Parish Council Minutes for 6th April 2009Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held in the Small Hall, High Street, Leigh, Monday 6th April 2009 commencing at 8.00pm under the chairmanship of Cllr. Colin Stratton-Brown. 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Cllrs. J Knock, D. Bennie, R. Dyton PRESENT: Cllrs. C Stratton-Brown, P Croft, A Johnston, G Marchant, H. Powell, R. Sykes and Mrs J Butler (Clerk). 2. DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST. Cllr. Stratton-Brown declared a prejudicial interest under item 17 regarding the Parish Church Council's request for a donation. 3. MINUTES of the Parish Council held on 2nd March 2009 were approved by Cllrs. Powell and Croft and signed by the Chairman, with the addition that there are problems with access associated with the consideration of a handrail for the west side of Church Hill. 4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 2nd March 2009. i.) Sevenoaks District Local Development Core Strategy - when responding to Sevenoaks Council last month, the Clerk ensured that she added that this study should have included a separate category for smaller villages. ii.) Green View Avenue - the Clerk has been advised that resurfacing this road is unlikely to be a priority for Kent Highway Services (KHS) despite highlighting that this road leads to the playing fields and tennis courts and so has more traffic than would first appear. 5. REPORTS i.) Sevenoaks District Cllr. Cook reported that recent vandalism by train travellers from Edenbridge has highlighted the lack of cooperation between the police and transport police. The Clerk was asked to request for the police to patrol the area by the station and liaise with the railway police, and Cllr. Cook will also mention the issue to Lesley Bowles of the Community Safety Partnership. Cllr. Cook observed the problem of litter particularly by the A21 which she felt had been hampered by the high level of training/examination that was now necessary to become a litter picker. By 2012 the major works at Pembury Hospital should be finished, although Cllr. Cook observed that 250 car park spaces for visitors is not enough. Out of four new bus routes there is not one from Sevenoaks, and the District Council has therefore complained. Cllr. Cook commented on telehealth and urged caution, as although it made sense in many ways, self-diagnoses would reduce personal care. Cllr. Cook reassured parishioners that the recycling refuse really is recycled contrary to local press reports, and although regrettably the Saturday freighter service has fallen victim to cost cutting, the bulky refuse service remains. Cllr. Cook was sad to learn that the Headmistress of Leigh School Mrs Wendy Wallace-Holman was leaving at the end of the summer term. The Clerk was asked by the Chairman to send a letter of best wishes and thanking her for her contribution. The affordable houses at Charcott were progressing, although the 106 Agreement has yet to be signed. The Chairman requested that the Parish Council be consulted, although the Clerk had been told by SDC on a previous occasion that this would not be possible. Cllr. Cook will ask the question. Finally Cllr. Cook noted that the timetable in front of the Village Halls has disappeared; the Clerk has reported this to Southern Rail and they have promised to replace it. ii.) Kent County Cllr. Peter Lake. Cllr. Lake gave the Clerk some information he had come across on the Open Spaces and Village Greens Commons Act 2006. He stated that if KCC were able to make the Playing Fields available, would the Parish Council be receptive. The Chairman along with the rest of the Parish Council said that it would welcome any contribution that would present viable options. The Clerk was asked to forward to Cllr. Lake copies of historical correspondence from KCC concerning a playground, and to look into whether the opinions expressed in this correspondence would still be valid. The Clerk will also take advice from the Kent Association of Local Councils. iii.) Police. Anne Kingscott sent her apologies for absence. iv.) Open Session: Ms Sue Smith wanted to know whether the Lealands Avenue Playing Fields were still an option for the location of a playground as she had the impression from previous meetings that it had been discounted. She also informed the Council that she had met with David Boorman of Sevenoaks District Council, who the Parish Council had consulted with for advice in January. The Chairman stated clearly that this must be a misunderstanding as the Parish Council was still evaluating the idea of a playground for the village, and had only discounted the Old Burial Ground as a potential site. The rest of Council agreed with these comments. Cllr. Cook stated that the school was hoping to have a pond by the trim trail on the Playing Fields and if they were also to ask KCC for recreational equipment, would the Parish Council consider this an option. She also observed that there are not many activities for older children. The Chairman stated that currently the Parish Council are open to any suggestion as they have not yet decided whether to make a proposal for a playground. Ms Kathryn Wakeman wished to know how the idea of a playground first came about and wanted to find out whether the idea was truly representative of the parish. The Clerk replied that the idea sprang from the research carried out for the Parish Plan five years ago, and as she did not want to misquote the figures from memory, she would post the Plan to Ms Wakeman. 6. PLANNING i.) Planning applications: SE/09/00285/FUL Pantiles - Penshurst Road, Leigh TN11. No Objection, but the Parish Council's main observations were that the timber cladding and render finish was not appropriate for this rural Green Belt location and the shape of the two high level narrow ground floor windows opening into the hall and the WC were inappropriate for this rural location and did not meet the guidelines of the Village Design Statement. The increase in the area of flat roofs is to be regretted and is again contrary to the Village Design Statement. SE/09/00250/FUL The Log Cabin, Moorden Farm, Station Hill, Chiddingstone Causeway. Retention of 'log cabin' building to provide residential accommodation for an additional worker. As this was a fairly complex application, it was agreed that members of the Planning Committee would meet separately and also that the Clerk would also seek advice from Sevenoaks District Council. Appeal: APP/G2245/A/09/2099825/WF. Hale Oak Cottage, Hale Oak Road, Weald, TN14 6NQ. Erection of stable block, SDC ref. SE/08/03274/FUL. Any additional comments to be submitted by 28th April. The Parish Council had no additional comments and their original response stands ii.) Planning decisions by Sevenoaks District Council: Grant of Lawful Proposed Use/Development: SE/09/00133/LDCPR 38 Well Close, Leigh TN11 8RQ. Erection of single storey rear extension. .Refusal of Planning Permission: SE/09/00251/FUL Cheriton, Penshurst Rd., Leigh, TN11 8HL. Two storey rear, 2nd storey rear and single storey rear extensions. 7. CURRENT ISSUES. i.) Speedwatch. The Clerk said that the team led by David Hutchinson had been in operation this month, but had unfortunately received a complaint from a resident at Saxby Wood who objected to their presence on the pavement and the parking of one car. The Clerk has made enquiries with West Kent Housing Association. ii.) Annual Parish Meeting. The Clerk confirmed that she had invited representatives of the Police, Leigh United and Crandalls Charities, School, Village Hall Committee and the District Councillor Cook and County Councillor Lake. 8. ENVIRONMENT Cllr. Croft highlighted that there were no dropped kerbs (or pram ramps) along the High Street from Hall Place to Church Hill. The Clerk will contact KHS for comment. The request from Leigh Produce Association to hold their Annual Summer Show on the Green, Saturday, 5th September, was granted by the Parish Council. 9. FOOTPATH WORKING COMMITTEE Response from KCC Rights of Way to reports submitted by walkers will be forwarded to the Committee by the Clerk. 10. PLAYGROUND The Clerk will be meeting with the consultant recommended by Sevenoaks District Council in the next few weeks where she will issue a brief. 11. VILLAGE HALLS. The AGM is on 8th May. 12. AGED PERSONS DWELLING. The Clerk requested that security night lights be fitted at the bungalows at the same time as another two minor repair jobs. The Parish Council agreed. 13. TRANSPORT No report. 14. YOUTH FORUM This item should now be removed from the agenda for the time being. 15. CORRESPONDENCE for information only had already been circulated.
16. FINANCIAL MATTERS i.) An application from St.Mary's Church PCC for a grant of £300 for the production and distribution to the village of the twice yearly Leigh Directory. This item was delayed until next month's meeting at the request of the PCC. ii.) Renewal subscription to National and Kent Associations of Local Councils April 2009-March 2010: £597.13. Councillors agreed to renew. iii.) Renewal of subscription to Local Council Review April 2009-March 2010: £120. On the suggestion of the Clerk, Councillors agreed to reduce the subscription from 10 copies to 2, at £27. iv.) Final 2008/9 salary award for Clerk from 1st April 2008, as recommended by NALC and SLCC: an additional 0.30% (2p per hour) to be added to the interim 2.45% issued in November 2008. Agreed by all Councillors.
17. ANY FURTHER MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION Cllr. Stratton-Brown left the room while the Parish Council discussed the request from St Mary's PCC for a donation towards the renovation of the church tower. As this request arrived too late to be included in the agenda, it was decided for Cllr. Sykes to evaluate the application and for it to be re-presented at next month's meeting. Meeting closed at 10.10pm. Signed............................................................... Chairman................................................................. Date..................................................................
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