News

OPEN MEETING

The Chairman will take questions from parishioners. The number of speakers will be limited to five (time limit 3 minutes).

A G E N D A

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members of the Council should disclose personal or prejudicial interest/s in any item/s on this agenda. You have a personal interest if the issue being discussed in the meeting affects the well-being or finances of you, your family or your close associates more than most other people who live in the area affected by the issue. Personal interests are also matters that relate to an interest you must register.

Prejudicial interests are personal interests that affect you, your family, or your close associates in the following ways: their finances, or regulatory functions such as licensing or planning which affect them and which a reasonable member of the public with knowledge of the facts would believe likely to harm or impair your ability to judge the public interest.

If you have a personal interest you must normally declare it at the meeting. If the personal interest arises because of your membership of another public body, you only need to declare it if you intend to speak. If you have both a personal and prejudicial interest you must declare it and leave the room although you do have the same right as a member of the public to make representations, give evidence and answer questions about the matter.

Whenever possible, and if in doubt, advice should be sought from the Clerk prior to the meeting.

3. MINUTES

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 15 July 2009.

4. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATE OF QUALITY COUNCIL STATUS

On 4th August 2009, the Chairman wrote to all Councillors notifying them that that County Accreditation Panel had approved the Council’s bid for Quality Status. Mr Rodney Williamson, Country Secretary for the Kent Association of Local Council’s will be in attendance to present the Certificate of Quality Status to the Council.
5. GRANT OF ANNUAL DISPENSATIONS FOR HAWKINGE PARISH COUNCILLORS

The Council is asked to note that on 30 July 2009, the District Council’s Standards Committee granted Annual Dispensations in respect of Councillors T Hutt, D Callahan and J Heasman, to enable them to consider all issues relating to Hawkinge Community Centre.

A copy of the minutes of the Standards Board are attached for information.
RECOMMENDATION:

To note the dispensations in respect of Councillors T Hutt, J Heasman and D Callahan.

6. FINANCIAL MATTERS

The Clerk will report on the schedule of payments to be made following the meeting. A copy of the schedule is attached.
Please contact the Clerk before the meeting if you have any queries on the items listed.

RECOMMENDATION:

1. To approve the schedule of payments attached at Appendix A.

7. APPLICATION FOR FUTURE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HAWKINGE FUN DAY

The Parish Council has received a letter, copy attached from the Chairman of Hawkinge Community Events Group asking the Parish Council to increase its support for the event in 2010 and in future years. This is because the funding from Hawkinge Partnership is no longer available.
The Fun Day is a significant local event that could continue to thrive provided local sponsorship is obtained. The Council is asked to note the importance of the event and ask the Finance and General Purposes Committee to include an item within the Parish Council’s budget to support this event in future years and also to look at other ways to work with the Events Group to ensure the event flourishes.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. To receive and note the letter from the Chairman of the Events Group.

2. To support continuation of the Fun Day in future years and to ask the Finance and General Purposes Committee to include an item within the budget to sponsor this event in 2010 and future years.

8. HAWKINGE VILLAGE HALL – ESSENTIAL REPAIRS TO THE ASBESTOS

On 13 May 2009, minute 724, the Council resolved to delegate authority to the Finance and General Purposes Committee to accept a quotation to carry out essential repairs to the asbestos at the Village Hall. The Council extended the deadline for the receipt of quotations at the request of the Village Hall Management Committee to allow it time to submit a quotation from a contractor known to it.

The Finance and General Purposes Committee considered the tenders and subsequently appointed a contractor at the same time as notifying the VHMC of who the contractor was. The Council arranged for the works to be carried out and for the invoice to be submitted to the VHMC.

The Council is asked to note that the Village Hall Management Committee has written to the contractor refusing to pay the invoice, copy attached, in respect of the essential repairs to the damaged asbestos at the village hall and asking that the invoice be sent instead to the Parish Council. This invoice has now been paid and the Council is asked to note the arrangements made.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. To note that the sum of £2,134.40 has been taken from the Parish Council reserve account to pay the invoice in respect of the repairs works.

2. To ask the Village Hall Management Committee to reimburse the Parish Council in the sum of £1,856.00 which is the cost of the repair excluding VAT and to pursue the reclamation of this sum.

9. HAWKINGE FOOTBALL AND SPORTS PAVILION – UPDATE

On 15 July 2009, the Council received a presentation on the proposed football and sports pavilion and resolved to progress the scheme. To date the Parish Council has procured a company entitled the “Hawkinge Community Football and Sports Trust” and is pursuing charitable status in respect of this to enable the building to be zero rated for VAT purposes.

In the meantime, an application for planning permission has been submitted to Shepway District Council and the formal bid for £316,000 of funding has been submitted to the DeHaan Charitable Trust for consideration on 4 September. The bid for £250,000 funding from the Football Foundation is almost prepared and a meeting has been arranged with the Football Foundation for 23 September as a final run through before the bid is submitted.

RECOMMENDATION: To receive and note the progress made to date.

10. HAWKINGE PARISH PLAN

The Hawkinge Parish Plan Steering Committee has completed the Parish Plan and a copy is attached for information.

The Parish Plan has been delivered to all households in Hawkinge and an opportunity will be given for residents to comment at the Fun Day. The Plan is available on the Parish Council’s Website with the full plan being collated and made available on the Website by January 2010.
The Council is asked to adopt the Parish Plan and to use it as a working document.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. To receive and adopt the Parish Plan.

2. To receive a further report on the implementation of the Parish Plan.

3. To thank the Parish Plan Steering Committee for its hard work in the preparation of the Plan.

11. ARRANGEMENTS FOR CHRISTMAS EVENTS 2009

These events are being co-ordinated by Councillor T Hutt, and include:

1. Christmas Tree Lighting

This will take place on Saturday 5th December 2009 at 5.30pm outside the village hall. Music and carols have been arranged and refreshments will be provided.

2. Christmas Carol Concert

This will take place on Sunday 6th December 2009 at 2.30pm. It will include a family concert with music being provided, local schools have been invited to participate and refreshments have been arranged.

12. PARISH COUNCIL PREMISES

REPORT HPC/09/10 details the progress made to date of the Parish Council Office in the Community Centre

13. PROJECT UPDATE

An update on current projects will be circulated at the meeting.

14. REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COMMUNITY CENTRE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

Councillor Tearle has resigned as the Parish Council’s representative on the Community Centre Board of Trustees. This is because he has accepted the position of Chief Executive of the Community Centre.
The Parish Council is asked to defer consideration of an alternative representative until after the vacancy on the Council has been filled.

RECOMMENDATION: To note the resignation of Councillor Tearle as the Council’s representative on the Board of the Community Centre.

15. PLANNING MATTERS

The minutes of the meetings of the Planning and Development Committees of 20 July and 17 August, listing the planning applications received since the last meeting of the Council are attached, giving details of the responses sent to the District Council by the Planning and Development Committee for endorsement.

RECOMMENDATION: To receive and adopt the minutes of the Planning and Development Committees of 20 July and 17 August 2009.

Please contact the Clerk if you would like to view the plans before the meeting.

16. ARRANGEMENTS FOR HAWKINGE FUN DAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2009

The Parish Council has arranged to take part in the Fun Day. The Parish Council gazebo will be pitched and a number of Council Projects will be promoted on the day. The Chairman will give an outline of the plans.

17. CORRESPONDENCE

There is one item of correspondence attached to this agenda.

i. Royal Air Forces Association Battle of Britain Commemorations 2009: September 13th and 15th 2009.

The general correspondence folder will available at the meeting from the Clerk or can been viewed in the Hawkinge Partnership Office.

18. EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

To exclude the public and press from the meeting by virtue of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

19. CO-OPTION OF PARISH COUNCILLOR

Three applications have been received for the vacancy on the Parish Council. A copy of each application is attached.

Each candidate will be invited to present their application to the Councillors during a five minute session in which time Councillors can ask and answer any questions.

RECOMMENDATION: The Parish Council to appoint a Councillor to fill the existing vacancy.

Schedule of payments for 9 September 2009

18 August 2009 1710 Serendipity flowers for Parish Plan Secretary 15.00
18 August 2009 1711 Reimbursement to Clerk for black cartridges 61.46
18 August 2009 1712 Reimburse to D Callahan for coffee at KCFA 18/8 7.70
18 August 2009 1713 Star Demolition for VH repairs to asbestos 2,134.40
02 September 2009 1714 reimbursement to Colin Tearle re Harrod Uk Ltd 4,853.00
09 September 2009 1715 Clerks Expenses 51.29
09 September 2009 1716 HMRC 751.76
09 September 2009 1717 KCC pensions 412.80
09 September 2009 1718 Salary plus overtime for Quality Status Bid 1,840.97
09 September 2009 1719 Harmer Landscapes 798.10