MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE RECREATION AND OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE held on Thursday, 13 April 2006 in the Parish Room, Village Hall, South Darenth  at 7.30 pm.

 

PRESENT:       Cllr G Piller (Chairman)

                        Cllrs P Bradley, M Powsey, D Snape and R Valentine

                        Cllr D Payne joined the committee after Minute 63 (1)

IN ATTENDANCE:    C Allart, Parish Clerk

2 members of the public from Millen Court

2 members of Horton Kirby Football Club

 

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: None

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Cllrs Payne and Valentine declared a personal interest in the item on Village Society storage at Heathside (Minute 65).

 

62        MINUTES OF LAST MEETING

 

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the last meeting held on 14 March 2006 be approved and signed as a correct record.

 

 

63        MATTERS ARISING

 

1          New Committee Member

 

RESOLVED that Cllr D Payne be appointed to this committee.

 

2          The Stand – Removal of Asbestos

 

The clerk reported that she had received a copy of the Environment Agency licence from the contractor which was in date.

 

3          Dog Bin

 

It was agreed that the installation of 1 dog bin at the field entrance, as previously agreed, would now go ahead.

 

64        WESTMINSTER FIELD

 

Entrance Roadway

 

Two representatives of the residents of Millen Court attended the meeting to ask that the gate to Westminster Field be moved from its existing position on the bridge to the road so that when it was locked it would prevent vehicular access to the private parking spaces as well as the field.  Residents said that they were experiencing noise and litter as well as obstruction to their parking spaces almost every night.

 

There was a great deal of discussion on this matter and the concerns of the residents were understood but Members felt it was essential that the Parish Council had control over their own gate.  If the gate at the roadside was the only gate and it was left open by a resident, this would leave the field vulnerable.  It would be necessary, therefore, to have 2 gates and members were not adverse to a second gate at the roadside.

 

Residents of Millen Court were asked to bring back their ideas of what the gate would look like and where it would be located to the next meeting on 8 June.  It was suggested that the locking and unlocking would be carried out by the same person, currently Keith Phillips, at a slightly enhanced rate and that the cost would be shared 50:50 by the Parish Council and the Millen Court Residents.

 

Football Club Use of Pavilion

 

Various requests were made by the club as follows:

 

1.                  Horton Kirby Football Club to keep control of the pavilion all year

 

This was agreed subject to local groups being able to have use of the building up to 4 times during May to August.

 

2.                  Horton Kirby F C to have control of the pavilion for a minimum of 5 years

 

This was agreed subject to the football club committing themselves to 5 years rent.

 

3.                  permission to erect a fence to protect the building in the “L” shape

 

This would be subject to planning permission but the committee had no objections.

 

4.                  window grilles to protect and prevent graffiti

 

Mr Chambers agreed to make up a sample grille for the kitchen window so that committee members could see how they would look. 

 

5.                  removal of a redundant internal wall to open up the lobby (at no cost to the parish council)

 

This was agreed.

 

6.                  installation of CCTV (at no cost to the parish council)

 

This was agreed.

 

7.                  permission to change the colours of the internal decorations (at no cost to the parish council)

 

This was agreed.

 

8.                  permission to renew the kitchen work top (at no cost to the parish council)

 

This was agreed.

Rent

 

Members considered what the rents should be for the following 5 years and RESOLVED, in recognition of the football club agreeing to keep the graffiti under control, to set the following annual rents:

 

From 1 May 2006                    £200

From 1 May 2007                    £250

From 1 May 2008                    £300

From 1 May 2009                    £350

From 1 May 2010                    £400.

 

Cleaning of Public Conveniences

 

The clerk reported that a reply from Sevenoaks Direct Services has been received which offered to reduce the increase from 33% to 25% for 2006/7.  A 3 month period of notice at the current rate had not been agreed.

 

RESOLVED that the increase be reluctantly agreed but the matter be taken further with our district councillors.

 

65        HEATHSIDE

 

Purchase Completion

 

To note that the purchase of Heathside was completed on 10 February 2006.

 

Storage for Village Society and Other Organisations

 

To consider the request for a metal container to be allowed to be stored somewhere out of the way on the Heathside ground.

 

RESOLVED that, although Members would like to help solve the South Darenth Village Society’s storage problems, they felt there were too many problems associated with this to be able to agree to it.

 

The Store - Access

 

The clerk reported that the Lothlorien quote was actually for a prison type gate with metal vertical bars about 4 inches apart rather than a mesh grille.  This would not be weather proof nor vandal proof.  Lothlorien had since obtained a quote for a very chunky metal door in the sum of £275 (with padlocks and fitting extra).  It was agreed that having a door fitted would be the most versatile use of the Store.

 

RESOLVED that a metal door be fitted to the building.

 

Play Area

 

A letter from Mr Fowler of 21 Shrubbery Road was considered.  

RESOLVED that a reply be sent stating that the matter of developing Heathside had been given a great deal of thought and that all aspects of the needs of the parish had been considered.  He be further informed that no plans had been finalised and that local residents would be consulted before any development is carried out.

 

Entrance Name Board

 

RESOLVED that

  • the wording on a new sign at the entrance to Heathside would be:

“Heathside

“This recreation ground was purchased in February 2006 for the residents of South Darenth and Horton Kirby.

“Please clean up after your dogs”;

  • The sign would be in aluminium with white letters on a green background, set on a solid wooden board approximately 3 feet wide by 2 feet 6 inches tall; and
  • Investigations be made into the cost of

including the parish council letterhead emblem; and

the cost of a sign in the form of the village signs with Heathside on the roll of paper.

 

 

66        100 YEAR WOOD

 

There was discussion on whether it was necessary to clear the brambles and undergrowth in the wood following further advice on how the wood was developing.  There was a suggestion that for £200 a substantial tree could be supplied and planted and it was agreed to find out more about this, specifically whether the prosperity of the tree could be guaranteed by the supplier.

 

RESOLVED that

no work was needed to clear the undergrowth at the present time; and

consideration be given to spending the £500 donation from the fishing club on large specimen trees at a future meeting.

 

 

67        TOP PADDOCK

 

Hole in Chainlink Fence by Montgomery Road Garages

 

Cllr Valentine raised the question of the need to repair this hole in view of the now exposed wires at ground level which presented a serious trip hazard.  The clerk reported that a weldmesh panel across the hole, which would be a stronger remedy than joining up the hole with wire, would cost in the region of £60.

 

RESOLVED that the estimate to repair the fence with a weldmesh panel be accepted and the work carried out as soon as possible.

 

 

 

68        TERMS OF REFERENCE

 

It was suggested that terms of reference for this committee be referred to the Parish Council to decide.

 

 

69        ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

New Palisade Fencing at Heathside / Village Hall

Cllr Valentine reported that the young people he had spoken to had told him it was easy for them to get over the existing fence.

 

Graffiti

Cllr Valentine asked that consideration be given at the next meeting to providing a wall that could be used for proper graffiti art.

 

Shrubbery Road Play Area

Cllr Payne asked that there be discussion at the next meeting on how to push forward with the consultation process.

 

Insurance

The clerk reported that the insurance policy should be extended to cover Heathside and wondered if the councillors who had offered to look into the general terms of the policy could include a consideration of what items in Heathside needed to be included.

 

Conflict of Bookings between the Village Hall and Heathside

The clerk asked the committee to consider at the next meeting how they wish to deal with conflicts of events at the 2 venues.  The matter had been highlighted when the South Darenth Village Society had wanted to use Heathside for its Summer Concert on a day when there was a wedding booked in the hall.

 

 

70        DECEMBER MEETING

 

In view of some members and the clerk’s commitments on Thursday 14th December, it was RESOLVED that the December meeting be held on Wednesday 13th December.

 

 

The meeting ended at 9.31 pm.            

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chairman

 

 

Date