The Village Hall
Warden Road
Eastchurch
Sheppey
Kent
ME12 4EJ
Phone/fax (01795) 880790
Website: eastchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk Email:
The meeting was open to the public and the press and recorded in line with Standing Orders.
Minutes of meeting of Eastchurch Parish Council
Held on Tuesday 24th March 2015 in Eastchurch Village Hall at 7.30pm.
Present: Cllr Kathleen Carter (Chairman), Cllr Mike Brown, Cllr Tina Booth, Cllr Terry Wady, Cllr Chris Shipley, Cllr Andy Booth, Cllr Brian Pullinger and Fiona Jackson (Clerk).
Also Present: Warden James Crane and PCSO Nathan Southern.
1)Apologies for Absence
None.
2)Approval and Adoption of Minutes from the previous meeting
The minutes were agreed as a true and correct record.
3)Matters arising from the minutes not covered by other agenda items
Page 2 Minute 6 – Warden Crane confirmed he had sent copies of the photographs through to the office.
Page 2 Minute 7e – A letter requesting dates of meetings has been sent.
Page 2 Minute 7g – The Defibrillator has been installed and its location reported to SECAMB. The cost of the installation was higher than originally quoted as an RCD, transformer and polycarbonate enclosure were also required.
Page 3 Minute 8d – It was agreed the word “full” should be removed.
Page 2 Minute 9b – The recording equipment has been purchased and is in use.
Page 2 Minute 9c – The decision on allowances has been implemented with HMRC.
Page 3 Minute 11b – The recommendation has been completed.
Page 3 Minute 12a – The recommendation has been completed.
4)For Members to make or receive declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary or Non-Pecuniary Interests in regards to items on the agenda under the Council’s adopted Code of Conduct.
No interests were declared.
5)Public Session
No public present.
6)Report from local Police and KCC Warden.
The PCSO reported 14 crimes in the parish for the previous month; eight were from the prison cluster and two from the holiday parks. A horse watch event was being held on 31/03/15 in Teynham.
Warden Crane reported that an emergency services day was being scheduled and that he would pass the information on. Councillors congratulated the Warden on the rescuing of two people trapped on the mudflats in his role as Coastguard.
7)Correspondence
a.GrantScape – Confirmation of Payment of £1632.00 from PfR Community Benefit Fund for planter installation at Cheyne Road.
b.SBC – Notice of Election for Eastchurch Parish Councillors. This is displayed on the noticeboards.
c.SBC - Parish Nomination Forms.
d.Post Office – Confirmation of limited Eastchurch Post Office Branch re-opening (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 0.930 -13.30). A discussion took place regarding the importance of the Post Office as a valuable asset to the residents. It was agreed to write to the Post Office to ask for a representative to attend a meeting and explain the position.
e.Kent Police – Equine Crime Prevention Event. 31/03/15 7.30pm – 9.30pm Teynham Community Hall.
f.Big Local – Notice of successful funding received. £500.00 towards Aviation Memorial project and £500.00 towards cost and installation of public access Defibrillator. It was agreed to write a letter of thanks to the committee.
g.SBC - Notice of successful funding received from Member’s Localism Grant. Aviation Memorial, Cllr Adrian Crowther £1900.00, Cllr June Garrard £200.00, Cllr Andy Booth £350.00.Defibrilator Cllr Andy Booth £300.00. There are still two outstanding applications for £1134.00 to be confirmed. It was agreed to write a letter of thanks to the Councillors.
8)Report from Planning Committee.
The Planning Committee Chairman reported that two applications had been considered at the last meeting. 11a, High Street had met with no objection. 9, Swanley Farm was revised wording and application form but the committee members still objected to the lifting of holiday occupancy.
Notice had also been received of possible planning application for the Wheatsheaf and there were concerns over a possible change of use. This would be looked at on its merits when received.
9)Report from Highways Working Group.
Cllr Carter reported that a resident had asked for information on the works on Warden Road from the Clerk. Despite assurances that more information would be sent through, nothing has been received. The resident is suffering from damage to the foundations of his house due to the volume of water in his property. It was agreed to write to the Operations Director with a formal complaint about the drainage department, the lack of work done and the consistent lack of response to telephone calls and emails. This would be copied to Paul Carter at KCC.
10)Financial Statement and Authorisation of Payments.
Cllr Shipley proposed acceptance of the schedule of payments, seconded by Cllr Wady. Acceptance proposal carried.
200785ACRKAdmin35.000.00£35.00
200786A. BoothAdmin116.6623.33£139.99
200787VikingAdmin462.6318.13£480.76
200788CommunicorpAdmin55.000.00£55.00
200789EBLSProjects399.5879.92£479.50
200790SBCProjects35.000.00£35.00
200791Rowson ElectricalProjects105.0021.00£126.00
200792HMRCAdmin149.350.00£149.35
200793B. TelecomAdmin81.8116.36£98.17
200794K. CarterAdmin480.000.00£480.00
200795F. JacksonAdmin763.090.00£763.09
Request of transfer from Money Master Account to Treasurer Account of £3000.00
Balance of Accounts as per Cash Book, reconciled with bank statements as of 31st January 2015
EPC Money-Master£14212.83
EPC Treasurer£2194.69
EPC Solar Community Fund£15000.00
11)Councillor’s Reports (only to include items not previously discussed on the Agenda).
Cllr Andy Boothreported that:
The Big Local grants had been queried on the grounds of being retrospective, but he had pointed out that they had been submitted before completion in the first instance.
He queried whether drones were being used to drop substances in to the prison cluster after a recent TV report.
He had attended the SJTB meeting where the proposed options for the cycle route to Leysdown were discussed including one through Warden Road and Donkey Hill. A copy of the report had been requested from Sustrans with a possible view to match funding. A discussion took place regarding the suitability of the routes and the problems for cyclists all over the island. He had emailed highways reports from Eastchurch through for a response at the next meeting.
He was pleased the defibrilator was installed.
He reported that both plinths were in need of cleaning. It was agreed that he and Cllr Wady would tackle the problem before the Observance on 1st May, possible putting shingle or sand around the bases.
Cllr Brown reported that:
Sheppey Heritage Trust was applying for funding for an information trail across the island to include the Eastchurch Aviation Memorial.
He was concerned that there was a car for sale on the verge in the village – this has been reported.
That the Fire Brigade recruitment posters were up and that the Parish Council was pleased to support the initiative.
That there was a major event at the community site on the prisons on 10th April 2015 at which the new Aviation Annexe would be open.
Cllr Tina Booth reported that the hedges in Church Road had been cut back but that the debris was left over the road and pavement clogging the ditches and gulleys.
Cllr Wady reported that the new ditching on Lower Road was very deep and that markers needed to be installed.
Cllr Carter reported that Shurland Dale had revamped their front entrance but that rocks etc. had been deposited in the verge opposite. This had been reported to SBC. The Chairman asked that a letter of thanks was sent to Mrs Williams of Swale CVS for a very informative training session for the Councillors on grant funding.
12)Date of Next Meeting
a)Date of AGM and May meeting
The newly elected Council will be in place on 12th May and the AGM needs to take place between then and the 26th May in order that a Chairman can be elected and Committees put in place. Councillors all agreed to hold the AGM on Tuesday 12th May at 9.30am so that the Council could resume its functions as quickly as possible.
b)Date of forthcoming meetings
Tuesday 14th April 10.30am Solar Farm Funding Committee.
Tuesday 28th April 9.30am Swale CVS Meet the Funders. Village Hall 10.00am-1.00pm.
Tuesday 28th April 7.30pm Parish Council Meeting.
Friday 1st May 12.00pm Eastchurch Observance.
13)Closure of Meeting
SignedChairman
SignedClerk
Dated
1