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Minutes of a meeting of Hawkinge Parish Council
Held at: The Village Hall, Hawkinge
Date: 12 November 2008

Present: Councillor D Callahan (Chairman), Councillors J Heasman, G Hodgson, T Hutt, Mrs P Meloy, T Ollerenshaw and C D Tearle

Apology for Absence: Councillors Ms J Brisley (unwell) and P Smith

Officer Present: Mrs Tina Wiles (Clerk)

OPEN MEETING

PUBLIC QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

There were two questions from the public and these are detailed on the schedule attached to these minutes..

646. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillors D Callahan, T Hutt and J Heasman declared a personal interest in minute 654 (Hawkinge Community Centre) as they were Trustees on the Board of Trustees of the Community Centre. However, since the Trust was a company limited by guarantee and there is no personal liability or gain, they remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting on this item.

Councillor C D Tearle also declared a personal interest in minute 654 (Hawkinge Community Centre) as he is the Parish Council’s representative on the Board of Trustees and by virtue of this, is a Trustee in his own right whilst holding this position. As the company is limited by guarantee and there is no personal liability or gain, he remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting on this item.

Councillor Mrs P Meloy declared a prejudicial interest in minute 654 (Hawkinge Community Centre) and was absent from the meeting during discussions and voting on this item.

647. MINUTES

Minutes of the meeting held on 8 October 2008 were submitted, approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

648. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS

Report HPC/08/04 enclosed draft Financial Regulations for the Parish Council. An amendment sheet was circulated at the meeting.

Proposed by Councillor D Callahan

Seconded by Councillor T Hutt and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and note Report HPC/08/04.

2. To adopt the Financial Regulations as amended contained within the Report.

(Voting: For 7; Against 0; Abstentions 0)

649. APPOINTMENT OF CHEQUE SIGNATORIES

The Council reviewed the signatories on cheque payments as follows:

Chairman of the Parish Council
Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council
Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee
Two others

Proposed by Councillor C D Tearle

Seconded by Councillor T Ollerenshaw and

RESOLVED:

1. To appoint Councillors D Callahan - Chairman of the Parish Council, T Hutt – Vice Chairman of the Parish Council, C D Tearle – Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee and Councillors J Heasman and G Hodgson as signatories on the Parish Council mandate.

(Voting: For 7; Against 0; Abstentions 0)

650. FINANCIAL MATTERS

The Clerk circulated the schedule of payments to be made following the meeting. A copy of the schedule is attached as Appendix 1 and gave a brief update on the new internal financial control procedure.

Proposed by Councillor C D Tearle

Seconded by Councillor J Heasman and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and adopt the schedule of payments attached at Appendix 1.

(Voting: For 6; Against 0; Abstentions 1)

651. STANDING ORDERS

REPORT HPC/08/05 enclosed revised standing orders for the Parish Council. An amendment sheet was circulated at the meeting.

Proposed by Councillor D Callahan

Seconded by Councillor T Hutt and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and note Report HPC/08/05.

2. To adopt the Standing Orders as amended contained within the Report.

(Voting: For 7; Against 0; Abstentions 0)

652. HAWKINGE PARTNERSHIP BOARD

REPORT HPC/08/07 sought the Parish Council’s views on the future of the Hawkinge Partnership Board.

Proposed by Councillor T Hutt

Seconded by Councillor Mrs P Meloy and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and note report HPC/08/07.

2. To adopt paragraph 4a of this report as the Parish Council’s formal view for the future of the Hawkinge Partnership Board and to advise the Hawkinge Partnership Board and Shepway District Council accordingly.

3. To establish an Advisory Group of three members to examine the issues raised in paragraph 4b of the Report comprising Councillors D Callahan, T Ollerenshaw and Mrs P Meloy.

(Voting: For 7; Against 0; Abstentions 0)

653. CORPORATE LOGO

REPORT HPC/08/06 enclosed a draft corporate logo and letterhead.

Proposed by Councillor G Hodgson

Seconded by Councillor C D Tearle and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and note report HPC/08/08.

2. To ask the village to contribute alternative logo designs for consideration and to set a deadline for the submission of entries of 28 February 2009.

(Voting: For 5; Against 1; Abstentions 1)

654. REPORT OF REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COMMUNITY CENTRE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

Councillor Tearle gave an update as the Parish Council’s representative on the Community Centre Board of Trustees. He said that the Trustees had appointed an Internal Auditor to undertake a review of the internal processes and controls currently in place. The auditor was due to start shortly and had been recommended by the Parish Council. Funds were still limited at the Community Centre and an independent audit report would make recommendations for the future operation of the Centre.

Councillor Tearle reminded the Council that following the receipt of the Planning Permission certificate at the Leisuredrome, the Parish Council is now bound by a section 106 agreement to provide monies to improve the sports hall at the Community Centre. Previously the Parish Council invested substantial amounts of Section106 monies to build the Community Centre. The Parish Council must be mindful to protect its investment.

He asked the Parish Council to welcome the report of the Internal Auditor and take ownership of this and offer to make a financial contribution towards the cost of the report which would then be presented jointly to the Board and the Parish Council and that by taking ownership the Parish Council could begin partnership working with the Community Centre and protect a major asset of the village.

Proposed by Councillor C D Tearle

Seconded by Councillor T Hutt and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and note report.

2. To contribute up to £800 towards the cost of the Internal Auditor’s Report on the condition that it would become jointly owned by the Parish Council and the Trustees of the Community Centre.

(Voting: For 3; Against 2; Abstentions 1)

655. ARRANGEMENTS FOR LIGHTING OF PARISH COUNCIL CHRISTMAS TREE AND CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT

The Christmas Tree – Sunday 7 December 2008

Councillor Hutt said that the tree has been ordered and arrangements for the lighting up of the Tree are planned for Sunday 7th December 2008 at 5.15pm. A cherry picker had been hired to assist with the dressing of the tree with lights and decorations. Refreshments and Christmas Carols had been arranged.

The Christmas Carol Concert – Sunday 14 December 2008

Councillor Heasman said that Hythe Town Band had been booked and Hawkinge Primary, Churchill and Selsted Primary Schools have all confirmed their attendance for the first half of the concert. He said that Powerhouse had also confirmed they would be able to attend. Decorations would be put up as last year and refreshments would be served during the interval. Councillor Hutt would be assisting.

Proposed by Councillor T Hutt

Seconded by Councillor J Heasman and

RESOLVED:

To receive and note the dates and times of the events.

(Voting: For 7; Against 0; Abstentions 0)

656. PLANNING MATTERS

1. Planning Applications

The list of planning applications received since the last meeting was reported giving details of the responses sent to the District Council by the Planning and Development Group for endorsement.

2. Spitfire Leisuredrome

The certificate of Planning Permission has now been received by the Parish Council. The next stage will be to place the property on the market via the Parish Council’s agent. The Parish Council has received advice that in the current market conditions it would be prudent to wait until the new year before putting the property on the market.

Councillor Tearle suggested that the current council policy for the marketing and sale of the Leisuredrome be reviewed by the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

Proposed by Councillor D Callahan

Seconded by Councillor T Hutt and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and endorse the responses of the Planning and Development Group detailed appendix 2.

2. To receive and note the planning certificate at the Spitfire Leisuredrome.

(Voting: For 6; Against 1; Abstentions 0)
Proposed by Councillor C D Tearle

Seconded by Councillor Mrs P Meloy

3. To ask the Finance and General Purposes Committee to review current council policy in relation to the disposal of the Leisuredrome.

Upon being put the motion was declared lost.

(Voting: For 2; Against 5; Abstentions 0)

657. CORRESPONDENCE

The Report of the Community Warden for November 2008 was circulated at the meeting.

Two other items had been circulated with the agenda:

i. emailed letter from Folkestone and Dover Water Services re mains replacement Fernfield Lane, Hawkinge.

ii. Letter from Hawkinge Community Events Group dated 23 October thanking the Parish Council for its donation to the Hawkinge Fun Day held in September 2008 and advising that next year’s event had been booked for Saturday 12 September 2008.

Other correspondence is in the correspondence folder which is available to all councillors in the Hawkinge Community Office.

Note: At the close of the meeting the Chairman announced that the next meeting of the Parish Council would be held in the Community Centre as a trial.