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Paddock Wood Town Council > Documents > Minutes > Full Council Minutes – 15th November 2021

Full Council Minutes – 15th November 2021

Minutes Uploaded on January 11, 2022
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   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 A MEETING OF PADDOCK WOOD TOWN COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 15th November 2021 IN THE DAY CENTRE COMMERCIAL ROAD AT 7.45 PM

 

Members held one minute silence memory of Elizabeth Thomas who passed away on the 24th October 2021. Elizabeth was a town councillor for 38 years until her retirement earlier this year.

 

Cllr Moon spoke on the contribution Elizabeth Thomas made to the Council and local Community.

 

PRESENT:              Cllr M Flashman, in the Chair

Cllrs H Atkins, R. Atkins, (TWBC) T Bisdee, D. Boyle, D Kent, A Mackie,

  1. Moon, M Ridger, C. Williams,

 

IN ATTENDANCE:  Mrs N Reay, Borough Cllr M Bailey,

 

APOLOGIES:          Cllr R Turk, D Sargison

 

BOROUGH & COUNTY COUNCILLORS UPDATE (10 minutes)

Cllr Flashman advised that she had contacted County Cllr Hamilton to ask if there was an update on the consultation for the improvement scheme in Commercial Road, which had been held in July.

 

C66    DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

          There were no declarations of interest.

 

C67    MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

Minutes of previous meetings are available on the Council website

(a)     The minutes of the meeting held on 18th October 2021were APPROVED

(b)     The minutes of the Planning & Environment Committee meeting held on the 18th October & 1st November 2021 were NOTED.

(c)      The minutes of the PPP meeting held on the 25th October 2021were NOTED.

(d)      The minutes of the Estates Meeting held on 8th November 2021 were NOTED.

 

C68    MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES

  1. a) C58 a) – Cllr A Fairweather, portfolio holder for Communities & Wellbeing has been contacted regarding the need for social housing in Paddock Wood. He had responded as follows:

 

There are 38 households with a local connection to Paddock Wood currently on the TWBC Housing Register for social housing:

 

  • 20 households requiring 1-bedroom properties including 5 x level 3 mobility and 1 x level 2 mobility
  • 7 households requiring 2-bedroom properties
  • 9 households requiring 3-bedroom properties including 1 x level 1 mobility
  • 2 households requiring 4-bedroom properties

 

There are also 244 households on the housing register seeking Paddock Wood as an area of choice:

 

  • 95 households requiring 1-bedroom properties including 12 x level 3 mobility and 4 x level 2 mobility
  • 75 households requiring 2-bedroom properties including 2 x level 3 mobility, 3 x level 2 mobility and 3 x level 1 mobility
  • 61 households requiring 3-bedroom properties including 2 x level 3 mobility
  • 13 households requiring 4-bedroom properties including 1 x level 3 mobility

 

Members asked if the Borough Council had carried out a housing needs survey and if so if they could have a copy.  The Clerk would make the request.

 

  1. b) C58 b) – a request has been sent to all 4 Borough Councillors with members request that they seek to expedite a solution to the suspension of the garden waste collections

 

Cllr Flashman proposed, Cllr Boyle seconded

          That Standing Orders should be suspended to allow Borough Cllr Bailey to speak.

          CARRIED unanimously

 

Borough Cllr Bailey advised that the Borough Council had started the 1 off collections for those who normally had a Wednesday collection.  Depending on staffing levels it was hoped that collections would start in Paddock Wood in two weeks’ time. Residents would be notified when to expect the collections.

 

Members asked if any penalty clauses had been invoked with the contractors and Cllr Bailey that they had been where possible under the terms of the contract.  He also confirmed that the only the green waste, which is paid for separately to the core service had been affected.  Those paying for the service would have their subscription period extended.

 

Cllr Bailey had previously notified the Clerk that whilst TWBC had considered the CAV service there was still a problem with drivers permitted hours which meant they were not available for additional work at the weekends.

 

  1. c) C63           Stephen Baughan has been contacted at TWBC to ask for a copy of the risk assessment as requested by members,

 

C69    COMMUNITY CENTRE

  1. a) The Secretary of State for Levelling Up Housing and Communities has approved the planning application for the community centre and TWBC have issued the decision notice.
  2. b) The Board will meet on the 18th November to review the final details from Baxalls. A provisional meeting had been arranged for the 29th November for the Council to APPROVE the contract to build.
  3. c) The Working Party met on the 27th October and are arranging to hold two events. One will be for representatives for local user groups, the other will be an open event for residents. Details are yet to be finalised.

 

C70    NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

          The Chairman reported the following:

  • The next meeting will take place on the 17th November 2021.
  • the updated version of the Consultation Document had been received that morning and would be reviewed by the group
  • TWBC would be asked to screen the document to establish whether a Strategic Environmental Assessment was required – this may involve contacting Natural England & the Environment Agency
  • TWBC would also be asked for their comments on the plan
  • PWTC would be required to agree that the plan fit for consultation (note; the town council is not asked if they agree the proposals, just whether the document is fit for purpose)
  • The aim will be to start the consultation process in January or February 2022

There will be online and a drop in event

  • The document will then be updated and adapted to reflect comments
  • The borough council will organise the Regulation 18 consultation
  • The document will then go to referendum

 

C71    FINANCE

Cllr Flashman proposed, Cllr H Atkins seconded:

  1. a) The payments list. 417 – 496 was APPROVED

CARRIED unanimously

  1. b) The receipts list 167 – 177 was noted
  2. c) To consider the attached grant requests:
  3. i) The Community Car Service (Tunbridge Wells & District Volunteer Bureau) – £500.

https://communitycarservice.org.uk/

 

Members discussed the above grant and asked for the following information before deciding.

  • Is this a retrospective spend as many elderly and vulnerable will have already been vaccinated, or is it for future spend?
  • How many Paddock Wood residents have they supported?

 

  1. d) Land at the junction of Green Lane & Dumbrell Drive– as previously advised developers encroached onto Town Council land when building the splays to the above junction. The Council accepted an offer of £30,000 for the land from the developers. The transfer has finally been completed and the funds transferred into the Town Council’s account. The sale of land (even a small amount) is a capital sale. The funds can therefore only be used for a capital project.

 

C72    KENT FIRE HYDRANT INITIATIVE

KFRS are asking Town and Parish Council’s to support this initiative. Members considered the project and asked whether the KFRS had been consulted regarding the new developments.

Cllr R Atkins, proposed, Cllr Boyle seconded:

That the Town Council supports the initiative

CARRIED 10 in favour, 1 against

 

C73    PLATINUM JUBILEE

          The Estates Committee is planning tree planting as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy Project to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. https://queensgreencanopy.org/

 

Members considered if they should arrange any further celebrations. Suggestions can be found on the official website https://platinumjubilee.gov.uk/

 

Cllr Boyle proposed, Cllr Williams seconded:

That the Council should recommend to the Finance Committee that £10,000 be included in the budget for celebrations.

CARRIED unanimously

 

C74    ANNUAL TOWN MEETING

          The Council’s Annual Town Meeting is due to be held next on 6th April 2022. Members are suggested the following possible topics:

  1. a) Climate Change – Trying to Achieve Net Zero
  2. b) The Changing Face of Primary Health Care

 

C75    MEMBERS TRAINING

The Town Council’s training policy only allows the Clerk to authorise members attendance at courses or conferences run by KALC and the Borough Council.  Attendance at any other course must be approved by the Council.

 

Cllr Kent had asked to attend the following courses/conference run by NALC.

 

Making rural housing more affordable – 17th November 2021 – £30

Future Communities 2021 – 2nd December 2021 – £60

 

There is currently £1300 in the members allowances budget.

 

Cllr Boyle proposed, Cllr Flashman seconded:

That the Council APPROVES the expenditure

CARRIED unanimously

         

C76    REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES

(a)      Chairman’s meeting. – the next meeting would take place on 7the December 2021

(b)      Paddock Wood Business Association – no meeting

(c)      Bereko Committee   – the group were supporting a garden project in Bereko which was funded by the church.  This was enabling the village to grow its own produce and sell the surplus.  They were also passing onto other communities their experiences.

(d)      KALC – AGM took place on the 13th November 2021.  The Chairman attended and advised members that the main topic had been on climate change and actions parishes could take.  Details will be circulated to members.  Members held a brief discussion on the subject and agreed it was an issue the council needed to explore further.  The Clerk would contact Borough Councillor Bailey to ask about the work being done by the Borough’s Climate Emergency Panel.

(e)      Medway Valley Line – there was no report

(f)       Hop Pickers Line – the AGM would take place on the 16th November 2021.

(g)      Youth Council – minutes/meeting notes have been uploaded onto the website.  The group were holding a recruitment drive to find more members.  They were also compiling a survey for the young people of the town.

(h)      Putlands Leisure Centre Liaison meeting – the meeting took place on the 28th October 2021

The following issues were discussed:

  • Concerns about the current contractor – their contract had been extended for another 5 years
  • The funding available which should be used to improve the centre
  • The contractor must upgrade the gym equipment
  • Additional staff were being sought, particularly for a qualified trampoline instructor
  • Opening hours

(i)       Liaison Meeting with developers – there had been no meeting, but concerns were expressed at the dangerous parking and mud on the road around The Burrows development site.

(j)       Strategic Sites Meeting & Future Development Plans – the first meeting since May was held in November.   The following had been discussed:

  • The Local Plan had been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate
  • Neighbourhood Plans
  • Closure of the High Weald Academy
  • Statement of Common Ground

(k)      Royal British Legion – the Remembrance Parade had been successful although some additional marshalling of the uniformed groups at the end of the parade would have been useful.  This would be raised with the British Legion.

 

C77    DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be held on Monday 20th December 2021.

 

 

The meeting closed at 9.30 pm

Paddock Wood Town Council