WATERINGBURY PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of Parish Council Meeting held on 2nd April 2019
7.30pm Wateringbury Village Hall
Present
Cllr M Wells (Chairman)
Cllr L Simons (Vice Chairman)
Cllr D Marks
Cllr D Stones
Cllr R Tripp
Cllr F Fielding
In attendance:
Mrs S Cockburn – Clerk to the Council
Cllr M Balfour – Kent County Councillor
Mrs C Byron – Rostrum Correspondent
5 members of the public
The Chairman opened the meeting by reminding everyone in attendance the meeting may be filmed, recorded, photographed or otherwise reported and asked if any person present intends to make a video or audio recording of the proceedings. None
18/129 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies received from Cllr J Roe & PCSO Wendy Stanley
18/130 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST/DISPENSATIONS
None
18/131 ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Chairman announced there had been three applicants for the position of Village Warden and interviews would be arranged within the next two weeks
18/132 REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR
Cllr Balfour said he hoped the Parish Council would take up his offer to fund the SID equipment.
The Chairman said the sites drawn up by the Speedwatch team had been sent to KCC. Out of the 6 sites requested KCC would only agree to 2 both of which, due to the volume of traffic, would drain the SID battery quite quickly. It was agreed to forward to Cllr Balfour the KCC email of sites discussed.
Cllr Balfour referred to the Offsted report which showed attention to special needs is not good, but that KCC was doing what it could.
Cllr Balfour referred to Loneliness and Social Isolation. People of a certain age can become lonely and something needed to be done. Communities needed to take more responsibility to care for one another.
Cllr Balfour expressed his hope that people would come out on the 2nd May and vote in the local elections
The Chairman thanked Cllr Balfour who left the meeting at 7.40pm
18/133 REPORT FROM BOROUGH COUNCILLOR
Cllr Jessel was not present
18/134 CRIME REPORT
PCSO Wendy Stanley was not present – no report
From e-Watch website – Tonbridge Road between 7.00pm Tuesday
19th February and 7.30pm Wednesday 20th February a vehicle was broken
into
18/135 MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 5TH MARCH 2019 TO BE APPROVED FOR ACCURACY
The Minutes having been read approval was proposed by Cllr Fielding and seconded by Cllr Simons and signed as a correct record.
18/136 MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 5th
MARCH 2019
18/125 – Tree Inspection One quote received from Cantie – further were awaited.
18/126 – Tom Smith Memorial – update under Finance & General Purposes
18/137 REPORTS FROMCOMMITTEES AND OTHER BODIES
Finance & General Purposes – No meeting One quote from Birkby had been received for repairs to the track. Two further quotes to be obtained.
Tom Smith Memorial- the cemetery regulations allow the Exclusive Right of Burial to be extended to the family for a further 100 years from 2020.If the 100year rule was to lapse the plot would revert to the Parish Council so it can be reused if necessary. It was agreed to try and see if any remaining family could be traced before any decision was made.
Planning – Meeting to follow
Wateringbury Sports & Recreational Association – Cllr Stones reported the gate post at Fields Lane entrance had rotted and the gate had fallen down and was broken. A quote had been received from Andrew French Fencing to remove old gate and post and replace with new tantalised softwood five bar gate and post including fittings for a cost of £475 plus VAT. All councillors agreed to accept the quote. It was also stated the pavilion was in need of some attention and Cllr Stones agreed to speak to the WSRA Committee at their meeting the following week
John Ibbs had purchased a new chain and padlock for the gate at the entrance in Fields Lane and a cheque would be put forward for reimbursement
Village Hall – Cllr Roe had suggested the possibility of a community library in the foyer of the village hall. This had been put to the Village Hall Committee. As Cllr Roe was not present it was agreed to put this to the next Parish Council meeting in May
Tonbridge & Malling Area Committee of KALC_– nothing to report
Parish Partnership Panel – nothing to report
Joint Parish Council Transport Consultative Group – nothing to report
Kent Community Rail Partnership – no representative
Highways & Transportation-Speedwatch – Cllr Roe was not present The next meeting 16th April
Allotments – All but one allotment holder had paid for the coming year. The post holding the water tap had rotted and Terry smith had been asked to replace it.
Cemetery – The Clerk was waiting for report and quote on repairs to the water tap
Joint Flood Group – nothing to report
18/138 FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT
Agreement of the Financial Statement was proposed by Cllr Stones and seconded by Cllr Tripp All cheques were signed
18/139 PUBLIC DISCUSSION
It was reported repairs to the streetlight outside The Stables in Canon Lane had been done very quickly. Also, another streetlight outside 144 Canon Lane was not working. This would be reported.
It was reported that some bins had not been emptied and were overflowing
Mrs Hudson said she had given the Clerk a name of a contractor for repairs to the track and she would forward details of a tree surgeon she knew of
Mrs Byron thanked all Councillors for their service to the parish. Councillors thanked Mrs Byron
There being no further business the Chairman thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting at 8.35pm