MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE held on Thursday, 14 September 2006 in the Parish Room, Village Hall, South Darenth  at 7.30 pm.

 

PRESENT:       Cllr Ian Wescombe (Chairman)

Cllrs Alan Burchmore, Gill Tripp and Robert Valentine

                        Mrs Anita Cockrill

 

IN ATTENDANCE:    Carol Allart, Parish Clerk,

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Dianne Payne, Caretaker

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None

 

20        MINUTES

 

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the last meetings held on 13 July and 7 August 2006 be approved and signed as correct records.

 

 

21        MATTERS ARISING

 

Main Hall Floor Sanding and Resealing

 

The clerk reported that a second quote had been received and a third contractor, recommended by the organisation Action with Communities in Rural Kent, would be looking at the floor on 15 September.  It was agreed that details of all 3 quotations would be emailed to Committee members as soon as possible so that a decision could be made in advance of the next meeting in November.  Discussions would be held with the successful contractor to see when the work could be fitted in to the busy hall schedule.

 

Sale of Oak Tables from the Parish Room

 

The clerk reported that the auctioneer Mike Palmer had offered £50 for the one with the damaged top and £75 for the undamaged one.  It was decided, before using eBay, to advertise the tables in the newsletter asking for offers above those prices.

 

22        FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

 

Members considered the draft fire risk assessment document and agreed amendments and additions to the terms and conditions for hall users to take account of additional information that hirers will need to have pointed out to them.

 

They also discussed whether the curtains across double doors fire exit in the hall were an obstruction.  It was agreed that the hall would look very stark as well as being draughty without them and as the fire officers had never had adverse comments to make on them, it was decided that they should stay.

 

The following procedures in the event of fire were considered and it was agreed that they be added to the terms and conditions document:

Phone 999:  All hirers are required to appoint one person + one deputy to take responsibility for phoning 999 on a mobile in event of discovering a fire and shouting Fire! Fire! 

All hirers are required to appoint a suitable number of responsible persons to direct an orderly exit in the event of fire.

All hirers are required to note that the fire assembly point is the green at the front of the hall on Horton Road.

 

 

RESOLVED that

  1. The fire risk assessment be adopted;
  2. a Fire Instructions document and a plan showing all fire exits and extinguishers be framed and attached to the lobby wall;
  3. the Terms and Conditions for all hirers be amended to take account of the information given above; and
  4. a floor plan of hall clearly showing all fire exits and location of extinguishers be issued to all hirers.

 

 

23        TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

The committee discussed other items that could be added to the terms and conditions.

 

RESOLVED that

  1. bouncy castle regulations be added to the frequent and casual users documents;
  2. a condition to keep fire exits clear be added to the casual user document;
  3. the caretaker’s name and phone number be added to frequent users document; and
  4. the kitchen health and safety needs be sent to all frequent users.

 

 

24        JOBS IN THE HALL CARRIED OUT BY CLLR VALENTINE

 

Cllr Valentine raised certain problems he had encountered where jobs he had done had been undone by some hall users.  The Valley Players representatives acknowledged that their members had probably changed the screws holding the front stage panels and undertook to speak to everyone concerned.  However, they did not think they had been responsible for the string attached to the black curtains.

 

RESOLVED that

  1. a letter be sent to the Valley Players concerning the bolts; and
  2. all users be told to operate the stage curtains by the pull cords only.

 

 

25        GARDEN AREA

 

Bench

Members decided that the bench in the garden area did not need fixing into the ground at the present time.

 

RESOLVED that no action be taken.

 

 

Elders behind Stand

 

RESOLVED that the elder trees be killed so that they do not continue to grow after being cut back.

 

 

26        NEW YEAR’S EVE 2006

 

Members were informed that the hall had been booked by Debbie Lines who runs the Monday Club.  She had questioned why the rate had increased so much from the 2005 rate (from £160 to £250) but had booked the hall anyway.

 

 

27        ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

Riverside Kindergarten Pre-School

 

The clerk reported that the Pre-School has asked for permission to site a plastic shed outside in the garden area to store bikes.

 

The committee suggested that Mrs Reynolds be asked to put her wishes in writing and invited to attend the next meeting to discuss them.

 

Planting along the Garden Area Fence

 

The clerk asked for guidance on what sort of planting was required in order to make a start on getting prices for them.

 

It was suggested that spiky plants like pyracantha could be planted along the outside of the fence (on Heathside side) and a low-growing evergreen such as choisya or laurel could be planted along the inside.  It was noted that the slab path would have to be taken up in Heathside and that regular cutting would be needed to keep the plants from getting too high.

 

Hall Caretaker

 

The clerk informed the committee that Dianne Payne would be moving from the area in the near future and that she would be unable to continue as caretaker once she had moved.  Her post (and possibly the second post of cleaner) would have to be advertised in the next newsletter.

 

The meeting ended at 8.40pm.

 

 

 

Chairman

 

 

 

Date