BISHOPSBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL
A Virtual Zoom Meeting of Bishopsbourne Parish Council was held on Tuesday, 3rdNovember 2020 at 7.30pm. Present: Cllr K Martin, Cllr B Dutta, Cllr Tapley & Mrs V McWilliams – Clerk. As the chairman was unable to attend due to ill health it was agreed that Cllr Martin would chair the meeting.
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Six members of the public tuned in.
COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
City Cllr Mike Sole submitted the following report:
Last month was a pretty turbulent time for the way in which the City Council deals with the Parish Councils. Here is a brief summary:
Concurrent Funding
The current arrangements remain in place for 21/22. This is good news and the strength of the arguments from many parishes was crucial to reach this outcome. There will be an audit of the concurrent function expenditure before new proposals for put forward from 22/23. We will have to see what shape those proposals take. I will continue to strongly put the case for parish council funding.
Planning Changes
No longer will Parish Councils be able to independently call in planning applications to committees instead they will need to go through the ward councillor who will need to be able to persuade the planning officer that there are valid planning grounds to do so.
This now sets a higher bar for the parishes. I opposed these changes.
I will not stand in the way of a parish council that wishes a planning application to go to committee where it will be decided by councillors and not council officers, even if I take a different view on the application to the parish council.
If you wish to refer an application to committee, please let me know and share your planning reasons with me as soon as practical so that I can discuss them with the planning officer. You should continue to make any comments on applications as you currently do and if called in to committee it would help your position if you were to register to speak at the meeting and express your views. If for any reason I am unavailable and the matter is urgent, you could approach another councillor and in the first instance I would suggest Cllr Alex Ricketts who has agreed to do this.
Rural Forum
I opposed the scrapping of the Rural Forums as I felt that these were a good place for two-way discussions between the City and the Parishes. We shall have to see what shape future forms of engagement take, but I do believe that abolishing them was the wrong thing to do.
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllr Prestige who was unwell, and Cllr Andrews who was on holiday. County Cllr Michael Northey sent belated apologies as he was delayed.
2. MINUTES
The minutes of the Virtual meeting held on Tuesday 1stSeptember 2020 were approved and will be signed by the Chairman at a later date. Proposed by Cllr Martin; seconded by Cllr Dutta
3. MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
No notification by members was given of any pecuniary or personal interest in items
4. MATTERS ARISING
There were no matters arising from the minutes not on the Agenda.
5. FINANCE
Lloyds Bank£16,190.82
Monies out
Cheques to be signed
Val McWilliams Clerk’s Salary (2 months September/October 26 hrs at £10.50 = £273.00 +£80.00 0ffice maintenance. Cartridge Monkey 2 Toner Cartridges (£51.50 + VAT £10.32) Total £61.92
Total £414.92
AJL Garden Services £120.00
Chairman’s Expenses £105.00
TOTAL £639.92
There is still no decision from CCC regarding the Concurrent Finance Funding arrangements for the future. In view of this CCC have confirmed that we will getting the same amount of funding as this year which will be paid in April 2021. The precept bid has to be in by December 30, 2020. The Clerk will prepare the budget and discuss with Council.
6. PLANNING
CA/20/02170 Mansfield Farm, Pett Bottom Road, Bridge, CT4 5PD. Extension to caravan site together with winter storage. A local resident attended and was very much opposed to the plans. The Parish Council considered the application and having read residents’ comments both for and against on the Planning Portal felt that the decision must rest with the Planning Committee at CCC and therefore wish to remain neutral.
CA/20/ 02275 Bourne Park House, Bourne Park Road, Bishopsbourne, CT4 5BJ.TP. O. no 2 1964 – T1 Holly tree, fell, T2 Holly tree, fell and T3 Sycamore tree, fell all to front of property. Awaiting decision.
CA/20/01745 03 no. single-storey terraced holiday lets with associated storage, landscaping, access and parking. Land adjoining Gorseley Cottage, Pett Bottom Road, Lynsore Bottom, Bishopsbourne REFUSED
CA/ 19/01398 Land at Middle Pett Farm, Pett Bottom Road, Bishopsbourne. Retention of existing polytunnels. An Appeal has been lodged with The Planning Inspectoratethe Clerk has written to them stating that the Council was in favour of retaining the polytunnels. The Appeal was refused.
7. HIGHWAYS
Pot holes in The Street & Frog Lane have been reported for repair. The drain in Frog Lane has been reported again as it is still not draining the water despite being cleared at least twice in the last few weeks. Highways have been contacted and have agreed to look further into the matter.
8. NEAME MEADOW
The clerk still has to contact Jamie Cole to see if he has any of the wet pour left to redo some of the surfaces under the play equipment.
9. FLOOD AWARENESS
A meeting was held regarding contacting Southern Water with the River Group and our Flood Warden. The Chair of Bridge Parish Council was also in attendance. It was agreed that Jill Martin and the Clerk would write to Southern Water expressing the concern that the village faced should they have to endure tankering again this year.
10. WASTE BASKET
The Clerk has still not been able to arrange for the black bin to be placed outside the Tadpole Tearoom. It was agreed that as Serco would not be renewing their contract with CCC to leave trying to get the bin installed until after it announced who would be taking over the contract.
11. WEBSITE
Cllr Dutta confirmed to the Council that the new website was now fully compliant with the new rules regarding parish websites.
12. CORRESPONDENCE
GENERAL
Kent Voice
Fieldwork
Countryside Voices
EMAILS sent to all
Covid update 28/10/2020
Notes on Concurrent Finance Funding
Scams
Gatwick Airport Change to vehicles using forecourt
Mike Sole report
Fraud alert
Road Safety in your area – Matthew Scott
All correspondence has been circulated to Councillors
13. COUNCILLORS’ RESPOSIBILITIES
Cllr Prestige Nothing to report
Cllr Andrews – KALC- Nothing to report
Cllr Tapley. – Nothing to report
Cllr Dutta– Website – nothing further to report
14. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
The Clerk reported that the notice board outside the Conrad Hall was in need of some repair as the cork tiles were coming away from the board making it difficult to pin notices up. The clerk will organise getting it repaired.
Reports had been received of speeding in The Street particularly when people were leaving The Mermaid. The Clerk will contact Highways at KCC to see if it would be possible to install “SLOW” markings on the road
Residents were increasingly worried about the suggestion that meals were going to cooked and served from a van parked outside The Mermaid. This is not going to happen; all meals will be cooked inside the pub kitchen. There was no suggestion by the Parish Council that Neame Meadow could be used as a car park for the pub. This will not happen.
The verge behind the bollards on Bonny Bush Hill needs strimming and clearing. Since the parish council put the bollards up Highways won’t cut the verge because their machines can’t get behind them. It was agreed to get someone to do it. The Clerk will arrange it.
A resident from Charlton Park reported that she was not receiving the new Fibre Optic Broadband as the cables did not reach Charlton Park. She wondered whether the Parish Council could offer any help with the cost of extending the cables so that Charlton Park would benefit. The Clerk will pit it on as an agenda item at the next meeting.
There was an intrusion during the meeting as someone not invited found a way of gaining entrance to the link. It was rather offensive and the matter will be reported to the police.
15. NEXT MEETING
Will be a Virtual Meeting on Tuesday 5thJanuary, 2021, at 7.30pm
The meeting closed at 9.10pm.