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

18. Apologies for Absence were received from Cllr Cottrell and the Parish Council accepted his reason for absence. Apologies were also received from District Cllr Mrs Alison Cook and County Cllr Peter Lake.
     
19. Declarations of Personal and Prejudicial Interest in respect of matters to be discussed – none.
     
20. To approve the co-option of the ninth member of the Parish Council
    Mr Peter Benton was proposed by Cllr Barratt to be co-opted onto the Parish Council with immediate effect. This was seconded by Cllr Mrs James, and all were in favour.
     
21. The Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held on 16^th May 2007 were approved and duly signed. Proposed by Cllr Mrs James, seconded by Cllr Mrs Butler, and all were in favour.
     
22. To report on Matters Arising from Annual Parish Council Meeting held on 16^th May 2007
    Item 7(iv): The Clerk reported that she has spoken to the editor of the parish magazine and it will not be possible to print the complete Parish Council minutes in the magazine, and the current amount of space used by the Parish Council is the maximum available. The website is up-to-date with agendas, minutes and the newsletter. The minutes were displayed on the noticeboard by the school for a week or two.
     
23. Planning

1. To consider planning applications received

1. SE/07/01537/FUL: Winkhurst Farmhouse, Coopers Corner – replacement doors and windows to rear elevation. Members had no objection to this application.
2. SE/07/01511/FUL: The Laurels, Coopers Corner – single storey timber building. Members had no objection to this application.
3. 07/01796/WTCA: Chiddingstone C of E School – various tree works. Members had no objection to this application.

1. The list of planning decisions had been circulated.

18. To report on correspondence received

i. Item 4: Email from PC Sean Chapman asking if the Parish Council know of anyone who would like to join the Neighbourhood Watch committee for the Sevenoaks region.

ii. Item 5: Leaflet advertising the Commonwork open day at Bore Place on Sunday 24^th June 11am to 5pm.

iii. Item 7: KAPC – details of training days: (i) Code of Conduct training mornings on 28^th July and 4^th August at Lenham Community Centre. Price £10 per delegate. (ii) Councillors’ Information Day on 11^th July at Lenham Community Centre 10am to 4pm. Price £55 + VAT per delegate. (iii) Chairmanship Training Day on Saturday 14^th July at Lenham Community Centre 10am to 4pm. Price £55 + VAT per delegate. The Clerk asked that if anyone is interested in attending any of these sessions to let her know.

iv. Item 16: Action with Communities in Rural Kent – invitation to a Parish Plan session on Thursday 12^th July 9.30-3pm in Hadlow Village Hall. Free of charge. Members considered whether they wished to undertake a parish plan in the near future, and decided to put on hold at the present time.

v. Item 21: SDC – consultation on the Chiddingstone Conservation Area Boundary Review under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The proposed new boundary would include Old Gilwyns and the whole of Hill Hoath Road and Hill Hoath. Comments to be received in writing by 14^th July. Cllr Mrs Butler declared a personal interest in this matter. Members approved the proposed new boundary.

vi. Item 24: Kent Highways Services – quote for relocating tourist sign for Chiddingstone Castle in Chiddingstone Hoath. Their quote is £450 + VAT which the Parish Council would be expected to pay. Members felt that it is not the Parish Council’s fault that the sign was erected in the wrong place, and did not wish to pay this level of charge to have it moved.

7. Item 29: Letter from SDC (Andy Bracey, Senior Engineer, Traffic and Parking) advising that he has recently received a request from a disabled parent of children at Chiddingstone School, expressing concerns about the difficulties in finding an appropriate parking place near the school. SDC is proposing the provision of an advisory disabled parking place opposite the school that would reserve a space for any disabled parent to use. This falls outside the normal criteria for disabled parking bays as the person requesting the bay is not a resident so it would be provided as an amenity to the village. Asks for the Parish Council’s views on the proposal. Clerk to ascertain what road markings would be necessary and to consider next month.

The Clerk reported that the following item was received after list was prepared:

viii. Email from Chloe Phillips asking that the matter of the street light in Chiddingstone village be properly aired at the meeting and the Council act with a mandate. Mrs Phillips has advised that she is against full street lighting at least until full consultations have been undertaken.

18. i. To consider nomination of Trustee onto the Margaret Hyde Charity

    The Parish Council has received a letter from Peter Benton, Clerk to the Trustees of the Margaret Hyde Charity. Cllr Benton explained that the Margaret Hyde Charity runs the four almshouses in Wellers Town. Mr Tim Harris has now resigned as Trustee, and the Parish Council nominates two of the five Trustees on a renewable four year term. The deeds state that these two nominations by the Parish Council "may be but need not be members of the Council". Rev. Ian Harrison has approached David Forbes who has expressed an interest. Cllr Barratt nominated Mr Forbes as the Parish Council’s representative, this was seconded by Cllr Williams and all were in favour.

    ii. To consider representatives on Chiddingstone Tennis Club

    Cllr Durrant and Cllr Glendinning were appointed as the Parish Council’s representatives on the Tennis Club.
     

19. To continue discussions with regard to the provision of street lighting in Chiddingstone village

    Cllr Barratt advised that a lot of objections have been received from local residents to this proposal. Mr Simon Saunders has suggested that the existing 300w. reactor light over the porch outside the Village Hall is replaced with a 100 w. light on the corner with an on/off switch in the porch. This should light up the drive adequately. Members felt that this is a good compromise and should improve the external lighting for users of the hall and school. Cllr Barratt proposed that the Parish Council approve this suggestion, this was seconded by Cllr Williams and all were in favour to proceed with this suggestion and not to proceed further with discussions on the street light by the drive to the school carpark. Cllr Cooke undertook to raise the matter with the Village Hall Management Committee.
     

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

    Cllr Cooke advised that he has not yet met with Patrick Hills but will do so next week and report at the July Parish Council meeting.
     

21. To consider list of duties for parish handyman, and agree hourly rate

The Clerk read the suggested list of duties:-

1. Clean road signs
2. Cut back overgrown vegetation from well-used footpaths, with landowner’s permission
3. Empty litter bins, when overflowing, particularly outside two village shops
4. Repair parish noticeboards, when required
5. Repair parish bus shelter, when required (if owned by the Parish Council)
6. Repair parish seats, if required (currently the Parish Council does not own any seats)

The Clerk reported that SDC is happy for the Parish Council to empty the litter bins when overflowing and has provided the Clerk with two keys to open the bins and two rolls of bin liners. The KCC ROW officer is also happy for the Parish Council to cut back overhanging vegetation on the more regularly used paths, so long as prior approval is sought from the landowner. She has supplied a copy of the ROW clearance schedule, which shows how often KCC cuts certain paths.

Allan Gibbons from Kent Highway Services has advised that in principle he has no objection to the Parish Council cleaning road signs so long as the Parish Council advises KHS of which road signs are going to be cleaned so that they don’t also put the same order in. Members considered that 5 hours per month at £10 per hour would be acceptable, and Clerk to mention in parish magazine again.

18. To review the effectiveness of the Parish Council’s Internal Control procedures

    Members reviewed the Parish Council’s Internal Control procedures and approved them as effective.
     

19. To approve the appointment of the Parish Council’s Internal Auditor

    Members approved the appointment of Mr Andrew Bradley as the Parish Council’s Internal Auditor for 2007/08.
     

20. To review and update Risk Assessment

    Members reviewed and updated the Risk Assessment.
     

21. Finance

1. To approve payment of cheques – Cllr Mrs James proposed that the list of cheques be approved, this was seconded by Cllr Durrant and all were in favour.
2. To consider joining the Society of Local Council Clerks £105 – members were all in favour of joining the SLCC.
3. To consider insurance requirements for the tennis courts and bus shelter – the Clerk reported that the Tennis Club has public liability insurance and employers liability insurance, but the courts themselves, the nets and the perimeter netting are not covered. Cllr Cooke advised that the Parish Council own the tennis courts as a facility for the whole community, and the Tennis Club use the facilities free of charge. Local residents who are not members of the Tennis Club can still book a court. Cllr Glendinning offered to obtain quotes on behalf of the Tennis Club for these items. Members did not think that the car park required insurance cover. The Clerk advised that the bus shelter in Chiddingstone Causeway does not belong to Kent Highways Services, SDC or the bus company. Cllr Cooke undertook to ask Patrick Hills whether it belongs to him.
4. To approve 2006/07 Year End Accounts – Members studied the Year End Accounts and approved them unanimously.
5. Audit for year ending 31^st March 2007

1. To approve Statement of Accounts – Cllr Mrs James proposed that the Statement of Accounts be approved, this was seconded by Cllr Barratt and all were in favour.
2. To consider and agree Annual Governance Statement – the Clerk read out the Annual Governance Statement, and members were in agreement to each point.

The Clerk advised that the Annual Return will now go to Andrew Bradley as part of the Internal Audit, and will then be sent to the Audit Commission.

18. Items for reporting or inclusion in future agenda

i. Cllr Barratt reported that he, Cllr Cottrell, Cllr Mrs Butler and the Clerk met with KHS on 13^th June. It was a very useful meeting and notes of the meeting will be circulated by the Clerk.

2. The Clerk reported that the Police hit one of the wooden bollards in Chiddingstone High Street outside the school – the police driver was eating an ice-cream at the time!

iii. The Clerk reported that she has circulated a draft annual report, which needs to be published by 30^th June, and is a requirement if the Parish Council wish to apply for Quality status. Members approved the Report and Clerk to circulate.

iv. The Clerk reported that she will be working on the next newsletter, which will need to be delivered to all households by the end of July.

v. The Clerk reported that Mrs Elizabeth Fleming wants to arrange a site visit with Highways to discuss safety options at Blacksmiths Corner, Chiddingstone Hoath, as there have been two serious accidents in the last 9 months. Flooding is also bad along the straight. The Clerk undertook to add both matters to the Highways spreadsheet.

vi. Cllr Mrs James reported that the Causeway fete will be on the 15^th July at 2.30pm. Members agreed to have an advisory stand at the fete so that residents can raise local issues with members. Details of the affordable housing scheme will also be on display. The Chiddingstone fete is on the 28^th July, and it was agreed to do the same, with members who are available to be on a rota to man the stand.

vii. Cllr Mrs James reported that she has received a request from Mr and Mrs Chesman for a hearing loop in Chiddingstone Village Hall. Item to be added to the July Parish Council meeting agenda.

viii. Cllr Durrant reported that he has met with Hever Landscapes about the future maintenance of the Closed Churchyard, in particular the trees and the damaged wall. Cllr Barratt undertook to look at the relevant legislation to see whether the Parish Council is responsible for the maintenance of the wall. Item to be added to the July Parish Council meeting agenda.

ix. Cllr Durrant reported that the Markbeech sign is not currently on the boundary of Chiddingstone and Markbeech and asked if it could be moved. Members agreed that this is the responsibility of Hever Parish Council.

x. Cllr Cooke reported that the kissing gate will be erected soon at the end of SR532.

xi. Cllr Benton advised that the hole in the road opposite St. Luke’s church is still there and water is still leaking onto the road, which becomes very dangerous in the winter. Cllr Barratt reported that this was discussed at the meeting with KHS, and the Highways Inspector, Allan Gibbons, is considering what to do.

xii. Cllr Mrs Butler asked about the status of the planning application for four units of affordable housing in Charcott. Cllr Cooke advised that the application has been held up as the landowner won’t allow a survey of the land to be done. West Kent is still pushing for approval. Cllr Barratt asked members to consider whether there are any other areas in the parish that could be suitable.

The meeting closed at 9.40pm.

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