HORTON KIRBY AND SOUTH DARENTH PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES of the MEETING of the PARISH COUNCIL held on 26 February 2004 in the Parish Room, Village Hall, South Darenth at 7 pm.

Present: Cllr P Bradley (Chairman),

Cllrs A Burchmore, D Payne, G Piller, M Powsey, D Snape, G Tripp,

R Valentine and I Wescombe

T Searles, District Councillor,

P McGarvey, District Councillor

D Brazier, County Councillor,

4 members of the public

In attendance: C Allart, Parish Clerk

Apologies for absence: None

Declarations of Interest: None

168 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2004 be approved and signed as a correct record.

169 MATTERS ARISING

Triangle of Land

Cllr Searles informed parish councillors that Mr Carter, the owner of the land had reported him to the Standards Commission but that insufficient detail had been provided by the complainant for any investigation. Cllr Searles also provided a copy of 51 questions that Mr Carter put to the District Council together with a copy of the replies from the legal department.

Dog Breeding Business School Lane

Cllr Burchmore told the meeting that he had received a telephone call from a lady purporting to be from the Council informing him that the operation did not need planning permission. However, when he asked further questions, she put the phone down.

170 MINUTES OF THE WESTMINSTER FIELD ADVISORY COMMITTEE

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Westminster Field Advisory Committee held on 12 February 2004 be approved and adopted.

171 HOUSING NEEDS SURVEY

Jennifer Shaw of Kent Rural Community Council attended the meeting to talk to the Parish Council about the possibility of undertaking an independent housing needs survey. This had arisen because West Kent Housing had identified a site in Saxon Place but she said that the survey would not be solely for this site. She said that it was unusual to have a site earmarked in advance of a survey and that generally it was very difficult to find sites. Sometimes sites have as few as 3 – 4 houses, sometimes as many as 10 – 12 dwellings. Always, the number of houses provided is a fraction (about 25%) of the need shown

Members asked many questions of Ms Shaw and there were several concerns mainly about how the allocation would be restricted to local people and, most seriously, about the erosion of the Green Belt. Members did not want to see lots of small sites nibbling into the Green Belt around both villages and some were concerned that, if a great need was identified in the survey, this would happen.

RESOLVED that no support be given to the undertaking of a housing needs survey at this time.

172 FEES FROM 1 APRIL 2004 – ALLOTMENTS AND BURIAL GROUND

RESOLVED that fees from 1 April 2004 be as follows:

Allotments: £15 per 10 rod plot

Burial Ground:

Interments

Still-born child or child whose age did not exceed 1 month £7

Child whose age did not exceed 12 years £14

Person whose age exceeded 12 years £28

Purchase of exclusive right of burial in plot £110

Memorials and inscriptions

Any monument not exceeding 2 ft in width and 4 ft in height £55

Kerbs – stone kerbs only allowed £6

Any inscription No charge

173 COMMUNITY POLICE SUPPORT OFFICERS

Following the decision at the last meeting, Cllr Valentine had been finding out more about these officers and he copied a letter from Kent Police giving details. He had also been told that the Police prefer them to be appointed in pairs and that they work Monday – Friday only and not after 11 pm. He was still investigating and hoped to have more details to show Members at this meeting.

Discussion

Cllr Valentine was still waiting for full information so the matter was deferred and it was agreed that a special meeting of the Parish Council would be held to consider the matter.

174 WAYS TO DEAL WITH CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS AND THOSE NOT TO BE REPORTED IN THE PRESS

There was some discussion on this subject which had been raised by Cllr Wescombe. It was generally agreed that all Members should bear in mind that everything they say is not confidential unless the press and public have been excluded from the meeting by special resolution.

175 INFORMATION BOOKLET PREPARED BY RONALD WALFORD FOR WESTKENT

Report

Montgomery Road resident Ronald Walford has produced an informative leaflet for residents of Montgomery Road flats. It contains everything you need to know and where to go in South Darenth and has been well received by West Kent’s tenants. Mr Walford wonders whether this should be made more widely available and has offered to help extend it to include Horton Kirby.

RESOLVED that no action be taken on this matter at the present time.

176 RIVER DARENT BEHIND PROPERTIES IN HORTON ROAD AND HOLMESDALE ROAD

Report

Cllr Payne has asked that this item be put on the agenda. This stretch of river has been very low from time to time and has been particularly so in recent days. The amount of water flowing along it is regulated by sluice gates on the Paper Mill site. The Environment Agency has been notified but officers do not seem particularly concerned and the Paper Mill’s official line is that they are protecting properties from flooding by operating the sluices as they do.

Cllr Payne and residents backing onto the river are very concerned about the fish and other wildlife and think that the Mill should be asked to pass the job on to some responsible local who could monitor the levels much more often and more sensitively.

Discussion

Cllr Payne reported that the very next day after reporting this matter, the Paper Mill’s property manager came on site and all was well but she still felt that, particularly now the Mill has closed, someone local should be appointed as, when the river level drops, it is an alarming situation that needs resolving.

RESOLVED that a letter requesting such action should be sent to the Environment Agency with a copy to the Paper Mill site owners.

177 AWARDS FOR ALL – HK ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRE

Members considered a proposal by Gary Cliffe, Head of Centre asking the Parish Council to apply for an Awards For All grant for the Environmental Centre.

RESOLVED that Gary Cliffe be informed that the Parish Council does not think it would be appropriate to do this.

178 LOAN REQUEST – LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

This item was referred back to the Parish Council by the Working Group that considered grant applications but was not dealt with last meeting. The Society did not need a grant but wondered whether an interest-free loan could be made to help them with printing costs for a forthcoming publication.

RESOLVED that an interest-free loan of up to £500 be offered to the local history society to be repaid within 9 months.

179 KINGFISHER PLACE – PARKING

A copy of an email from the treasurer of the Kingfisher Place Residents’ Association was circulated. This explained the current situation with the land management at Kingfisher Place and emphasised that, despite the reference in this Council’s December Minutes, there was no intention of building parking spaces in the front gardens of the properties.

180 BUS PROBLEMS

A reply from Arriva in response to a number of complaints about non-running of buses and lack of evening services, etc was received.

RESOLVED that the information be forwarded to the person who made the complaints.

181 PLANNING

Land behind Bexley Cottages, The Street

A pre-application notification has been received from Sunley Homes of its intention to build 3 cottages on land behind Bexley Cottages.

Members discussed the proposals and agreed that strong objections should be raised in respect of an increase in danger of flooding, overdevelopment of the site and loss of privacy on this land which had been the garden of the Mill House and had never been developed.

182 REPORTS OF COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES

Villages Design Statement

Cllr Burchmore informed members that a meeting of the team had been arranged for Tuesday 9 March when the final amended draft would be agreed. He said that Parish Council members would be able to attend the meeting and agreed that the amended draft would be posted on the website so that the public could have the chance to look at it before it is printed.

183 REPORT OF DISTRICT COUNCILLOR

Cllr McGarvey gave budget details now that SDC has set its Council Tax for the coming year. He confirmed that the 20p bus pass has been scrapped.

184 REPORT OF COUNTY COUNCILLOR

Cllr Brazier also gave budget details. He also reported on the first meeting of the Sevenoaks Local Board which, amongst other things, discussed public transport in the District. He also told Members there was a sum of money to spend on capital projects on a match-funding basis. It was agreed this should be discussed at a future meeting.

185 SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS

RESOLVED that the schedule of accounts, as submitted, be approved and payments made accordingly.

185 ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Yellow Trailer Parked in Horton Road

Cllr Snape raised this item as she and others were concerned about the danger from this trailer which had been parked outside Court Lodge Farm Cottages for several weeks. Her main concern was a ripped rusty mudguard that could injure a child who was walking along the pavement.

Graffiti

Cllr Valentine reported that the Graffiti Removal Squad should have been in South Darenth that afternoon but he had been told that they could not find the village! He hoped they would be back tomorrow.

Police Check Fees

Cllr Valentine reported that he was interested in being involved with taking groups of young people on recreational visits using the District Council’s minibuses for which he would need to be checked out by the Police. He was not sure if a fee for this would be payable but he asked that, at a future meeting, the Parish Council consider paying this if it is necessary.

Coopers Close Problems

Cllr Payne reported that residents of Coopers Close had been having great problems with youngsters throwing mud at the houses she had been asked by them to raise the question of closing off the Paddock to prevent them having an easy getaway. The gate and fencing needs securing before this can be done so the matter needs to be considered at a future meeting.

Dog Fouling

Mr Jarvis of Millstone Close complained about the terrible state of the pavements in the villages and asked that a strong message be sent out in the next newsletter about how unacceptable it is to most local people when dog owners do not clear up after their pets.

The meeting ended at 9.30 pm.

Chairman

Date