Parish Council Minutes 27th September 2023

PRESENT:
Councillor Jon Aldington (JA)
Councillor Paul Allen (PA)
Councillor Sue Baker (SB)
Councillor Karen Stanford (KS)
Councillor Trevor Bartlett – DDC (TB)
Councillor Sue Chandler – KCC (SC)

3 Members of the Public

Acting Parish Clerk – Councillor Karen Stanford (KS)

APOLOGIES

Councillor Lidia Long (LL)

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None

MINUTES OF THE MEETING 26^th July 2023

Minutes for this meeting were approved (Proposed by Councillor Sue Baker, Seconded by Paul Allen, all Councillors agreed) and duly signed by Chairman Jon Aldington following governance item.

KCC/DISTRICT COUNCILLOR UPDATE

• Garden waste collections from 01/04 will be bins instead of bags which hold the same amount of garden waste.
• DDC Community Grant is to be refocussed to those in need and will be renamed the Cost of Living Community  Impact Fund
• Deal pier sub-structure is in need of replacement
• Work continues on the proposals for Tides Leisure Centre.

Kent County Council Update

• The freedom of Kent has been given to HMS Kent in recognition of service throughout the years
• The well publicised RAAC concrete issue has been identified in 7 schools throughout Kent – all are open with plans for improvement underway
• A couple of KCC newsletter’s are available to sign up online which might be of interests to residents
• Kent Plan B
• Residents e-Newsletter

ACTIONS

Action	Action	Owner	Status	Update
22/23 – 005	Summer Fayre Organising Committee	KS/CP	Closed	See section 12.1
22/23 – 014	Internet banking application	KS	On hold	Awaiting decision on Parish Clerk
23/24 – 001	Investigate Parish Clerk – Offer letter and contract to be issued	JA	Not started	See item 9.2
23/24 – 002	Communications workshop	LL	Not started
23/24 – 004	Dog Poo Bin Costing	KS/SB	In progress.	Note: litter bins offers more capacity and can also accommodate dog fouling waste. 1x Dog bin = £275.00. 1x Litter bin = £285.00. Installation cost = £100.00. Annual emptying fee = This depends on the location of the litter bin but its most likely to be around £45.69 (to be recharged annually. Decision to apply for litter bin once site of new noticeboard agreed.
23/24 – 005	Purchase Good Councillors Guide	JA	Close	Online version sufficient
23/24 – 008	DDC on Demand Bus Request for extension to Goodnestone	KS	In progress	Bus is funded by section 106 funding which is linked to Aylesham development. Any extension to route would need to be agreed by Aylesham PC and DDC. Cost per journey is £3.50 and does not take bus passes as this is a private venture. PC will find out whether the community are interested in us pursuing this by putting it in Messenger to gauge interest. You can get it from the corner of Palm Tree Lane and Bonnington as that is on the current route.
23/24 – 009	Footpaths Lower Rowling/Knowlton	LL	Not started	Still issues on footpaths. LL to escalate current concerns to SC with reference code (available from online map)
23/24 – 010	School report	LL/KS	Closed	Verbal updates from KS and LL as appropriate
21/06 – 001	Draft Highways Improvement Plan	SB	In progress	See item X
26/07 – 001	Investigate schemes for electric charging points	JA	Not started
26/07 – 002	Draft standard letter for landowners for overgrown footpaths	LL	Not started
26/07 – 003	Options for Parish Council Noticeboard – formal options to be presented at November meeting for sign off	KS	In progress
27/09/001	Issue Statement of Case on Claypits Footpath	JA	Not started
27/09/002	Speed Camera Battery and advice from KCC	SM	Not Started
27/09/003	Wheelie bin stickers	JA	Not Started
27/09/004	Knowlton Thankful memorial	SB	Not Started
27/09/005	Dispose of old signage in Goodnestone	SB/JA	Not Started

FOOTPATH OFFICER REPORT

• Statement of Case has been drafted by Parish Council.
• Resolution to approve document and raise objection as part of the formal process.  DECISION: All councillors agreed to approve the document.

HIGHWAY OFFICER REPORT

Councillor Sue Baker has started gathering information to input into the Highways Improvement Plan.  

• Clearing verges to support line of sight – KCC reponsibility
• Clearing Hedges and Tress – Landowner
• Where maintenance is needed send to KCC and copy in Councillor Sue Chandler
• Existing measures can be raised as issues with KCC and reported for rectifications i.e. faded white lines, stolen repeaters etc
• New initiatives should be included in the Highways Improvement Plan
• Existing speed camera requires new battery – Councillor Sue Baker to purchase and expense
• Where speed is a concern raise with Toby Butler at KCC (copying in Councillor Sue Chandler) who will be able to give advice on what can be done about the 20mph zone, and whether a more advanced speed camera is required to provide evidence to the police
• Councillor Jon Aldington to procure and expense 20mph wheelie bin stickers for the Parish

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

Parish Noticeboard – Sizing 8xA4 sheets, dark green preferred. Councillor Karen Stanford to get prices and quotes from the suppliers of Wingham’s noticeboard as well as looking around for a formal proposal for the next meeting.  Additional action to check with DDC on potential location.

Parish Clerk – Decision: Councillor Jon Aldington to make formal offer and issue contract to Jo Jones following unanimous agreement by the Parish Council.

Millenium Field – How to maximise usage and add value to the village – Hold until next meeting and raise in The Messenger

Environmental Fund – Options for spending budget held over from previous year – Hold until next meeting as potential Spring initiative

FINANCE

Payments to be approved

Business	Service	Invoice	Amount	Proposed	Seconded
Smiths of Derby	Church Clock	0000128519	£338.40	Councillor Sue Baker	Councillor Paul Allen
DDC	Messenger June with inserts	1011886	£54.90	Councillor Karen Stanford	Councillor Jon Aldington
KALC	Training PA/SB	7254195069	£120	Councillor Jon Aldington	Councillor Karen Stanford

Payments to be reported (already paid)

Business	Service	Invoice	Amount	Paid
Roger Austin	Mowing	2293	£168.00	17/09/23
Roger Austin	Mowing	2296	£168.00	17/09/23
Roger Austin	Mowing	2304	£168.00	17/09/23

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT

Update on Short Street Planning as part of the Local Plan as part of the Reg 19 action in 2022.  Meeting scheduled for formal objections against the Local Plan, unclear how much time will be allocated given the scale of the plan and the number of objections across DDC.

WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE

Thank you letter from Team Fete

COUNCILLORS REPORT ON OTHER PARISH MATTERS

None

AOB

Request for support maintenance for the Thankful Memorial in Knowlton – overgrown – Councillor Sue Baker to go and have a look to determine the effort needed.  

Removal of the old parish noticeboard from the village hall and the old sign which is outside of the Millenium Shed. – Councillors Sue Baker and Jon Aldington to arrange disposal

PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION TIME: A short session set aside for parishioners to raise matters. Individual contributions should be kept to less than 5 minutes.

1. There is a Secretary of State Review on the Claypits Footpath – encourage the wider Parish to attend the visit when dates have been agreed to show support. This is scheduled for 12th December and starts at the Staple end at 10am. KCC are going to sit on the fence and are not supporting or objecting. In addition the Gate Posts on the footpath have now been granted a Heritage Environment Record by KCC, all of which adds to the argue not to turn it into a Byway.
2. Asian Hornets are still a problem in the area – more details on how to identify them will be shared in The Messenger.
3. Suggestion to get some wheelie bin stickers for the 20mph area as some wheelie bins still have 30mph. 20mph limit is often being broken through Chillenden – follow up within the Highway Improvement section.
4. Query raised about what is going on with the registration of the Cart Track. Ray Holyer was looking into this so PC will pick it up and find out latest position.

Meeting was formally closed at 21:21