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Minutes of a meeting of Hawkinge Parish Council - 8 April 2009

Held at: Hawkinge Village Hall

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

Apologies for Absence: Councillor Ms J Brisley and J Heasman

Officer Present: Mrs Tina Wiles (Clerk)

OPEN MEETING

PUBLIC QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

Three questions were asked and this and the responses given are included on the attached schedule.

NOTE: Prior to the meeting the Chairman announced that agenda item 4 (Presentation on Multi User Sports Area) had been withdrawn because of unavailability of the Officer.

697. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillors D Callahan, T Hutt, and C D Tearle declared a personal interest in minute 703 (Section 106 Projects Update where it related to Hawkinge Community Centre) because they were Directors on the Community Centre Board. However since the item was an update only they remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting on this item.

Councillor Mrs P Meloy also declared a personal interest in minute 703 (Section 106 Projects Update where it related to Hawkinge Community Centre) because she was employed there. However since the item was an update only she remained in the meeting and took part in the discussions and voting on this item.

698. MINUTES

Minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2009 were submitted, approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

699. 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.

Proposed by Councillor T Hutt

Seconded by Councillor T Ollerenshaw and

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

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

700. APPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

(i) Hawkinge Fun Day

An application for financial assistance had been received from the Hawkinge Fun Day 2009 Events Group. The request is for £200 towards the Fun Day Planned for 12 September 2009. A copy of the letter of request is attached.

The Parish Council made a donation of £200 last year. The Fun Day provides an opportunity for the Parish Council to meet local residents and seek their views on issues affecting the Parish.

Proposed by Councillor T Hutt

Seconded by Councillor C D Tearle and

RESOLVED: To make a grant of £200 to the Hawkinge Fun Day 2009 Events Group.

(Voting: For 5; Against 1; Abstentions 0)

(ii) Hawkinge Environmental Group – HEdGe

An application for financial assistance had been received from HEdGe to ask if the Parish Council will pay the British Tree Conservation Volunteers insurance in the sum of £190.63. The insurance covers the cost of insuring the Pond Warden, the Tree Warden and the work of HEdGe in the Parish. Last year the Parish Council paid this insurance as an alternative to paying the annual subscription to the BCTV and it considered there were greater benefits because HEdGe were already undertaking a variety of projects within the Parish and it wished to support this work.

The Parish Council is working closely with HEgDe on major local projects such as Frank and Betty’s Field and a wildlife survey at the allotment site in Stombers Lane.

Proposed by Councillor T Hutt

Seconded by Councillor C D Tearle and

RESOLVED: To make a grant of £190.63 to the Hawkinge Environmental Group (HEdGe).

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

701. STOMBERS LANE ALLOTMENT

REPORT: On 10 September 2008, minute 636, the Parish Council resolved to agree in principle to enter into a lease with Shepway District Council for the above land for use as an allotment and asked the Finance and General Purposes Committee to progress the lease and make recommendations to the Parish Council where necessary.

The work necessary to finalise the lease has now been completed and this has included the preparation of an environmental survey and subsequent soil testing. The Parish Council has also been working on a second lease, which is the lease of the land by the Parish Council to Hawkinge Allotment Society who working in partnership with the Parish Council will run the allotment on its behalf. The Parish Council has been meeting with Hawkinge Allotment Society to get the project up and running.

Proposed by Councillor T Hutt

Seconded by Councillor G Hodgson and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and note the report.

2. To authorise the Chairman of the Council and the Clerk to sign the lease between the Parish Council and Shepway District Council.

3. To authorise the Chairman of the Council and the Clerk to sign the lease between the Parish Council and the Hawkinge Allotment Society.

(Voting: For 5; Against 0; Abstentions 1)

702. REPORT OF THE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE HAWKINGE PARTNERSHIP BOARD

Councillor Callahan said that he had recently attended a meeting on the Partnership Board at which the future of the Board had been discussed. He said that consideration was being given to its winding down and a meeting had been arranged to discuss the details and this would be reported at a future meeting.

Proposed by Councillor D Callahan

Seconded by Councillor T Hutt and

RESOLVED: To receive and note the report.

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

703. PROVISION OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES UPDATE NUMBER 4

Update Number 4 was presented at the meeting a copy of which is attached.

Proposed by Councillor D Callahan

Seconded by Councillor C D Tearle and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and note the update.

2. To advise the White Cliffs Countryside Project that permission has been granted for this site to be included within the bid for funding of the “Access to All Project”.


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

704. FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE – 25 MARCH 2009

To receive the minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee of 25 March 2009, which had been circulated with the agenda.

Proposed by Councillor T Hutt

Seconded by Councillor C D Tearle and

RESOLVED:

1. To receive and note the minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee of 25 March 2009.

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

(Note: At this point Councillor Tearle left the chamber)

705. PLANNING MATTERS

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.

Proposed by Councillor T Hutt

Seconded by Councillor D Callahan and

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

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

(Note: At this point Councillor Tearle returned)

706. CORRESPONDENCE

Four items were reported at the meeting.

i. Letter from the Folkestone Gurkha Memorial Fund inviting Councillors to attend the launch on 11 April 2009.

ii. The Report of the Community Warden for April 2009 was circulated at the meeting.

iii. Letter from Village Hall Management Committee dated 30 March 2009 regarding issues at the Village Hall.

iv. Letter from Shepway District Council advising the Parish Council of the changes in legislation relating to the rates at the Leisuredrome being reduced for 2009/10.

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