The village of Benenden in Kent

BENENDEN PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on Monday 11th April 2005 in The Memorial Hall, Benenden

PRESENT : Mr. P. Conway     Mrs. C. Pitt   Mr. J. Clarke Mr. R. Garnier
                     Mr. R. Lake

APOLOGIES Mr. G. Reynolds    Mr. S. Hockney   Mr. P. Message Mrs. D. Bailey

MINUTES: The Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on Monday 21st March 2005 were confirmed and signed.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Cllr Lake declared an interest in planning application No.TN/05/00740/FUL         The Poplars, The Street.

MATTERS ARISING

Annual Assembly    There will be a display of the Conservation Areas in Benenden and Iden Green and the Parish Appraisal will be launched. The Borough Council has printed the questionnaires and these will be ready for distribution at the Annual Assembly. There are 863 households in Benenden and the questionnaires have been numbered sequentionally so non participants can be chased up. There may be a prize for the first 3 returned. It is hoped that there will be volunteers for distribution, and collection points will be the village shops, pubs and the school.

Opening ceremony, Village Hall extension. Cllr Conway as acting Chairman will greet the Mayor who will formally open the new extension and be shown around it.
Councillors to be on hand to help with setting up the hall and refreshments from 11 a.m.
Cllr Conway said the new sound system was not in place yet. The architect with Hurstways would make a list of all unfinished jobs to do.

APPOINTMENT OF PARISH CLERK Cllr Conway reported that there had been a good response to the advertisements and four applicants had been interviewed. Maria Knight had been selected as the best applicant on a 3 months trial. She will go on a KAPC training course for new clerks on 17th May . All councillors agreed with this appointment.

POLICE MATTERS Responsibility for Benenden now comes under West Kent Area. All were agreed that this is an improvement on Ashford. The Village Warden, subject to completing her training, will be in place end of May/June. The Clerk is meeting Nigel Freeman to show him the parish office.

Regarding the lorries parking at Apple Pie. This is civil trespass and police powers are restricted. They can be asked to move, and if they do not the police should be called. The police numbers are:
Sgt Bevan (mobile) 07870 252440 or Cranbrook Police Station 01580 711000
                                                           235

PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS Cllr Conway reported that Cllr Reynolds was better but it may be up to a year before he was back to full strength and he wants to resign as Chairman. Cllr Conway asked the councillors if they were happy for him to carry on as acting chairman. All were agreed. As the elections are in 2006 he also asked those members present if they were happy to stand again as if not, it was imperative that the balance of the council be maintained and candidates sought to replace those not standing for a further term. He asked members to give some thought to this.

PLANNING MATTERS Cllr Garnier read the planning report which was circulated with the Agenda. Regarding the application at The Poplars, The Street, Cllr Conway asked that firstly a site visit be arranged, as some councillors were unfamiliar with the it, and secondly as there were several councillors not present, discussion of the matter be deferred to the May 16th meeting. All were in agreement.

The CPRE meeting held in Maidstone regarding the South East Plan was discussed. The plan is for a 4% increase in housing for the Ashford/Thames Gateway corridor would mean an additional 25,000houses per year, but little infrastructure is planned to support them.
Cllr Davies said that within the Local Development Framework 200 extra houses a year planned for Tunbridge Wells, and the Borough have prepared a response to help parish councils. Cllrs Conway and Garnier to read the draft and respond by email to the Borough.

CORRESPONDENCE   Letter from Jo Brand thanking the Parish Council for the gifts received after the performance.

Local Development Framework briefing at TWBC on 14th April at 7 p.m. Cllr Garnier to attend.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS Cllr Clarke asked about the lime trees at Cherryfields. The Clerk said Cllr Hockney will get a quote from Guy Vinson, the tree surgeon and this will be put on the agenda for the May meeting.

Cllr Lake said he had met with the football club, they were third in the league, but they were in urgent need of a manager and more players. An article be put in the Parish Magazine

Regarding dog fouling on the pitch, when the community warden is in place this is something she can deal with.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.55 p.m.

		Minutes for April 2005 Click for minutes for March 2005 These notes are abstracted from the original minutes-for the full and proper copy please contact the Parish Clerk
		BENENDEN PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on Monday 11th April 2005 in The Memorial Hall, Benenden PRESENT : Mr. P. Conway Mrs. C. Pitt Mr. J. Clarke Mr. R. Garnier Mr. R. Lake APOLOGIES Mr. G. Reynolds Mr. S. Hockney Mr. P. Message Mrs. D. Bailey MINUTES: The Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on Monday 21st March 2005 were confirmed and signed. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Cllr Lake declared an interest in planning application No.TN/05/00740/FUL The Poplars, The Street. MATTERS ARISING Annual Assembly There will be a display of the Conservation Areas in Benenden and Iden Green and the Parish Appraisal will be launched. The Borough Council has printed the questionnaires and these will be ready for distribution at the Annual Assembly. There are 863 households in Benenden and the questionnaires have been numbered sequentionally so non participants can be chased up. There may be a prize for the first 3 returned. It is hoped that there will be volunteers for distribution, and collection points will be the village shops, pubs and the school. Opening ceremony, Village Hall extension. Cllr Conway as acting Chairman will greet the Mayor who will formally open the new extension and be shown around it. Councillors to be on hand to help with setting up the hall and refreshments from 11 a.m. Cllr Conway said the new sound system was not in place yet. The architect with Hurstways would make a list of all unfinished jobs to do. APPOINTMENT OF PARISH CLERK Cllr Conway reported that there had been a good response to the advertisements and four applicants had been interviewed. Maria Knight had been selected as the best applicant on a 3 months trial. She will go on a KAPC training course for new clerks on 17th May . All councillors agreed with this appointment. POLICE MATTERS Responsibility for Benenden now comes under West Kent Area. All were agreed that this is an improvement on Ashford. The Village Warden, subject to completing her training, will be in place end of May/June. The Clerk is meeting Nigel Freeman to show him the parish office. Regarding the lorries parking at Apple Pie. This is civil trespass and police powers are restricted. They can be asked to move, and if they do not the police should be called. The police numbers are: Sgt Bevan (mobile) 07870 252440 or Cranbrook Police Station 01580 711000 235 PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS Cllr Conway reported that Cllr Reynolds was better but it may be up to a year before he was back to full strength and he wants to resign as Chairman. Cllr Conway asked the councillors if they were happy for him to carry on as acting chairman. All were agreed. As the elections are in 2006 he also asked those members present if they were happy to stand again as if not, it was imperative that the balance of the council be maintained and candidates sought to replace those not standing for a further term. He asked members to give some thought to this. PLANNING MATTERS Cllr Garnier read the planning report which was circulated with the Agenda. Regarding the application at The Poplars, The Street, Cllr Conway asked that firstly a site visit be arranged, as some councillors were unfamiliar with the it, and secondly as there were several councillors not present, discussion of the matter be deferred to the May 16th meeting. All were in agreement. The CPRE meeting held in Maidstone regarding the South East Plan was discussed. The plan is for a 4% increase in housing for the Ashford/Thames Gateway corridor would mean an additional 25,000houses per year, but little infrastructure is planned to support them. Cllr Davies said that within the Local Development Framework 200 extra houses a year planned for Tunbridge Wells, and the Borough have prepared a response to help parish councils. Cllrs Conway and Garnier to read the draft and respond by email to the Borough. CORRESPONDENCE Letter from Jo Brand thanking the Parish Council for the gifts received after the performance. Local Development Framework briefing at TWBC on 14th April at 7 p.m. Cllr Garnier to attend. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Cllr Clarke asked about the lime trees at Cherryfields. The Clerk said Cllr Hockney will get a quote from Guy Vinson, the tree surgeon and this will be put on the agenda for the May meeting. Cllr Lake said he had met with the football club, they were third in the league, but they were in urgent need of a manager and more players. An article be put in the Parish Magazine Regarding dog fouling on the pitch, when the community warden is in place this is something she can deal with. There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.55 p.m.