Parish Council Minutes for 2nd February 2009Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held in the Small Hall, High Street, Leigh, Monday 2nd February 2009 commencing at 8.00pm under the chairmanship of Cllr. Colin Stratton-Brown. 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Cllrs. R Sykes, J Knock and Mrs J Butler (Clerk). PRESENT: Cllrs. C Stratton-Brown, P Croft, A Johnston, R Dyton, G Marchant, D Bennie. 2. DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST. None. 3. MINUTES of the Parish Council held on 5th January 2009 were approved by Cllrs. Dyton and Bennie and will be signed once the Chairman has a clean copy from the Clerk. 4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 5th January 2009. i) Speed watch - information still awaited. ii) Environment - Clerk earlier confirmed that the trees on The Green can be treated for phytothera without any health risk. 5. REPORTS i.) Sevenoaks District Cllr. Cook was absent due to the bad weather and sent her apologies. She made a number of points via Cllr Stratton-Brown relating in particular to the Sevenoaks District Council Local Development Framework (LDF) core strategy preferred options. In conclusion, the District Council will re-emphasise their objection to development in three areas within the Green Belt and suggested that Leigh Council write to the District Council supporting the suggestion that the LDF should have a separate category for small villages such as Leigh. This was agreed. Cllr. Cook also informed the meeting that, at the suggestion of the Church Council, a handrail is to be considered by KCC for the west side of Church Hill. Alison had met with a representative of Kent Highways and drawn his attention to the potholes in Greenview Avenue. The Highways representative said they hoped to resurface the road. ii.) Kent County Cllr. Peter Lake was absent due to the bad weather and sent his apologies. iii.) Open Session: Mr Chris Rowley reported overhanging hedges in Powder Mill Lane. The Clerk to follow up. 6. PLANNING i.) Planning applications: No applications to be considered. ii.) Planning decisions: Appeal dismissed against Refusal of Planning Permission: AA/G2245/A/08/2081904/WF Cedar Court Leigh Tonbridge Kent TN11 8HP. Detached garage/store underneath existing tennis court. Appeal: APP.G2245/C/08/2091616 23 Powder Mills Leigh TN11 9AR Without planning permission the carrying out of building operations namely the erection of a rear extension. Comments to arrive by 25th February. The meeting agreed that no development should be carried out without planning permission. 7. CURRENT ISSUES. Nothing to report. 8. ENVIRONMENT. Nothing to report. 9. FOOTPATH WORKING COMMITTEE The Clerk to write to KCC requiring prior consultation on pathway diversions. 10. PLAYGROUND A meeting was held with David Boorman, Sevenoaks District Council's Senior Parking and Amenities Officer, and Cllrs. Sykes and Stratton-Brown. His preferred option was for the playground to be sited on far side of the Green (ie opposite side to the school). The nearside of the Green was also an acceptable site. The bottle bank site was too small and the graveyard site was unsuitable because of the extent of foundations required. Site on school playing field was acceptable but was far from the village. The meeting agreed to appoint an individual expert recommended by David Boorman to advise on siting etc. 11. VILLAGE HALLS. Nothing to report. 12. AGED PERSONS DWELLING. Nothing to report. 13. TRANSPORT No Gatwick service but sometimes useful service to Victoria from Leigh Station. 14. YOUTH FORUM Cllr Bennie reported that the scheme with Hildenborough church was about to be commenced - 11th March Wednesday evenings (7.30 to 9.30). Children would need to be transported by parents hopefully setting up a rota. 15. CORRESPONDENCE for information only had already been circulated. The items of correspondence noted included Kent County Council's Community Waste Action Fund application - Cllr Dyton to review with another person within the village and possibly to make an application by 16th February. Cllr Marchant noted that these publications should not waste printers ink and the Clerk was to make a note with the KCC on this point.
16. FINANCIAL MATTERS i) request from Tennis Club for further funding for coaching at Leigh School: £250.00 approved grant ii) request from Beavers for contribution towards tent (Cllr Bennie declared an interest) - the meeting was happy to propose half (ie £225) towards a new tent. iii) annual renewal to Action with Communities in Rural Kent £35. Clerk to check the Parish Council needs to renew a subscription for Action with Communities in rural Kent as the Village Hall is already a member. The Clerk confirmed later that it was value for money eg last year they had issued a grant towards the new noticeboard at Powdermills that would not have been possible via the Village Hall subscription. Trim Trail application from school - £2,000 grant approved. There would be a hope and expectation for beneficial use by community and this was to be included in the Clerk's letter. The following cheques were approved for payment. As the Clerk has the chequebook and was absent from the meeting, she would arrange for every cheque to be signed by three Councillors later in the week.
* it was later discovered that this had not taken into account the increase in hours agreed by Council in December 2008. The correct amounts of £455.61 and £104.59 respectively were signed and approved by Cllrs. Stratton-Brown, Sykes and Johnston the following week. 17. ANY FURTHER MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION Dates were approved for next year and the Clerk should extend up to April 2010. Cllr Marchant responded to Clerk's previous request for help with details for replacement signage at the junction of Coppings Road and Philpotts Lane. He suggested and other Councillors agreed that the sign should show Sevenoaks and Sevenoaks Weald to the north, Chiddingstone Causeway and Edenbridge to the west and Hildenborough and Tonbridge to the east. Clerk to relay to Kent Highway Services. Cllr Powell noted that one metre was the minimum requirement for fencing of playground and areas for certain age groups. Meeting closed at 9.00pm. Signed............................................................... Chairman................................................................. Date..................................................................
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