Parish Council Minutes 20th November 2024

PRESENT:
Councillors: Jon Aldington (JA), Paul Allen (PA), Sue Baker (SB), Francis Plumptre (FS), Karen Stanford (KS), 4 Members of the Public, PCs Bowler & Eyre-Jackson (part), District Councillor Bartlett (part), Parish Clerk – Joanna Jones

APOLOGIES

None received.

PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION TIME

The meeting closed and one member of the public asked if the Parish Council would consider funding a skip for the Millenium shed clear out and reported that the Christmas Market was at the Village Hall on 23^rd November. Another member of the public then spoke, expressing concerns about the proposed Elvington Solar Farm and Battery Energy Storage System, pre-planning application 24/00793 and 24/00063. Concerns were expressed about food security, the lack of an environmental report, the size of the site, fire risk, fumes if there was a fire, access from A256, waste and noise which would be generated. District Councillor Bartlett advised about the Planning process. The Chairman thanked the members of the public and the meeting re-opened.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Declarations of interest in Chillenden Windmill were declared by Councillors Allen and Baker as they are members of the Windmill Committee.

MINUTES OF LAST MEETING

RESOLVED the minutes of the Ordinary Parish Meeting held on 25^th September 2024 be duly signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record of the meeting.

REPORTS

1. County Councillor Chandler – No report.
2. District Councillors – Bartlett & Porter – the October and November reports had been emailed. District Councillor Bartlett reported on The Local Plan, Pension Credit Road Show, Kearsney Abbey, the Stay Warm Workshop at The Jubilee Centre, Sandwich on 10^th December 10am-2pm and Meet the Reindeers at Christmas at Sandwich Guildhall on Saturday 14th December. He also reported on the Planning Application for fourteen dwellings at Gobery Hill, Wingham, on the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Meeting and that bin collections over Christmas will be the same as usual but no green waste collection.
3. Parish Councillors – no reports
4. Community Police Constables – PC Jon Bowler introduced himself and PC Lauren Eyre-Jackson, reported on the low crime figures and the successful action to tackle recent problems in Aylesham and Ash, members were urged to send through any requests for action, particularly involving speed limits, a Community Speedwatch Group would need to be set up to provide evidence of the need to police the 20 mph zone.

ACTIONS

Action	Owner	Status	Update
Footpaths Lower Rowling/Knowlton	JA	On-going	Lower Rowling footpaths look to be ok, to inspect Knowlton footpaths and report on the Kent County Council Public Rights of Way Reporting Tool, if needed.
Finance	KS	On-going	To arrange for remaining funds in the Natwest Deposit Account to be transferred to Unity Trust & close the Account
Clerk – Pension & Hours	Clerk	Discharged	Clerk’s hours on agenda, pension costs circulated.
Footpath Officer Report – Comments due on Definitive Map Modification Order	All Councillors, Clerk	On-going	Byway Open to All Traffic EE496 and Restricted Byway EE497 at Wingham and Goodnestone – Defininitive Map Modification Order 2022 – Statement of case and comments due by 12/12/2024. Councillors to comment, Clerk to re-forward.
Highway Officer Report – Road closures	KS JA	Discharged	Road closures advertised
Highway Officer Report – Broken roadside mirror	PA	Discharged	Views sought from Chillenden residents about mirror replacement – in favour.
Millenium Field & Environmental Fund	Clerk, SB, KS	On-going	Clerk has met with Community Payback Scheme they will review the proposal in the spring. Volunteers for working party will be followed up in the Spring.
Correspondence – Sandwich is Open Parking Petition	Clerk	Discharged	Completed
Communication – .gov.uk domain name and emails	Clerk, JA	Discharged	Clerk has claimed Government grant.
Events – Dover District Council Annual Town & Parish Council Meeting – 28th Nov 6pm	Clerk, JA	Discharged	Place booked for JA

FOOTPATH OFFICER REPORT

1. Report – The footpath between Rowling and Knowlton has been re-established.

HIGHWAY OFFICER REPORT

1. SID & New position for SID pole – cost £1,080.01
   The speed indicator device (SID) a needs a new Radar at a repair cost of £900, Clerk to investigate cost of a new SID.
   Action Clerk
2. A256 Whitfield Bypass – 40mph speed limit only during roadworks – 29^th October to 27 April
   Noted by members.
3. Broken Roadside Mirror – Between Church & Village Hall Chillenden Discussions were held, RESOLVED to purchase a Convex traffic mirror for an approximate cost of £41 including VAT.
   Action PA

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

1. Millenium Field & Environmental Fund – How to maximise usage and add value to the village It was agreed to consider this in the New Year, along with the request for funding for a skip for clearing out the Millenium shed.

FINANCE

1. Clerk – Local Government Pension Scheme & Hours The Clerk reported that her hours were sufficient. RESOLVED that Goodnestone Parish Council wishes to be a participating employer in the Local Government Pension Scheme – Kent Pension Fund, an actuarial fee of £1,056 was RESOLVED to be paid. The Formal Resolution to join the pension fund was signed by the Chairman on behalf of the Parish Council, Clerk to submit to Kent County Council Pension Fund.
   Action Clerk
2. 2024/25 Local Government Services Pay Agreement – Backdated to 1^st April 2024 in November pay
   Noted by members.
3. Accounts – Actual v Budget to 30/09/2024
   The Accounts Budget v Actual to 30/09/2024 were considered and RESOLVED to adopt.
4. Budget Talks
   Discussions were held, agreed to take Parish Council noticeboards out of the budget, Clerk to look into Section 137 limits and Millenium Field to have a £2,000 budget within Ring Fenced Reserves, other payments to be budgeted as last year to reflect rising costs. Clerk to produce budget.
   Action Clerk
5. Parish Council Insurance Renewal – 23^rd December, £456.13, last year £450.38
   RESOLVED to renew the insurance at a cost of £456.13, Clerk to organise.
   Action Clerk

PAYMENTS

1. Payments to be approved
   RESOLVED the following payments should be made.

   Payee	Service	Invoice	Amount
   Already paid
   Joanna Jones	Clerk’s Net Salary October		£156.40
   HMRC	PAYE – October		£39.20
   Unity Trust	Bank Charges June to September – pd 30/09/24		£18.00
   Unity Trust	Bank Charges September – pd 31/10/24		£5.40
   Set up to be paid
   Roger Austin	Mowing of Playing Field & Millenium Field – 25/10/24	2456	£168.00
   Joanna Jones	Clerk’s Net Salary November		£204.88
   HMRC	PAYE – November		£51.20
   Joanna Jones	Clerk’s working from home allowance for the year		£52.00
   Unity Trust	Bank Charges October		£6.00

PLANNING

1. Planning Applications
   To discuss any planning applications received prior to the meeting
   1. DOV/24/00873
      Proposal: Variation of Condition 2 (approved plans) and condition 10 (biodiversity) of planning permission 19/01525 (Change of use of agricultural buildings to 8 no. residential dwellings) to allow changes to fenestration and roof lines and revised ecology report.
      Location: Lower Rowling Farm, Rowling Road, Goodnestone, Kent.
      RESOLVED no comment on this application.
   2. DOV/24/01093
      Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension (existing conservatory to be demolished).
      Location: Middlefield, The Street, Goodnestone, CT3 1PG
      Discussions were held, RESOLVED to support this application.
   3. DOV/24/00847
      Proposal: Variation of Condition 2 (approved plans) of planning permission 22/01225 (Erection of 3 no. detached dwellings, associated parking and landscaping) to allow enlargement of dwellings, reposition of plot 1 and 2, erection of car ports and associated landscaping. Discharge of conditions 3,4,7 and 10.
      Location: Land North East of Fitzwalters Meadow, Boyes Lane, Goodnestone, CT3 1FB.
      Discussions were held, an extra-ordinary meeting to be held on 2^nd December to discuss this application as it has only just been received, Clerk to organise.
      Action Clerk
   4. DOV/23/00951
      Proposal: Approval of reserved matters relating to layout, scale, appearance, access and landscaping for 39 residential dwellings on phase 3 parcel 1, together with details for conditions 2,21,22,24, 25,35,37,38,39 and 42 pursuant to outline planning permission 19/00821.
      Location: Phase 3, Parcel 1, Land for Aylesham Village Expansion North Of, Dorman Avenue North, Aylesham.
      Discussions were held, an extra-ordinary meeting to be held on 2^nd December to discuss this application as it has only just been received, Clerk to organise.
      Action Clerk
2. Planning Decisions
   To note any planning applications received prior to the meeting
   1. 24/00664
      Proposal: Regulation 5 (The Overhead Lines (Exemption) (England and Wales) Regulations 2009) notification for the installation of 2 poles and associated overhead lines.
      Location: Chillenden House, Goodnestone Road, Chillenden, CT3 1PS
      Decision: Prior approval not required
      Noted by members.
3. Planning Correspondence
   To discuss any correspondence related to planning
   1. Dover District Council Planning Enforcement – ENF/24/00252 – No breach, construction not started, construction management plan will be submitted.
      Location: Lower Rowling Farm, Rowling Road, Goodnestone, Kent
      Subject: Breach of condition 3 of 19/01525
      The Clerk reported that Dover District Council had not approved the planning condition in relation to the Construction Management Plan.
   2. Elvington Solar Farm & Battery Energy Storage System – Public Consultation
      Discussions were held, the Parish Council were concerned about the scale of the proposal, its visibility, the topography of the ground and the effect of the construction phase on local residents.
4. Report
   Nothing further to discuss.

CORRESPONDENCE

1. KALC (Kent Association Local Councils) & NALC (National Association Local Councils) – all updates emailed
2. Kent County Council – Kent Minerals – Local Waste Plan Modifications Consultation
3. All of the above noted by members.

CHILLENDEN WINDMILL

1. Proposed Kent County Council Consultation to Divest
   Councillor Allen gave an update, all Kent Windmills were against the Kent County Council proposals, Sir Roger Gale will come to a future Parish Council meeting, KCC Officers are writing reports by the end of the year about the proposal to divest.

COMMUNICATION

1. Gov.uk – website & emails
   RESOLVED to purchase goodnestone-pc.gov.uk as the domain name, Clerk to inform Netwise, Councillor Aldington to arrange .gov website and individual Councillor and Clerk .gov email accounts.
   Action JA & Clerk

EVENTS

1. Dover District Council Annual Town & Parish Council Meeting – 28^th Nov 6pm
   Councillor Aldington to attend, Clerk to book.

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

No contributions.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

2^nd December – 7.30pm – Goodnestone Village Hall – Extraordinary Planning Meeting
22^nd January 2025 – 7.30pm – Goodnestone Village Hall
26^th March – Goodnestone Village Hall
14^th May – 7.30pm – Chillenden Village Hall
Meeting was formally closed at 21:05