Vigo Parish Council Minutes of the Meeting Held on Monday 19Th December 2016

Vigo Parish Council ~ Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 19th December 2016

VIGO PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 19th DECEMBER 2016

AT 7.30 pm IN VIGO VILLAGE HALL

Present: / Cllr Pat Banks (in the Chair); Cllr Sue Connor (taking the minutes); Cllr Mike Germain; Cllr Roland Graves; Cllr John Goodban; Cllr Jim Haslem; Cllr Alan White; Cllr Andy Woolway; Cllr Colin Talboys
In Attendance: / Ms Mandy Cason (KCC Community Warden); Dr Munro; (both left at about 8:30 pm)
1] / Apologies for Absence
Mrs Joanne Glass (Clerk); Mr Adam Holloway (MP); Mr Paul Agley (Highview Services),; Cllr Derek Shelbrooke (GBC);Cllr Bryan Sweetland (KCC); Cllr Lesley Boycott (GBC)
2] / Declarations of Interest
None
3] / Neighbourhood Plan Report
Confidential meeting held before Parish Meeting
[Action: Cllr Haslem]
4] / Questions from the Press and Public
Dr Munro continues to be concerned over the lack of tree planting in the village. She was informed that a working party has been formed and that they will be making decision about what, where and when etc when they meet in the new year. Dr Munro has offered saplings.
Dr Munro is concerned over parking which she feels is getting worse. She pointed out that the increased numbers of dropped kerbs are difficult for people with mobility problems to get out of cars. Cars are parking on pavements and in dangerous places. Dr Munro will submit a list of places and houses where she feels that the parking is particularly bad. Gravesham may be able to deal with parking on pavements, but it is difficult for them to enforce this. Mandy has agreed to talk to relevant householders if these can be identified.
[action- Ms Mandy Cason]
5] / Reports from Gravesham Borough and Kent County Councillors for the Parish Area
None
6] / Reports from Community Wardens
5th of Dec we had a power cut in the village – hot water flasks etc given out and vulnerable people were helped by our community warden.
Youth noise and anti-social behaviour has been better, but Mandy is still keeping an eye on this.
Our Youth worker will be holding a meeting – January 30th, hopefully some positive ideas will come from this.
Unlicensed motor bike has been sorted, the police spoke to the boy concerned who now no longer has a bike
Mandy has distributed some donatedChristmas trees
Mandy has referred people who need help to the relevant agencies
Mandy is looking for a project for a worthy cause that at team of 10 community wardens can work on. She would like us to think of any suitable ideas.
[action - all Cllrs]
A fridge freezer has appeared behind the Londis shop, it is on private land so Gravesham won’t deal with it.
7] / To approve the minutes of the Full Parish Council Meeting held on 21stNovember 2016
Left to the next meeting
8] / Matters Arising from the Full Council Meeting (not covered under agenda items)
We have received a report from our Youth worker. It is encouraging to see that apart from one the youth participating are all from Vigo. He is going to try and recruit younger members. We have asked for clarification on how he plans to organise having older and younger members, we don’t appear to have had a response yet.
[Clerk to query how he plans to do this?]
Higview. We think that the trees are on Parish Land so Mr Agley will need to be asked to carry out some work during the winter season.
[action - Clerk and Mr Agley]
Planning application - Concrete shed in front garden – Gravesham have turned it down
Composite fence at the top of Highview – we wrote to property explaining our views but they had already put the fence up. We will need to contact them again.
[action - Clerk]
9] / Services: Trees / Grounds Maintenance / Grass Cutting
List provided by Mr Agley of work that he has completed.
An Ash tree at the top of Churchside is leaning, supported by a large Chestnut. It is near the Highway so needs dealing with, however it can’t be climbed so Mr Agley will need to hire a cherry picker (about £200 a day) to deal with it. This was agreed and it is proposed to agree that he makes a day’s work, dealing with other suitable problems, to get the best value for money from the hire of the cherry picker.
[action – clerk and Mr Agley]
Damage has been done to Baylis Bank – a car has driven up it. Hopefully the grass will recover.
Cllr Germain has applied for a number of mixed tree saplings which will be suitable for planting around the village. He will let us know when these are received. Cllr Connor offered space on her allotment to store these if necessary.
10] / Requests from and Matters Regarding Residents
Woodside. Plans have been submitted to replace their current windows from tilt and turn to side open, change their side door and brick in the lower part of living room window. Agreed
[action - Clerk]
11] / Local Authority Planning Applications and Projects / Covenant 3 Applications
Churchside – TPO – plan to crown lift oak trees in their garden (which was done 5 years ago) we can’t object
Churchside – Tower house planned extension – agreed as long as materials were matched and parking spaces were increased.
[Clerk to check materials and parking were mentioned in our comments]
12] / Covenant Breaches / Enforcement
Ashkeys has planted a laurel hedge between her property and her neighbour’s. They are only small plants at present, about 2’6” high but will grow into a hedge. Cllr Graves spoke to her as she was planting them and pointed out that it will be in breach of the covenants. She stated that she was aware of the covenant but was still going ahead on two counts. One is that it will partly obscure the neighbour’s caravan that is parked directly in front of their house and is an eyesore. Two that she has walked her dog around the village and discovered there are many ‘hedges’ in front of houses. When all of these are removed she would then agree to remove hers!
He suggested that if she removed every other plant and kept a space between the rest and keeps the height no more than 3’ the P.C. might agree that it was a series of shrubs. Cllr Gravesadvised her to contact the Parish for Covenant approval.
It is proposed that we write to her explaining that she will be in breach of the covenant. We need to include some explanation that we are working to reinstate the open nature of the village.
[action - Clerk]
Dr Munro registered her regret that we are promoting the removal of trees and that we are not replacing them.
Gravesham used to insist that removed trees covered by tree preservation orders be replaced, this appears to be no longer enforced.
13] / Highways / Gravesham Issues
Highways meeting on the 9th January meeting – Issue to raise - White lining at Harvel Road – We may need a contingency plan needed if Jo can’t attend.
[action – Cllr Banks]
End of ofTimberbank cul-de-sac signage has been removed – this needs to be reported to highways.
[action – clerk]
We have requested that they sweep Waterlow Road as the loose breaking surface is dangerous. This has not yet been done.
[action – clerk]
14] / a) Play Areas (Ball Park)
Ball park light goes on and off at odd times. It goes off at 10pm, but comes on again in the early hours – needs reporting again.
[action – clerk]
b) Play Areas (Play Park)
Work is needed on the fence.
[action – clerk and Mr Agley]
15] / CCTV
Contact has still not been made – to be done
[action – clerk or Cllr Banks]
16] / Finance Councillor / Responsible Financial Officers Report
a)Payments

• £54 for Christmas tree for village hall - approved
• Christmas Lights? See Audrey Philips – we need the bill - approved (if a reasonable sum)
• £1000 for the youth - approved
• Agreed all the regular payments – salaries, phone - approved
• Expenses for clerk £194.95 which includes postage for journal - approved. (It is suggested that we look at and review this. We could write to the places that we send them to (who advertise), asking for prepaid postage or put the price up to include postage and packing.

b) Income

• none

17] / Volunteer Support Warden Scheme
Information from KLC. We didn’t participate in the pilot. It has been quite successful so they are rolling it out across the county. They have suggested that we fund one or share the cost of one between a number of parishes. This was discussed at the finance meeting; we can fund a whole volunteer for at least 5 hours per week.
Mandy has no experience of working with a volunteer warden but has no reason to see that there would be any problem with working with somebody supported by the team leader. We discussed trying it for a couple of years then reviewing the impact and value for money.
Cllrs are concerned about the motivation behind this scheme, as it follows previous cut backs and that it may threaten the future of paid wardens.
We have been assured that they are not a replacement for paid wardens. It also depends on finding a suitable volunteer.
Cllrs proposed that we don’t participate.
It was decided that as we can’t legally make a decision without our legal officer (clerk) we will postpone our final decision to the next parish meeting (16th January). Our decision needs to be submitted for 20th January.
Mandy has agreed to ask her team leader to come and talk to us at our next meeting.
The Precept needs to be decided before this date, but can be done on the basis of either/or so that this option is left open.
[action - Ms Mandy Cason]
18] / Precept / Budget for 2018
No major outgoings last year. No overspend. The first plan for the Precept included budget to save for new equipment for the playpark and to fund a voluntary warden. Gravesham’s budget includes an increase in band D properties which makes a huge difference to our precept figures. We can afford to put £3000 in play park project and fund a voluntary warden. Proposed increase on the precept will be 1.39%.
Councillors discussed trying to keep it even lower if we could. It was agreed that 1.39% is still very low.
The approval for the precept was put forward to the next Parish Meeting.
19] / Assets of Community Value
None
20] / Encroachment / Enclosure of Community Land
No response from Timberbank
21] / Chair’s Announcements
Christmas dinner dates. Agreed Friday 24th February – The George at Meopham (depending on bus time)
[action – Cllr Banks]
22] / Clerk’s Report and Correspondence Received
None
23] / 50 Years of Vigo
On-going
24] / Benches in Vigo
A request has gone to Tesco’s to get charity donation – green counter box.
25] / Working Party Reports
None
26] / Youth Issues
The Grand have been given a 5 year contract– to continue providing a youth services in Gravesham. We have agreed to continue supporting the work they do in Vigo.
27] / Report from Vigo Village Hall
A new soak away is needed at the back of the hall. It will need to be on parish land. The Parish have no objection to the village hall digging it out again as it has clearly silted up. Cllr Talboyswill tell them to go ahead.
[action – Cllr Talboys]
28] / Report from the Joint Transportation Board
Report by Cllr Talboys - It is an election year (County Council – 4th May) so certain things couldn’t be discussed.
Gravesham’s crematorium is now open for business.
It was a lively meeting, but not much discussed was relevant for us in Vigo.
See minutes from Cllr Talboys
29] / Trosley Country Park Liaison Group Report
Report by Cllr TalboysMeeting – very busy, lots discussed. The country park have agreed to provide a shelter outside the café for people with dogs.
Penalties for parking are upsetting people.
30] / Report from the Rural Neighbourhood Forum
None
31] / Any Other Business
Housing needs survey response had been given by Jim. We have had no response from them. We should start a dialogue with them to give our point of view. Another survey is expected in January.
[action – clerk or Cllr Haslem]
Our DPIs – should be on our web-site. They are now on Gravesham’s web site. Gravesham will send us the link for our web site which will need to be placed on our web site
[action – Cllr Banks]
Audit with Mr Bucket is on going
Our new bank account is still not up and running – information that had been sent was not received so has been sent again. Hopefully will be up and running in the new year.
We need to raise the maintenance of garages again. The Beechmast garage that is no longer there was not maintained because the owner claimed she couldn’t afford it, however she now owns a Porsche. A garage in Fern Down has had the door and frame stolen, the owner is not doing anything about it, so the appearance is now an issue.
We need to write to both these properties and ask that their property is maintained.
[action – clerk]
295 Highview. Rubbish still not removed.
[action – clerk]
There being no other business, the meeting was closed at 09:05