THE PARISH COUNCIL OF ST MARGARETS-AT-CLIFFE

Minutes of the Monthly meeting of the above Parish Council held on Monday 8^th June 2009 in St Margarets Hall, Reach Road at 7.00 p.m.

Present: B Paul, J Harris, J Rayner, D Hart, S Liggins, A Fielding, T Purchase. Apologies for absence received from S Ford and G Rapley.

1. Confirmation of Minutes of Parish Council Meeting held 11^th May 2009. The minutes, having been circulated to all members, were confirmed as a correct record and signed as such by the Chairman.
2. Declarations of Interest – Cllr Fielding declared an interest in item 7 on the agenda, Alexandra Road.
3. Clerk’s Report Mrs Cochrane had called again re trees in Kingsdown Road – Cllr Hart has spoken to Mr Hall who will get back to him re removal of three trees. Bowls Club - gas leak discovered Friday 5^th June. Agreed that any work to be undertaken must be referred to the Parish Council. Cllr Paul had advised Club. David Gasking of Kent Highways – Cllrs Paul and Rayner to meet on Friday 12^th June at end of Chapel Lane re inspection of Chapel Lane surface. Grant of £800 received from Cllr Eileen Rowbotham re feasibility study. Re Bay telephone – Clerk had advised Councillors via email – DDC are still chasing BT for re-installation of telephone kiosk in The Bay. Re Station Road garden rubbish – reported to DDC re flytipping + piece placed in magazine. At present no real problem but Mr Miller will advise of any recurrence. Land Registry website under maintenance; Clerk had applied by post for search of land register for land behind The Nooket, The Avenue. Annual Return now with Auditor. Cllr Purchase unable to go to KALC Councillors Training day on 20^th June – Cllr Rapley will attend. Confirmation received re village sign – to be provided in due course. Clerk had written to Jane Driver at Braeside Stables re EDF Energy Wayleave – will let her know if and when underground cabling works to be undertaken. Toilets in Bay – Clerk will liaise with Cllr Rapley to see if problems with lights/early closing times have been rectified. Cllr Rayner to be contacted by Mr Miller, Cemetery Registrar, to arrange meeting – Clerk to advise Mr Miller. FP walk confirmed for Sun 11^th October – invoice still awaited. Mr Miller has swing seats to replace at Alexander Field.		Clerk and Cllr Hart to liaise Cllrs Paul and Rayner to deal Clerk to monitor Clerk to deal Clerk to deal Clerk to deal Clerk to deal Clerk to note
- 2 - 4. Planning The following decisions were made on the planning applications considered:- TC/09/00036 20% crown reduction to one Beech tree – Pine Edge, Bay Hill No objections/refer to Anne Russell DOV/09/00351 Erection of a detached double garage (existing garage to be demolished) – The Garth, 25 St Margarets Road No comment
5. Finance and Accounts The following cheques were passed for payment (Cllrs Hart and Fielding): Lynne Hopwood – re KGV toilet cleaning English Landscapes Maintenance Ltd – grasscutting Folkestone & Dover Water Services Ltd St Margarets Hall – re litter-pick day Kent County Playing Fields Association – Annual subs Wickstead Leisure Ltd – 2 x swing seats Mr D E Hart – expenses re equipment for South Foreland Valley KALC – re Councillors Training Day Jane Cook – salary for May 09 Jane Cook – expenses H M Revenue & Customs – Clerk PAYE/NIC + Council NIC C & W Groundcare Ltd – works to Alexander Field Mr I Miller – labour charge + Registrar fees for May 09 R Dunkley – Ian Miller garage account St Margarets Hall – re First Aid course Receipts Credit Interest – Instant Access A/c £1.04 Credit Interest – Youth Fund £0.73 Grazing fee £1,050.00 KCC Grant re energy study £800.00 Burial Ground fees £680.00	£90.00 £249.68 £159.78 £23.25 £20.00 £79.93 £84.99 £69.00 £643.36 £16.05 £85.31 £1,628.31 £1,268.37 £31.50 £18.00 £4,467.53
IT WAS RESOLVED to purchase 2 dog bins for the King George V Pavilion, with 1 further to be possibly ordered for Nelson Park or elsewhere. Suggestion made re having dog bin near the Dover Patrol Memorial – as this is National Trust land, Clerk to write to the Trust. Clerk also to ask DDC if litter bin opposite Knoll Court can be replaced as soon as possible. Only one quotation received re grasscutting of Glebe Field at £60 per cut – this from C & W Groundcare. IT WAS RESOLVED that this quotation be received, but Clerk to approach The Bay Trust to ask if lease of the field can now be put in place.		Clerk to deal Clerk to deal
- 3 - IT WAS RESOLVED to accept B Claringbould’s quotation at £1,238 for the two buttresses to the KGV, assuming that the Bay Trust are prepared to meet half the cost. Clerk had met with Trevor May Contractors Ltd re reinstatement of the second tennis court at the KGV Field. This showed a minimum figure of £6,818.00 + VAT for resurfacing, with a further £1,230 for colour spray; £640 for polyurethane binder; £160 for two new tennis posts. Clerk asked to obtain second quotation, check with DDC which contractor it uses.		Clerk to contact the Bay Trust Clerk to deal
6. Correspondence Mr K Hadman – re our letter – Alexandra Road later on agenda. Kent Air Ambulance Trust – re Textile Bank initiative – Clerk asked to write to DDC to see if a container can be placed somewhere within the village car park. Sarah Philpott, DDC Sports Development Officer re “Active Dover” – Clerk had publicised on noticeboards and in the Parish magazine. Michael Dawson, DDC Head of Development and Public Protection – re Planning Status of Village Design Statements – Clerk had provided Councillors with copies. KCC Integrated Strategy & Planning – re Kent Minerals and Waste Development Framework – details to be emailed to Councillors. Kent BTCV – Kent Pond Warden Scheme – request made for £100 to help towards cost of training – IT WAS RESOLVED to make payment of £50. Bradleys – copy letter sent to R Baker at Freedom re Wayleave, The Freedown requesting payment of fees. Fields in Trust – notice re AGM. Rural News – Issue No 90 May 2009. Note from Yam, reporter for Dover Express providing new contact details – Clerk provided to Councillors. Email from Mr M Shepherd re (1) parking of cars on Reach Road entrance to car park; (2) verge at Westcliffe Road junction; (3) anchor iron near village shop; (4) scooterists in Glebe Close. Copy letter from Sarah Wright, DDC Housing Services Manager confirming work to grassed area to be commenced shortly. ROSPA – confirmation that inspection will be undertaken during July. Nursery and After School Club – letter + photos re equipment purchased from grant allocation. Mr M Coombes – letter re Chair’s report in Parish magazine. Clerk to write and thank for views on recent planning applications for Granville Road. KCC – Environment, Highways and Waste Directorate – Statement of Community Involvement consultation – paper copy taken by Cllr Paul.		Clerk to write Clerk to deal Clerk to deal Clerk to monitor Clerk to hold Clerk to check with DDC re posts at entrance; Cllr Paul to deal re shop Clerk to deal
- 4 - 7. Alexandra Road Following meetings/discussions with Highway representatives and Folkestone & Dover Water Services, Cllr David Hart made the following proposals:- Ø Re Alexandra Road – that in view of the e-mail from KCC PROW Office that the remaining section of Alexandra Road to the rear of Fleet House, Fleet Road, St Margarets at Cliffe is, as a result of the many declarations made by members of the public, a public highway. Therefore as a highway it has a higher status than a PROW and there is no need to request it be added to the definitive PROW map. Furthermore it is accepted that the present width of 6.72m as agreed by the Parish Council on the recommendation of Cllrs Hart and Fielding is an acceptable width for such a highway and that any future request by a third party to widen it be dealt with solely by direct contact with the Parish Council’s solicitors. Ø Re Water Stop Tap – that after investigation by Cllrs Hart and Paul and as a result of the site meeting between Mr K Hadman, the two above-mentioned Councillors and an employee of Folkestone & Dover Water Services, that the issue of a water stop cock situated in the garden of Fleet House for which the Parish Council has no responsibility whatsoever, and in view of both Folkestone & Dover Water Services and the present tenant, that, if adequate access is provided to both parties in accordance with the correspondence from Folkestone & Dover Water Services, this Parish Council considers this matter closed. The above two proposals were unanimously approved.
8. Reports from Councillors/Advisers Cllr Fielding had met with Philip Smye-Rumsby re CCTV – ongoing problems with car park camera seems to relate to electrical “spike” when lamppost turns on and off. Solution is to relocate camera – siting on gable wall of flats suggested. Cllr Hart to investigate building owners before contact. May be necessary to move signs. Cllr Fielding provided sheet showing second stage of Mike Bundy’s energy survey. Clerk asked to place findings in Parish magazine. Energy Group would like to attend next PC meeting for presentation – agreed this could be placed on agenda, with attendees to arrive for 9 p.m. Cllr Harris reported following meetings with herself/Cllr Rayner and First Light Tourism reps. Both Councillors were impressed with the efforts being made to promote St Margarets as a sustainable village. Noted that Walletts Court Hotel had recently been awarded a silver award in the Green Business Scheme. Reported that Norfolk Line ferries have agreed to take 10,000 leaflets for display and they will cover the cost of printing. First Light Tourism is open to any business and includes hotels, pubs, bed and breakfast, shops, etc. Cllr Liggins reported re Library – she and Cllr Hart had attended a further meeting. Although lease had been secured for a year, future funding may be an issue given present economic climate. Book borrowing has showed a steady increase.		Cllr Hart and Clerk to liaise Clerk to deal and place on agenda Clerk to write letter to congratulate
- 5 - Cllr Harris reported that her grant funding investigations are ongoing, with a reply awaited from DDC. Nothing heart from architect Mike West re Bowls Club, and Clerk asked to write to check progress. Cllr Fielding is looking at idea of separate website for “energy” issues – this could cost in the order of £40 to £50 per year. Cllr Hart asked whether a footpath could be provided alongside Portal House School leading to the Primary School, in order to help children avoiding at least part of Sea Street. Clerk asked to write to KCC to investigate. Cllr Hart reported re new A258 signs –in some cases these are poorly sited amongst trees/bushes - nothing can be done until the nesting season is over. Cllr Hart reported re WW2 shelters in South Foreland Valley which are becoming badly damaged. Meeting held with District Councillor Ian Ward with further meetings to take place – it is felt that the PC does not have the skills or resources to manage these shelters. District Councillor Ian Ward reported that following recent election, changes in lines of communication will shortly be advised. Mr Colin Sumner – ER37 Lighthouse Road to Sea View Road – now waymarked. FP between Collingwood Road/Vincent Road overgrown – reported. FP adjacent to Franconia – overgrown – to be reported. Asked re possibility of having a road name plate installed for Alexandra Road – agreed and Clerk to Contact Kent Highways.		Clerk to contact Clerk to write Cllr Hart to take forward Clerk to deal
9. Councillors’ Responsibilities Cllr Paul had prepared sheet showing individual Councillors’ responsibilities. This was agreed, with Cllr Paul to place in magazine.		Cllr Paul to deal
10. Village Maintenance/Matters affecting the Parish Playing Field Inspection undertaken by Cllr Fielding – following reported: King George V Field – one of the metal supports (3^rd step) on the slide is sticking up, considered a trip hazard; swing 2 top support bolt loose and needs tightening. Alexander Field – swing top bar has surface rust; safety surface under swings needs replacing; a cracked seat (in hand). Next inspection to be undertaken by Cllrs Purchase and Rayner. Cllr Liggins extended her apologies for July meeting. Suggestion made that cheaper alternatives be looked at for resurfacing tennis court – Cllr Hart agreed to investigate.		Clerk to liaise with Mr Miller Clerk to provide form Cllr Hart to deal

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.45 p.m.

Confirmed: Chairman 13^th July 2009

Correspondence received prior to meeting

13^th July 2009

· DDC Forward Planning – re LDF – Submission of Dover District Core Strategy.

· Bradleys – re Freedown EDF Agreement.

· The National Trust – reply to our letter re Dover Patrol Memorial.

· Kent Downs AONB Unit – invitation to Countryside Day on 31^st July.

· Kent Police Authority – re Policing Kent 2009/12.

· Folkestone & Dover Water Services re change of name.

· Southern Water – South East Water Resources Update.

· Rural Payments Agency – re Land Register Mapping Update.

· South East England Partnership Board re partial review for Travellers accommodation.

· KCC Environment and Waste – enquiry re guided footpath walks.

· KALC – re Dover Area Committee meeting.

· Parish News Issue 340.