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 20th June 2022 at 7.45 pm in The Day Centre, Commercial Road, Paddock Wood
PRESENT: Cllr M Flashman, in the Chair
Cllrs H Atkins, R. Atkins, (TWBC) T. Bisdee, D Kent, A. Mackie, R. Moon (TWBC) M Ridger, C. Williams
IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs N Reay, Clerk
Borough Councillor S Wakeman
APOLOGIES: Cllrs T. Bisdee, D Boyle, S Hamilton (KCC), R Turk
BOROUGH & COUNTY COUNCILLORS UPDATE (10 minutes)
The Chairman welcomed Borough Cllr Wakeman to her first Town Council meeting.
No questions had been submitted to the Borough or County Councillors
Borough Cllr Wakeman introduced herself and advised that at this point in time she had nothing to report.
Borough Cllr Moon advised that at present he had nothing to report.
Borough Councillor Atkins advised the following:
- The Cabinet meetings would be held at different locations around the borough. The first meeting would be held in Cranbrook. They would then move to Hawkhurst & Pembury
- The borough was carrying out a sports survey and the closing date was the 22nd July 2022.
(the clerk advised that this would be referred to the council at the meeting on the 18th July for a response)
C19 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest
C20 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
- The minutes of the meeting held on Monday 30th May 2022 were APPROVED with the following amendments:
Members Present; Cllr R Atkins (TWBC)
New Deputy Mayor was Cllr Hugh Patterson
(b) The minutes of the Planning Environment Committee meeting held on the 6th June 2022 were NOTED
(c) The minutes of the Estates Committee meeting held on the 13th June 2022 were NOTED.
C21 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
- Climate change working party – the group will be meeting on the 23rd June 2022. Terms of Reference have not yet been drawn up for the group and these will need to be determined by the Governance Committee.
C22 FINANCE
(a) The receipts list voucher nos: 1 – 101 were NOTED
(b) Cllr Flashman proposed, Cllr Williams seconded:
The payments list voucher nos: 959 – 975 & 1 – 268 should be APPROVED
CARRIED unanimously
(c ) Cllr Flashman proposed, Cllr Kent Seconded
The annual accounts should be APPROVED
CARRIED unanimously
(d) Members noted the internal auditors report. This would be referred to the next Finance Committee meeting for review. Cllr H Atkins advised that TWBC had informed him that his DPI form was now on the Borough Council’s website.
The Clerk reported that the period for the exercise of public rights would be Wednesday 22nd June to Tuesday 2nd August. As the notices must be up at least the day before, they would be posted on the website and in noticeboards on Tuesday 21st June.
(e) Cllr Flashman proposed Cllr H Atkins seconded:
The Annual Governance Statement should be APPROVED & SIGNED
CARRIED unanimously
(f) Cllr Flashman proposed Cllr Williams seconded:
That the Annual Accounting statements should be APPROVED & SIGNED
Carried unanimously
(g) Cllr Flashman proposed, Cllr Kent seconded:
That the Variable Direct Debit list should be APPROVED
CARRIED unanimously
(h) Cllr Flashman proposed, Cllr Ridger seconded
That the Risk Management Document should be APPROVED
CARRIED unanimously
(h) At present the following members are signatories to the bank account Cllrs Boyle, Flashman, Hamilton, Moon, Turk & Williams.
Cllr Flashman proposed, Cllr Williams seconded:
That Cllrs H Atkins, D. Kent A Mackie should be added to the bank signatories and Cllr Boyle removed.
CARRIED unanimously
C23 COMMUNITY CENTRE UPDATE
Members received the attached report
C24 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
The chairman advised that the group were preparing to submit the plan to the Town Council for the July meeting.
There will be a 6-week consultation which will be organised by TWBC. The comments and documents will then be reviewed by a Planning Inspector before the final referendum.
C25 LOCAL PLAN
The local plan inquiry is continuing online. On 15th June the policies specifically for Paddock Wood were examined.
Cllr Williams reported that the discussion had covered how the sites had been chosen, flooding and the viability of Town Centre.
The Inspector expressed some concerns about the use of supplementary planning documents as they would not be part of the adopted plan. The information in these documents should be in the plan.
There was also a long discussion on what would happen if the Five Oak Green developments did not materialise. It also appeared that much of the section 106 funding from the developments would be spent on road infrastructure, schools, health& libraries.
The inquiry is continuing.
C26 KENT POLICE
Members considered the correspondence from Kent Police seeking the council’s views on the use of ANPR cameras in Paddock Wood.
Members considered the following points:
- Should not be a substitute for more police officers
- Whilst there was concern about privacy – safety should come first
- Would be an asset in deterring the increase in drug abuse
- Would like it to be used to help deter speeding as well
- Primarily aimed at spotting unlicensed vehicles
Cllr H Atkins proposed, Cllr R Atkins seconded:
That the Town Council should support the use the technology
CARRIED with one abstention
C27 TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR OUTSIDE PREMISES
Cllr Flashman proposed, Cllr Williams seconded:
That the Terms and Conditions for the use of Outside Premises should be approved.
CARRIED unanimously
C28 REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES
- Chairman’s meeting. – the meeting was held virtually and the new Leader of TWBC attended.
- The boundary reviews had been delayed due the number of responses
- There was a new DPI form for all members
(b) Paddock Wood Business Association – the AGM had taken place the previous week. They were also working on a new website.
(c) Bereko Committee – the quiz would take place on 24th September. It was suggested that members might like to put a team forward for the event.
(d) KALC – the next meeting would take place on 28th June 2022. Cllr Flashman was hosting the meeting in the Day Centre. Members were invited to attend the first ½ hour to meet with the TW Committee. The Deputy Clerk would also be in attendance to minute the meeting.
(e) Medway Valley Line – the group were looking to focus on Paddock Wood. They were interested in the impact the railway has on the surrounding area as well the Hop Pickers Line.
Cllr Sargison would contact the group and invite them to a council meeting.
(f) Hop Pickers Line – There had been a site meeting recently to discuss the signage along the Black Path.
(g) Youth Council – the group had discussed the following at their recent meeting:
- Debrief on the Jubilee Picnic. The young people would like something similar in future years
- Improvements to the skate park
- Having a games bus visit
- Holding an environmental day in the autumn
(h) Putlands Leisure Centre – no meetings had been held recently. The Clerk was asked to contact TWBC to arrange one
(i) Royal British Legion – no meeting had been held recently
C29 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held on Monday 18TH JULY 2022, at 7.45 pm in The Day Centre, Commercial Road
The meeting closed at 9.20 pm
