MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE held on Thursday, 8 March 2007 in the Parish Room, Village Hall, South Darenth  at 7.30 pm.

 

PRESENT:       Cllr Alan Burchmore (Vice-Chairman in the Chair)

Cllrs Peter Bradley, Gill Tripp and Robert Valentine

                        Mrs Marie Meggitt

 

IN ATTENDANCE:    Carol Allart, Parish Clerk

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Cllr Ian Wescombe, Mrs Anita Cockrill

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None

 

45        ADOPTION OF STANDING ORDERS

 

RESOLVED that the parish council’s standing orders be adopted for this committee.

 

46        MINUTES

 

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the last meeting held on 11 January 2007 be approved and signed as a correct record.

 

47        MATTERS ARISING

 

Main Hall Floor

Members commented on how good the floor looks now that it has been sealed and polished.  The clerk reported that the edges of the floor had had to be sanded (incurring additional cost) after the floor had been chemically stripped because there had been areas of dirt that had not come off and would have spoiled the whole appearance.

 

Tap Dancing

Committee members discussed the implications of the decision to ban tap dancing from the floor and considered a letter from mothers of the girls in the dancing class.  All classes of the Rococo Dance Academy including the tap class have moved to Longfield which means that revenue will be lost (£1300 - £1400 pa) and mothers will have to travel which they are not happy about.  The clerk reported that another dance school had enquired about using the hall.  This school had no tap classes at present but the teacher had said that if they did, they would use a heavy roll-out floor which they could bring with them and take away each time.  Some Members did not understand why the stage was not big enough and why it would not be safe to use if the curtains were drawn across to prevent accidental falling from the stage.

 

RESOLVED that

  • the mothers be informed that the committee understands their concerns but is not able to reverse the decision about not allowing tap on the floor; and the Rococo Dance Academy be informed that there is a portable floor which can be used.

 

 

 

No Smoking Signs

 

It was reported that the caretaker wanted some extra No Smoking signs and these were agreed.

 

Parking in Front of the Office Door

 

RESOLVED that investigations be made into the installation of 2 handrails, one each side of the office door to prevent cars being parked right up against the door.

 

48        OVER 60S SOCIAL CLUB

 

Information was received that the Over 60s Social Club will close at the end of March 2007.  There were several reasons for this namely the lack of anyone to run the club on the retirement of Mrs Bet Groombridge, the few members that the club has and the high rent for the hall.  It was decided to advertise availability of the Tuesday afternoon slot in the next newsletter.

 

49        COMMON BOUNDARY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CENTRE

 

A letter from Tim McGregor, head of centre regarding proposed hedge planting was considered in detail.

 

RESOLVED that Mr McGregor be informed that

  1. the village hall committee would not wish to lose any of its land because of building works that will take place in the future on land to the south of the village hall;
  2. this committee will not approve the loss of any trees on its land; and
  3. the committee has no objections to the planting of any hedging plants or the erection of any fencing as long as it is on land owned by the Environmental Centre.

 

50        KENT COMMUNITY HALLS CONFERENCE 2007

 

The clerk gave details of this meeting on 14 April 2007 at Ditton.  No one was able to attend.

 

 

 

The meeting ended at 8.20 pm.

 

 

 

 

Chairman

 

 

Date