JUNE 2009 PARISH COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES

Minutes of the Ordinary Parish Council Meeting

held at The Village Hall, Hothfield,

on Monday 8 June 2009 at 7.00pm

[ DRAFT - to be formally accepted at next meeting ]

PRESENT:   Mrs S Whittington (Chair), Mrs K Pender, Mr J Collins, Mr L Hughes and Mr L Krause
Mr D Beckley (Community Warden)

PARISH CLERK: Mrs J Batt

BOROUGH COUNCILLOR:

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: There were 3 Members of the Public present

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
An Apology for Absence was received from Mrs P Warren, (prior engagement)
Mr P Howard (work), Mr P Patten (prior engagement),
Mr A Rawlins (work commitment) and Borough Councillor Wallace

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no Declarations of Interest.

i) Updating of Declarations of Interest for the Code of Conduct
The Clerk reminded Councillors that they should update their Declarations of Interest with the Monitoring Officer if necessary.

3. PUBLIC INTERVAL
The meeting was opened to Members of the Public from 7.02 – 7.06 for questions and comments.

4. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
Minutes 78 were accepted and it was unanimously agreed that Mrs Whittington should sign them.
Proposed Mr Krause Seconded Mr Hughes

5. MATTERS FOR REPORT ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
Mr Gore is being slightly evasive regarding the problem with the rats. Although he understands the problem, he will not authorise his crews to clear the gullies until the rats have been cleared. A number of houses have been cleared, but some are still in the process of being treated. It was suggested that ABC should provide the residents with dustbins.  Some residents have large items in their gardens, such as sofas but do not have any means of
disposing of them. Mrs Whittington suggested that the Parish Council should pay for a skip. This was discussed again under item 6.

Mr Hughes reported that the number of tarmac lorries seems to have reduced slightly.

The dogs continue to be a problem. The Postman and 8 year old girl were bitten during the last month. David Lloyd is monitoring the situation.

6. CORRESPONDENCE, FINANCE AND GENERAL COUNCIL BUSINESS
Correspondence
ABC re Charging for Parish Council By-Elections
Bourne Amenity
Southern Water’s Performance Report – 2008/09
Kent BTCV
Kent Highways Services – Speed Limit Review – Area 1
KCC Kent Minerals and Waste Development Framework: Adoption of revised
Kent Minerals and Waste Development Scheme
Kent Air Ambulance Trust
Minutes of North Weald Parish Forum
Kent County Playing Fields Association
KCC Development Planning with KCC - Getting involved
Think? So What Do You
KCC Proposed Diversion of Public Footpath AW 170 (part) Hothfield
AwCRK – Parish Plan Take-Up in Kent
Eben can der Watt – email – forwarded to Jo Wickens
ABC Chairman’s Report for the Parish Forum held on 15 April 2009

Bank Balance
The balance stands at 9859.66 in the Reserve Account, £100 in the Current Account and
£10581.96 in the Corporate Bond. Of this 5410.97 (totals included in 2008/20029 budget
noted) is reserved as follows:-

Village Appraisal - 297.62 – Paid June 225.00 = 72.62
Road Sweeping - 2112.55 – Paid June £84.00 = 2028.55
ESA - 1515.00
Newsletter - 974.16 – Paid June 105.60 = 868.56
Bus Shelter - 622.15
Churchyard Grass 500.00

Beech Drive
Following on from the discussion regarding the problems with rats in Beech Drive, Mrs Whittington proposed that the Parish Council should organise and pay for a skip for residents to put larger items of rubbish in to try and help alleviate the problem.

Resolution: Councillors unanimously agreed to hire a skip for Beech Drive, but it was stressed that this is the only occasion on which they are prepared to do so. Residents should not allow rubbish to build up to this level again and if they do so it will be their responsibility to arrange for it to be cleared.

Action: Mrs Whittington to organise a skip for Beech Drive

Received this month
HMRC VAT Repayment £271.58

Accounts to be paid

The cheque for Mr Rawlins was paid during the month, following verbal agreement from Councillors Whittington, Warren and Patten.

Resolution: Councillors unanimously agreed to pay the above accounts.

We now have a football team consisting of 8 lads from the village who are representing Hothfield in a Knockout Tournament at Stanhope. Mr Beckley asked whether the Parish Council would donate £30 towards the cost of food on the day. Councillors unanimously agreed to his request.

i. Proposed New Play Area
£10,000 has been allocated to the project from ABC’s Community Grant Fund. Ann Davis will attend the July meeting to fully explain the funding.

The project has gone out to tender and it is hoped that the play area will be installed in September.

Ashford Borough Council and Kent County Council are considering maintaining the area . ABC will undertake the Risk Assessment and Risk Inspections of the area.

ii. Village Hall Trees
The Village Hall Committee have agreed that they want the 7 trees to the left of the path leading from Park Drive to the entrance of the Village Hall removed. Mrs Whittington will ask Chris Rogers to email the Clerk with the details so that there can be no confusion as to exactly what is required. The Clerk will then send out invitations to companies tender for the work.

Action: Mrs Whittington to contact Mr Rogers. Clerk to invite tenders.

iii. Hothfield Village Hall
Mr Rogers has written to the Parish Council asking whether they agree to certain  changes being made to their terms and conditions in conjunction with the Charity Commission. Following discussion the following was agreed:-

Resolution: Councillors unanimously agreed that they have no objections to the proposals to change the contents of the Charity Commission’s Scheme, outlined in recent correspondence received from the Village Hall Committee.
Copy attached.

Action: The Clerk will inform Mr Rogers of our decision

iv Hothfield Newsletter
Mr Twydell contacted the Clerk to ask whether the Parish Council were in agreement with advertisements being printed in the newsletter. The members of the Parish Council agreed with Mr Tywdell that no charges should be made for village events and activities.

v. Update on Items requiring attention following Risk Assessment
Mr Hughes and Mr Beckley are in the process of replacing the screws on the bus shelter.

Action: Mr Hughes and Mr Beckley.

7. PLANNING
No applications have been received this month.

8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Mr Beckley made various suggestions for future social events in the village. It was suggested that a meeting should be arranged with the Village Hall Committee, as it was generally felt that these are exactly the sort of events that should be being run by the Committee. The Committee needs a few more active people, with a positive approach to help organise events and generally raise the profile of the Village Hall in and around Hothfield.

Mr Collins felt that the Bluebell Centre is having a detrimental effect on the hall, but other Councillors felt that if amember of staff at the Centre acted as Booking Clerk, they would be in a better position to bring the benefits of the hall to the attention of a wider range of potential hirers.

The KCC is funding youth activities in the village. The Youth Club for older children is active on Thursday evenings and an activity for 6 – 10 year olds is being organised for the next 6 weeks. The theme, requested by the children, is The Performing Arts.

Mrs Pender reported that she had received complaints about the rubbish in the alley between Sackville Close and Plantation Close. Mr Beckley is dealing with this.

Mrs Whittington suggested that the Parish Council should nominate Dave Beckley for the Safer Kent Award. Councillors unanimously agreed with her suggestion.

Mr Krause asked for the poor verge cutting to be reported to the County Lengthsmen.
The light outside 25 Park Drive also needs reporting.

Action: Clerk to report to KHS

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.55 pm.

HOTHFIELD PARISH COUNCIL 

PLANNING APPLICATION RECORD

11 May 2009 – 8 June 2009

The following appeal has been allowed:- 

APP/E2205/H/09/2097063

08/01539/AS                   QN Hotels Group re Holiday Inn, Maidstone Road, Hothfield,

Application for              Ashford, Kent TN26 1AR

Advertisment                  Installation of new totem

The following applications have been granted:-

09/00168/AS     Mr S Brock, The Granary, Church Lane, Hothfield, Ashford, Kent TN26 1EL

Listed                  Installation of a flue through the roof and installation of a new ventilation brick

Building                         

Consent              

09/00174/AS     Mr S Jefferys, Benacre, Pluckley Road, Hothfield, Ashford, Kent TN26 1 ER

                            Erection of a single storey ancillary building to incorporate a home office,

                            single bay garage and 2 external log stores

The following application has been refused:-

09/00094/AS     Hollie Homes Ltd, re Land Adjoining 24 The Street, Hothfield

                           Proposed development of three 4 bedroom houses with detached garages and

                           new private driveway