Preston Parish Council
Minutes of the Council Meeting held onWednesday1stMarch 2017
in Preston Village Hall.
Present: Cllr O Chapman (Chairman)
Cllr J Matthews
Cllr Bradley
Cllr A Pidgen
Cllr T Bartlett (DDC)
Mr F Pinnington (Clerk)
1. Issues to be raised by members of the public prior to the formalmeeting.
Jenny Ralph raised several issues. She asked about the status of the planning
applicationto provide extra parking spaces at the Downs. Cllr Chapman stated that this would be dealt with by the planning officers and the Parish Council was positively supporting this application. She also commented on the Rural Kent and Information Project. She felt this should be encouraged and felt there was a need in the village
to provide information on agencies available to support individuals as well as information on the support available to people such as carers. A member of the public raised her concerns about building work being undertaken at the Old Nursery in the Forstal. The development was in breach of planning. She had raised her concerns about this to DDC and had received no response. Building work was still continuing. Although members of the planning committee had visited the site there had been no response to the discussions she had with them. Cllr Chapman stated that the builders were continuing to work at their own risk in these circumstances. Cllr Bartlett stated that he would contact the various officers mentioned and report back.
2. Apologies for absence.Cllrs Wallis and Hunt had sent their apologies as Cllr Wallis’s mother had been taken ill suddenly. Cllr Laws had sent apologies as she was looking after her mother prior to a move. Cllr Matthews proposed and Cllr Bradley seconded and it was unanimously RESOLVED that these apologies be accepted.
3. Declaration of Interest in items on the Agenda and changes of interests
Nil.
4.To confirm the Minutes of the meeting ofWednesday January 4th 2017.
CllrMatthews proposed and CllrBradleyseconded that the minutes of the meeting of
January 4th 2017be confirmed as a true record once Cllr Conolly’s name had altered
on the two occasions it was spelt wrongly. This having been done
It was then RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes were a true record and they
were signed as such by the Chairman.
5. Matters arising from the Minutes ofJanuary 4th 2017.
i)Report of crimes:The Clerk reported damage to the water junction at the allotments.
ii) Meeting with David Wilson homes. The notes on this meeting had been circulated and would be discussed under item 10.
iii)Village Sign/Heritage Notice Boards: The Village Society had requested £200 funding
to enable them to refurbish these items. Cllr Matthews proposed and Cllr Pidgen170201
seconded and it was RESOLVED unanimously that the council approve this
expenditure to refurbish these boards. It was proposed by Cllr Matthews and seconded
by Cllr Lawsonand unanimously RESOLVED that the parish council would approve
this expenditure.
iv) Road Closures: The Clerk reported thatDDC had now agreed to inform the council of
road closures in the district monthly. He thanked Cllr Bartlett for his support in this matter.
v) BT Phone Box.The clerk reported that the contract to enable the PC to adopt the box
had now been signed by both parties.
6. Planning Applications and Parish Council response.
i)Planning Applications.DOV/16/01219 The Downs. Parish Council positively supports this application. DOV/17/00010. Detached dwelling. 1 Luckett Cottages The Street. The parish council would object to this application and Cllr Chapman was asked to provide the wording of the objection. (Action OCh)
ii) Decisions. DOV/16/00939. Low Lands The Street. Granted permission.
DOV/00488. The Butchers. Refused permission.
iii) Enforcement issues.Mobile Home ref DDC/16/00128.The owners of the site had been given until the 3rd February to remove the caravan and mobile home. (Action FPi)
iv) Appeals.Nil
Cllr Chapman stated that he felt the council should ask for updates on enforcement issues prior to each council meeting. At present the following issues were outstanding: i) The Nursery. The Forstal. ii) The field behind Bishop Jenner Court.
iii) Court Farm. iv) Preston Court. v) The rear of Moss’s Farm Shop.(Action FPi)
7. Report from a District or County Councillor
Cllr Bartlett reported:
1. As a result of the consultant’s report ‘Business Case for Single Council for East Kent’it was proposed that the merger of four East Kent Councils (Dover: Thanet. Shepway; and Canterbury) be underway by 2020.
2. Sue Chandler had now become Chairman of the Youth Action Group.
3. DDC was promoting a paperless billing campaign to save money.
4. Local Planning Matters: The proposal to put a 300metre communication tower at Richborough had been rejected. A proposal to build an extra 90 homes at Ash within the confines had been approved. A proposal to build 104 homes at Ash on the Sandwich Road had been rejected.
8. Reports from representatives.
(i)The Village Hall Committee:Cllr Matthews reported that£297 had been raised at
the quiz and the defibrillator was to be placed on the village hall wall. It was reported
on behalf of the Community Centre Committee that there was to be a meeting with a lottery
representative in mid February as the Reaching Communities Fund had now been closed.
(ii) KALC: No report.
(iii)Village Society:The Society had gained new members and was very active. There was
Also a report on the discussion with the Village Society regarding the activities that
could be provided in a new community centre. These had focused on health and
wellbeing.
(iv) Sandwich Neighbourhood Forum:No report
(vi) A257 Committee.A meeting was being arranged and there was an emphasis on
reducing the speed limit through villages such as Wingham and Preston as a 170202
traffic-calming measure.
9. To authorise payments.
It was proposed by Cllr Bradley and seconded by Cllr Matthews and
RESOLVEDunanimously that the following payments be made.
i) Gordon Engraving (IGF Invoice Finance) £506.40
ii) F.Pinnington. £98. Reference book. Parish expenses.
iii) ACKR £50.00
iv) Village Society £200
v) Southern Water £22.81. (allotments)
10. Grove Road update.
i. Land Transfer.The Clerk reported that the final transfer deed would arrive shortly.
In order that this besigned the following resolution was passed.
It was proposed by Cllr Pidgen and seconded by Cllr Bradley and RESOLVED
unanimously that Cllrs Chapman and Matthews be authorised to sign on behalf
of Preston Parish Council the Transfer Deed in respect of the Gift of Land
given to Preston Parish Council by Daniel Salvatori.
It was also proposed by Cllr Pidgen and seconded by Cllr Bradley and RESOLVED
unanimously that Cllrs Chapman and Matthews be authorised to sign cheques should this
be necessary to finalise this transfer.
The Clerk reported that David Wilson homes was meeting their sales targets and
expected twelve houses to be occupied by the end of March.
ii)Pedestrian Route. There had been discussion with David Wilson Homes about the
footpath linking Stourmouth to Preston. At present they were opposed to the route
suggested through the estate because of potential problems with crossing the
drainage ditches. The Clerk would send the map of the six acres to Kate Stewart.
Huw Evans on behalf of Quinn estates reported that the pedestrian Route from the
Grange to the centre of the village had not yet been finalised with KCC. There was
to be a meeting the following week to walk it through. Once finalised there would be
a period of formal consultation with the village.
Cllr Chapman reported that there had also been correspondence on the lorries
now transporting soil to the Salvatori site. It was claimed that this soilwas contaminated;
and these concerns had been passed to Kent Highways and the Environment Agency.
Concerns had also been raised about speed and damage to the road edges. Cllr
Chapman reported that he had contacted Huw Evans.
.
11. Annual Parish Meeting. Wednesday April 19th 2017. Key speaker.
It was suggested that Josie Leicester be asked to talk about the Village Society
Activities and plans.
12. i). Budget.
The clerk presented a revised budget which now reflected the anticipated cost of
the legal costs for the land transfer. This was approved.
ii) Precept 2017/18.The Clerk explained that the sum to be received from the parish
precept was greater than expected because it contained an anticipated sum 170203
for the houses to be occupied at the Grange by the end of March.
13. Correspondence.
i) Rural Weekly Reports.Received.
ii) Freight Action Plan: Cllr Pidgen agreed to condense and circulate this report. (Action APi)
iii) New Service: mobile cafe and information centre. Jenny Ralph would follow up.
iv) Listening event: Health and Social Care. Circulated.
v) Business case for Single Council for East Kent. Circulated.
14 Any other information.
i. The Bin at Court Lane had not been emptied (Action FPi).
ii) The Archaeological Society would be carrying out a survey on the possible site of the
Roman Road through Preston.
Thenext council meeting would be on Wednesday March 1st 2017
There being no other business the meeting ended at 8.48
Chairman Date 170204