The village of Benenden in Kent

PARISH COUNCIL OF BENENDEN

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Council held on Monday 17^th May 2004 in the Memorial Hall, Benenden.

PRESENT Mr. G. Reynolds. Mr. P. Conway Mr. J. Clarke Mr. P. Message

Mrs. D. Bailey Mr. S. Hockney Mr. R. Lake

APOLOGIES Mr. R. Manning Mrs. C. Pitt Mrs. E. North

MINUTES The Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on Monday 19^th April 2004 were confirmed and signed.

The Chairman welcomed Mr. Steven Hockney onto the Council

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST. Cllr Conway declared an interest in the MM02 mast application at Beacon Hill Farm.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS Cllr Reynolds stood down as Chairman and Cllr Peter Davies took the chair and proposed Cllr Reynolds as Chairman, seconded by Cllr Lake and being unopposed was unanimously elected. Cllr Reynolds proposed Cllr Conway as Vice Chairman, seconded by Cllr Clarke and being unopposed was unanimously elected.

General Purposes and Finance Committee

Chairman (ex officio) Mrs. D. Bailey Mr. J. Clarke
Vice Chairman Mr. R. Lake

KAPC Area Committee

Chairman Mr. P. Conway Mr. J. Clarke

Planning Committee

Mr. P. Conway plus two members on a monthly rota

Housing selection (Jephson) committee

Chairman Parish Clerk

Church Clock Representative

Mr. R. Chapman

Arnold Cole Trust

Chairman (ex officio)

Iden Green Pavilion Representative

Mrs. C. Pitt

Benenden Village Hall Representatives

Mr. J. Clarke Mrs. D. Bailey Mr. P. Message

Footpath Committee

Mr. P. Message Mr. S. Hockney

St. George’s Club representatives

Chairman (ex officio) Mr. J. Clarke Mr. P. Conway Mr. R. Manning

DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS. These were agreed as the list appended.

MATTERS ARISING

Annual Assembly Cllr Reynolds said this was well attended with a useful discussion at the end. The £2,000 donation from KCC to be spent in the parish and a poster will be put in all the notice boards for ideas. The grant of £20,000 needs to be decided on soon and a sub committee will be formed to address this.

Highway Matters Surface dressing of various lanes in the parish is now taking place. The Clerk has had notification of the closure of the Iden Green Road for two days in August for remedial work. Leybourne Dell , Pullington and the top of Standen Street will be closed for one day for grip fibre surfacing.

Two drains at the Village Hall have been realigned to stop water flowing into the main road. The drain outside Oak Cottage in Iden Green is to be jetted and the Chairman wants to arrange a site meeting with Highways at Vyvyan Cottages, Standen Street about installing a larger pipe to facilitate drainage.

Cllr Lake reported a smell of gas at Pullington- the Clerk to contact Transco.

Open afternoon at Pympne Manor This was very successful with donations, ‘buy a brick’ and the raffle. Approximately £600 was raised but more is expected to come in. Robin Dalton-Holmes to write and thank Miss Thoburn.

Surveyors report on leases –public toilet and tennis club. It was recommended that the lease to TWBC for the public toilet be increased to £100 per year – full repairing and insuring, and the extra land required for the extension to the tennis club to be leased at £100 p.a. when the club house is built. The licence on the Allotment Field to stay the same.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DONATIONS.

The following donations, under Section 137, were agreed:

Hawkhurst Cottage Hospital, League of Friends £250.00

Kent Air Ambulance 125.00

Hospice in the Weald 150.00

Cranbrook CAB 250.00

Kent Association for the Blind 50.00

Benenden PCC 50.00

Angley School Farm 125.00

Subscriptions:

CPRE 25.00

Kent County Playing Fields Association 15.00

REPORT OF AREA KAPC MEETING Cllr Conway reported that the main item for discussion was the proposal by the Borough Council to provide a web site for each parish on the main TWBC site. This could be useful if it is linked in to existing parish web sites. Tim Dwyer to be consulted. The next working group on the revision of the Parish Charter will meet on 21^st June and if a draft document if forthcoming it will be sent out for consultation. Other items discussed were insurance liability on contracts, Quality parish councils, flys and masts. The latter will be a major topic at the next KAPC meeting.

REPORT – KCC LOCAL BOARD MEETING Cllr Conway said this was a good meeting but poorly attended. KCC wants to get in contact with people in Kent in areas it is specifically responsible for: recuperative care. nursing care, libraries and the provision of grants. More meetings are to be held regularly across the County.

SPEEDWATCH Cllr Conway reported that more volunteers are needed – a notice will be put up in the village – but all criteria have been met. Public liability insurance is in place, £350 pledged for equipment and the scheme is due to start soon.

IDEAS FOR SPENDING KCC GRANTS. Suggestions were: painting the Church clock, goal posts for the Recreation Ground, providing transport to Cranbrook Youth Club. Cllr Davies said the Street Cruiser bus would be coming back to the parishes. It has been refurbished but youth workers were still needed.

FOOTBALL The Parish Council is keen for a football club to return to the village and it is hoped the provision of showers and changing rooms in the village hall extension will facilitate this. Local support is needed and it is important to gauge the amount of interest in the village. Cllrs Lake, Conway, Hockney and Message to form a sub-committee and then organise a sports committee with interested parishioners.

PLANNING MATTERS Cllr Conway read the planning report which was circulated with the Agenda Cllrs Conway and Reynolds met with Ernie Pollard to discuss the Conservation Area Appraisal .A Document which is intended to help with decisions of planning within the conservation areas of Benenden and Iden Green. Preserving the character of these areas is in the hands of the Parish Council and TWBC

and is of great importance .It will included physical structures, group values – shops, pubs, schools and activity areas.

Benenden Girls School application for a performing arts centre. Cllrs Conway and Reynolds attended a site meeting. Much work is being done in the grounds and gardens, a fitness centre is being included and the village will be able to use the facilities and is seen as a benefit to the community

Cllr Conway declared a prejudicial interest in the MM02 mast application at Beacon Hill Farm. Cllr Reynolds said there was a flood of mast applications in this parish and a response is needed from KCC for help in responding to them. It will be the main item for discussion at the next KAPC Area meeting. There should be Borough and County policies to deal with them and technical details readily available and support for communities who feel themselves under threat.

An alternative site has been agreed with the landowner that is further away from houses and is less obtrusive but so far no response from Peter Turner of TWBC Planning Dept. Independent advice is needed and it will be referred to the Eastern Area Planning Committee.

The Summer House put up in the garden of the Village Shop does need planning permission and has been referred to the enforcement officer

FINANCIAL MATTERS Payments made on the Council’s behalf since the April meeting were agreed:

KAPC Annual Subscription 830 £479.74

Kent RCC Annual Subscription 831 35.00

Steve Bryant Mowing The Green 832 76.43

One Tel Internet fee 832 5.23

M. Kellett May salary 256.71

O/T 40.00

Mileage 12.25

Stamps 5.60 834 314.56

BT Telephone 835 53.58

Shaw & Sons Stationery 836 6.29

Cranbrook Computing Virus check 837 27.50

Steve Bryant Mowing The Green 838 76.43

The Clerk reported that there was £500 in the Current Account and £14,937 in the Deposit Account. This included the first £10,000 of the Precept.

CORRESPONDENCE Letter from Sandhurst Parish Council about affordable housing and warden assisted homes for the elderly which they are proposing to have built in their parish, and would like the support of Benenden if it is felt there is a need for such sheltered accommodation. The Chairman said Benenden residents were well catered by Harmsworth Court and the Clerk will write to the Sandhurst Clerk accordingly.

Letter from Bill Martin regarding the proposed primary school development. They are appointing a consultant. There is a meeting with the governors and parents at the end of May and a meeting on 14^th June in the Village Hall for public consultation.

Letter from BT proposing the removal of the public telephone box at Dingleden. The Clerk reported that the residents wanted the box to stay as it is an amenity in an emergency, especially as mobile reception is very poor in the area, and the Parish Council will support their efforts to retain it.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Cllr Lake asked if more affordable houses would be included in the new school development. Cllr Reynolds said it was hoped to include some but it was too early to say at this stage. Also mowing of the Green was not low enough. Cllr Reynolds would speak to the contractor.

Cllr Hockney said he would lower the ties on the may trees round the recreation ground and would like to see some tree planting at Pullington and Leybourne Dell. The lime tree opposite the Village Shop was covered in ivy and said this should be removed.

Cllr Clarke said cars were still being parked on the pavement outside Hurstdene and the police would be asked to speak to the householder.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 10 p.m.

Chairman 17^th May, 2004

HARMSWORTH MEMORIAL TRUST MATTERS

VILLAGE HALL EXTENSION Cllr Conway reported that Trevor Moore’s indemnity insurance does not allow him to see the project through and a quantity surveyor is needed. The Village Hall sub-committee is meeting on 31^st May and this matter will be considered then.

FINANCIAL MATTERS Payments made on the Trust’s behalf since the April meeting were agreed.

TWBC Rates Playgroup Rooms 634 125.40

Zurich Insurance Insurance premium 635 4079.58

Steve Bryant Mowing 636 145.72

KCC Footpath repair BVH 637 574.20

Jack Clayton Boiler repair St. G Hall 638 70.62

M. Hook Notice Board St. G Hall

Gate repair IG Pavilion 639 400.00

M. Kellett Salary contribution 42.30

Fire blanket 19.99 640 62.29

D. Dalrymple April salary 641 350.03

Steve Bryant Mowing 642 145.72

The Clerk reported that there was £500 in the Current Account and £4514 in the Deposit Account.

Chairman 17^th May 2004

		Minutes for May 2004 Click for minutes for March 2004 These notes are abstracted from the original minutes-for the full and proper copy please contact the Parish Clerk
		PARISH COUNCIL OF BENENDEN Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Council held on Monday 17^th May 2004 in the Memorial Hall, Benenden. PRESENT Mr. G. Reynolds. Mr. P. Conway Mr. J. Clarke Mr. P. Message Mrs. D. Bailey Mr. S. Hockney Mr. R. Lake APOLOGIES Mr. R. Manning Mrs. C. Pitt Mrs. E. North MINUTES The Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on Monday 19^th April 2004 were confirmed and signed. The Chairman welcomed Mr. Steven Hockney onto the Council DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST. Cllr Conway declared an interest in the MM02 mast application at Beacon Hill Farm. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Cllr Reynolds stood down as Chairman and Cllr Peter Davies took the chair and proposed Cllr Reynolds as Chairman, seconded by Cllr Lake and being unopposed was unanimously elected. Cllr Reynolds proposed Cllr Conway as Vice Chairman, seconded by Cllr Clarke and being unopposed was unanimously elected. General Purposes and Finance Committee Chairman (ex officio) Mrs. D. Bailey Mr. J. Clarke Vice Chairman Mr. R. Lake KAPC Area Committee Chairman Mr. P. Conway Mr. J. Clarke Planning Committee Mr. P. Conway plus two members on a monthly rota Housing selection (Jephson) committee Chairman Parish Clerk Church Clock Representative Mr. R. Chapman Arnold Cole Trust Chairman (ex officio) Iden Green Pavilion Representative Mrs. C. Pitt Benenden Village Hall Representatives Mr. J. Clarke Mrs. D. Bailey Mr. P. Message Footpath Committee Mr. P. Message Mr. S. Hockney St. George’s Club representatives Chairman (ex officio) Mr. J. Clarke Mr. P. Conway Mr. R. Manning DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS. These were agreed as the list appended. MATTERS ARISING Annual Assembly Cllr Reynolds said this was well attended with a useful discussion at the end. The £2,000 donation from KCC to be spent in the parish and a poster will be put in all the notice boards for ideas. The grant of £20,000 needs to be decided on soon and a sub committee will be formed to address this. Highway Matters Surface dressing of various lanes in the parish is now taking place. The Clerk has had notification of the closure of the Iden Green Road for two days in August for remedial work. Leybourne Dell , Pullington and the top of Standen Street will be closed for one day for grip fibre surfacing. Two drains at the Village Hall have been realigned to stop water flowing into the main road. The drain outside Oak Cottage in Iden Green is to be jetted and the Chairman wants to arrange a site meeting with Highways at Vyvyan Cottages, Standen Street about installing a larger pipe to facilitate drainage. Cllr Lake reported a smell of gas at Pullington- the Clerk to contact Transco. Open afternoon at Pympne Manor This was very successful with donations, ‘buy a brick’ and the raffle. Approximately £600 was raised but more is expected to come in. Robin Dalton-Holmes to write and thank Miss Thoburn. Surveyors report on leases –public toilet and tennis club. It was recommended that the lease to TWBC for the public toilet be increased to £100 per year – full repairing and insuring, and the extra land required for the extension to the tennis club to be leased at £100 p.a. when the club house is built. The licence on the Allotment Field to stay the same. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DONATIONS. The following donations, under Section 137, were agreed: Hawkhurst Cottage Hospital, League of Friends £250.00 Kent Air Ambulance 125.00 Hospice in the Weald 150.00 Cranbrook CAB 250.00 Kent Association for the Blind 50.00 Benenden PCC 50.00 Angley School Farm 125.00 Subscriptions: CPRE 25.00 Kent County Playing Fields Association 15.00 REPORT OF AREA KAPC MEETING Cllr Conway reported that the main item for discussion was the proposal by the Borough Council to provide a web site for each parish on the main TWBC site. This could be useful if it is linked in to existing parish web sites. Tim Dwyer to be consulted. The next working group on the revision of the Parish Charter will meet on 21^st June and if a draft document if forthcoming it will be sent out for consultation. Other items discussed were insurance liability on contracts, Quality parish councils, flys and masts. The latter will be a major topic at the next KAPC meeting. REPORT – KCC LOCAL BOARD MEETING Cllr Conway said this was a good meeting but poorly attended. KCC wants to get in contact with people in Kent in areas it is specifically responsible for: recuperative care. nursing care, libraries and the provision of grants. More meetings are to be held regularly across the County. SPEEDWATCH Cllr Conway reported that more volunteers are needed – a notice will be put up in the village – but all criteria have been met. Public liability insurance is in place, £350 pledged for equipment and the scheme is due to start soon. IDEAS FOR SPENDING KCC GRANTS. Suggestions were: painting the Church clock, goal posts for the Recreation Ground, providing transport to Cranbrook Youth Club. Cllr Davies said the Street Cruiser bus would be coming back to the parishes. It has been refurbished but youth workers were still needed. FOOTBALL The Parish Council is keen for a football club to return to the village and it is hoped the provision of showers and changing rooms in the village hall extension will facilitate this. Local support is needed and it is important to gauge the amount of interest in the village. Cllrs Lake, Conway, Hockney and Message to form a sub-committee and then organise a sports committee with interested parishioners. PLANNING MATTERS Cllr Conway read the planning report which was circulated with the Agenda Cllrs Conway and Reynolds met with Ernie Pollard to discuss the Conservation Area Appraisal .A Document which is intended to help with decisions of planning within the conservation areas of Benenden and Iden Green. Preserving the character of these areas is in the hands of the Parish Council and TWBC and is of great importance .It will included physical structures, group values – shops, pubs, schools and activity areas. Benenden Girls School application for a performing arts centre. Cllrs Conway and Reynolds attended a site meeting. Much work is being done in the grounds and gardens, a fitness centre is being included and the village will be able to use the facilities and is seen as a benefit to the community Cllr Conway declared a prejudicial interest in the MM02 mast application at Beacon Hill Farm. Cllr Reynolds said there was a flood of mast applications in this parish and a response is needed from KCC for help in responding to them. It will be the main item for discussion at the next KAPC Area meeting. There should be Borough and County policies to deal with them and technical details readily available and support for communities who feel themselves under threat. An alternative site has been agreed with the landowner that is further away from houses and is less obtrusive but so far no response from Peter Turner of TWBC Planning Dept. Independent advice is needed and it will be referred to the Eastern Area Planning Committee. The Summer House put up in the garden of the Village Shop does need planning permission and has been referred to the enforcement officer FINANCIAL MATTERS Payments made on the Council’s behalf since the April meeting were agreed: KAPC Annual Subscription 830 £479.74 Kent RCC Annual Subscription 831 35.00 Steve Bryant Mowing The Green 832 76.43 One Tel Internet fee 832 5.23 M. Kellett May salary 256.71 O/T 40.00 Mileage 12.25 Stamps 5.60 834 314.56 BT Telephone 835 53.58 Shaw & Sons Stationery 836 6.29 Cranbrook Computing Virus check 837 27.50 Steve Bryant Mowing The Green 838 76.43 The Clerk reported that there was £500 in the Current Account and £14,937 in the Deposit Account. This included the first £10,000 of the Precept. CORRESPONDENCE Letter from Sandhurst Parish Council about affordable housing and warden assisted homes for the elderly which they are proposing to have built in their parish, and would like the support of Benenden if it is felt there is a need for such sheltered accommodation. The Chairman said Benenden residents were well catered by Harmsworth Court and the Clerk will write to the Sandhurst Clerk accordingly. Letter from Bill Martin regarding the proposed primary school development. They are appointing a consultant. There is a meeting with the governors and parents at the end of May and a meeting on 14^th June in the Village Hall for public consultation. Letter from BT proposing the removal of the public telephone box at Dingleden. The Clerk reported that the residents wanted the box to stay as it is an amenity in an emergency, especially as mobile reception is very poor in the area, and the Parish Council will support their efforts to retain it. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Cllr Lake asked if more affordable houses would be included in the new school development. Cllr Reynolds said it was hoped to include some but it was too early to say at this stage. Also mowing of the Green was not low enough. Cllr Reynolds would speak to the contractor. Cllr Hockney said he would lower the ties on the may trees round the recreation ground and would like to see some tree planting at Pullington and Leybourne Dell. The lime tree opposite the Village Shop was covered in ivy and said this should be removed. Cllr Clarke said cars were still being parked on the pavement outside Hurstdene and the police would be asked to speak to the householder. There being no further business the meeting closed at 10 p.m. Chairman 17^th May, 2004 HARMSWORTH MEMORIAL TRUST MATTERS VILLAGE HALL EXTENSION Cllr Conway reported that Trevor Moore’s indemnity insurance does not allow him to see the project through and a quantity surveyor is needed. The Village Hall sub-committee is meeting on 31^st May and this matter will be considered then. FINANCIAL MATTERS Payments made on the Trust’s behalf since the April meeting were agreed. TWBC Rates Playgroup Rooms 634 125.40 Zurich Insurance Insurance premium 635 4079.58 Steve Bryant Mowing 636 145.72 KCC Footpath repair BVH 637 574.20 Jack Clayton Boiler repair St. G Hall 638 70.62 M. Hook Notice Board St. G Hall Gate repair IG Pavilion 639 400.00 M. Kellett Salary contribution 42.30 Fire blanket 19.99 640 62.29 D. Dalrymple April salary 641 350.03 Steve Bryant Mowing 642 145.72 The Clerk reported that there was £500 in the Current Account and £4514 in the Deposit Account. Chairman 17^th May 2004