Minutes of the Meeting of Eastling Parish Council held on Wednesday 12th January 2005 in Eastling Village Hall, Kettle Hill Road, Eastling at 8.00 pm.

1. To Note attendance and receive apologies for absence

Present: Cllr John Payne (Chairman), Cllr Peter Cheeseman (Treasurer), Cllr Jimmy West, Cllr Nigel Bickerdike and Mrs Carol Butterfield (Parish Clerk).

Apologies: Cllr Mrs Helen Higgs, County Cllr Mrs Jean Newman and Borough Cllr Colin Prescott.

2. Open Forum

There was no Open Forum as no members of the public were present.

3. Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday 10th November 2005

There was one correction to be made: Item 13 'Future of the Eastling Website' - Cllr Cheeseman queried arrangements for providing village news to the two local papers and it was confirmed that Mrs Harlow would be invited to cover the Faversham Times in addition to her existing work with the Faversham News.

4. Matters Arising and Confirmation of Minutes

Item 10: Correspondence (Speed Limits). Cllr Bickerdike had spoken to Ian Lewis from Kent Highways about the criteria required to have a 30 mph speed limit installed. Mr Lewis felt that Eastling had a better chance of success in the endeavour as regulations had recently been relaxed. A speed survey will be required and he will try to have it done in this financial year. Meanwhile the police have increased their presence in the village recently to check traffic speed and enforce the law if necessary.

Item 11: Standing Orders. The Chairman proposed that the revised version of Standing Orders incorporating a new section on Complaints Procedures be adopted by Members. The motion was seconded by Cllr Cheeseman.

Item 12: Reinstatement of Footpaths. This matter was raised by Cllr West but the Chairman asked that it be discussed later.

Item 13: Future of the Eastling Website. The Chairman apologised that he had misunderstood the message from former Councillor Harold Wyld - in fact he was not going to continue to update the Website. It was agreed that it is important to find someone else to keep the website up-to-date and the possibility of paying for the job was discussed and it was generally considered that it would make the appointment more attractive.

Parish Magazine: Cllr Cheeseman will be sending items for the next edition of the Parish Magazine to Hilary Harlow. The Chairman confirmed that a donation of £20 had been sent to the magazine's editor.

The Minutes were then agreed to be a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

5. Future Projects

To be discussed under Item 8 'Finance'

6. Planning

Only one new planning application had been received since the last meeting:

Stonefield House, Case No 11275 Ref: SW/04/1526CB - erection of sunroom to rear.

Members raised no objections to this application and the planning department had been notified of their decision.

7. Chairman's Report

Village Design Statement - Design Questionnaire: The questionnaire had been circulated throughout the village and a return of over 50% had been received which was considered a substantial response. The Chairman explained that, for various reasons, it had not been possible to deliver the questionnaire to every property and some were unoccupied. Dr Julia Bailey has asked for permission from the parish council to put the results in the Parish Magazine. Some of the answers to the questionnaire were discussed eg. Main drainage; removal of pylons; new housing unwanted and provision of a village green. Some ideas would not be possible to implement and the cost involved would rule out others.

It was agreed that Dr Bailey should put an item (or an insert) in the Parish Magazine thanking all those who had participated and explaining that a Public Meeting will be held when the Design Statement is completed but meanwhile the sub-committee will meet to discuss the implications of the replies received.

8. Finance

The Treasurer had circulated copies of the budget for 2005/6 to members prior to the meeting and this was thought to be self-explanatory. However certain items needed to be discussed.

Cllr Cheeseman proposed that the precept remained the same at 9p (£1400 per annum) and this was seconded by Cllr West.

Subsidiarity Grant: Some money had already been allocated to projects ie:

Village Design Statement: £500 for production costs

30 mph Speed Limit Signs: £1500 for the legalities and physical implementing based on estimate from Swale Borough Council.

Projects for the use of the balance of £1610 were discussed and the outcome was decided as follows:

Village Design Statement: A further £500 towards stationery costs;

Village Church Car Park: £500 towards filling-in of pot-holes and resurfacing; Cllrs Bickerdike and West declared an interest as they are both members of the Parochial Church Council. However as the car park is used by members of the public for other purposes it was agreed to be a worthwhile project to benefit villagers as whole:

Village Hall: £600 towards cost of new plastic marquee for summer events.

The Parish Clerk will send a copy of the Minutes to Laurence Young as confirmation of the Parish Council's decision on the use of the Subsidiarity Grant.

9. Highways

There were no new items to add to the list compiled after the last meeting in November. It was noted again that flooding was occurring at the first bend exiting the village on the Faversham Road.

The Chairman had received a message from Glenn Smith offering to meet and carry out an inspection of the village. He will contact Mr Smith to arrange a date.

10. Correspondence

Hedge-cutting: The Chairman had received two complaints from residents concerning the cutting of hedgerows which they thought had been done in an 'environmentally unfriendly' way. He had spoken to the farmer concerned who explained that it needed to be done to erect a new rabbit-deterrent fence. New hedges will be planted and permission had been obtained from the Council. The footpaths have also been re-instated.

Cllr Cheeseman thought that the path along the edge of Belmont Park still needed to be repaired - the Chairman will mention this to the farmer.

Various organisations had written to ask for donations but councillors decided that as they had no particular connection or relevance to the village no contributions would be made.

The Highways Department had sent a questionnaire about the service they provide which the Chairman will complete and return.

The 660 bus service is to change from 21 February. The main effect is that the last bus from Faversham will be at 4.09 instead of 5.39. This is due to the low uptake of the service. Cllr Bickerdike had telephoned Mr Barnard at Kent County Council who explained that a survey showed only one person used the last bus. Unfortunately that person was a student travelling home from college. It was decided to write to Mr Barnard asking for a copy of the survey figures.

Funding Fair to be held by Kent County Council on 3rd February in Hollingbourne. The Chairman will pass on the information to Dr Bailey as it may be of interest to the Design Statement Committee.

Highways Department to be run by Kent County Council from April 2005.

11. Any Other Business

Following the placing of an advertisement for the Parish Clerk's position in the Parish News, Mr Mike Thomas of Briar Cottage, Eastling, had offered his services to the Chairman. The Chairman told members that Mr Thomas was very welcome as he had past experience with the work of the parish council and was also a member of the Design Statement team. The appointment of Mr Thomas meant that this would be the last meeting for Mrs Butterfield as the Parish Clerk and members of the council thanked her for all the work she had done over the past three years in office.

12. Date of Next Meeting

Wednesday 16th March at 8.00 pm.
The meeting was closed at 9.30 pm.

Minutes of the Meeting of Eastling Parish Council held on Wednesday 16th March 2005 in Eastling Village Hall, Kettle Hill Lane, Eastling at 8.00 pm.

1. To note attendance and receive apologies for absence

Present: Cllr John W. Payne (Chairman), Cllr Peter E. Cheeseman (Treasurer), Cllr James G. West, Cllr Nigel Bickerdike, and Cllr Helen Higgs

Apologies: Michael R. J. Thomas (Parish Clerk)

2. Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 12th January 2005

The minutes of the last meeting were read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

3. Matters arising and confirmation of the Minutes

It was reported that the situation relating to the condition of the local footpaths was under control and nearing completion. Cllr Bickerdike reported that progress on the imposition of a 30mph speed limit in the village was still under consideration. Ian Lewis who was the individual responsible for this aspect on Swale B.C. business was currently on holiday.

4. Chairman's Report

The Chairman reported that he had attended the meeting of the Association of Parish Councils - relating to the legal consequences of removing unwanted travellers. He advised the Council that following the purchase and subsequent invasion of a parcel of land in Lynsted by caravans and their occupants in 2004; retrospective planning permission had been refused because the Lynsted Design Statement had said that the site was unsuitable for such a development. The Chairman advised the Council that he would continue to act as the Council's representative on the Kent Association of Parish Councils. He emphasised that membership could be of great assistance in matters relating to highway problems.

The Chairman also reported that there had been three offers to reorganise and update the Eastling web-site. Two had been received from individuals within the village and the other from Harold Wyld, a past Chairman of the Parish Council, who had been responsible for setting up the existing site, but who now lived in Deal. It was decided that the Chairman should investigate the matter further and report back to the Council.

5. Treasurer's Report

The Treasurer reported that the Budget for 2005/6 had been approved by the Council. Donations of £50.00 on behalf of the Parish council had been approved to Victim Support and Citizens Advice Bureau. The Chairman was also required to discuss with the Clerk the level of fees that should be due and payable.

6. Dr. Julia Bailey addressed the Council regarding the progress being made by the Design Statement Committee

Dr. Bailey explained the work of the Design Statement Committee and what it was attempting to achieve. She listed the members of the Committee and said that they had met some 18 times since November 2003, and felt that worthwhile progress was being made. The Committee had submitted two questionnaires to the Village and had received a satisfactory response. After a meeting with the Ospringe Design Statement Team, it was agreed, with the Chairman's authority, to submit the existing document to Swale as it was expected that serious modification would be required. It was agreed that Dr. Bailey and two other members of the Committee would meet with representatives from Swale B.C. to assess the existing document. The Parish Council wished to emphasise to Dr. Bailey that the Design Statement Committee was only a sub-committee of the Parish Council and that in the final analysis it would have control of the content of the final document. It was mentioned that statement was instigated as a Parish Plan, as the Parish Council wanted Swale B.C. made aware that it cared about the future of the village.

7. Planning

It was noted that the application # SW/04/1526 had been approved. As a direct result of the letter from the Council to Swale B C dated 7th February 2005 the plans relating to the windows at "The Hollies" in Otterden Road had been modified. Cllr Cheeseman raised his concerns regarding the lack of retrospective planning permission relating to unauthorised work carried out at Telfords on the Otterden Road.

8. Roads

It was decided that all discussions relating to the condition of the roads within the parish boundaries should be left until the next meeting. Concern was expressed with regard to the number of pot holes that had appeared in the roads after the recent heavy snow

9. Correspondence

A letter had been received from the Lord Lieutenant's Office inviting members of the Council to attend a church service at Canterbury Cathedral on 29th April 2005. No members wished to attend.

The Clerk had previously circulated a survey conducted by K.C.C. The changes to the 660 bus route will be going ahead. In effect this means that the last bus from Faversham will run at 4.09pm instead of 5.39pm. This is because the service has been poorly used.

A letter had been received via Hilary Harlow relating to Parish Signs - it was agreed that this would be discussed in greater detail at the next meeting.

10. Any other business

The Council expressed its thanks to Ben Binder and the Trustees of the Belmont Estate for the good job that was done in keeping the roads clear during the recent heavy snow falls.

It was agreed that power cuts would be logged following an observation from a Parishioner

The meeting agreed that the sum of £100.00 be made available for the purchase of a gift for Mrs Carol Butterfield in recognition of her services as Clerk to the Council.

After concerns having been expressed by residents relating to the manner in which the local hedges were cut, it was agreed the Council would meet with Ben Binder from the Belmont Estate and a representative from Swale B. C. to resolve the problem.

11. To agree the date of the next meeting

The annual parish meeting will be held on Monday 11th April 2005 at 7.30pm. The annual general meeting and the next regular meeting of the Parish Council will take place in the Village Hall on Wednesday 11th May 2005 at 8.00pm.

Present: Cllr J. W. Payne (Chairman), Cllr P. E. Cheeseman, Cllr N. Bickerdike, Cllr H. Higgs and M. R. J. Thomas (Parish Clerk)

Also present: H. Robertson Esq, Cllr J. Newman and 18 members of the public.

The Chairman welcomed the distinguished guests and members of the public to the meeting

Before the beginning of the meetings Hugh Robertson was invited to address the gathering. He explained that as a result of the prorogation of Parliament at 5.00pm that evening he was no longer legally our constituency representative. He spoke to the meeting about matters which he considered likely to affect us all as individuals living in the area.

He said that during his four years as an M.P. he had spent a considerable amount of time lobbying to try to reduce the effects of traffic noise from the M.2 in the neighbourhood. He advised the meeting that, finance permitting, the road would be resurfaced between Sittingbourne and Faversham with a noise deadening material which should improve the quality of life for local residents. He hoped that this work would take place from October 2005.

He also mentioned that he had been approached by a number of farmers in the constituency who were very concerned about the incidences of illegal hare-coursing in the area. He had raised the matter with the police who had been helpful and supportive, and that as a result of their efforts eight arrests had been made. Interestingly he said that although this number appeared derisory, the net result had been a 24% reduction in some forms of crime in the area. He also stated that the proliferation of the brown hare was considered to be a prime consideration in assessing the environmental viability of an area.

He emphasised his concerns about maintaining Kent's rural character, and was adamant that he would make every effort to ensure that the "Thames Gateway" project should continue eastward no further than Sittingbourne. He said that the excessive development south of Ashford should not be allowed to encroach in the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. For this reason and for the benefit of future generations he would do his best to ensure that there would be no more large scale development in the vicinity.

Lastly he spoke about complaints he had received from constituents relating to the alterations to the air traffic channels in the skies above us. He had been advised by the Ministry of Transport that there had been no change to the existing air channels, but would look into the possible impact of increased traffic at Manston.

The Parish Council Meeting began immediately after the meeting of The Village Hall Trustees

1. Apologies for Absence:

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr C. Prescott, Cllr J. G. West, Rev P. Fenton, Mr. B. Binder and Mr D. Walsh,

2. Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 26th April 2004:

The minutes of the last meeting were taken as read and accepted.

3. Chairman's Report:

The Chairman began his report by mentioning the retirement of two former councillors - H. Wyld Esq, and Mrs D. Bromley. Mr Wyld had served on the Council for 24 years and Mrs Bromley for 20 years. Having thanked them for their service, he welcomed Cllr Bickerdike and Cllr Higgs as the new members of his team and introduced them to the meeting. Mr. M. Thomas was also introduced as the new Parish Clerk.

Bus Shelter.

It had been decided to scrap the concept of providing a bus shelter on the Glebe Housing Estate. Moat Housing had been approached on a number of occasions, but making any worthwhile contact had proved to be extremely difficult. In the meantime costs had escalated and the project was now considered to be too expensive. It was felt that Parish Council money could be better spent in other places.

Design Statement.

The original draft of the Design Statement had been submitted to Swale B.C., as it was anticipated that considerable revision would be required. Copies of the draft had been circulated to Councillors and to those members of the public who had requested copies. Questionnaires had been circulated asking for the opinion of the public on a number of issues. The last one evoked a 71% response.

Hedgerows.

The Chairman stated that many letters had been received regarding the scrapping of hedgerows. Mr. Ben Binder, the Manager of the Belmont Estate Farm explained that these had to be scrapped before fencing could be installed, then new hedging would be planted in its place. He mentioned that 1½ km of hedging was to be planted.

4. Treasurer's Report:

The Treasurer provided the meeting with copies of the accounts which set out in detail the income and expenditure of the Parish Council. He then explained how these figures were reached and their significance. The precept had been maintained at £1,400.00. There were opening and closing balances of £4465.00 and £3045.00 respectively.

5. Public Comments and Questions relating to items 3 & 4:

There were no comments from the floor.

6. Reports by Representatives of Local Organisations:

Mrs. Jean Newman was invited to say a few words to the meeting. This would be the last meeting she would be attending as she was about to retire. She said how much she had enjoyed her work with K.C.C., but emphasised the importance and value of the Parish Councils. She gave the meeting an impression of her work, particularly that which related to the Adoption Panel, and the Kent Fire Brigade. She provided an insight into the problems that the current fashion for political correctness had caused, citing the example of the requirement for the percentage of ethnic residents in an area to be reflected in the make up of the Fire Service. This was presenting a problem with training, i.e. beards and turbans when having to wear fire fighting equipment. She also expressed her concern at the proposal to provide a large regional emergency call centre to replace the existing localized ones. She doubted if this would improve efficiency.

The Chairman thanked Mrs. Newman for her informative talk and wished her well in retirement.

Neighbourhood Watch.

Cllr. Bickerdike reported that £80 had been spent on replacing signs. Information updating Neighbourhood Watch details could be found in the "Good News" and on notice boards, which provided contact numbers and other essential information. He also reported that crime in the area was relatively low. Mr. Bickerdike said that he was the new Tree Warden but he had nothing to report as it was a new appointment. He was due to go on a course but emphasised that he had no legal authority on "tree related" matters.

Short Mat Bowls.

Mr. Piles reported they had had a good season, playing in the Swale League. The cost of membership had been set at £10.00 for new members and £5.00 to renew. There was also a £2.00 match fee. Various competitions had been entered with varying degrees of success.

Village Web Site.

Mr. Harold Wyld had offered to bring this up-to-date. There were other interested applicants and the Chairman would report back to the Council who would make a decision in due course.

7. Public Comments and Questions relating to Item 6:

There were no comments or questions from the floor

8. Any Other Matters of Local Interest or Concern:

Mr. N. Neaves stated that North Eastling Lane was very much better from a traffic point of view now that trees and hedges had been cleared as sight lines had been greatly improved. He felt that when the new hedging had been growing for a few years it would again be dangerous for motorists, and asked if a quality sight line could be left clear. The Chairman mentioned that he would take this matter up with Ben Binder, interested correspondents and the representative from Swale BC at a future site meeting.

Mrs. H. Harlow mentioned that several drains are still blocked around the area and the Chairman promised to take this up once again with Swale BC

Mrs M. Eagleton raised the matter the fence on Pinks Hill. She said that it was dilapidated and frankly dangerous. The Chairman promised to raise the matter with the responsible authority.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.50 p.m.

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of
Eastling Parish Council held on Wednesday 11th May 2005 in Eastling Village Hall at 8.00 pm

1. To note attendance and receive apologies for absence

Present:- Cllrs John W. Payne (Chairman), Peter E. Cheeseman (Treasurer), Nigel Bickerdike, Helen Higgs and Michael R. J. Thomas (Parish Clerk)

Apologies for Absence:- Cllr James G. West

2. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Monday 21st June 2004

The minutes of the meeting were read, confirmed as a correct record, adopted, and signed by the Chairman.

3. Appointments

a) Chairman of the Parish Council

The Clerk took the Chair, and proposed on behalf of Cllr West that Cllr Payne continue to act as Chairman. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Cheeseman and carried. Cllr Payne accepted the nomination and resumed his seat in the chair.

b) Treasurer

The Chairman proposed that Cllr Cheeseman continues as Treasurer. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Bickerdike and carried. Cllr Cheeseman accepted the nomination.

c) Minor Authorities Governor for Eastling Primary School

The Chairman -said that in view of the recent OFSTED inspection he felt that it would be wise if he continued to act for another year. This was accepted by the meeting

d) Neighbourhood Watch Representative

Cllr Bickerdike, the existing co-ordinator said that he did not wish to continue in the position, but was willing to serve until a replacement could be found. Steve Edmed will continue to act as the "local link" for Neighbourhood Watch in Meeson's Close.

e) Eastling Village Hall Trustees Representative

Cllr Cheeseman said that he would not be able to continue to serve in this position as he had other commitments. The Chairman proposed that Cllr Higgs accept the post. This was seconded by Cllr Bickerdike and Cllr Higgs accepted.

f) Tree Warden

The Chairman proposed and Cllr Cheeseman seconded the proposal that Cllr Bickerdike continued in the position. Cllr Bickerdike accepted the nomination

4. Banking and Insurance arrangements

All arrangements remain the same -

a) Bankers:- Lloyds TSB Faversham

b) Signatories:- Cllrs Cheeseman and Payne and M. R. J. Thomas

c) Insurance and Cover:- Cornhill Insurance

5. Dates of future meetings Jan-Dec 2006

Members agreed that meetings should continue to be held on the second Wednesday of alternate months (except for the APM) - 13th January, 8th March, 10th May, 12th July, 13th September and 8th November. The Date of the Annual Parish Meeting is to be confirmed.

6. Any other business

There was no further business to discuss and the meeting was closed at 8.15 pm.

Minutes of the Meeting of Eastling Parish Council held on Wednesday 11th May 2005 in Eastling Village Hall, Kettle Hill Lane, Eastling at 8.00 pm

1. To note attendance and receive apologies for absence

Present:- Cllrs John W. Payne (Chairman), Peter E. Cheeseman (Treasurer), Nigel Bickerdike, Helen Higgs and Michael R. J. Thomas (Parish Clerk)

Apologies for Absence:- Cllr James G. West

2. Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday 16th March 2005

The minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday 16th March 2005, having already been distributed to Councillors, were taken as read, confirmed as a correct record, adopted and signed by the Chairman.

3. Matters Arising

The problem of up-grading the Village Web Site was as yet unresolved. The Chairman had been unable to contact one potential applicant, and concern was expressed about potential costs and overall cost effectiveness. Cllr Higgs offered to contact Darren Alvey who was employed in this capacity to see if would be willing to be of assistance.

4. Chairman's Report

The Chairman said that he had nothing to report, as Swale Borough Council had not yet been in contact with the Chairman of the Design Statement Committee.

5. Treasurer's Report

The Annual Return and Internal Audit had been completed. The documents for the External Audit had been sent to the Audit Commission. This was noted as being minuted under Item 5 of Parish Council minutes dated 11th May 2005. Section 1 - The Statement of Approval of Accounts and Section 2 - Statement of Assurance Approval had been completed and were duly signed. The Bank Reconciliation as at 31st March 2005 was £3045.00 and at the time of the meeting was largely unchanged. The Treasurer gave notice that the July meeting would need to consider the dispersal of subsidiarity money for 2004 - 2005 and any proposals for 2005 - 2006.

6. Planning

There were no planning applications to consider, although the Clerk was asked to write to Swale Borough Council regarding the failure to carry out necessary reinstatement work at Telfords.

7. Roads

The Chairman will be attending a meeting of the Kent Association of Parish Council on 6th June 2005 which will addressed by Mr B. Haratbar who will appraise the meeting about the new highway arrangements. The Clerk was asked to advise highways about a serious pothole outside Cheriton. Cllr Bickerdike stated that a special measuring device was to be installed this week to monitor speed levels as a result of the request for the imposition of a 30 mph limit.

8. Correspondence

A request for a donation from the "Bumble Bee Project" was declined. A letter had been received from Age Concern relating to the future method of paying pensions and asked for a suitable venue for a seminar to be made available. The letter has been passed to the Chairman of the Trustees of the Village Hall for discussion at their next meeting. It was requested that the Clerk copy the poster for promulgation on the village notice boards, and to make a copy available for Hilary Harlow for inclusion in the "Good News".

9. Any other business

An indication of the Clerk's costs was requested for the next meeting. It was reported to the meeting that the gate at the Divan Court end of the Church path was broken and in need of repair. The Clerk was asked to investigate who was responsible for the maintenance work or replacement and instigate the necessary procedures. There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.55 pm

10. Date of the next meeting

The next regular meeting of the Parish Council will take place in the Village Hall at 8.00 pm on Wednesday 13th July 2005.

Minutes of the Meeting of Eastling Parish Council held on Wednesday 13th July 2005 in Eastling Village Hall, Kettle Hill Lane, Eastling at 8.00 pm

1. To note attendance and receive apologies for absence

Present:- Cllrs John W. Payne (Chairman), Peter E. Cheeseman (Treasurer), James G. West, Nigel Bickerdike, and Michael R. J. Thomas (Parish Clerk)

Apologies for Absence:- Cllr Helen Higgs

2. Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday 11th May 2005

The minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday 11th May 2005, having already been distributed to Councillors, were taken as read, confirmed as a correct record, adopted and signed by the Chairman.

3. Matters Arising

The problem of up-grading the Village Web Site was as yet unresolved. The Chairman explained that as a result of unexpected domestic difficulties he had been unable to pursue the matter further. He hoped to make some real progress before the next meeting.

4. Chairman's Report

The Chairman reported that he had attended a meeting of the Kent Association of Parish Councils and that a number of matters had been raised which he brought to the attention of the Council. The Council was made aware that under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 it now had powers to issue fixed penalty notices for certain anti-social acts. These included dog-fouling, depositing litter, fly posting and graffiti. The penalty was fixed at £75.00. He explained that the manner in which the Highways' Department operates had been reorganised and was now based at Aylesford. He said that he had volunteered to act as the representative of the Parish Council on the Swale Rural Forum. He also reported that the Eastling Primary School would be the subject of "special measures" as a result of the recent OFSTED report. He explained the significance of this decision and the impact that it was likely to have on the school.

5. Treasurer's Report

The accounts had been sent to the Audit Commission. The current Bank Reconciliation was £600.00 in the current account and £2800.00 on deposit. As the result of a request for a donation from Technology Enterprise Kent towards their "Awards for Excellence" gala event it was agreed, in this instance, to make a donation of £25.00 on behalf of the Council.

6. Planning

A planning application had been received from Jackson's Cottage in Mill Lane for a garage, store and home office. Some Councillors had expressed certain misgivings about the project and these will be forwarded to the Planning Department at the Swale Borough Council.

7. Roads

Cllr Bickerdike stated that the special measuring device that had been installed had been removed and that he was still awaiting the report relating to the Council's request for the imposition of a 30 mph limit. This was expected by the end of July. Factors that would affect the result were the traffic count, the police, and the KCC highways department.

Cllr Cheeseman said that he considered that the condition of the roadside edges in Mill Lane were dangerous and should be brought to the attention of the Highway Services.

The Kent Highway Services has introduced a "County Lengthsman Scheme" in an attempt to improve the services offered by the authority to the rural community. The Clerk agreed to fill this role at this time.

8. Correspondence

There was no correspondence to consider as all matters of interest and importance had already been circulated to Councillors.

9. Village Sign

The concept of producing a village sign to enhance the centre of the Village was considered. John Darlington had offered to produce a design and to advise on site and choice of materials. This offer was accepted and Mr Darlington was to be invited to submit his concept to the Council for its consideration.

10. Any other business

The Clerk had been invited by the Council to give an indication of his expenses. He made it clear to the Council that he was not interested in receiving the salary that was due to him, but would look forward to being reimbursed for the expenses he incurred during the execution of his duties. He mentioned that in view of his advancing years his would, of necessity, not be a long term appointment. He said that he was attending a course which should lead to the achievement of the Certificate in Local Council Administration, and that this was likely to be an essential minimum qualification for the appointment of Local Council Clerks in the future. Most of the other clerks attending the course were young women who were obviously looking for career opportunities to work from home. Many were clerk to more than one Council. He suggested to the Council that it should therefore budget for the maximum expense that it was prepared to incur.

The Clerk also suggested to the Council that office facilities within the Village Hall would provide a safe and secure haven for the village archives. It was also felt that a telephone line and access to "Broadband" would be advantageous. It was agreed that the Clerk would approach the Chairman of the Village Hall Trustees to facilitate the implementation of the matter.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.55 pm

11. Date of the next meeting

The next regular meeting of the Parish Council will take place in the Village Hall at 8.00 pm on Wednesday 14th September 2005.

Minutes of the Meeting of Eastling Parish Council held on Wednesday 14th September 2005 in Eastling Village Hall, Kettle Hill Lane, Eastling at 8.00 pm

1. To note attendance and receive apologies for absence

Present:- Cllrs John W. Payne (Chairman), Peter E. Cheeseman (Treasurer), James G. West, Nigel Bickerdike, Helen Higgs and Michael R. J. Thomas (Parish Clerk)

Apologies for Absence:- There were no apologies for absence

2. To consider and if deemed to be correct, accept and sign the Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday 13th July 2005

The minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday 13th July 2005, having already been distributed to Councillors, were taken as read, confirmed as a correct record, adopted and signed by the Chairman.

3. Matters Arising

At the previous meeting the Clerk had undertaken to produce a Contract of Employment, a Job Description and a Personal Specification to encompass the role of Clerk to the Eastling Parish Council. These documents had been produced and circulated to Councillors for their approval. These documents were approved and will be saved for future use.

Harold Wyld has begun the process of updating the Village Website, but is currently seeking further material which the Clerk was asked to provide. The site can be viewed on www.eastling.info. The Clerk mentioned that he has enrolled on a web design course and hopes to able to undertake future basic maintenance.

4. Chairman's Report

The Chairman reported that he had attended a meeting of the Kent Association of Parish Councils and that a number of matters had been raised which he brought to the attention of the Council. In this instance the guest speaker was the Chief Planning Officer - Mr S. Bessant - who advised the meeting of changes in the way that planning applications will be handled from 2006. Applications will be sent to Parish Councils electronically, who will then have 21 days in which to respond. The applicant will have 3 years instead of the current 5 years in which to start the work. He also wished to draw attention to the differences between a Village Design Statement and a Parish Plan.

The KAPC had questioned the powers of Village Wardens and also queried the legality of the KCC "Lengthsman Scheme, which was seen as a way of abrogating their responsibilities at the expense of the Parish Councils. It also drew attention to the increasing workloads with which Parish councils were being burdened.

Because Eastling Primary School is now the subject of "special measures" as a result of the recent OFSTED report, the School Governors have produced an "action plan" which has been submitted to the Education Authority. He explained the significance of this decision and suggested a number of possible impacts that this could have on the school.

The Chairman also reported that largely as a result of recent changes in Government Legislation that have placed increasing obligations on Parish Councils the need for adequate office facilities within the Village Hall had been greatly enhanced. With this in mind the Council agreed to finance the capital costs of such an exercise. This would include the provision of shelves, another fireproof filing cabinet, a computer facility and the "Broadband" connection and rental. It is intended that in the foreseeable future that the Hall will be able to provide "internet café" facilities for the community

5. Treasurer's Report

The accounts had been approved by the Audit Commission and so that they may be available for public scrutiny, copies have now been placed on the notice boards. The current Bank Reconciliation was £455.00 in the current account and £2828.00 on deposit. It was resolved to make a donation of £25.00 to join the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, and £100.00 to the British Trust Conservation Volunteers.

6. Planning

The meeting was informed that the original planning application at Jackson's Cottage had been approved, although revised plans had since been submitted and are currently being circulated.

The sight line from the paddock at Telfords was still giving cause for concern and the Clerk was asked to bring the matter to the attention of the planning department once again.

7. Roads

Cllr Bickerdike stated that he had still not had a decision from the KCC Highways Department relating to the Council's request for the imposition of a 30 mph limit. This had been expected by the end of July.

8. Correspondence

Following a request for a donation from Technology Enterprise Kent towards their "Awards for Excellence" gala event it was agreed, in this instance, to make a donation of £25.00 on behalf of the Council. A letter had been received thanking the Council for its donation

9. Any other business

Cllr Bickerdike had been asked to confirm that he was prepared to continue as "Tree Warden". This was confirmed.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.55 pm

10. Date of the next meeting

The next regular meeting of the Parish Council will take place in the Village Hall at 8.00 pm on Tuesday 8th November 2005.