C/03/2008/1-24

PRESENT:

Cllr David Coomber

Chairman

Cllr Trevor Archer

Cllr Mrs Pam Coomber

Cllr Gary Etheridge

Cllr Mrs Brenda Hoskin

Cllr David Miller

Cllr Paul Ribbons

Mrs Roxana Brammer

Clerk

In attendance

Mr David Levy

Footpaths officer

Item

Minute number 2007/8

Action point

1

437

APOLOGIES

Apologies for absence were received from

Cllr Mrs Valerie Archer

Family commitments

Cllr Mrs Jane Etheridge

At a meeting of Medway Council

Cllr Peter Hicks

Away on business

Cllr Tom Mason

On holiday

Cllr Geoff Moore

On holiday

It was proposed by Cllr Coomber, seconded by Cllr Mrs Hoskin and carried unanimously that these apologies be accepted by the Council.

2

CODE OF CONDUCT

438

a

Declarations of Interest and Alterations to the Register

Cllrs Archer, Mrs Coomber and Mrs Hoskin declared personal interests in item 10a, grant to Frindsbury Extra Memorial Hall, as members of the hall committee.

439

b

Standards Committee

No meeting.

3

440

ANY OTHER BUSINESS OF AN URGENT NATURE

None.

4

441

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 28 FEBRUARY 2008

It was proposed by Cllr Archer, seconded by Cllr Mrs Coomber and agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 28 February 2008 be signed as a true record.

5

442

MATTERS ARISING

No matters were raised.

6

FOOTPATHS

443

a

Representative’s Report

The Chairman suspended the meeting to allow Mr Levy to speak.

Mr Levy reported that the cycle barriers on FP118 at the B2000 had been removed and were in the hedge. He had seen wide tyre tracks on FP119. This was also slippery and in his opinion dangerous where a walker would turn right to continue beside the A289. He requested more rubbish sacks and gloves for himself and Mrs Williams.

The Chairman thanked Mr Levy and reconvened the meeting.

7

UPNOR

444

a

Upnor Residents’ Association

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 January were received.

445

b

Lower Upnor Riverside Project

The Chairman reported on the Partners’ meeting held on 4 March. Catherine Smith was helping the planning consultant with land status, as requested by the planning authority. The Corporate Funding Unit at Medway Council had sourced nine possible funding providers. The next meeting was on 8 April.

446

c

Other Matters

It was understood from Cllr Hicks that repairs would be made to Upnor Castle and that the hard would be used for materials storage. The 30 mph signs were now in place.

8

PLANNING

a

Applications

447

i

MC2008/0425: RSME, Upchat Road, Upnor: Development of dog training and kennelling unit and relocation of parking area

 No objection

448

ii

MC2008/0395: 2 Higham Road, Wainscott: Construction of a single storey side extension (demolition of garage)

No objection

449

iii

MC2008/0402: 20 Lingley Drive, Wainscott: Formation of barn hipped roof and insertion of dormer to rear to facilitate loft conversion

No objection, subject to no objections from neighbours

450

iv

MC2008/0464: Noke Lodge, Noke Street Farm, Higham Road, Wainscott: Change of use from agricultural land to all year storage of touring caravans (26) and part time winter storage of harvest workers residential caravans (5)

No objection

451

v

MC2008/0430: Land at commissioners Road. Medway City Estate: Construction of a warehouse (Class B8) with office accommodation, including external works & alterations to access

No objection

452

vi

MC2008/0436: 3 Leigh Road, Wainscott: Construction of boundary wall to front

No objection, provided it would not be in any breach of covenant on what is believed to be an open plan estate

453

vii

MC2008/0487: 26 Chatsworth Drive, Frindsbury: Rear conservatory

No objection

454

viii

MC2008/0461: Veolia Environmental Services, Whitewall Road, Medway City Estate: Request for scoping opinion as to EIA re materials recycling and waste transfer station

No comment

455

b

Decisions

The decisions as listed on Appendix A were noted.

c

Appeals and Other Matters

456

i

Manor Farm

Nothing to report.

457

ii

Section 106 Agreements

The Chairman reported that Brian McCutcheon had spoken to the Rural Liaison Open Meeting about S 106 agreements. The criteria were changing, 10 or more properties in a development would now be subject to an agreement and in 2009 the Government would be introducing a community infrastructure levy.

458

d

Licensing Applications

None.

459

e

Minutes of the Meeting of the Planning Committee held on 13 March

Received.

460

f

Report on Planning Information Day

Cllrs Archer and Mrs Archer had attended. Cllr Archer said the event had been over-subscribed. The new criteria for S 106 had been mentioned. It had been a useful event.

9

FINANCE

461

a

Bank Balances

The bank balances as listed on appendix B were noted.

462

b

Cheques Signed Since the Last Meeting

The cheques signed since the last meeting as listed on Appendix B were ratified.

463

c

Accounts for Payment

It was proposed by Cllr Archer, seconded by Cllr Mrs Hoskin and agreed the accounts for payment (cheques 101120 – 101121) as listed in Appendix B be approved, together with £320 to D Godden (101122).

10

GRANT APPLICATIONS

464

a

Frindsbury Extra Memorial Hall

The Hall Management Committee had applied for a grant to cover the insurance premium. It was proposed by Cllr Etheridge, seconded by Cllr Ribbons and agreed a grant of £1,270.32 be made under S 19 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. (cheque 101124).

465

b

Kent Air Ambulance Trust

It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Coomber and seconded by Cllr Coomber that a grant of £400 be made. This was carried by 4 votes for and 3 against. The grant made under S137 of the LGA 1972. (cheque 101125)

11

MANAGEMENT OF THE COUNCIL’S LAND AND PROPERTY

466

a

Recreation Ground and Hedges

i.   General Maintenance. Nothing to report.

ii.  Playpark. The Clerk had ordered the see-saw and had asked Park Leisure not to undertake the repaint until after the school holidays.

iii. Football. The letter from Rochester Rangers was discussed. They were asking to move to the lower pitch for next season. This was agreed. The Clerk would seek a meeting with Mrs Austin during the summer to ascertain any special requirements.

467

b

Allotments

The Clerk reported she had asked allotment holders if they wanted the buildings that had been left on plots by previous tenants. There had been reports of anti-social behaviour by teenagers and vandalism. The present tenants would be asked to secure the buildings if they wanted them and if they did not she would get them removed.

468

c

Woodland, Lower Upnor

The Clerk reported an estimate of £575 had been received to fell the tree behind 34 Brissenden Close. The tree surgeon was liaising with Jane Higgs, as the only access was through Mrs Higgs’s garden. Daniel Godden was still trying to meet the resident of 9 Margett’s Place to look at the area behind the house.

12

469

QUALITY PARISH COUNCIL

In Cllr Hicks’s absence, the Clerk reported that new criteria would be published during May. Clive Powell of KALC had advised holding the workshop after this date. He would be happy to attend and to facilitate. The Clerk to Shoreham Parish

Council had also said she would attend and would be able to explain the advantages and disadvantages to a council with a part-time clerk.

13

HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORT

470

a

Royal Oak, Cooling Road

It was reported that branches from the Royal Oak’s garden were overhanging the pavement.

14

471

LIGHTING

Nothing to report.

15

472

YOUTH

It was reported that Alan Dennington of the Charlton Athletic scheme was currently abroad. It was not known if he had been in touch with PCSO Sean Brooks.

Cllr Etheridge raised the matter of a youth shelter made from a container, as suggested at one time by PCSO John Hucks. After discussion, it was agreed Cllrs Etheridge and Ribbons investigate costs.

16

RURAL LIAISON COMMITTEE

473

a

Representative’s Report

The Chairman reported on the last meeting. Geoff Walters had given a presentation on rural youth issues. 2 new volunteers had been recruited for the Wainscott Youth Club and the S106 money had been stretched further to allow the club to continue. 85 young people had been registered since the club started. It was proposed to write to the parents to try to establish a management committee. The Chairman had established the only part of the parish covered by the Eon fund was Upnor. The speakers at the open meeting had been Brian McCutcheon and a representative on food produced in Kent.

474

475

476

477

478

b

Projects

i.   Wainscott Village sign. Cllr Mrs Etheridge and the Clerk had met the designer and supplied photographs. He would not be able to start immediately.

ii.  Cooling Road/Brompton Farm Road corner. No further progress.

iii. Spring bulbs. On-going.

iv. Play equipment. On order.

v. Playpark repaint. To be done after the school holidays in April.

17

KALC/MAC 

479

a

Representatives’ Report

No meeting.

18

HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

480

a

Representative’s Report

Cllr Mrs Coomber thanked the Council on behalf of the Management Committee for the grant for the insurance premium. The curtains had been re-hung.

481

b

Hall Improvements Extension

The new kitchen units would be fitted during April.

19

POLICE MATTERS

482

a

Police Liaison Committee Representative’s Report

Cllr Miller had nothing to report. The Chairman said that Inspector Wharfe had been at the Rural Liaison meeting and he had reminded him of the meeting he and Cllr Mrs Bamber had had with Peter Wedlake. Inspector Wharfe had said he was consulting with parties in the Peninsula and Strood Rural wards, with a view to setting up a new group for parish council representatives, based on the national PACT model.

483

b

Neighbourhood Watch

Cllr Miller reported the area was now part of a large area. There had been no specific crime reports since the last meeting. There had been a “gardening work” scam and an offender had been arrested in connection with the theft of car keys and credit cards. A conference would be held at Maidstone HQ on 26 April.

484

c

Speed Watch

Noting further to report.

20

485

WEBSITE

The Clerk read Mr Stanley’s report:

In the past 12 month rolling period, we have had some 27,251 hits on the Frindsbury Extra Parish Council website.  For the last complete month of February, the statistics counted 2,225 hits.  [Note: A proportion of these hits were from me, as Webmaster, accessing the site to upload information or check web site consistency, plus numerous internet 'robot crawlers' visiting the web pages gathering data for indexing or to populate search engines directories.] 

The most popular viewed web pages during the month of February were the More About the Parish, the Walks page; the Links page, as well as the Meeting Minutes web pages. 

Visitors to the web site that used internet search engines (rather than typing in the address direct) used these search terms the most: "school buildings", "Wainscott" and "allotments".

21

486

CONSULTATION

No documents received.

22

487

CORRESPONDENCE

None received.

23

488

ANNUAL PARISH MEEETING

This would be held on Monday 7 April at 8.00 pm in the Memorial Hall.

24

489

REPORTS AND CIRCULARS

The reports and circulars as listed on the agenda were received.