Benenden

The Vicar's Letter

Meeting minutes of Annual Assembly of the Parish Council for 26 April 2010
in The Pavilion, Iden Green, Benenden
Click for minutes for monthly meeting March 2010

These notes are abstracted from the original minutes-for the full and proper copy please contact the Parish Clerk

Matt Pitts, Cultural Landscape Adviser for High Weald AONB spoke on “The Making of the High Weald Landscape” and the significance of the conservation and enhancement of the High Weald Region. Power Point presentation was followed by a Q & A session.

MINUTES of the ANNUAL ASSEMBLY of the PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 26th April 2010 in The Village Hall, Benenden.

PRESENT: Chairman – Mr. Peter Blockley, 7 Councillors, some 40 parishioners and Clerk

APOLOGIES: KCC Roger Manning, Angela Patrick, David & Clare Harmsworth

MINUTES:
The Clerk read the Minutes of the Annual Assembly of the Council held on Tuesday 28th April 2009. The minutes were proposed by Michael Patrick and seconded by Natalie Blakemore. The Chairman signed them as a true record.

ACCOUNTS:
The Chairman reported Tom Dawlings had produced the accounts for the year 09/10 on Benenden Parish Rate A/C and Harmsworth Memorial Trust. The Accounts for Benenden Village Hall needed to be finalised. The Chairman thanked Tom for his work.
The Clerk presented the unaudited Rate Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2010. The Rate Accounts were proposed by Kate Kellett and seconded by Susan Milne.
The Clerk advised the Harmsworth Memorial Trust Accounts would be presented to full council on conclusion of BVH Accounts.
A copy of the accounts is filed with the minutes.

VILLAGE CHARITY REPORTS

The Arnold Cole Trust: Peter Blockley reported on the ill health of Ken Potter and subsequent move from the village. Peter Blockley read the report. The amount decided for distribution in 2009/10 was £770. Ken Potter and Arianwen Neve re-elected as Trustees and Carolyn Robinson was appointed treasurer. A response is awaited from the Charity Commission that Mrs Weston be appointed Honorary President. The trustees decided that 19 parishioners should receive £30 each, and a £102.50 donation received from the PC, leaves a reserve of £498.09

Benenden Almshouses Charity: Janet Beattie read the report for year ending December 2009. Each time a flat or cottage is vacated repairs are required. Total refurbishment expenditure of £20,353 and the income from rents increased to £25,385. Income from investment fell. Trustees will only proceed with major refurbishment when the financial position has improved.

Gybbon & Ginder Charity: The Clerk reported the sum of £2.50 was collected on behalf of Edmund Gybbon and again £100 on behalf of Stephen Ginder for the year 09/10. 2 properties are required to pay a nominal annual 50 shilling peppercorn rent. It was agreed to donate £102.50 to the Arnold Cole Trust for suitable distribution.

Iden Green Pavilion Trust: Bill Lewis read the report for the year ending December 2009. He advised the hall is well supported but still scope for improving income. Electricity charges doubled and hire rates was increased at the end of the summer. The building remains in good condition but will require internal re-decoration. The gales in November bought down the village sign and a decision is awaited from TWBC on re-siting the sign.
Gybbon & Buckland Charity: Peter Blockley read the report on behalf of Ken Potter. Bibles were presented to Year 6 pupils leaving Primary School. 39 grants each of £300 were given towards the costs of further education. Two new Trustees appointed Mr A Fullwood and Mrs C Hayman. Mr Blockley relinquished the role of Clerk but remains a Trustee and Mrs C Hayman assumed the role of Clerk. KCC lease of the Gibbon School House expired in Oct 2009 but they have expressed a wish to renew the lease. The Trustees are negotiating a new lease through Messrs JK Cloke, with question of resolving outstanding repairs to the structure.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT:
The Chairman welcomed parishioners to the meeting. There have been no changes to the composition of the Council this year and the Council’s work continues much as last year with an increasing requirement to attend Borough Meetings, training sessions and comment on Borough and County initiatives continues to increase the workload. Councillors have now completed their final year in office and elections will take place on 27 May 2010.
Planning remains a main responsibility of the Parish Council and 59 applications were considered in the year 09/10, less than half of the previous year. 3 appeals against decisions made by Borough planners of which 2 were successful and 1 withdrawn. The Council is concerned by the time taken by the Borough to implement enforcement notices. He thanked Cllr Roger Lake, Planning Coordinator for the work and time put into this task.
The Chairman reported on the continued thriving use of the Village Hall and outlined the improvements over the past year including a new main door, double glazing of doors and windows which overlook the recreation field. An area of concern is the car park entrance which has suffered badly as a result of extreme weather conditions. A permanent solution can not be made until the outcome of a Primary School planning application is determined. He thanked John Clarke and the Hall Management Committee for the hard work taken in running an efficient hall, and congratulated them on succeeding in making it the best Hall in the area.
Neighbourhood Watch after a successful re-launch last year the scheme appears to have lost its way with little information being fed through to Parishioners. We believe this may be due to the lengthy absence through illness of Carey Amore, Police Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator. Janet Warden our first Community Warden was promoted and moved to a new position. She was well known and like by Parishioners and I would like to record our thanks for her efforts on behalf of Benenden. Various temporary wardens have replaced her which has not been beneficial to our village. We wrote to the Area Supervisor about our concern and it appears to be a success as Martin Sherwood has returned to the Parish.
New Primary School - He reported there was little to add to the comments made in the Parish Council News circulated in January. Virtually no movement until recently when the selection process to find a Kent based architect to take over the project took place. We await the outcome. A planning application is anticipated towards the end of the year. The Parish Council’s position remains that we will consider the plans and the impact the project will have on the Parish before making any further comment.
TWBC “Ward Walks” initiative with the aim of engaging Parishioners face to face to obtain a better understanding of what Parishioners consider to be priorities, took place with Borough and Parish Councillors together with representatives from Kent Police, Fire Service and Community Wardens. Overall respondents were extremely satisfied with the local area as a place to live. 5 main issues were traffic calming, education, road maintenance, public transport and affordable housing. A copy of the report can be obtained from the Clerk.
The Parish Council took over the running of the Public Toilets following TWBC decision to close them. They remain open and now have to be included in the annual precept. In the longer term the Council is considering converting the existing set to one unisex toilet operated by “coin in a slot” and using the space made available as extra storage for the Village Hall and the creation of an archive room. We await details when TWBC will hand over the building for a nominal sum and a further sum, representing the cost of demolition of the building, will be given to the Parish.
He reported on the Affordable Housing progress following the ACRK Survey of June 2008.
The Parish Council fully supports the results of the survey and has been working closely with TWBC Rural Housing Enabler and the English Rural Housing Association to put forward a project. Possible locations have been identified in Benenden and Iden Green but the process is slowed by restrictions placed by KHS.
Chairman reported on Highways issues affecting the village. The new signage at and approaching the crossroads has been implemented following a series of major accidents over the years. An interactive sign is to be installed shortly by the entrance to Hortons Close. Our thanks to KCC Roger Manning and TWBC Peter Davies for help in achieving these safety improvements. Potholes are still a major concern. There have been numerous cases of burst tyres and damaged wheels. KCC hold the responsibility for road maintenance and have increased the pothole budget by an extra £2 million. The clerk reports faults through My Kent Highways Online which is a useful tool and helps to monitor progress. Parishioners can report problems on 08458 247800 or on line at www.kent.gov.uk/khsfaults. We continue to meet with representatives of KHS.
The Chairman advised the General and Borough elections will take the place on the 6th May and the Parish Election, for which there are 13 candidates for 9 posts, will take place on Thursday 27th May.
He expressed his thanks to his fellow Councillors for their support, Phillip Message for his excellent work in tending the War Memorial, Tim Dwyer for managing the Benenden website and Tom Dawlings for producing the accounts. He thanked Bonny Sullivan, the Clerk for the duties she carries out on behalf of the Parish.
The full chairman’s report is attached.

Chairman then opened the meeting for parishioners’ questions.
No questions.

The Chairman thanked the parishioners for attending the meeting and Matt Pitts for his wonderful insight to the Kent High Weald Landscape.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.50pm

CHAIRMAN

Copyright Tim Dwyer 2004 - timdwyer@benenden.org.uk