Parish Council Minutes for 7th June 2010

Minutes of the monthly Parish Council meeting held in the Small Hall, High Street, Leigh, Monday 7th June 2010 commencing at 8pm under the chairmanship of Cllr. Stratton-Brown.

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE were received from Cllrs. Powell, D. Bennie, G. Marchant and R. Dyton.

PRESENT: Cllrs. C. Stratton-Brown (Chairman), R. Sykes, A. Johnston, J. Knock, and P. Croft.

IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs. J Butler (Clerk).

2. DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST None.

3. MINUTES from the Parish Council meeting held on 10th May were approved with a correction about the Chairman's correspondence with KCC under Reports, proposed by Cllr. Knock and seconded by Cllr. Johnston., and signed by the Chairman.

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 10th May. None.

5. PLAYGROUND

The questionnaire will post later this week to 782 households once the reply-paid envelopes have been received from Action with Communities in Rural Kent (ACRK). The total cost of the survey approved by Councillors (by email 26th May/post) will be £576.34. This includes the mail-merging of data, printing, and enclosing by Sevenoaks District Council; the posting by Royal Mail; and the supplying reply-paid envelopes and the receiving and analysing of responses by ACRK.

6. PLANNING

i.) Planning applications: SE/10/01091/FUL The Beeches, Powder Mill Lane, Leigh TN11 8QD. Erection of single storey rear and side extension, entrance porch and new wider gates. SE/10/01187/FUL The Granary, Sevton Farm, Powder Mills, Leigh. Conversion of garage and single storey extension to rear. SE/10/01080/FUL Homelea Avenue, Greenview Avenue, TN11 8QT.

Notification of work to trees in a Conservation Area: 10/00871/WTCA. Elizabeth Cottage, The Green, Leigh TN11 8QW. Remove 1 Ash Tree.

Councillors had no objections to all applications.

ii.) Planning decisions by Sevenoaks District Council:

Grant of permission: SE/10/00666/EXTLMT - Pippin Cottage, The Green, Leigh, TN11 8QJ. Application to extend time limit of extant planning permission approved under SE/05/00917/FUL - single storey kitchen extension. SE/10/00759/FUL - 8 Wyndham Avenue, Leigh TN11 8RB. Demolition of car port and shed to facilitate erection of single storey side extension. SE/10/00997/FUL - 31, Well Close, Leigh TN11 8RQ Conversion of existing garage to habitable room. SE/10\00986\FUL. Erection of single storey detached garage at side. Erection of single storey rear extension. Internal alterations. Oak Lodge, Powder Mill Lane, Leigh TN11 8QE. Erection of car port to front of property.

7. CURRENT ISSUES

i.) Speedwatch. No report

ii.) Play Place. The Clerk met with Chris Hennis on 7th June and it was agreed that with the Parish Council's funding of £1,000 he would launch the youth club for approximately 6-8 sessions on the Green from July-September, for a couple of hours one evening a week. They would use a gazebo and possibly require a generator for power, and be aiming at 11-16 year olds. The Clerk will publicise via the usual channels. Councillors were enthusiastic and in approval, although a little worried about any unnecessary amplification that may cause a disturbance, which the Clerk will mention to Chris Hennis.

8. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

The recent cleaning of the War Memorial by Burslem Stonemasons was appreciated and the Clerk was asked to contact former employee Don Shephard for his opinion as to whether any further work was necessary.

The Clerk asked for approval to mend the Best Kept Village plaque underneath the village sign - Cllr. Johnston said he would do the work himself.

9. VILLAGE HALLS.

The Committee are purchasing upholstered chairs. The Produce Association and Superstars have requested that the existing plastic chairs be kept for outside use, which Cllrs. agreed could be stored in the mower shed.

10. AGED PERSONS DWELLING.

The Clerk informed Councillors that sadly Mrs Baldock died in hospital on 4th June, and that she had sent a letter of sympathy to the family. The Clerk will compose a notice advertising the vacancy of the property with a view to let out in the early autumn. The Clerk also suggested that she look into whether there are any additional responsibilities for landlords that might have recently been introduced, to which Councillors agreed.

11. TRANSPORT

With regard to the recent problems with the inflexibility of the commuter bus, the Chairman had received a reply from the Traffic Commissioners which stated that KCC can contract the buses as they wish. The Chairman will respond accordingly to KCC.

12. CORRESPONDENCE for information only had already been circulated.

Correspondence for Action up to 7th June Action/Copy
Kent County Playing Fields Association May 2010 newsletter Cllr. Knock
Parish News, KALC newsletter May 2010, plus news of Progressive Council day at Lenham Community Centre Saturday 19th June. All councillors
Letter from Andrew Burton, Highway Schemes Manager, KHS, to Peter Lake re. Interactive Speed Sign at Gibbs Field informing that the sign has been dropped by SDC as a planning requirement from the developer. Clerk to contact landowner's agent for discussion.
Letter from John Burr, Kent Highways Services Director with an update on the 'Find & Fix' Programme: There are longer time scales than normal with Ringway due to the volume of work. Work provided to the external contractors is systematically issued and completed by each contractor in a geographical manner, picking up all appropriate surface damage in that road. Instructions have been given to all KHS staff that they are unable to change the timescales of the work as this disrupts the overall programme. If there are any urgent repairs that are required, we can organise temporary repairs and these should be reported through to the Contact Centre in the normal manner.
Letter from Mr Boyd, owner of 1 Forge Square, informing the Parish Council in response to its letter that the hedge has been cut on 17th May and will be trimmed as often as needed throughout the year. Clerk asked to request further cutting back as hedge still obstructs footway
Letter from Isobel Allen, Membership Manager, SECAmb regarding finding out more about your local NHS ambulance service. There are 6 events, with special guest speakers on different health issues, with lunch provided. The venues are 14th June Corn Exchange, Rocherster (lung conditions), 15th June Uckfield Civic Centre (diabetes), 18th June Brighton, Brighthelm Centre (carers), 24th June Folkestone Racecourse (learning disabilities), 30th June Martletts Hall, Burgess Hill (health inequalities), 8th July Hilton, Cobham Surrey (dementia).To register for the event, please email shapingthefuture@secamb.nhs.uk or phone 01273 897840. Plus SECAmb wishes to become a Foundation Trust which are run locally, and are accountable to patients, local people, partner organisations and staff rather than the government by creating a 'membership'. Becoming a member is free, easy, with involvement as much or little as is wished and 4,000 people have already joined - to sign up online, visit: www.nhs-membership.co.uk/seas For more information visit the website (www.secamb.nhs.uk), contact the membership office on 01273 897840 or email ftmembership@secamb.nhs.uk
Local Councils Update June 2010 C. Stratton-Brown

13. FINANCIAL MATTERS

i.) Kent Men of the Trees are asking villages to make a small donation of £10 for membership to help towards administration costs. Corporate members have free entry in the Competition. Councillors agreed to become a member.

The Risk Assessment circulated at the last meeting by the Clerk was approved by Councillors.

Cllr. Sykes as Finance Chairman reported on his work so far on the end of year figures to submit to the Audit Commission. There has been a small discrepancy over the VAT claimed and recorded for 2007/8, which he is looking into. Approximate income for 2009/10 was £28,300 and expenditure was £27,700, and the end of year balance was £14,979 compared to £14,392 at the beginning.

A list of cheques were approved and signed, proposed by Cllr. Knock and seconded by Cllr. Johnston.

chq. no. List of Cheques Amount VAT
1089 Clerk's expenses £90.15 £0.00
1090 Clerk's salary (salary scale increase from April) £482.48 £0.00
1091 Clerk's pension (salary scale increase from April) £123.57 £0.00
1092 SLCC 2 day Clerk's course £129.25 £19.25
1093 Work to war memorial £211.50 £31.50
1094 Parish Council annual insurance 1st June £1,440.19 £0.00
1095 Mowing £160.00 £0.00
1096 Kent Men of The Trees membership £10.00 £0.00
Total: £2,647.14 £50.75

Clerks expenses VAT
mileage @ .40p pm £22.08
working from home allowance £35.00
Stamps £8.76
Annual renewal Clerk's email 'Hotmail Plus' account £14.99
Refreshments for 7th June PlayPlace meeting, Fleur de Lis £3.80
expenses c/f from 12th April £5.52
Total £90.15 £0.00

14. ANY FURTHER MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION

The Chairman suggested that a full set of the recently published Model for Standing Orders (£20) from the KALC be purchased, and that the Clerk should research and recommend from this a review of Leigh Parish Council's Standing Orders. All Councillors agreed. The meeting closed at 9.40pm.

Signed.................................................

Chairman...................................................

Date.....................................................

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