MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF STURRY PARISH COUNCIL
HELD AT HERSDEN NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMUNITY CENTRE
ON WEDNESDAY12TH DECEMBER 2012.
Present: Cllrs: Dave Bubb, Steve Birch, Peter Topley, Peter Wenham, Pauline Louch and Clare Boulding.
In attendance was one member of the public, the Clerk, the Cemeteries Superintendent, City Councillor Tony Austin and County Councillor Alan Marsh.
In the absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman the Clerk opened the meeting at 7.30pm and asked that nominations be made for a Chairman for the meeting. It was proposed by Cllr Louche and seconded by Cllr Wenham that Cllr Topley be Chairman for the meeting.
RESOLVED that Cllr Topley be Chairman for the meeting.
3279. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllrs Heather Taylor (Civic duties), Ashley Bubb (Work commitments) Inger Philpott (family commitments), and Rosemary Harradine (recovering from an operation). An apology was also received from City Councillor Georgina Glover who was otherwise engaged at the Hoath Parish Council meeting.
3280. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None.
3281. MINUTES
The Clerk stated that minute 3264 should read that the minutes of the meeting held on 7th November were confirmed, not that of 21st October.
The Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on the 21st November 2012 were amended, confirmed and approved as a true record.
3282. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
1) Cllr Topley questioned why the new Clerk’s hours were different to those given in the job advert and further why the conclusions from the Appointments Panel had not been included as an agenda item for ratification at the this meeting. The Clerk responded that the hours were slightly reduced from those advertised because Guy Foster would be continuing to manage the Council’s finances for the time being, and Carol Outred was continuing as Cemeteries Superintendent, and between the three staff they would work approximately 40 hours a week. When the Clerk took on these extra responsibilities the number of hours worked would rise accordingly. The decision of the Appointments Panel would be bought before the Council at the next meeting where the chairman was present.
2) Cllr Topley congratulated the Clerk on his success in sourcing power for the Christmas lights without incurring any costs. The Clerk indicated that the thanks should go to the new owners of The Swan for being so cooperative and eager to help.
3) Cllr Louch stated that no alcohol had ultimately been served at the Community Christmas Carols due to the lack of a license but that the event had been a success.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The meeting was adjourned to allow members of the public to ask questions relating to items on the agenda.
1) A member of the public stated that a Peregrine Falcon had illegal been shot few weeks previously, and the police had been informed of this. The bird was found buried a few days after going missing by its owner. The Council noted this incident and expressed concern that it had happened.
2) The same member of the public asked whether the Council were aware of the damage that had been done to the Broad Oak turning bus shelter. The Clerk stated that he had been made aware of this and would be contacting the City Council arrange repairs.
The meeting was reconvened
3283. CHAIRMAN AND COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
1) Cllr Topley asked Councillors whether they had any comments on his report from the recent meeting of the Kent Association of Local Councils, which had been circulated with their agendas. No Councillor wished to ask questions regarding the contents of the report.
2) Cllr Wenham questioned when the notice board on the Link Road would be reinstated. Cllr Topley responded that the board would probably have to be relocated all together, as the previous location had placed it in the path of the prevailing winds across the park and that had probably contributed to it falling over.
3284. COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
1) County Councillor Alan Marsh reported that there were still tickets available for the pantomime at Broadstairs and anyone interested should telephone him before 17th December to be sure of a place.
2) City Councillor Tony Austin reported that improvements had taken place to Shalloak Road and thanked Councillor Marsh for the works which had taken place. It was further reported the improvements were planned for the Broad Oak junction. The City Council’s Housing Strategy was to be voted on by the Executive the following day and would seek to end the creation of more ‘tenancies for life’. There would be a consultation on the Housing Allocations policy at some stage in the near future. Cllr Topley questioned when Franklyn House was expected to be completed; Cllr Austin answered that residents would be moving in early in the New Year.
3285. POLICE AND COMMUNITY WARDENS’ REPORTS
No representatives present.
3286. CLERKS REPORT
The Clerk briefly outline the written report he had provided prior to the meeting which included an update on the new style of Parish magazine, which had generally received positive remarks. The Parish Council’s bench which had mysteriously disappeared since being removed from outside Sturry Library had been located at Herne Bay Library and would be returned as and when a new site was chosen for it.
The Clerk indicated that he hoped to go on the Foundation Course for Clerks course organised by the KALC. It was proposed by Cllr Topley that the Clerk be permitted to attend the course with the associated cost to the Council.
RESOLVED that the Clerk attend the KALC Foundation Course for Clerks.
3287. CEMETERIES SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
The Cemeteries Superintendent addressed the meeting and stated that all was generally well with the cemetery. An application for a new headstone on plot B525 had been received and the appropriate fees paid. An interment was due to take place on the 17th of December and another on the 21st. The latter posed a problem as Welch & Sons of Herne Bay did not want to use the usual grave digger and wanted to use Trevor Oku instead, but the machine used by Mr Oku had been accused of causing damage to surrounding graves in the past.
Councillors stated the view that if Welch & Sons insist on using Mr Oku he should be made aware of liability for damage to surrounding plots and photographic evidence of those plots prior to the digging should be recorded for the avoidance of doubt.
The Cemeteries Superintendent offered her apologies for absence for the meeting of 23rd January as she would be on holiday
3288. PARISH PRECEPT 2013/14
Cllr Topley raised the issue of dispensation and stated that the Parish Council should not discuss the precept at the meeting as Councillors had not been asked to apply for individual dispensations following the repealing of the previous Member’s code of conduct which had included a blanket dispensation. It was indicated that Herne & Broomfield Parish Council had applied for dispensation before discussing their precept.
The Clerk stated that he was of the belief that there was no legal requirement to fill in a dispensation form and that the National Association of Local Council’s had purely recommended doing so as a “belt and braces” approach. The Clerk went on to state that as he had not been expecting the issue to be raised he had not brought relevant documents to the meeting, and requested that if concerns over protocol do exist they should be expressed prior to the meeting via telephone or email.
The explanation offered was not accepted and, as a degree of uncertainty existed in the minds of some Councillors, the Clerk stated that if they wanted to all Councillors without their own dispensation forms could sign the one spare copy as it would make no difference legally. Councillors were then requested to delegate authority to the Clerk to countersign the dispensation applications.
RESOLVED that authority be delegated to the Clerk to grant dispensations for Councillors discussing matters in which they had a prejudicial interest for the duration of the meeting.
RESOLVED by the Clerk under delegated authority that Councillors be granted a dispensation to discuss the Parish Precept and Budget at the meeting despite their prejudicial interests.
Cllr Topley expressed concern at the proposed Parish Precept reduction as he felt that the Parish Council offered enough services, and had the potential to offer more, to justify having a precept that was higher than some others in the area. A number if Councillors disagreed with this point.
Cllr Birch stated that he felt the precept had been set too high in the past and that lowering it would be appreciated by Parishioners. Cllr Louch expressed concern that lowering the precept might put strain on the budget if anything unexpected should arise and stated that having a margin of safety was advisable.
Cllr Rana indicated that having spoken to Guy Foster he had been made aware that in the previous financial year there had been a substantial underspend and recent savings, particularly in staffing costs, meant that there was sufficient breathing space for the precept to be lowered without adversely effecting any services. The Clerk indicated that in excess of £400,000 had been accumulated a portion of which could be used in the event of any unforeseen significant expenses. Cllr Topley indicated that the money in the bank was in earmarked reserves for specific purposes.
RESOLVED that the precept income for the financial year 2013/14 be set at £97,471, a reduction of 22.3% on the previous financial year and equating to £41.66 for a Band D property.
3289. PARISH COUNCIL BUDGET 2013/14
Councillors questioned various aspects of the budget presented at the meeting. It was reiterated by Cllr Rana that the majority of the reduction was in the staffing costs. Cllr Topley expressed concern that the training and conferences budget had been reduced to the extent given in the proposals.
RESOLVED to adopt the budget included in the appendix to these minutes.
3290. PARISH OFFICE CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS
The Clerk stated that the Parish Council would close as usual at 4pm on Friday 21st December 2012 and reopen at 10am on Wednesday 2nd January 2013.
3291. FINANCE
The statement of expenditure was noted and RESOLVED to pay the sums listed.
At this juncture the meeting adjourned for the cheques to be signed before reconvening.
The meeting noted and RESOLVED to accept the statement of monies received.
3292. PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
a) CA/12/02017/FUL, 4 Mayton Cottages, Heel Lane, Broad Oak, CT 0QL
Demolition of existing single flat roofed garage and replacement with pitched roof double garage with utility room and studio.
AGREED that the Parish Council had no objection to this application.
b) CA/12/02073/FUL, The Swan Inn, High Street, Sturry
Renovations and extensions to building to form a restaurant and six letting rooms together with demolition of lean-to out-building and erection of entrance gates.
AGREED that Parish Councillors could take more time to examine the proposals online and forward comments by email to the Clerk.
c) CA/12/02037/OUT, 35 Island Road, Sturry, CT2 0EB.
Application for a new planning permission to replace outline planning permission CA/09/01507/OUT for the erection of a pair of semi-detached dwellings in order to extent the time limit for implementation.
AGREED that the Parish Council had no objection to this application given the precedent set by the previous approval.
3293. REPORTS OF AN IMPORTANT OR SPECIAL NATURE
1) Cllr Louch expressed concern that a tree’s roots had begun to push up the footpath in part of the Closed Churchyard and stated that action would need to be taken to make the footpath safe.
2) A number of Councillors expressed concern at the continued state of Drovers Walk in Sturry where litter was continually being dumped. The Clerk indicated that he had contacted Orbit Housing in the past regarding the waste and would continue to do so.
3) Cllr Topley wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2013.
There being no other matters to discuss the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.30pm.
Signed………………………………………………(Chairman)
Date………………………………………………….