Questions from members of the public and reports by District and County Councillors were held prior to the commencement of the Parish Council meeting (see separate report).

87. Apologies for Absence were received from Cllr Barratt, Cllr Cooke and Cllr Durrant and their reasons for absence were accepted by members.
     

88. Declarations of Personal and Prejudicial Interest in respect of matters to be discussed – none.
     

89. The Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 21^st November 2007 were approved and duly signed. Proposed by Cllr Williams, seconded by Cllr Mrs Butler and all were in favour.
     

90. To report on Matters Arising from Parish Council Meeting held on 21^st November 2007 - none.
     

91. Planning

The Clerk reported that she has received notification of grant of planning permission at: 17 Richards Close, Chiddingstone Causeway for front entrance porch (SE/07/02246/FUL), and notification of withdrawal of application at Woodgates, Stonewall Park, Chiddingstone Hoath – proposed extensions and alterations (SE/07/03185/FUL and LBCALT).

1. To consider planning applications received SE/07/03588/FUL - Woods Tackle Shed, Camp Hill, Chiddingstone Causeway, conversion to residential. Members had no objection to this application providing that the comments made by the neighbour are taken into consideration.
2. The list of planning decisions was circulated.

87. To report on correspondence received

The Clerk reported that lists of correspondence have been circulated, and drew members’ attention to the following:

i. Item 3: The Audit Commission – notification of completion of audit for year 2006/07. The auditor’s report stated that on the basis of their review, in their opinion, the information contained in the annual return is in accordance with the Audit Commission’s requirements and no matters have come to their attention giving cause for concern that relevant legislation and regulatory requirements have not been met. The notice advertising the conclusion of the audit was displayed on the noticeboard in Chiddingstone with the contact details of the clerk to allow members of the public to view the accounts.

ii. Item 4: Letter for the attention of the Chairman – invitation to the annual Civil Service held by The Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Mr Allan Willett CMG, on Tuesday 4^th March at 11am at Canterbury Cathedral.

iii. Item 7: Eden Valley Initiative 2008-2012. (i) Would the Parish Council be interested in getting involved in a community event in the summer of 2008? If the Parish Council had some marquee space, what would they present to the community? How would the Parish Council use the space to entertain, attract, inform, serve, perform, exhibit or craft? (ii) Would the Parish Council like to get involved in organising one of the several projects that would lead up to the local activities taking place around the time of the Olympics in 2012? Members believed that it is not an initiative in which they could get involved.

iv. Item 9: KCC re: proposed diversion of public footpath SR524 (part) Hever. The proposed new route of the footpath will give more privacy and security to the owners of Furnace House Farm, Roodlands Lane, Four Elms. Comments requested by 18^th January. Members had no objection.

v. Item 10: East Kent Empty Property Initiative – a new and exciting venture that will see Kent’s councils working in partnership to reduce the number of empty homes. Invitation to the launch on Wednesday 23^rd January at 1pm at the East Malling Conference Centre.

vi. Item 15: Charlton Athletic Community Scheme Solutions – over the past 12 months a Kent programme has been developed and they are running a programme in 60 schools across the county. The programme offers a variety of activities: football, street dance, boxing, self-defence, angling and cricket, and they would like to meet with the Parish Council to discuss how the parish could benefit from the programme in future. Clerk to forward to the school.

vii. Item 26: Email from Rodney Williamson, KALC, re: bus passenger body consultation from the Department of Transport. This proposed body will represent the rights and interests of bus passengers. See www.dft.gov.uk/consultation/open/buspassenger/busconsultation. Comments by 17^th March.

viii. Item 31: Emails from West Kent Housing with lists of those who have specifically shown interest in the rental units and the shared ownership units. West Kent has asked the Clerk to check that the addresses are within the parish.

ix. Item 33: Email from Margaret Hagger, SDC, with invitation to the Chairman and Clerk to attend a lunch for Town and Parish Councils on Thursday 3^rd April 12.30pm at the Darenth Valley Golf Club, Shoreham.

x. Item 34: Email from Kent Police asking whether the Parish Council would like to participate in a survey on ‘Youth Gatherings’. See www.kent.police.uk and click on the survey link.

11. Item 43: Kent Downs AONB "What delights you about the Kent Downs? Have Your Say" short consultation.

Finally, the Clerk reported on the Kent Highway Services spreadsheet, in particular …

1. The hole and water leak opposite St. Luke’s church in Chiddingstone Causeway has now been added to KHS’s programme of work and will be completed shortly although no date as yet.
2. The brown tourist sign for Chiddingstone Castle, which is incorrectly pointing down Oakenden Lane – KHS are liaising with Jacobs.
3. The Clerk has requested that the drain on the bend by Chantlers be cleared again, and consideration given to the surface of the whole road from Chantlers to The Rock, which is very poor. 
   Members asked the Clerk to add the following items to the list:
4. The grit bin has vanished on Hampkins Hill.
5. Hampkins Hill Road to Vexour Bridge is in very poor condition.

87. To approve list of meetings dates for 2008 and to consider format of the Annual Parish Meeting

    Members approved the list of Parish Council meeting dates, and agreed that Planning Committee meetings would be called when required. The format of the Annual Parish Meeting was discussed, and members liked the format of the meeting last year, with short talks by local clubs and a speaker. Members agreed that the Clerk should enquire whether Alex Lochraine would be available to give a short speech on the future of Chiddingstone Castle.
     

88. To consider the Sevenoaks District Open Space Study

The Clerk advised that Sevenoaks District Council has prepared an Open Space Study, on which Parish and Town Councils are invited to comment. SDC asks that the Parish Council checks that the open space sites identified are correct and to advise if there are any missed off the list. Comments required by 22^nd February. The study is currently with Cllr Barratt who will circulate to another member, and matter to be discussed next month.

95. To consider the cost of a topographical survey in connection with the possible provision of a car park in Chiddingstone

The Clerk reported that a topographical survey needs to be carried out before the proposal can be further considered. It is hoped that the trustees of Chiddingstone Castle will pay half of the cost. Members agreed to contribute half of the cost, up to a maximum of £500. This was proposed by Cllr Mrs James, seconded by Cllr Williams and all were in favour.

96. To discuss the provision of a play area and additional car parking in Chiddingstone Causeway

Cllr Mrs James advised that she is keen to speak to Mr Patrick Hills but he is currently unavailable. Cllr Benton and Cllr Mrs James agreed to make an appointment to see him together.

97. To consider the 2008 maintenance contract for St. Mary’s Closed Churchyard, Chiddingstone, and other areas in the parish

Members agreed the wording of the contract, which will be sent to landscaping companies and the tenders will be considered at the February Parish Council meeting. Karl from Hever Landscapes, the company who had the contract last year, has recommended that the contract commences on 1^st March as the growing season starts so much earlier now. Members agreed, but wished to keep the cuts to 18 per season. Any additional cuts required would be separately approved and paid by additional invoice. Members agreed that the contract will be for three years, with the price approved annually.

98. Finance

1. To consider changing Parish Council bank accounts
   The Clerk advised that the existing Parish Council accounts are as follows: 1. Lloyds Bank current account paying no interest at all, this is the account from which the cheques are paid. 2. Lloyds Bank Business Instant Access account paying 3.25%. 3. A third Lloyds Bank account which is almost zero balance. 4. Bank of Ireland account with a balance of £1,547.10, which pays 5% interest.  The Clerk reported that she has investigated several community accounts, although not many banks offer accounts for parish councils. She has investigated the Charities Aid Foundation, as suggested by Cllr Cottrell, but the applicant need to be a registered charity or a not-for-profit organisation, and the interest rates offered were not as high as the Bank of Ireland. Also, Alliance & Leicester, NatWest, HSBC, Co-op and Bank of Scotland. She has discussed the various options with Cllr Glendinning, and they agreed to recommend to the Parish Council that the existing account with Bank of Ireland should be reinstated (currently dormant). The interest rate is currently 5%, which is far higher than any of the other banks could offer. The relationship manager was offering 4%, which is 1.5% below base rate, but he has agreed to stick with the 5%. Members will need to complete a new application form, with signatories, but the account details will remain the same. The signatories will all have to take a form of identification (preferably passport) to a solicitor or an accountant for certification, who will have to stamp a copy of the ID with his office stamp, confirm that it is a copy of the original ID and the photo is a true likeness. When this account has been reinstated, the Parish Council will be able to open a second account with the same interest rates, signatories etc. One can be a current account and one a deposit. Both with instant access. The Bank of Ireland is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £31,700 maximum claim, in the very unlikely event that the bank goes into liquidation. The Parish Council can also consider a short-term deposit with the Bank of Ireland if required once the accounts are set up.

   Members approved the closure of all but one of the Lloyds Bank accounts and the reinstatement of the Bank of Ireland account. They were concerned that the maximum that could be claimed under the FSCS is £31,700 and agreed therefore, for the present time, to keep a maximum of £31,700 in the Bank of Ireland, using this account as the Parish Council current account. The remainder of the Parish Council funds will be kept in the Lloyds Bank Business Instant Access account, which also offers the FSCS with the same amount of maximum claim. Members considered this a prudent means of protecting their funds.
    

2. To consider payment dates of Parish Precept from SDC
   The Clerk reported that SDC currently pays the precept to Town and Parish Councils in two halves, one at the end of April and one at the end of September. SDC is offering a deposit facility in that the precept could be paid on later dates and interest would be calculated for the intervening months and added to the precept payment. The rate of interest stated when SDC wrote to the Parish Council in December was 6.64%, but this week it is 5.65%, and is subject to change. Members agreed that, as the SDC rate is not guaranteed and the Bank of Ireland rate is 5%, they would not take advantage of SDC’s deposit facility, but would request the money at the end of April and the end of September as is the current arrangement.
3. Members approved the payment of cheques.

99. Items for reporting or inclusion in future agenda

1. Cllr Mrs Butler reported that the school has erected an outside light by the school gates, and was concerned that members of the public might think that the Parish Council installed the light after it was agreed to ask the Village Hall Management Committee to improve the existing lighting outside the Village Hall.
2. Cllr Williams reported that the land at Penshurst Station is rather a mess, and Clerk to contact Chase Fencing to ask if they could keep the area tidier.
3. Cllr Williams reported that the footpath from Somerden bridge to the village, which crosses the field, has a collapsed railing on one of the culverts, which could prove a hazard to pedestrians. Clerk to notify ROW.
4. Cllr Williams reported that the small gate into the closed churchyard, opposite The Castle Inn, is off its hinges. Clerk to ask Richard Bennett to repair the gate when he repairs the wall.

The meeting closed at 9.15pm.