PADDOCKWOOD TOWN COUNCIL
The Podmore Building, St Andrews Field, St Andrews Road
Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6HT
Telephone: 01892 837373
www.paddockwood-tc.gov.uk
NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF PADDOCK WOOD TOWN COUNCIL TO BE HELD ON Monday 15 May 2023 at 7.45 pm in The Day Centre, Commercial Road, Paddock Wood
Residents do not need to attend a meeting to ask a question of the Council. Questions can be sent at any time to the Council offices using the details above.
QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS (15 minutes)
If you wish to speak to the Council about any item on the agenda, please see the updated Protocol for the Public attending Town Council and Committee meetings, which can be found on the website or can be obtained from the Town Council offices.
BOROUGH & COUNTY COUNCILLORS UPDATE (10 minutes)
Town Councillors should submit questions a week in advance, if possible, to the Borough/County Councillor concerned (copied to the Town Clerk).
C1 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
C2 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN FOR THE YEAR 2023 – 2024.
C3 ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN FOR THE YEAR 2023 – 2024.
C4 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
(a) To APPROVE the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 17th April 2023.
(b) To Note the minutes of the Governance Committee meeting held on 24th April 2023.
(c) To NOTE the minutes of the Planning Environment Committee meeting held on the 17th April 2023 & 2nd May 2023.
(d) To NOTE the minutes of the Annual Town Meeting held on Wednesday 5th April 2023.
C5 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
a) A letter was sent to the resident advising the reasons for the closed session at the end of the meeting.
b) C143 (b) The car park at Memorial Playing Field had been re-opened and was being closed at dusk, along with the pedestrian gates.
c) C146 – the Coronation mugs had been presented to Paddock Wood Primary Academy by Cllr Meryl Flashman. The bench was on order and should be delivered mid-May.
C6 MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES AND OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS
To APPROVE the committee membership for 2023/24 (List to follow)
C7 COUNCIL POLICIES
The council’s Governance Committee reviewed the following documents and have put them forward for APPROVAL by the Council:
(a) Standing Orders
(b) Terms of Reference
(c) Financial Regulations
(e) Health and Safety Policy – note the Town Council retains the services of Croner Ltd who provide compliant H & S Policies
(f) Data Protection Policy – Note: The Town Council retains the services of GDPR Ltd, who supply compliant policies
(g) Complaints procedure
(h) Freedom of Information Document retention policy and publication scheme.
(i) Press & Media Policy
(j) Risk Management Policy
C8 EMPLOYMENT POLICIES
The Staff Handbook which contains all employment policies is put forward for APPROVAL by the Council.
Note: The Town Council retains the services of Croner who provide compliant policies.
C9 MEETING DATES 2023/2024
To APPROVE the attached meeting dates for the year 2023/24
C10 FINANCE
If any member has any queries regarding the payments, please contact the RFO. (Note: the RFO works Tuesday/Wednesday 9am – 3 pm & Thursday 9 am – 12 pm)
(a) To NOTE the receipts list.310 – 314 & 1 – 82.
(b) To approve the payments list. 1134 – 1145 & – 48
(c) Audit – the internal auditor will attend the office on Thursday 8th June. Mazers who have replaced PKF Littlejohn as the external auditor have advised that the Annual Return should be received by the 30th June 2023. The Accounts and Annual Return will be presented to the Council at the meeting on the 19th June 2023.
(d) To confirm signatories to the bank account. Currently the following Councillors are signatories to the bank account:
Cllrs H Atkins, A. Mackie, R. Moon, C. Williams
A further two members are asked to be signatories to the account. Good practice suggests that Councillors authorising the payments should vary throughout the year. It is therefore suggested that a monthly “rota” should be drawn up with 2 councillors identified each month to authorise payments. Most banking is done online. The RFO sets up the payments and then notifies councillors that payments are ready for authorisation.
Recommendation: The 4 councillors listed above should remain as signatories with a further two names being put forward.
(e) The RFO has reviewed all telephone contracts and has reduced payments for the mobile phones and landlines.
C11 WESLEY CENTRE
See attached report.
C12 PARISH COUNCIL COMMUNITY COST OF LIVING SUPPORT GRANT CRITERIA
To consider the attached information from KCC and whether to make an application. The Town Council can make an application and donate the funds to another organisation.
C13 CIVILITY & RESPECT PROJECT
See the attached report.
C14 COMMUNITY CENTRE UPDATE
- a) The minutes of the last board meeting have been issued and will be published on the website.
- b) To receive and update on the current position.
For information purposes only
C15 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN UPDATE
TWBC have advised that they will be working towards meeting the following timetable for progressing the Paddock Wood NP to referendum:
- Planning &Transportation Cabinet Advisory Board Monday 10th July
- Cabinet Thursday 27th July
- Referendum 14th September
- Post Referendum Full Council 4th October
C16 CO-OPTION
Following the elections there are still 2 vacancies on the West Ward. These spaces will be filled by co-option as per the Town Council’s Co-option which can be found on the website.
C17 COUNCILLOR TRAINING
Kent Association of Local Councils run training courses for both Councillors and Clerks. Details of all the available courses can be found at https://www.kentalc.gov.uk and are bookable via the Clerk. All members should attend the Dynamic Councillor Course as soon as possible. The courses are 3 hours long and are available as follows:
| Date | Venue | Time |
| Thursday 1st June | Online | 6.30 – 9.30 |
| Tuesday 6th June | Faversham | 6.30 – 9.30 |
| Thursday 15th June | Online | 6.30 – 9.30 |
| Tuesday 20th June | New Romney | 6.30 – 9.30 |
| Thursday 29th June | Online | 6.30 – 9.30 |
C18 REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES
To receive updates from representatives
(a) Chairman’s meeting there has been no meeting
(b) Paddock Wood Business Association – Tuesday 2nd May
(c) Bereko Committee
(d) KALC – no meeting
(e) Medway Valley Line
(f) Hop Pickers Line
(g) Youth Council
(h) Putlands Leisure Centre
(i) Royal British Legion
(j) Highway Improvement Plan
(k) Reports from meetings which members have attended on behalf of the Town Council
C19 OFFICE STAFFING
The Deputy Clerk will be retiring as of the 5th June 2023. The Personnel Committee will be asked to meet to consider arrangements for a replacement.
C20 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held on Monday 19th June 2023, at 7.45 pm in The Day Centre, Commercial Road
NICHOLA REAY
Clerk to the Council
9th May 2023
Clerks Leave: Members are asked to note that the Clerk will be on leave on Thursday 18th & Friday 19th May. The Office will be closed on Friday 19th May 2023.