BISHOPSBOUNRE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting of the Council
Wednesday 10th September 2025 at 18:30
Present: Cllr Jamie Cole (Chairman); Cllr Debbie Tapley; Cllr Thorneycroft; Five Members of the Public; Mrs Steph Woods (Clerk)
1. Chairman opening remarks, apologies and approval of absences:
The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting. Apologies were received from Cllr Emma Homewood (Vice Chair) and Cllr Bryony Dutta.
2. Declarations of interest:
None were received.
3. Minutes of the previous meeting
Confirmation of the Minutes of the Ordinary Parish Meeting held on Wednesday 9th July 2025 were approved as a true record, proposed by Cllr Thorneycroft, seconded by Cllr Tapley and were signed by the Chairman.
4. Public Forum:
Members of the Public in attendance were afforded the opportunity to ask a question or make a statement.
- Car parking – clarification required – to be discussed on agenda.
- Road safety especially on Rose Lane – to be discussed on agenda.
5. Report from County/City Councillor:
The monthly reports from Cllr Sole have been previously circulated to all councillors and posted on Facebook.
6. Finance:
a. Payments and receipts
The balance as of 10th September 2025 is £30,334.00 with £503.36 in the current account and £29,831.08 in the savings account.
Payments:
Stephanie Woods – Salary (July & August 2025)
Unity Trust Bank – Service Fee (July & August 2025) – £12.00
Stephanie Woods – Mileage from Apr 2023 to Sept 2025 – £97.20
Envisage – Inv 2086 (Grounds July 2025) – £204.00
Envisage – Inv 2126 (Grounds August 2025) – £492.00
Playsafe – Inv 90382 – Annual Playground Inspection – £96.00
The above payments and a £2,000 transfer (from savings to current account) was proposed by Cllr Thorneycroft and seconded by Cllr Tapley. ALL AGREED.
b. Grant Request – St Mary’s Churchyard – Grounds Maintenance – Approve
The Church have received the PC grants form and will submit the grant request before the next PC meeting in November.
c. 2025/2026 Financial Review – Discuss
Clerk informed the meeting that the six-month financial review is due at the end of September which will be circulated to all councillors beginning of October for precept decision at the next meeting in November.
7. Planning:
a. New Application – CA/25/01526 – Woodside Farm, Pet Bottom Road, Lynsore Bottom, Upper, Hardres, Kent, CT4 6EQ – Equine building over existing menage. Clerk to contact CCC Planning to obtain further details on soakaway locations as they’re not on the plan plans and ask for a site location plan.
8. Highways
a. Crows Camp Road – Tree Root – Clerk has contacted Cllr Sole to ask if he can liaise with KCC Highways to try and resolve the issues.
b. Woodgate – Tree Obstruction (Salt Bin) – See 8a.
c. Rose Lane/The Street – Water Meter Cover – see 8a.
d. Road Safety/HIP – Discuss – Enquiry received asking for the PC to help with speeding vehicles, especially lorries and vans, as there have been some reported near misses. Clerk to send details of the national campaign to reduce national speed limit roads of 60mph to 50 mph. Clerk to also update HIP with reduced speed limits, hedge trimming and any road markings to help with speeding vehicles in the Parish to 50 national campaign send details to resident. Issues on the slip road of the A2 were also raised where people don’t stop. Clerk to report to Highways England.
9. Neame Meadow/Maintenance
a. Neame Meadow Play Equipment – The final three quotations were assessed and it was proposed by Cllr Tapley to proceed with the Playdale quotation which was seconded by Cllr Thorneycroft. ALL AGREED. Clerk to inform all submitters of the outcome and progress a start date with Playdale. It was agreed that the PC would try and obtain a grant from CCC for £1,000 to supply an interactive play picnic bench. Clerk and Cllr Cole to prepare funding submission.
10. Other Parish Matters
a. BT Telephone Box – it needs to be repainted and cleaned with a door adjustment. Clerk to get quotes for this the decorating and Cllr Cole will look at shelving and door adjustment
b. Village Newsletter – a draft of the newsletter was presented by the Clerk. All Councillors to get final copy to Clerk by beginning October for delivery to residents before the next meeting. Clerk to also include the plan of the new play equipment in the newsletter.
c. Noticeboard – Clerk to get two further quotes with Bishopsbourne Parish on top in black.
d. Parking – Cllr Cole asked the meeting for ideas to alleviate the parking issues in the Parish. A piece of land has been offered to the PC by a local landowner (adjacent to the allotments) on a lease. Cllr Cole/Clerk to investigate this further with KALC, Planning Consultants and also get some legal advice. Cllr Cole suggested also using some of the land for a community orchard. Some residents present expressed concerns with the use of this land for parking which included flood risk with changing surface on a flood plain.
e. War Memorial – land owner has no objections to it being registering. Cllr Cole to progress.
f. Dates 2026 – Circulated and agreed. A copy was given to the village hall for room booking.
11. Matters arising for future discussion
None.
12. Date of next meeting: 12th November 2025
There being no further business, the meeting was closed to the public 20:00.
Please note these Minutes remain as draft until they are approved by the Parish Council at their next Parish Council meeting on 12th November 2025.