Welcome to Iwade Village

Apologies: Cllr Derek White, Borough Cllr Ben Stokes, Rural Warden Sue Seamon

2. Confirmation of Minutes

Cllr Peter Wilks, the retiring Chairman took the chair and, referred to the past year and the ongoing development within the village and the 2005 Electors Register list 738 properties (an increase of 135) and 1429 electors (an increase of 256 the previous year). The original village was 342 dwellings, new builds plus planning permissions c800. The Kent Structure Plan and Swale Borough Council Local Plan propose a further 400 dwellings for the plan period 2006 to 2016.

Kent and Medway Structure Plan (K&MSP) was subjected to an Examination in Public throughout September 2004. A number of Developers including Ward and Hillreed Homes raised objections to the K&MSP seeking further release of greenfield farmland for housing development around Iwade and between Iwade and Bobbing. Both Kent County Council and Swale Borough Council propose that a Strategic Gap between the urban boundary of Sittingbourne and Rainham is necessary to prevent coalescence of the towns. The Parish Council was able to appear and gave evidence in support of a Strategic gap around Iwade. The EiP Panel concluded that ‘the Strategic gap between Sittingbourne and Medway is necessary as proposed in the Plan’.

This should mean that for the life of the new Swale Plan, Iwade will be ring fenced against any further development on green field land, however, the Government is introducing changes in the plan led system and nothing is guaranteed.

In February 2004 construction work to enlarge Iwade School was halted when it discovered that a pond in the corner of the school playing field was inhabited by ‘Great Crested Newts’. This pond had been moved off land that Ward Homes were developing for houses and it has taken a full year for remedial action to be put in place to protect the newts so that contractors could recommence enlarging the school.

Great Crested Newts and the places they use for shelter or protection are protected under both UK law and European law. It is an offence to: · Intentionally kill, injure or take a great crested newt · Deliberately capture or kill a great crested newt · Possess or control an live or dead specimen or anything derived from a Newt · Intentionally or reckless damage, destroy or obstruct a place of shelter of great crested newts · Deliberately take or destroy the eggs of a great crested newts · Penalties are up to Ł5,000 fine for each offence and/ or a custodial sentence of up to 6 months duration.

Although Great Crested Newts are found in ponds during early spring and summer, they spend a substantial amount of time on land and may be found up to 500 metres around the pond. Work has now recommenced on the school.

The newts have now raised a new problem for the Parish Council; the land north of the church which we were to have been given by Ward Homes, for a church car park, has a pond inhabited by great crested newts. We await a report on the extent of the problem and how it is to be solved before we can accept responsibility for the land.

In January we were approached by Harrison’s Estate Agents on behalf of Wards to support an application to the Planning Authority for extended opening hours for the Mini Market and fast food shop. Parish Councillors agreed to support an extra hour in the morning for the mini market (i.e. 7am opening) and 30 minutes later opening for the fast food shop (i.e. 10.00pm closing)

Planning Condition No 8 of the Grant of Permission to Building the Village Centre states: No non –residential unit, retail or other commercial premise hereby permitted shall be open to the public between the hours of 9.30pm and 8am on any day, and all external illumination serving these properties shall be switched off before 10pm each day and left unilluminated until 8am the following day.

Grounds in the interests of residential amenity as unrestricted use could prove detrimental to residential properties above and nearby contrary to policy G1 of the Swale Borough Local Plan.

Election of Officers and Declaration of Acceptance (Chairman, Vice Chairman and Responsible Financial Officer

Cllr Peter Wilks was elected for another term as Chairman of the Parish Council. This was proposed by Cllr Phill Fearn and Seconded by Cllr Brian Groves

Cllr Philip Fearn was elected Vice Chairman of the Iwade Parish Council. This was proposed by Chairman Peter Wilks and Seconded by Cllr Brian Groves

Mrs Sarah George, Clerk to Iwade Parish Council was appointed as the Responsible Financial Officer.

Declarations of Acceptance of Office have been signed and will be passed to Mr Mark Radford, Monitoring Officer of Swale Borough Council as stated in the code of conduct order 2001.

Election of Representatives

Village Hall: It was agreed that Mrs Sarah George, would represent the Parish Council.

Kent Association of Parish Councils: It was agreed that Vice Chairman Phil Fearn would act as representative

School Representative: The Chairman reported that Mr Duncan George had been appointed as Governor to Iwade School on the joint nomination of the Parish Council and Swale Borough Council but would not be continuing as Governor for the next term

Minutes of Annual Parish Council Meeting 2004

Minutes of Meeting held on Tuesday 22nd June 2004 were re-circulated as a reminder and it was agreed by all present as correct and that there were no matters still outstanding arising from that meeting.

Matters Arising

None

Adoption of Accounts for Year Ending 31st March 2005

Accounts for the above year, were signed by the Chairman and Responsible Financial Officer as a true record of the accounts relating to the above year. The External Audit had been completed and a written statement had been received.

Dates of Meetings 2005/06

The Iwade Parish Council agreed to meet in the Iwade Village Hall at 7.30pm on the second Tuesday of every month.

Meeting Closed at 7.20pm


	Iwade Village Centre School Lane Iwade ME9 8UW	The Street Iwade