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
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF PADDOCK WOOD TOWN COUNCIL HELD ON Monday 15 May 2023 at 7.45 pm in The Day Centre, Commercial Road, Paddock Wood
PRESENT: Mrs M Flashman in the Chair for Items C1 – C2
Cllr H Atkins, in the Chair after Item C2
Cllrs R Atkins, (TWBC) D. Kent, N Maari, A. Mackie, T. Mobbs
- Moon, (TWBC) M. Munday, (TWBC) D. Sargison, J. Thompson, C. Williams
IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs N Reay, Clerk to the Council
Mr C Smith, Estates Manager
APOLOGIES: County Councillor S Hamilton, Borough Councillor S Wakeman
There were no members of the public present.
There were no questions for borough or county councillors. Members were advised that the Annual Meeting of the Borough Council would take place on the 24th May 2023.
Cllr Moon thanked Mrs Flashman for the work she had done for the Council over the last 5 years.
C1 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
C2 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN FOR THE YEAR 2023 – 2024.
Cllr Thompson nominated; Cllr Munday seconded:
Cllr H Atkins as Chairman of the Council.
There were no further nominations therefore Cllr H Atkins was elected unopposed.
Mrs Flashman left the meeting. Cllr H Atkins signed the Declaration of Acceptance.
C3 ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN FOR THE YEAR 2023 – 2024.
Cllr R Atkins nominated; Cllr Mobbs seconded:
Cllr Kent as Vice Chairman of the Council
There were no further nominations therefore Cllr Kent was elected unopposed.
Cllr Kent signed the Declaration of Acceptance.
C4 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
(a) The minutes of the meeting held on Monday 17th April 2023 were APPROVED unanimously.
(b) The minutes of the Governance Committee meeting held on 24th April 2023 were NOTED.
(c) The minutes of the Planning Environment Committee meeting held on the 17th April 2023 & 2nd May 2023 were NOTED.
(d) The minutes of the Annual Town Meeting held on Wednesday 5th April 2023 were NOTED.
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 had been delivered that morning.
.
C6 MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES AND OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS
Before approving the Committee membership members discussed the make up of the support group for the Community Centre and the Council’s role.
It was agreed that there should be a formal liaison between the Council and the Community Centre company, as well as a separate volunteer group to support the community centre going forward.
This was added to the Outside Organisations list.
Cllr Williams proposed, Cllr Kent seconded:
That the Membership of Committees and Outside Organisations list should be APPROVED.
CARRIED unanimously.
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
Cllr H Atkins proposed, Cllr Williams seconded:
That the documents should be APPROVED.
CARRIED unanimously.
C8 EMPLOYMENT POLICIES
The Staff Handbook which contains all employment policies was put forward for APPROVAL by the Council.
Note: The Town Council retains the services of Croner who provide compliant policies.
Cllr H Atkins proposed, Cllr Williams seconded:
That the Handbook be APPROVED.
CARRIED unanimously.
C9 MEETING DATES 2023/2024
Cllr H Atkins proposed, Cllr Williams seconded:
That the meeting dates be APPROVED.
CARRIED unanimously.
C10 FINANCE
(a) The receipts list.310 – 314 & 1 – 82 was NOTED.
(b) Cllr Atkins proposed, Cllr Munday seconded:
The payments list. 1134 – 1145 & – 48 be APPROVED.
CARRIED unanimously.
(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) Currently the following Councillors are signatories to the bank account:
Cllrs H Atkins, A. Mackie, R. Moon, C. Williams
Former Councillors Boyle, Flashman Hamilton & Turk were also signatories and need to be removed. Cllr Mackie has also asked to be removed as a signatory.
A further 3 members need to be signatories. Good practice suggests that Councillors authorising the payments should vary throughout the year. It was therefore agreed that a monthly “rota” should be drawn up with 2 councillors identified each month to authorise payments. Most banking is done online. The RFO will set up the payments and then notify councillors that payments are ready for authorisation.
Cllr R Atkins proposed, Cllr Williams seconded:
That Cllrs Mobbs, Munday & Thompson should be added to the bank mandate.
CARRIED unanimously.
All four former councillors and Cllr Mackie would be removed.
- e) The RFO has reviewed all telephone contracts and has reduced payments for the mobile phones and landlines.
C11 WESLEY CENTRE
At the March meeting the Town Council had agreed that the Town Council should apply to have the Wesley Centre list as an asset of community value. However, the application form requires greater detail than is currently available.
Members discussed the importance of retaining the Wesley Centre and how it was an asset to the community.
Cllr Thompson proposed, Cllr Mobbs seconded:
That a working group should be established to look at the viability of the Wesley Centre.
CARRIED unanimously.
Cllrs Maari, Mobbs, Moon, Munday & Thompson would form the group.
C12 PARISH COUNCIL COMMUNITY COST OF LIVING SUPPORT GRANT CRITERIA
Members considered the attached information from KCC and whether to make an application. The Town Council can make an application and grant the funds to another organisation.
Cllr H Atkins proposed, Cllr Thompson seconded:
That an application for the full amount should be made to be split 50 – 50 with the Foodbank and the Advice Centre.
CARRIED unanimously.
C13 CIVILITY & RESPECT PROJECT
Members considered the report on the Civility and Respect Project. It was generally agreed that the Council should sign the Civility and Respect Pledge and that the council already fulfilled most of the criteria. However, it was felt that more time was needed for members to ready about the project and a decision would therefore be taken at the next meeting.
C14 COMMUNITY CENTRE UPDATE
Cllr Williams declared an interest on this item as she is a Director PWCCO Ltd.
a) The minutes of the last board meeting had been issued and will be published on the website.
b) Members received a written report from the Directors of PWCCO Ltd.
Members raised the following:
- Disappointed that there was still no opening date for the Centre – Cllr Williams advised that it was tentatively hoped to hold an opening at the beginning of July.
- Was a nursery going to take over the nursery building – organisation looking to take over the site would be running a nursery as well as their gymnastics groups. The, like any other organisation will need Ofsted Approval and will be offering 40 spaces.
- Concern was expressed that the income from the tennis courts would go to the Community Centre, but the town council could be liable for maintenance. The Clerk would check the lease.
- Clarification on the CCTV access and data storage was requested.
The Chairman also remined members that the directors had been appointed by the Town Council for an initial 6 months which had now expired.
Cllr H Atkins proposed, Cllr Thompson seconded:
That the appointment of the directors should be extended until the 30th October 2023.
CARRIED unanimously.
For information purposes only
C15 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN UPDATE
TWBC had 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
Members discussed the importance of the referendum and ensuring the public were engaged in the process.
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 a 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 – no meeting
(d) KALC – no meeting
(e) Medway Valley Line – there would be a meeting with representatives from the Hop Pickers Line on to discuss signage, interpretation boards and the location of a sculpture.
(f) Hop Pickers Line – as above
(g) Youth Council – it was reported that due to the bank holidays and school exams the Council had not met for a while. However, it was requested that improvements to the skateboard park should be put on the estates agenda. A film night was planned for July.
(h) Putlands Leisure Centre – no meeting
(i) Royal British Legion
(j) Highway Improvement Plan – no meeting
(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
The meeting closed at 9.45 pm.