PADDOCK WOOD TOWN COUNCIL
The Podmore Building, St Andrews Road, Paddock Wood
Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 6HT
Telephone: 01892 837373
www.paddockwood-tc.gov.uk
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NOTICE OF A MEETING OF THE ESTATES COMMITTEE to be held on
Monday 11th December 2023 in the Day Centre Commercial Road at 7.45 pm
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COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Cllr H Atkins, R Atkins, A Mackie, D Kent, T Mobbs, R Moon,
D Sargison, J Thompson
APOLOGIES
ES61 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
ES62 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
To APPROVE the minutes of the meeting held on 9th October 2023.
ES63 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
ES52 – Probation Service. The MoU has been signed and the first day of work has been completed in the Old Church Yard – see below.
ES53 – the order for the replacement fence has been placed and work will commence on the 13th December 2023.
Putlands Field – The Estates Manager and Cllr R Atkins had met with residents adjoining Putlands Field and agreed a schedule of tree and hedge works along the boundary.
Work on the ponds has been delayed but should recommence this week. The contractor is hoping to have the work completed by Christmas.
ES64 SKATE PARK UPGRADE
A Skate Park company has been contacted to see what services they could offer the town council. Details are attached. Contact has also been made with The Skate Park Project for advice. A copy of Skate GB’s design guide has been forwarded to all members for information.
The residents who attended the previous meeting have also been contacted for further discussions.
The Clerk and Estates Manager have attended grant finding & bid writing training courses as well as a Project Management Course. They have also attended Procurement training.
The Town Council currently has £30,000 in its reserve fund for the skate park upgrade. There are two S196 payments which could potentially be used for Skate Park improvements if the Council so wished. Both are identified as being available for offsite sport & recreation facilities in Paddock Wood.
Church Farm £74,500 (2019)
Mascalls Farm £44,700 (2021)
Both these sums will have risen by RPI since they were signed.
A list of possible grant funders is attached for information.
Members need to determine on how to progress this project.
ES65 FOAL HURST WOOD 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Unfortunately, further research has revealed that the 25th anniversary of the opening of the wood was May 1999, not 2000 as had previously been advised. This means there will be less time to arrange a major event. The Town Council has asked that the Estates Committee considers a number of small monthly events rather than one big Country Fair.
Recommendation: That a small working group of Councillors, supported by the Clerks, should meet to discuss this further.
ES66 CAR PARK MAINTENANCE
PW has maintained the soft landscaping the Town Centre car parks since 2000. Due to the rising costs TWBC were advised last year that the TC was no longer prepared to do this. Contractors have carried out this work for the Town Council since 2018. TWBC this year asked the Town Council to arrange for the contractor to cut the hedges and they would re-imburse the costs. This work was carried out in November.
Going forward TWBC has asked PWTC to continue to look after the car parks for which TWBC would pay a fee. The Estates Manager will advise members on the implications.
Members are asked to consider whether Town Council staff/contractors may continue to carry out the maintenance on the town centre car parks and re-charge the costs to the Borough Council.
ES67 BENCHES AND BINS
Attached is an audit of benches and bins which has been carried out by the Deputy Clerk. This document has been produced to inform members going forward as to whether any additional/replacement bins or benches are required.
ES68 PLAYGROUND INSPECTIONS
The annual playground inspections have been carried out – a copy of the reports will be forwarded to members.
ES69 OLD CHURCHYARD & NEW CEMETERY
The Probation Service has started work on clearing the vegetation in the Old Church Yard. The contractor will be starting strimming work later this month. Once this work has been completed a meeting with the residents/members who have volunteered to help with the maintenance of the site can be held and plans made going forward. There next visit will be on Sunday 17th December and volunteers will be invited to join the. The Estates Manager will be present.
The New Cemetery Working Group need to arrange to meet so that future plans for the Cemetery can be drawn up.
ES70 TREEWORK
The Town Council allocated £3000 for coppicing in the Old Church Yard for this financial year. The tree surgeon has advised that the coppicing work is not urgent and can be carried out in the next couple of years. However, a tree has been identified on the Batters as in need of urgent removal. Members are asked to vire the funds allocated to the Old Church yard to the Batters so that this work can be carried out this financial year. This is permitted under the Committees Terms of Reference.
ES71 COUNCIL BUILDINGS
To consider the attached report on the Town Council buildings.
ES72 BUDGET FOR 24/25
To consider the attached spreadsheet which will be submitted for inclusion in in the 2024/25 budget.
ES73 RESIDENT SUPPORT
A resident has contacted the town council to request that its staff clear the leaves from their front lawn. The leaves are falling from town council trees which adjoin their property.
ES74 POPPY MEADOW
The town council owns a piece of land alongside Poppy Meadow off Green Lane. KCC have recently notified the Town Council that the hedge line was encroaching onto the pavement and needed cutting back. The Estates Manager has carried out clearance work along the length of the plot. A contractor has flailed the hedge as well.
ES75 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will take place on 12th February 2024, at 7.45 in the Day Centre.
NICHOLA REAY
5th December 2023
