he sits on the Health and Wellbeing Board at Canterbury and the East Kent Health Foundation Trust did not speak to this board before decisions were made – he felt the board could have helped with the politics of the proposals.
Dr Geoff Jones, resident, subsequently advised he sits on the commissioning board for health. He clarified that the proposal to move the minor injuries unit in a cottage hospital at Faversham to Estuary View medical centre at Whitstable was a separate item to the reduction in outpatient centres.
Cllr Gilbey drew attention to the next draft of the Canterbury District Local Plan, published that same day. Canterbury City Council has now considered the main issues arising from comments and decided what changes to make to the draft Plan and will formally consider these at the following meetings:-
· Overview Committee at 7pm on 2 April 2014
· Executive at 6.30pm on 10 April 2014
· Council Meeting at 7pm on 24 April 2014
The Council’s draft Transport Strategy will also be considered at the same meetings before being issued for Public Consultation. This has used the VISUM computer system to inform it.
Canterbury City Council analysed 7,000 comments from about 1,300 individuals and organisations from the first draft. Cllr Gilbey commented that it is not possible to please everybody all of the time. The city council has to make decisions which inevitably will be unpopular with some.
He explained the document is now amended with evidence presented. He had attended a press meeting that day (25 March 2014) to give detail to the local radio and newspapers. He explained the second consultation is not about the detail but is a final opportunity for people to comment on the technical and legal “soundness” of the Plan before it is considered by an independent Planning Inspector. Canterbury City Council will point out responses, support, and objections to the Planning Inspector – the city council will not get a say.
Cllr Gilbey explained he had been the Chair of the cross-party Local Plan steering group for the last seven year and that there had been two changes of planning regulations in that time. The city council’s last Local Plan ended in 2012 so currently there is no local plan which is very dangerous as it is easier for developers to win at Inspector level.
Cllr Gilbey advised that a lot of SHLAAS (Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment Sites) had been put forward by developers, including some since the first draft. He explained that the city council has to provide a lot of houses but they can’t build houses without solving other problems. He confirmed that the city council will go for big sites – there is land available for seven big sites which will generate the money required for roads, schools, etc. He confirmed that there will be:
- A Sturry bypass
- A new roundabout/road format at the Bridge slip road/A2 junction
- A bigger Park and Ride at Old Dover Road
- An off-slip at Wincheap
Cllr Gilbey advised the city council has got agreement (not written yet) of developers’ support to create the infrastructure needed. £92m will be given by developers – this only works because of the high land prices in Canterbury, it would not work elsewhere.
Cllr Gilbey advised the city council had a “dummy inspector” report and pointed out that the Canterbury district has virtually run out of Brownfield sites, and that lots of houses have already been built on the coast, and that the focus now must be on development in the City. Cllr Gilbey commented that with all the woodlands and SSSI sites there is little land left. Cllr Gilbey confirmed there is a requirement to talk to neighbouring local authorities, and the Canterbury City Council had worked with them and KCC.
Cllr Gilbey explained that the 4000 homes at South Canterbury previous proposal met with some resistance, but the city council looked at this non-politically and neutrally. 17 additional sites had been proposed in the last 6 weeks (including Bushy Close Wood at Westbere) but none were going to be recommended for Westbere or Hersden. A site at Thanington had been fought for by a developer but this is also not for inclusion, although an Inspector may think differently.
Cllr Gilbey concluded the city council had been careful and spent a long time on the document to get it right, and he felt that although the Inspector may feel differently, he felt the new draft was a comprehensive plan, that it made sense for how the district should develop. The city council was not allowed to build housing estates – but rather there was a need to build communities like Welwyn Garden City. This would also help to control traffic and the growth of cars. There was a need to get people walking and cycling and a need to increase Park and Rides. Cllr Gilbey stated that jobs are increasing and there were some big computer companies in the city now.
Questions were then invited. A resident asked what the city council felt about the possible closure of Manston airport. Cllr Gilbey said that the city council had been concerned about noise levels from the start, and also for Boris Island for the same reason, plus its proximity to a bird centre. The Manston closure consultation period is very short. The county council want a Parkway station but Thanet district council does not. Cllr Marsh commented that it was very difficult. The Parkway idea was to enable Manston to benefit from travel time same as Gatwick to Victoria. He said residents should not assume anything for another week until more information is available.
The Manston site is a 704 acre site – this could accommodate 40,000 homes. But there are fewer jobs in Thanet, especially if Manston airport closes.
In answer to a question, Cllr Gilbey confirmed that the city council has a policy to protect all greenbelts and does not need to build on them.
Cllr Gilbey spoke of the new power lines coming in (the Richborough Connection project) – these will be higher pylons from Pegwell Bay through to Canterbury. Cllr Dawson advised the parish council is to receive a presentation on 1 April 2014 and will learn more about this. There followed some discussion about French and Belgium electricity and wind turbines and nuclear generated electricity. Lots of Belgium’s electricity comes from France of which 85 % is nuclear generated. Resident Norman Smith advised at this point that the policy of France now is not to have an over reliance on nuclear energy. EDF cannot afford to rebuild nuclear plants so there is a phased reduction going on. Cllr Gilbey commented that the electricity companies have statutory rights, which limits any influence.