Halling Parish Council - May 2005 Minutes

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Meeting of Halling Parish Council held on 12 May 2005 at the Community Centre

Present: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Councillors L Hitchcock, B Smith, R Underdown, F Howard, Mrs P Weaver, T Reynolds and R Swain,
W R Swan – Clerk and 4 members of the public.

1. Election of Chairman for ensuing year
Councillor Herbert was nominated by Councillor Underdown and seconded by Councillor Ballantyne. There being no other nominations Councillor Herbert was duly elected to serve as Chairman for another year and signed the declaration book.

2. Apologies for absence
There were no apologies.

3. Minutes of last meeting
It was proposed by Councillor Smith, seconded by Councillor Underdown that the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 14th April 2005 were a true record. All agreed and the Chairman duly signed them.

4. Matters arising
Councillor Howard said that under item 17, Medway Council have raised a Tree Preservation Order on Trechmann’s Wharf – can the Parish Council send a letter of support for this.

5. Notification of Any Other Business
Vice-Chairman - 2 items, Chairman – 2 items, Councillor Underdown –
1 item, Councillor Mrs Weaver – 1 item and Councillor Hitchcock – 1 item.

6. Election of Vice-Chairman
Councillor Ballantyne was nominated by Councillor Hitchcock and seconded by Councillor Underdown. There being no other nominations, Councillor Ballantyne was elected as Vice-Chairman.

7. Co-option of new Member
It was agreed that item 9 on the Agenda should be brought forward. Peter Wyatt was nominated by the Vice-Chairman and seconded by Councillor Hitchcock. It was agreed unanimously. Councillor Wyatt duly took his place and signed the Declaration book.

8. Appointments to Committees
Estates Committee Councillor Hitchcock said that he did not wish to continue as Chairman of Estates. The Vice-Chairman said that he would be prepared to do it for six months at the outset. All agreed and there being no other nominations the Vice-Chairman was duly elected.
Footpaths Committee
Councillor Mrs Coleman had said that she was prepared to do this but it was decided to hold this over until next month as she was absent from the meeting.
Planning & Development Committee
Councillor Underdown said that he was willing to carry on as Chairman and there being no other nominations, he was duly elected.
It was then agreed that the Membership of the Committees continue as in the previous year and that the three new Members go on to all three Committees.

9. Appointments to Outside Bodies
KAPC/Rural Liaison Group – Councillor Mrs Coleman and the Chairman
Johns May’s Charity – Councillor Swain
School Governors – Councillor Howard
Jubilee Hall Management Committee – Councillor Mrs Weaver
Medway Council Transport – Councillor Reynolds
Halling View – Councillors Ballantyne, Underdown, Reynolds and Wyatt.
Lafarge Liaison - Committee of whole Council
Cemex (RMC) - Committee of whole Council
Halling Association – Vice-Chairman, Councillor Underdown and Vacancy

10. Estates Committee
The Vice-Chairman reported that a lot is happening in the Village and there is a need to have more frequent meetings of the committee possibly before the main Parish Council meeting each month.

11. Footpaths
Councillor Mrs Weaver said that the Plough path needs clearing on both sides and RS213 Horse Trough path is badly overgrown. They are both on Lafarge land and the Clerk will contact them.

12. Planning & Development
Councillor Underdown reported as follows:
He finds that the application for TPOs at Trechmanns Wharf is encouraging but the situation will have to be watched carefully. The Vice-Chairman said that this application has been handed over to an outside firm of planning consultants because of workload at Medway Council but any conclusion will have to be reported to Medway Council in the usual way.
The owners of land opposite the Black Boy wish to get this land included in the new Development framework and wish to work with the Parish Council on this. The Parish Council objected to the previous application on the grounds that the land was in the Green Belt and outside the Village envelope. These objections have not altered. Each application has to be treated on its own merits.
MC2005/0756( bridge over River Medway to Peters Pit) it was agreed to resubmit the Parish Council’s objections to Medway Council.
The application for 52 Essex Road (side extension) has been approved by Medway Council.

13. Harris House
Nothing to report but the Vice-Chairman felt that the Parish Council ought to meet with MHS as soon as possible.

14. Halling Association
The Vice-Chairman said that a series of workshops is planned. The next is on 28 June 2005 at the Jubilee Hall. It was proposed by Councillor Smith, seconded by Councillor Hitchcock, that the Parish Council allocate £2,000 to the Association for 2005/6. All agreed.

15. Lafarge
There was no report but it was agreed that another Liaison meeting be held as soon as possible.

16. RMC
The Minutes of the previous Liaison meeting had been received.

17. Youth Club
Councillor Hitchcock reported that the Club was up and running but still needed adult helpers. There had been an incident of drunken youths trying to get in but this had been dealt with.

18. Annual Parish Meeting
The Chairman reported that 25 residents had attended and there were good exchanges of views.

19. Correspondence
(a) Open Spaces Society – request for donation re threatened urban pathways
(b) Mike Harvey – request for meeting re Trenport
(c) KCPFA – annual report and accounts for 2004
(d) Wicksteed Leisure – “Toddlers to Teens” leaflet
(e) Medway Council – permission to co-opt member for Upper Ward
(f) KAPC – newsletter
(g) Medway Council – Supporting People Awareness Session 7/06/05 Corn Exchange
(h) Kent Police - Parish Constable recruitment campaign
(i) Bumble Bee Alliance – request for donation
(j) Medway Council – notes of Rural Liaison Cttee meeting
(k) Halling Community Centre – Annual Report 2005
(l) WPConsultancy – Medway Voluntary Infrastructure questionnaire

20. Receipts
(a) Medway Council - £12,500 precept for 2005/6
(b) Halara - £10.36 for photocopying

21. Payments                                               (Net£            VAT£           Total£)
(a) BT – telephone bill                                    61.81           10.81             72.61
(b) Zurich Insurance – renewal 2005/6             1243.93                           1243.93
© MKWCo – water for marsh (recoverable)          57.51                               57.51
(d) J Sutherland – wages                                243.28                             243.28
(e) WI – donation for refreshments (Section 137) 50.00                               50.00
(f) W R Swan – Clerk’s wages                        1000.25                            1000.25

It was proposed by Councillor Underdown, seconded by Councillor Smith, that the above payments be ratified. All agreed.

22. Any Other Business
Councillor Hitchcock reported that the Community Centre had its AGM on 7 May 2005 – no members of the public had attended. There is still a need for more Committee members.
The Vice-Chair reported on the Estates and Footpaths Committees held on 4 May 2005. A 5 year tender had been received from Mr Lingham for grazing on the Marsh. It was proposed by Councillor Swain, seconded by Councillor Hitchcock, that this be accepted provided there is a break clause. All agreed. On footpaths, the Parish Council has written to Medway Council about bringing forward construction of the footbridge over the A228 at the Plough path.
The Chairman is to arrange for a meeting with the Highways Manager at Medway Council re the state of the High Street and traffic calming on both this and Rochester Road.
Residents have made him aware of 40 used syringes found in a garden down Station Approach. There seems to be a serious drugs problem in the Village. He wishes to get sensible policing back in the Village and a meeting with Superintendent Mercer is to be arranged as soon as possible .
Councillor Underdown reported that MKWCo had made a mess after repairing a leak in Ferry Road. Councillor Wyatt said that this is being dealt with on 13 May 2005 following representations by him direct to MKWCo.
Councillor Weaver said that the gate post in the Jubilee Hall car park had been damaged. The Vice-Chairman is to look into this.

23. Parishioners’ Questions
Points raised by residents at the meeting included the following:
Flytipping in Cemetery Road.
Excavation of A228 – artefacts ending up in Snodland.
Forge Green – “no ball games” notice required.
Possibility of rural grants for Cemetery maintenance
Rumour of a ball court in the Lower Rec.
Anti Social Behaviour at Halling Bottom.
The Parish Council is to look into these matters as appropriate.

Last updated 13 June 2005.

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