MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF STURRY PARISH COUNCIL
HELD AT HERSDEN NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE
ON WEDNESDAY 1STAPRIL 2015.
Present: Cllrs: Heather Taylor (Chairman), Peter Wenham,Rosemary Harradine, Louise Quirke,Pauline Louch,
Also in attendance wereCounty Councillor Alan Marsh, Parish Clerk Julie Cronin, Cemetery Superintendent Jo Hitchcock, City Councillor Georgina Glover, and City Councillor Tony Austin.
3894. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Andrea Brabham, Dave Bubb and Ashley Bubb
3895. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
3910. Cllr. Heather Taylor is on the City Council planning committee, so she will make comments but not vote on the items.
3897.MINUTES
Theminutes of the Parish Council meeting of 4thMarch 2015 were confirmed as a true record, by Cllr. Wenham and agreed by councillors.
3897. MATTERS ARISING.
Pauline Louch asked if Heather Taylor had heard anything from the Herne Bay School regarding the safety cones outside the school. Heather responded that she had not heard anything.
3898. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The meeting was adjourned at this juncture for members of the public to ask questions and make statements regarding items on the agenda.
None
The meeting was reconvened.
3899.CHAIRMAN AND COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
Cllr. Quirke had a resident approach her to ask about buses coming up through the Estate. Cllr. Taylor responded that it had been put on the Local development plan, which we are waiting to hear.
Sturry does have two existing bus companies that come through, Kent Carrier and Dial a Ride. The Dial A Ride does go to Asda on a Thursday.
Louise Quirke had also been asked whether the Council/Police were going to put a CCTV up at the top of Hillbrow Avenue with Woodside Road, seeing as they have put one down at the bottom of McCarthy Avenue. Heather Taylor advised that the CCTV at the bottom of McCarthy was an ongoing personal issue at one resident’s house, and that it was only turned on for two days. The Police and Canterbury Council have said that there is not enough crime happening for them to warrant putting one at the top Woodside Road with Hillbrow Avenue.
3900. DISTRICT AND COUNTRY COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
Cllr. Alan Marsh asked about the concurrent function. Heather Taylor explained that CCC have had a scrutiny panel to review how the concurrent function applications could be improved. Parish Councils were invited to a forum with the Scrutiny review panel, of which Heather Taylor is, to discuss new ideas on the application processes. The results and findings are going to the Executive Committee on the 16th April 2015, and then out to the public. Alan wanted the Council to know that he would back whatever we decide on.
Alan gave an update on agenda item 3840 for last month in regards to the rivers being cleared to reduce flooding. He has heard that now there is 100% funding to complete the clearance in the rivers.
Alan told the Council that he was unhappy with Serco’s response to getting a residents bin emptied, and that it took 8 days. He thanked Georgina for her help on achieving the end result. Heather said that she also had been approached about this and had contacted Serco, and was there on the same day they missed it and watched them collect it. There seems to be some confusion whether it was the same resident or a different one.
Alan gave out a copy of a letter to National Grid, which Paul Carter, the leader of the County Council had signed, to the Parish Councillors. This letter was initially devised by Alan. He had put it before the County Council cabinet meeting, and KCC have fully backed it.
Cllr. Tony Austin also commented on the National Grid pylons. That Sothern Water and National Grid were at conflict regarding them
Commented on how good the latest Parish Council magazine looked and that the minutes of meetings had more in them.
Tony spoke about the traffic crashes in Broad Oak, and that Highways were going to look into it. He thanked Alan Marsh for starting the ball rolling. The planning application in Chapel Lane Broad Oak was granted permission, which he was sad about, as it is a private road that needs to be maintained by the residents, more cars will require more maintenance.
Cllr. Georgina Glover repeated what Tony Austin had to say about Southern Water, and had also spoken to them.
Cllr. Heather Taylor advised that the Swan Pub application was granted planning permission. She had voiced her concerns over the parking issues there could be in the village, but had no objection to the plan itself, it would be nice to have another open business in the village.
Planning was also granted at the Traveller site on Moat Lane Fordwich.
The clerk advised all Councillors that several people have come into the office and complained that as pedestrians walking on the footpath and crossing the driveway to Costcutters, there have been near misses with vehicles leaving Mill Road/Island Road into the forecourt of the shop. Is there anything that Highways can do?
RESOLVED Clerk to email Richard Jenkins at CCC and copy them in so that he is aware they know about it, and ask for it to be put on the Joint transport board agenda.
3901.COMMUNITY WARDEN AND POLICE OFFICERS’ REPORTS
Angela Pullen has now left, and Michelle Weston is the warden covering our Parish one day a week, she is currently the Herne & Broomfield Warden. Angela’s phone number has been diverted to Michelle’s.
3902. CEMETERY SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT
Jo has found a company who do a 600ltr or 900ltr compost bin. They are fast acting as well.
RESOLVED to buy two 900ltr bins under the Clerk’s power, a total of £185, including delivery.
The Parish Council received a recorded delivery letter from Mrs Bastin, in regards to the state of the Cemetery. She requested a site meeting with the Chairman, vice-chair and the Cemetery Superintendent. Jo informed us that John Caddick has been planting the new plants in the entrance drive to the Cemetery and it’s looking a lot better.
Cllr. Taylor asked that we write to Mrs Bastin, explaining that we knew it was going to be a 2-3 year plan before the Cemetery was starting to look at its best again, and that there is still further works to be done. If at a later date she is still not happy, then to please attend a parish council meeting to air her viewson the public speaking agenda item.
Cllr. Taylor said that there is several war graves in the Cemetery that they hadn’t realised were there and it would be nice to recognise these on 11th November each year, and that we should put a notice in the Parish Magazine.
3903.CLERK’S REPORT
The magazines have all been delivered now, hopefully. I have obtained the correct amount of properties for each delivery round and the Hersden round will be reduced over the next two deliveries, to reflect the correct amount. I have looked at Hi-Viz vests for the deliverers and for the parish council to use. (The previous vests seem to have disappeared from the office.) I looked at Herne Bay market they wanted £5 for each vest. They do have them in the Range for £2.99. Cllr. Wenham visited a store in Ramsgate who gave him a quote of £115.
I would like to attend the Kent & Medway funding fair in Chatham on the 21st April 2015, the cost is £15 including lunch.
We have closed Park View play area due to the state it is in. Signs have been placed up and large padlock and chains have been used to close the gates. People are still using it, by lifting their children over the gates/fencing, but that is at their own risk. Ashley and I met with Amanda Scott from Wicksteed Leisure Ltd to discuss the play area being moved further along, keeping reusable play equipment and installing new equipment. It will take about another 2 weeks before we get these plans. In the meantime we have the plan from last year from Playdale, quoted at £62,230.62. Sovereign play equipment are coming out on 21st April to plan and quote for a play area. Jo has said she is happy to meet with them, with one or two councillors, as I would be at the funding fair.
There is a lot of litter in Centenary woodland, as well as fly tipping from neighbouring properties. The Park warden is due to return to work on the 7th April, but I feel this needs volunteers to do a one off offensive on the area.
I have written to a resident, where a complaint has been made regarding overgrown vegetation onto the footpath, from their property asking politely if they could trim it back.
I have written to another resident who may have been identified walking their dog in the Cemetery, reminding them that dogs are not allowed in there.
The salt grit bin on Homewood Road has cracked open at the back. I have requested a new bin to Highways.
I have also had residents expressing concern over the entrance to 2 Sturry Hill and Costco, drivers are coming into entrance at speed narrowly avoiding pedestrians using the pathway to cross the entrance. The problem could be entrance to broad, and more like a slip road.
The Parish council received a letter from Mrs Bastin regarding the state of the Cemetery, please find attached. This letter was a recorded letter and needs a response.
I have an appointment on Thursday Morning with the elections team to put in your nomination forms, so if I could have by end of meeting.
The minibus has had its tail lift check and won’t need doing for another 6 months. It also had its MOT and passed.
I have had a new lock put on the garage in the Cemetery, so this is now secure. The toilet seat was broken in the gent’s public toilets, which has been repaired.
3904.TO DISCUSS PUBLIC TOILET REFURBISHMENT.
Public toilets need refurbishing.
RESOLVED Put out to tender, get quotes for stainless steel and porcelain.
3905. TO DISCUSS AND RESOLVE PARK VIEW SWING SHUT GATE ON THE LINK ROAD AND THE CHAIN-LINK FENCE IN THE DOG WALKING AREA.
For the Link Road gate we received a quote for £750 +VAT and a second for £620. The second also quoted to fix chain-link fence and the gate to dog walking area, for £375.
RESOLVED to get OT Metalwork to put new gate on the Link Road area and put extra post in for chain-link fence as well as fix gate to dog walking area.
3906. TO DISCUSS DEFIBRILATORS.
We have been waiting to hear back from Alan Marsh in regards to the cost of them, but have received nothing as yet.
RESOLVEDto defer to June’s meeting, and come back with prices and proposed locations.
3907. TO DISCUSS AND RESOLVE COMMUNITY MINIBUS USE AND COSTS.
Several Councillors wanted to abstain from making decisions regarding the minibus, as Councillors who had wanted it the most were not at the meeting to decide on them. The Clerk explained that there was a trip booked for the end of this month, and they needed to know the cost, as well as the HNCA lunch Club also asked for its use on Thursday.
RESOLVED Councillors decided on a token gesture of £10, plus mileage expense of 45p a mile until decisions can be made at the next meeting.
3908. TO DISCUSS AND RESOLVE THE QUOTES FOR THE BROKEN GYM EQUIPMENT.
We received a quote from a welding company to repair the two pieces of equipment for £375 +VAT.
The Clerk contacted Caloo the equipment provider to advise that it was broken and sent photos, as it was still under warranty. Caloo responded that the extent of the damage would not come under the warranty, but they were happy to quote for replacement of the items, at £1,800.
RESOLVED it was agreed to remove the two pieces of equipment from the Park, and not replace.
3909.FINANCE
The Clerk had forgotten to provide updated statements of expenditure and income from last month.
The invoices for cheques needing to be signed were provided of expenditure, was noted and RESOLVED to pay the invoices there.
3910.TO COMMENT ON PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
CA/15/00605/FUL, 54 Sweechgate, Broad Oak, Sturry, CT2 0QX
RESOLVED no objections.
CA/15/00559/VAR, land at Calcott Hill, Sturry CT3 4ND
RESOLVED no objections.
CA/15/00546/FUL, The Old Rose Forge, Field Way, Sturry, CT2 0BH
RESOLVED no objections.
CA/15/00521/FUL, Corner House, Bredlands Lane, Sturry CT3 0HD
RESOLVED no objections.
.
CA/15/00479/VAR, Old Fire Station, 33 High Street, Sturry CT2 0AX.
RESOLVED no objections.
.
3911. REPORTS OF AN IMPORTANT OR SPECIAL NATURE
None.
There being no other matters to discuss the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.35pm.
Signed………………………………………………(Chairman)
Date………………………………………………….