Iwade Parish Council -
Monthly Parish Council Meeting
Held on Tuesday 10th May 2005
Present: Cllr Peter Wilks, Parish Clerk,
Cllr Phil Fearn, Ann Ryman of Swale Borough Council, Cllr Brian Groves, Cllr John White, Cllr Phil Hyde,
Cllr Tricia Carr, Cllr Malcolm Hutchings, Cllr Lynda Fisher
Apologies: Cllr Derek White, Borough Cllr Ben Stokes, Rural Warden Sue Seamon
2. Confirmation of the Minutes
The minutes of the extraordinary Parish Council meeting held on 28th April 2005 were signed by the Chairman as a true and accurate report. Cllr Tricia Carr wished it to be noted that she was late to this meeting and did not arrive until 8.30pm
The minutes of the 12th April 2005 were signed as a true and accurate report of the Parish Meeting
3. Business of the Council
3.1 Anne Ryman from Swale Borough Council approached the Parish Council and advised the Councillors that she would like to set up a recycling scheme for Iwade. Currently she has been running a community recycling project in Eastchurch, and Leysdown which h as been running successful for the last 11 months. The scheme is in partnership with APM Scrap metals, HMS Prison at Stanford on the Isle of Sheppey and Swale Borough Council. Every household will received two boxes – one for paper and the other for metal.
The scheme should start in July 2005 and residents will be notified through the Iwade Village News on how to obtain the containers and timetable of recycling collections days.
Last year, 104,620 tons of paper, 54,580 tons of glass and 7.11 tons of cans were collected for recycling in Leysdown and Eastchurch alone.
The Parish Councillors felt this was a good project to introduce to the village and gave Ann Ryman their full support and backing.
4 Matters arising from the minutes
4.1 Bus Shelter
Cllr Phil Hyde advised the Parish Council that the Bus Shelter was a major eyesore for the village
Cllr Phil Hyde proposed that the Parish Council consider replacing the polycarbonate windows of the shelter at the cost of £1,200.
This was seconded by Cllr Phil Fearn and it was agreed that Cllr Hyde would obtain a quote for the repair of the shelter and present it at the next meeting whereby a final decision would be made.
Cllr Phil Hyde to action
4.2 Great Crested Newt Survey
The Chairman reminded the members that following his last report for the Extraordinary Meeting on 28th April, members agreed to commission Jon Bramley to undertake a survey of the pond adjacent to the Church for Great Crested Newts, in the sum of £750. Members expressed the view that the Iwade Parish Council ought to have a full survey of the area, which would include other ponds within the 500m newt zone.
The Chairman, Cllr John White and Cllr Groves met Jon Bramley at the pond where he was undertaking his first survey. It was discussed with Jon Bramley the possibility of extending his survey to cover a wider field. The Parish Council were informed that it was too late into the newt season and with his other commitments he would be unable to carry out a full mitigation survey, however he has a good knowledge of the ponds to the east of the church, through previous work and will draw together a strategy for the Parish Council.
He agreed to carry out a reptile survey (protected species grass snakes, slow worms etc of the land the Parish Council is expected to take over for an additional £50 per visit. He will be sending the Parish Council a quote for £1,050 and his report includes advice on mitigation.
Newt ponds are categorised as Low, Medium and High, Jon Bramley counted 17 newts on his first visit which means the pond is Medium classification
The Parish Council is aware that our planning consultation period for Wards phase 7 has passed however the Parish Council has just received information from a consultant we have commission to undertake a survey of the pond adjacent to the Church for Great Crested Newts.
The Chairman submitted a written report to members quoting from English Nature website: English Nature is the Governments statutory conservation advisor and their Great Crested Newts mitigation guidelines should be followed before permission is granted for the above application.
The developer and their advisors share the responsibility for the following:
· Ensuring that they provide to the Local Planning Authority an accurate assessment surveys for application sites, including surveys for Great Crested Newts, If their prescience is suspected
· Applying for a licence to DEFRA should mitigation be required. Providing a sound and objective assessment of the impact of proposed development on the Great Crested Newt populations.
The Local Planning Authority has the following roles
· Ensuring that protected species issues are taken into account as a material consideration when determine planning applications, as set out in PPG9, this may involve refusal, deferral, conditions or agreements
· Ensuring that protected species issues are taken into account in preparing Local Plans...
The Iwade Parish Council has commissioned Mr Jon Bramley to carryout a survey of protected species in the pond north of the Church and surrounding land, the report will be available mid-June.
Following initial surveys the Iwade Parish Council can confirm that the pond north of the church is a breeding site for Great Crested Newts and based on the number of newts seem, is classified as Medium.
Iwade Parish Council request that Swale Borough Council defers the granting of planning permission until a full survey of protected species is submitted by the developers and a full consultation undertaken with Kent Wildlife Trust and English Nature.
Clerk to forward a holding letter to Swale Borough Council
Parish Clerk to action
4.3 Memorial Tree
The Parish Council agreed that a tree should be planted in memory of the late retired parish councillor Bill Reeder. Clerk to purchase and plant the tree in the ground of the village hall garden and to arrange for a plaque to be done. Clerk to advise Councillors at the next meeting when possible ceremony date will be.
Parish Clerk to action
5. Correspondence and Notices
5.1 Clerks progress report
Clerk to arrange for the graffiti to be removed from the wall in School Lane.
5.2 Basis of Allocation of 2004/05 Parish Grant Scheme
It was agreed that the Parish Council would write to the local Councillor in regard to the way this grant is being allocated. The same formula used by Swale Borough Council and approved by its Executive Committee, to distribute the 2004/05 Parish Grant Funding. The head count element of that formula is based on data from the 2001 Census. The Parish Council have been informed by the subsidiarity officer that this is the most up to date data for distribution of funding. On this basis funding allocated to Iwade will be £5,600 for 2005/06.
5.3 Donation to Kent Wildlife Trust
Due to the advise and assistance given by Kent Wildlife Trust with the Great Crested Newt situation.
After a brief discussion it was resolved that the Council in accordance with its powers under 137/139 of the Local Government Act 1972, should incur the following expenditure which, in the opinion of the Council, is in the interests of the area or its inhabitants and will benefit them in the manner commensurate which the donation of £100.00 to the Wildlife Trust.
6. Planning
· SW/05/0570 JRW Case: 21107 Conservatory to rear (Retrospective), 71 Stangate Drive, Iwade
No Objection
· Location of proposed Royal Mail letterboxes
No Objection
· SW/05/0515 HVM Case: 06547 Construction of single storey side extension adjacent to existing single storey side lobby. Replace existing 2 windows with French doors
No Objection
7. Finance
The following cheques were raised:
Mrs J Branch 2004/05 Audit fees £125.00
Parish Insurance 2005/06 £1,052.86
GE Commercial Finance Hire of Photocopier £280.80
Office Technical Solutions Printing Costs £30.89
Mrs Sarah George Clerks Wages and Sundries £586.06
Graham Chambers Handyman fee for April £195.05
Office Technical Solutions Printing Costs £20.22
Office Technical Solutions Printing Costs payment for December costs as cheque has been mislaid by company £42.00
Kent Wildlife Trust Donation £100.00
Financial Report
Clerk has received the sum of £10,029. for the half yearly 2005/06 Parish Precept and £815.68 for the half yearly 2005/06 lighting grant.
Meeting closed 9.30am
