Parish Council Minutes for 1st June 2009Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held in the Small Hall, High Street, Leigh, Monday 1st June 2009 commencing at 8pm under the chairmanship of Cllr. C. Stratton-Brown. 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE were received from Cllrs. D. Bennie, H. Powell and J. Knock. PRESENT: Cllrs. C. Stratton-Brown (Chairman), R. Sykes, G. Marchant, A. Johnston, P. Croft, R. Dyton and Mrs. J. Butler (Clerk). 2. DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST. None. 3. MINUTES of the Annual Parish Council meeting held on 14th May were approved and signed, proposed and seconded by Cllrs. Marchant and Johnston. 4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 14th May. i.) Parking issues - the Clerk has contacted Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) and the police with regard to the inconsiderate and sometime dangerous parking that she has received complaints about along the school end of the Hight Street and along the new yellow lines on Powder Mill Lane by The Green. SDC have promised to send traffic wardens who can issue parking fines on the yellow lines. PCSO Kingscott advised that the police could only help if cars were actually causing a permanent obstruction endangering others. ii.) Railway timetable outside Village Halls - the Clerk has reported this again with Southern Rail who couldn't find any record of the first report. iii.) Kent Men of the Trees - The Clerk reported that it was too late to enter the competition, and Council advised her to ask Peter Penn if would volunteer as the contact again this year. iv.) Section 106 Agreement with regard to the affordable housing at Charcott. The Clerk has spoken with Jim Sperryn of SDC who has promised to send the agreement to her by Wednesday 3rd June. v.) New noticeboard on High Street by the School - The Clerk asked Councillors for another recommendation to quote and was advised to contact Forest Joinery and Graham Fuller. vi.) A dead tree (possibly cherry) by Porcupine House was reported, and it was agreed that it was not worth replacing until the Autumn. The Clerk was reminded to get an update from Bartletts with regard to their recent work on The Green. 5. REPORTS i.) Sevenoaks District Cllr. Cook sent her apologies. ii.) Kent County Cllr. Peter Lake sent his apologies. iii.) Police. PCSO Kingscott sent her apologies but wished to report the nuisance vehicles on the green which are moved on and return. She stated that the police will continue to patrol the area as do patrols from Tonbridge. iv.) Open Session. Mrs Joyce Field stated that the parking on Powdermill Lane was especially troublesome at night, although one of the offenders has recently moved. Mrs Field also asked about any progress on the playground report, and whether the consultant's report had been completed. The Clerk replied that the report should be available in its completed form in time for the next monthly meeting. Mrs Fagg highlighted the uneven pavement caused by tree/shrub roots along The Cottage, Powdermill Lane to Hollow Trees Drive. She stated that it was difficult even for pedestrians and also the small piece of land that is now apparently in the ownership of Kent County Council (KCC) was untidy. The Clerk will speak with the owner of The Cottage and KCC. 6. PLANNING i.) Planning applications: SE/09/00/FUL Pantiles, Penshurst Road, Leigh TN11 8HN. Erection of a single storey side extension and 2nd storey rear extension. Demolition of existing detached double garage and erection of attached garage at side of dwelling. Whilst Councillors did not wish to object, it felt that the application has not changed substantially from the previous and so their comments submitted on 3rd April still applied. SE/09/01080/FUL Engineers Cottage High Street, Leigh, TN11 8RN Demolition of existing garage to facilitate the erection of a replacement garage. No objection. SE/09/01015/CAC/01014/FUL Podium House The Green, Leigh TN11. Demolition of existing dwelling and garage. Construction of replacement dwelling and garage. Councillors looked at the planning application and felt that it did not differ greatly from a recent application that they strongly objected to based on inappropriate development in a conservation area. The Clerk promised to deliver in the next few days the previous application to members of the Planning Committee so that they can properly formulate their response before the deadline date for consultation on 19th June. Planning Appeals: Refusal of listed building consent: South View, The Green, Leigh, TN11 8QR Insertion of two conservation style roof windows in rear roof slope. The Parish Council have no further comments to add to their support of this application. APP/G2245/A/09/2103763/NWF - Land to Rear of Garden Cottages, Powder Mill Lane, Leigh TN11 - Erection of 56 care home, provision of 22 car parking spaces. The Chairman has spent considerable time looking through the appeal papers and stated that there was little change from the October application. He has updated Councillors objections, and after summarising the comments asked Councillors if they were happy for the Clerk to submit the objection. Cllr. Sykes said he was, and that he thought the traffic survey was important to include. All Councillors have already received a copy by email and Cllr. Croft was given a paper copy at the meeting. They were asked to give any comments they wished to alter/add within a week, in time for the Clerk to submit to the Planning Inspectorate by 22nd June. ii.) Planning decisions by Sevenoaks District Council: Appeal dismissed: APP/G2245/C/08/2091616. Appeal against Issue of Enforcement Notice: Without planning permission, the carrying out of building operations namely the erection of a rear extension. 23 Powder Mills Leigh Tonbridge Kent TN11 9AR. 7. CURRENT ISSUES Speedwatch - The Clerk has been in touch with of West Kent Housing Association (WKHA) who is completely supportive of the Speedwatch operation. She will be writing to tenants of Saxby Wood, copying the Clerk, to explain the operation, and hopefully the volunteers can continue without incident. The Clerk was asked to write a letter of thanks to David Hutchins and the volunteers for their considerable efforts so far. 8. ENVIRONMENT i.) Cllr. Croft commented on the poor state of grass outside Charlottes Cottages, and the Clerk has recently raised this issue with WKHA and will report back. ii.) Cllr. Sykes has spoken with Simon Kidd of KCC Landscape Services with regard to maintenance of the Green for 2009, and agreed to meet up to discuss any requirements late August, prior to the football season. iii.) Cllr. Johnston was concerned about two trees by Pump House that have grown very high and are in danger of interfering with telephone cables. Cllr. Croft offered to speak with Les Jones at SDC about this matter, and also look into the responsibility of an overhanging oak tree branch on the High Street, from Hall Place. 9. FOOTPATH WORKING PARTY. No report. 10. PLAYGROUND The Clerk anticipates that all relevant documents should be ready to be presented to Councillors in one package by the next meeting. 11. VILLAGE HALLS No report. 12. AGED PERSONS DWELLING The Clerk has sent a written brief to Peter Fullbrook with regard to the installation of a security light at No.2, and painting of pipes. 13. TRANSPORT The Chairman stated that Edenbridge Rail and Transport Association welcomed Leigh residents to continue to object to the reduction in service. 14. CORRESPONDENCE for information only had already been circulated.
15. Omitted from last month's Annual Parish Council meeting were the appointment to outside bodies. The Chairman also signed his declaration of acceptance of office. It was agreed not to make appointments to CPRE and KAPC as the Clerk would keep Councillors informed. The following appointments were made: Public Transport - Cllrs. Knock and Stratton-Brown Leigh United Charities - Cllrs. Knock and Brian Ball for a 4 year term. Village Hall representative - Cllr. Johnston Transport Forum - Cllr. DytonThe Green Working Party and Youth Forum were no long relevant . 16. FINANCIAL MATTERS Cllr. Sykes will be meeting with Colin Stevens, internal auditor, earlier this week to discuss submission of the audit. Cllrs. Marchant and Croft proposed and seconded the audit figures, and the Chairman and Clerk signed the audit form. The Clerk needs to find out the correct code for her N.I. payments. i. Servicing and painting of St. Mary's Church clock. The clock falls under the Parish Council's remit as it was paid for by village subscription at the earlier part of the last century. It will soon be due for an overhaul and it would be far more cost efficient if this were to be done whilst the scaffolding is in place for the tower renovation. Smiths of Derby have given a quote exc Vat of £1,750 for the workings and £3,100 for the exterior if the scaffolding were still in place. Councillors were in agreement for the work to go ahead if the Church were to contribute half the cost in the light of the recent donation made by the Parish Council to for the tower appeal. The Chairman will discuss with Geoff Dalby, PCC Treasurer. ii. Renewal subscription for 2009 to Kent Playing Fields Association - £20. The following cheques were approved for payment, proposed by Cllr Johnston and seconded by Cllr. Croft.
17. ANY FURTHER MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION. The Clerk suggested that Councillors should meet on 29th June at 8pm in the Small Hall to discuss the playground if she had received the completed report from the consultant. Councillors agreed, and the Clerk will inform those absent tonight. Meeting closed at 9.30pm. Signed................................................. Chairman................................................... Date.....................................................
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