HORTON
KIRBY AND SOUTH DARENTH PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES
of the MEETING of the PARISH COUNCIL held on 27 March 2003 in the Parish Room,
Village Hall, South Darenth at 7 pm.
Present: Cllr D
Snape (in the Chair)
Cllrs
A Burchmore, M Busfield, H Goody, E Hughes and
D Payne
T Searles, District Councillor,
D Brazier, County
Councillor,
6 members of the
public
In attendance: C
Allart, Parish Clerk
Apologies for
absence: Cllrs P Bradley (holiday), M Cockrill (ill health) and G Tripp
(holiday)
Declarations of
Interest: Cllr Goody declared a pecuniary interest in Minute 153 on allotment
rents and Minute 162 on the Paper Mill site redevelopment.
RESOLVED that the
Minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2003 be approved and signed as a
correct record.
Triangular Piece
of Land at Junction of Franks Lane and A225
David Brazier
reported that KCC has no plans to get rid of the slip road into Franks Lane
which had been a concern expressed by someone at the last meeting.
New Path by 100
Year Wood
The clerk was
able to report that a grant for the full amount for this work had been agreed
by Awards For All. Members agreed that
it should go ahead.
Report on the
River Darent
Malcolm Dunn
brought further information to the meeting concerning the route of the pipeline
from Roman Villa Road to the Horton Kirby pumping station. He said it was a sensitive approach to a
difficult route.
RESOLVED that the
Minutes of the Village Hall Advisory Committee held on 13 March be approved and
adopted.
Report
Michael Bell has
asked if the tree that shades his garden can be pollarded or reduced in
height. Please go and see the tree
before the meeting so that you can see if there is a problem and, if there is,
how it can be solved. Mr Bell is happy
to speak to you about it if you call after 6 pm or at the weekend.
As only one
Member had been to have a look and she could not locate the tree in question,
it was agreed to defer a decision on this item.
LIGHTING
Report
This was referred from the last meeting to enable an official view on the level of lighting recently installed at the school to be agreed. A lot of local people are very concerned about the high level of illumination. A school governor will be present at this meeting to explain the school’s position.
Discussion
Three local
people attended to represent the concerns of the village about the
intrusiveness of these lights which was felt to be detrimental to wildlife,
those living nearby and the look of the village generally. The School’s main aim was to prevent
vandalism and this had worked but Cllr Snape said that the Dartford School of
which she was Chair of Governors had had lights and fencing neither of which
had stopped vandalism. It was generally
agreed by those present that the School should look at facing the lights
towards the building, angling the present ones downwards or fitting PIRs. School governor Mrs Gale said the school
would look at these aspects but all would cost more money which would mean less
resources for spending on the children’s education.
FENCING
A letter from school governor Brian Greenaway stating that the School would not be putting up more fencing at the present time was circulated for information.
Report
The “temporary”
fence at Millen Court was discussed at the AGM of Horton Kirby Village Society
and that meeting asked the Parish Council to consider the matter as it was felt
by villagers that the fence was not in keeping with the area.
RESOLVED that the
contractors be asked to remove the fence as it had only been allowed
temporarily and was not in keeping with the rural location.
Report
Wood from about a
100 yard stretch of the fence between 100 Year Wood and the A225 footpath was
taken and used to build a den by local youths.
The fence is this parish’s responsibility and so will have to be replaced. Reported for information.
152 VILLAGE SIGNS
To record that
the signs went up over the weekend of 22/23 February and to Minute thanks to
Gill Tripp and especially to Dianne Payne for all the effort put in to getting
these very special signs made.
Discussion
Members agreed
that the signs are wonderful and Cllr Payne was congratulated. She was presented with a bottle of champagne
to celebrate her achievement.
RESOLVED that no
increase be made to the fees so that from 1 April 2003 they be as follows:
Allotments £15
Burials
Still-born child
or child whose age did not exceed 1 month £6
Child whose age
did not exceed 12 years £12
Person whose age
exceeded 12 years £25
Purchase of
exclusive right of burial £100
Kerbs – stone
kerbs only £5
Any inscription no charge
A plan showing
the permanent diversion of this footpath so that the path does not cross the
CTRL Waterloo Connection line was circulated and received for information.
155 LITTER PICKING
Report
Last meeting a
quote of £9 per week for litter picking in the Lower and Top Paddocks was
accepted and was considered reasonable.
This equates to £39 per calendar month.
£30.30 is paid for the same job in Westminster Field which has a much
greater area so the payment for Westminster Field should be re-assessed.
RESOLVED that the payment for litter picking in Westminster Field be increased to £39 in order to bring it into line with the rate for the Paddocks.
156 ILLEGAL ENCAMPMENTS
Report
Cllr Bradley attended the meeting at Swanley on 7 March and has produced the report (to follow) for consideration. He has told me that one recommendation from the report is to erect a lockable height barrier at the entrance to Westminster Field. The cost of this will be in the region of £900.
Discussion
Members discussed the matter for some time but were not convinced that this was a good idea.
157 HANGING BASKETS – REQUEST BY SOUTH DARENTH
VILLAGE SOCIETY
Report
SDVS would like permission to put hanging baskets on Parish Council lamp posts and the village sign post.
Discussion
Dianne Payne told Members that these were good quality and that each basket would cost the Society about £200 so only one would be purchased this year. It was suggested that the Parish Council might have money to pay for plants and the matter should be placed on the agenda next month for consideration.
RESOLVED that permission be given to South Darenth Village Society to erect hanging baskets on the village sign pole and all parish owned lamp posts.
158 LITTER
BINS
Report
Cllr Payne would like more litter bins in the parish and will provide a list of locations.
Discussion
Cllr Payne listed half a dozen locations where there is currently a litter problem and no bin. There was discussion about whether bins would be used and it was suggested that the money might be better spent on employing a litter warden. It was agreed this could be discussed at a future meeting.
159 DEVELOPMENT OF AIR TRANSPORT
Report
A revised summary document has been received following the need to include Gatwick in the consultation options. Let me know if you want to look at it. For information.
5 copies of the
first stage has been received and comments are required by 17 April. If you would like to look at a copy please
let me know.
161 RISELEY
HALL
As a result of Mr
Morgan’s letter (copied last meeting), the owners of Riseley Hall have been
informed that they need to apply for planning permission by 2 April for their
present building works.
Report
I have received a
letter from the SDC Conservation Officer who is trying to get the chimney
Listed. The worrying part of the letter
is that from informal discussions with the owners of the land, it is clear that
they want to demolish the chimney.
Without listing status it will be difficult for the planning department
to resist demolition. For information.
Discussion
Cllr Goody said
that whilst the parish council should be involved in supporting the retention
of the chimney, it should also try and influence the development of the whole site
as soon as possible.
Cllr Payne said
that South Darenth Village Society had had written discussions with the owners,
Nash’s who say they have no plans but from the Conservation Officer’s letter,
it is obvious that someone has.
Cllr Burchmore
said that the Villages Design Statement should help to protect the chimney.
RESOLVED that
·
a letter of support for the Listing of the chimney be sent to the
relevent Government department; and
·
letters be sent to Colin Smith, planning officer and Malcolm Judd, agent
for the landowner asking that the Parish Council be involved with discussions
on this site at the earliest opportunity.
SE/03/00354/FUL
amended
Court Lodge Farm
Stack Road
Storage and
Repair of Building Plant & Hire - Additional Information
This Parish
Council objects to the proposal on the grounds that it appears to be a material
change of use of part of the building and is likely to cause a nuisance by use
of vehicles in and out of the premises over and above agricultural use.
SE/03/00404/FUL
16 Rashleigh Way
First Floor Side
Extension & Extension to Garage and Porch
The Parish
Council has no comments.
The following
decision notices have been received:
SE/02/02493/FUL
1 – 43 Montgomery
Road
1.2 metre high
mesh fence and associated planting
GRANTED
SE/03/00023/FUL
108 New Road
Loft conversion
GRANTED
Notice of Appeal
received:
SE/02/01498/FUL
37 Millstone
Close
Two Storey
Extensions
Appeal Decision
received:
SE/02/00414/FUL
61 Shrubbery Road
Balcony on
Existing Extension
APPEAL DISMISSED
RESOLVED that the
schedule of accounts, as submitted, be approved and payments made accordingly.
Members agreed to
publish a leaflet giving all parish council candidates the opportunity to say
why they were standing for delivery to all households.
Street
Cleanliness
Cllr Goody
commented on the bad performance of SDC on street cleaning and wanted to know
why they don’t spend more money on it as many other Districts seem to make it
much more of a priority. It was agreed
to comment on it as a response to the SDC Community Plan and ask for
improvements in our villages as it is very important to our residents.
River Darent
Cllr Goody
reported no flow in stretches of the river in recent weeks but said that action
was being taken by locally.
The meeting ended
at 9.17 pm.
Chairman
Date