Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council of Farningham Held at The

Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council of Farningham Held at The

Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council of Farningham held at the

Village Hall, High Street, Farningham at 8:45pm on Wednesday 13thMay 2015

Present: Cllr. P McGarvey, Chair and District Cllr

Cllr. D. Burns, Vice-Chairman

Cllr. M. Cook

Cllr. H. Butler

Cllr. K. Green

Cllr. B. Wells

Mrs. J. Gray (Clerk)

19. / Chairman’s Welcome and Apologies for absence:
(i)The Chairman welcomed the County Councillor, Roger Gough, the District Councillor, Ingrid Chetram, five Parish Councillors and one member of the public
(ii)Apologies had been received from Cllr Giles Bergne, PCSO Dylan Crawford and the Community Warden, Steve Armstrong.
20. / Register of Interests:
The register of interests wasconfirmed as recorded in the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council held at 8.00pm on13th May 2015.
21. / Confirmation of the Minutes of the last Meeting;
The minutes of the meeting held on1stApril 2015 were confirmed as correct, and signed by the Chairman.
22. / County Councillor:
The County Councillor, Roger Gough reported:
  1. The A20 resurfacing had been completed. Although one stretch from Lime Tree House to the roundabout had not been done the carriageway was in good condition and it had not been deemed necessary.
  2. The new signage and road markings promised on the A225 Dartford Road in the vicinity of the Calfstock Lane and Franks Lane stretch should be in situ in the next couple of months.
  3. He would contact Andrew Walters, the Highway Steward, to report that Calfstock Lane sight lines were dangerous and the verges need cutting urgently; this was following a report by Mr Gale who was in attendance. He would try to ascertain a verge cutting schedule.
  4. On the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s Electoral Review which was out for consultation; the proposals would reduce the number of Kent County Councillors from 84 to 81, and Sevenoaks District area would lose one.

23. / Policing:
PCSO, Dylan Crawford, had given a written report:
He had security marked the two recently installed defibrillators at the Village Hall and BS Motors. During April Farningham suffered four crimes: one cannabis possession, one criminal damage, one burglary and one theft. In comparison South Darenth got badly hit by garage break-ins in April, fourteen garages were targeted and one male is in custody for it, although some of those garage break-ins had occurred after he had been arrested.
24. / Matters Arising:
  1. The Clerk had asked for help from the Enforcement Section at Sevenoaks District Council and Ian Kidd, Enforcement Officer had reported:
(a) He had visited 5 London Road and had spoken to the occupier. They do run a business but not from this premises. The hire contract for a number of vans ended over the Easter period and they were left outside the property for the company to collect.
(b)Following a report from a resident regarding Summerfield, number 14 Horton Way the Enforcement Officer is investigating whether the planning approval has been breached.
(c) He had visited the site, Granville House, Old Dartford Road, where a path runs from the end of the road up to Farningham Woods along the edge of the field. On the field boundary a new heavy duty fence had been erected within the woodland to enclose a garden, and builders’ rubble had been left in the woodland site adjacent. The owner had promised to remove the builders rubble which he claimed would deter the public from walking on this land. Ian Kidd had promised to review over the summer.
  1. John Strachan of the Traffic and Parking Section at Sevenoaks District
Council had responded to the Clerk confirming the late duty wardens will pay particular attention to illegal parking in the area from the Chequers to the Lion Hotel on double yellowlines.
  1. The Clerk reported she had contacted Viv Parker, Chair of the Village Hall Management Committee seeking assistance in resolving the issue of the inoperative soakaway in the Village Hall Car Park. The Clerk had contacted a recommended company in Lewisham for advice and had sent a set of photographs, and also Dynorod (at the recommendation of PAYE Contractors) in order to get more opinions on how to the resolve the problem. Dynorod were visiting the site on Friday 15 May.

25. / Correspondence:
1.It was agreed the Clerk settle the invoice from Streetlights for the maintenance agreement for parish lighting totalling £1,154.53plus VAT. It was noted that their fees had been increased by 5% from 1st April 2015.
2.The Clerk had received communication from David Boorman at Sevenoaks District Council asking the Parish Council to settle an invoice from Simon Mathews Fencing for works at Calfstock Lane totalling £928.00. It was agreed this be settled as Farningham Parish Council’s contribution for 2015/2016.
3.The Clerk had received a letter from Arcadis EC Harris regarding the Ideal Waste Paper Company Ltd (in Liquidation). EC Harris Ltd have been requested on behalf of SEGRO Properties Ltd to inform the Parish Council that they have been instructed to commenceremoval of paper waste from the site from 30 April 2015 with a programme comprising 12 weeks work, and then to manage the subsequent steps in site clearance and restoration of the site.
4.Mr. Gale had provided a copy of the LIDAR survey on Farningham Woods for Rick Bayne,at the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit (AONB) regarding the opportunity for the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme.
5.The Dog Warden, Ann-Marie Milton, had promised to review the signage in the High Street and had agreed to install chalk markings to remind owners to clear up after their dogs.
6.It was agreed the Clerk settle the invoice from Lothlorien Landscapes for the first cut of the financial year 2015/2016 totalling £236.00 plus VAT.
7.It was agreed the Clerk settle the invoice from ATI Systems for the electrical work required for the recent defibrillator installation at BS Motors, Eynsford Road totalling £241.80.
8.The Clerk had received an invoice from Earth Anchors for the supply of Forest Saver seat totaling £388.00 plus the installation and cost of root fast earth anchors with metalwork finished in green totaling £115.00 plus VAT. One resident had suggested that the seat needed to be repositioned. It was agreed to purchase an additional seat for Oliver Crescent and to get the recently installed seat moved to a more angled position which faced the play equipment.
9.The Clerk had received a letter from the NHS Litigation Authority confirming that the Appeal made by KMD Medi-Pharm Ltd in respect of the application offering Unforeseen Benefits In The Vicinity Of Eynsford Village Hall, High Street, Eynsford, Kent, DA4 0AB had been withdrawn and there will be no further action and the file will be closed.
10.It was agreed the Clerk settle the invoice from Mrs. J Chamberlain in respect of the Annual Audit of Accounts 2014 to 2015 which were now to be sent to the external auditor. The invoice totalled £160.00.
11.The Clerk had received a letter from Sam Oliver a Class Teacher from Balgowan Primary School in Beckenham who wanted to explain details of their planned visits on 9th to 11th June. Last year they had left rubbish in Irving’s Corner which had been strewn about either by the wind and/or magpies and he assures this will not be repeated and they will take their rubbish away. To help with their school studies, it was suggested the Clerk put him in touch with the local History Society.
12.The Parish Council’s webmaster, Malcolm Gale, had been looking at the "TransparencyCode forsmallerauthorities" which listed what should be legally made available on the Councilwebsites. Although this relates tocouncilswith a turnover of less than £25,000 he was seeking clarification on what needs to be on the website and further research will be needed to see what applies toCouncilsover the £25,000 limit. The Clerk would ask for clarification from KALC.
13.The Clerk had received quotation from Streetmaster for a ‘Cavendish’ seat to be installed at a cost of £560.00 plus £74.00 carriage (including the stainless steel plaque stating ‘Donated to Farningham by Song Makers’) and concreted in with securing straps. Mr. Bint has quoted £410.00 to install the seat in concrete. The Songmakers are donating the seat and are happy for the Parish Council to choose the location. It was agreed to look at an alternative location as there are already two seats by the river.
14.The Clerk reported she was in the process of cataloguing all the Minute Books/files from 1945 onwards. She requested that a permanent home be found for them in the History Society’s Archives or at Sevenoaks District Council (as the Kent Libraries Archive have refused) and she was asked to pursue this.
15.The Clerk had created a form for parishioners to complete with a view to starting to enter e-mail addresses into a database as a way of sending out information quickly. The Clerk had received 33 forms and would continue to promote the exercise via Trident.
16.Following last years’consultation on Community Wardens when Kent County Council agreed to retain 70 Wardens, KALC had written regarding introducing a Pilot Local Warden Support Officer (LWSO) Scheme which is a voluntary role for Wardens and is not intended to replace Community Wardens; applications need to be in by 10 June. The pilot, starting in September 2015, is for twelve wardens and if successful and the Scheme is rolled out in the next financial year, it is estimated that a Parish/Town Council who takes part in the Scheme would make a financial contribution of around £400 for the uniform and towards training costs. It was agreed the Clerk consult Eynsford Parish Council to see if they are interested in the scheme and ask our Community Warden, Steve Armstrong, for his view, to be reported back to the next meeting on 3rd June.
26. / Planning;
  1. It was agreed the following comments be sent to Sevenoaks District Council regarding the planning applications received:
SE/15/01185/FUL Old Parsonage Works, High Street Retention of the brick and flint wall adjacent to the churchyard. Erection of 4 houses and garages, as well as a committee room, office and ancillary facilities for the neighbouring church. Construction of an access ramp and steps within the churchyard. No Comment but to state whilst the Parish Council largely agreed the design was acceptable the bulk of the development has departed from the original approved application and increased. The built structures dominate the setting and residents, it is felt, may simply park in the High Street if the four parking spaces are occupied rather than try to manoeuvre into a garage.
SE/15/01333/HOUSE Far Folly, Calfstock Lane Loft conversion with dormers to the south west and north east elevations. No Comment and the Parish Council has no objection provided that the 50% rule has not been breached. (Subsequently agreed via emails to say just “No comment”.)
  1. An Appeal reference no: APP/G2245/D/14/3001967 at Alandene, Till Avenue for refusal of planning application no. SE/14/03284/NMA dated 14 October 2014 for the construction of a two bedroom bungalow with provision of two off-street parking spaces without complying with a Condition attached to planning permission ref. SE/14/00868/FUL: Appealhad been dismissed.
  1. Regarding application no. SE/15/01317/WTCA for the Removal of a Magnolia Tree at High Tree, London Road, the Clerk had sought advice from Harry Walker, the Assistant Tree Warden, Sevenoaks District Council. The owners had confirmed they believed the tree was damaging their boundary wall. He reported that under the conservation area legislation, if the specimen is a shrub, which is exempt from the legislation, they may remove it without our consent. If, it is a tree, he will have to decide whether to offer no objection or to protect it with a Tree Preservation Order.

27. / Highways:
  1. The Clerk was asked to report to Kent Highways the pot hole on the A225 Eynsford Road just before Oliver Crescent as you approach from Eynsford, around a metal grate at the side of the road.
  2. Andy Walters, the Highway Steward, had agreed to remove the signage on Farningham roundabout as a distraction to drivers. The Clerk suggested some planting in front of the fence to try to prevent signs being put up in the future and it was agreed permission be sought from Kent Highways.

28. / Defibrillators:
Cllr Wells reported that following the installation of two defibrillators training had been booked in the Village Hall on Saturday 16th May from 9.00 until 11.00am.
29. / Reports from Representatives on other bodies:
  1. Though the appointment of representatives had been agreed as per the list attached to the Minutes, it was agreed the Chairman would write the Trident report for May and following this Cllrs Bergne or Burns would take over.
  2. It was agreed a new Tree Warden should be sought to replace Mick Callahan and an item be placed in Trident magazine. It was suggested that if a volunteer could not be found it might be advisable to advertise it as a paid position.(Outstanding Action Point.)

30. / Finance:
  1. Members resolved to authorise the Schedule of Payments.
  2. The Clerk reported the Annual Audit of accounts from 1st April 2014to 31st March 2015 had been completed and she asked the Chairman to sign the Annual Return. The Internal Audit had been completed by Mrs J Chamberlain and she had agreed that they had been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit regulations 1996, as amended, and with proper accounting practices. She had offered to review and advise on the accounts on a quarterly basis.
  3. A new bank mandate form needed to be returned to Barclays Bank plc following completion by Councillors, as following the retirement of Cllr Meachin, Cllr Mrs Burns (as Vice-Chairman) needs to be added.
(i)
Signed ……………………………………….. Wednesday3rd June2015
The meeting closed at 10.45pm. The next meeting of the Parish Council of Farningham will be held at 8.00pm on Wednesday3rd June2015.

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