221 Present: Mr Whitburn (Chairman), Prof Swingland, Miss Bennetts,
Mr Foat, Mr King, Mrs Chandler, Mrs Ovenden, Mr Potts, Mr Darvell, Mr Pratt and Mr Gregory (from 9pm)

Dist Cllr Trevor Bartlett was also in attendance and Phil Barefoot of Strategic Leisure Ltd, with an assistant.

222 Apologies for absence None

223 Nominate a Publicity Officer Mrs Ovenden agreed to write a report for the Parish Magazine.

224 Minutes of the meeting held 3 October 2005
The minutes were approved and were signed as a true record.

225 Declarations of Interest
Cllrs were invited to declare items on the agenda in which they have a personal or prejudicial interest. No such interests were declared.

At this point the meeting was adjourned to allow Phil Barefoot to explain about the DDC Open Space, Sports Needs and recreational Facilities Assessment and then Dist Cllr Bartlett to address the meeting.

226 Matters Arising from the minutes of the last meeting
i) Mr Darvell telephoned the clerk the day after the last meeting to apologise for failing to attend, which was due to unforeseen circumstances.
ii) Land Registry Voluntary first registration of title. The clerk explained that as compulsory registration has been in force since 1958, Pound Corner would have been registered. However, it has been found that the Recreation Ground and Allotments are not. As registration has to be done through a solicitor, with consequent costs and as it was considered that there is sufficient evidence of ownership, it was decided not to pursue registration at this time. That is unless the Trustees of the Almshouses, which are also unregistered, wish to carry out the necessary legal work to register the Recreation Ground and Allotments, at the same time as the Almshouses, as a service to the village.
iii) Report from ARCK AGM held on 19th Oct – Mr Whitburn was unable to attend.

227 Planning Report
Considered by the Parish Council:
i) Hills Court, Hills Court Road – erection of a two storey extension (DOV/05/01169) – there were no objections to the proposals.
ii) The Caravan, Each End – certificate of lawfulness for continued use of land for the siting of a caravan (DOV/05/01159) - not in Ash parish.
iii) Sparrow Castle, Guston, Ash – erection of double garage with room over (DOV/05/001135) – there were no objections to the proposals.
iv) Land between Oak Lodge and Hope Cottages, Poulton Lane – erection of a detached dwelling with single garage (DOV/05/01132) – there were no objections to the proposals, butt Cllrs preferred the design of the previous application which had been refused by DDC.
v) Anchor House, Ship Yard – removal of one Silver Birch (TC/05/00063/TC) – there were no objections to the proposals.
vi) Redundant Farm Building and Land to rear at Guilton Farm, Guilton – internal and external alteration s in connection with conversion of redundant agricultural building to two office/light industrial units including demolition of existing canopy and loading bay at the rear (DOV/05/01212 LISTED) – there were no objections to the proposals.
vii) 52 Chequer Lane – erection of a two storey rear extension and repositioning of existing garage to rear garden (DOV/05/01192) – there were no objections to the proposals.
viii) 54 Chequer Lane – erection of two storey rear extension (DOV/05/01193) – there were no objections to the proposals.

Granted by DDC:
i) Bluebell Lodge, Guilton – erection of a rear conservatory extension (DOV/05/00976)
ii) Redundant farm building and land to rear at Guilton Farm, Guilton – conversion of redundant agricultural building to two office/light industrial units – Use class B1, alterations to access and formation of parking and turning area (DOV/05/00946)
iii) Paramour Farm House, Paramour Street – internal alterations to facilitate barn conversion to ancillary accommodation to the main dwelling house, and alterations to existing garage (DOV/05/00894 LISTED)
iv) Meadowview, 112/114 The Street – change of use of single dwelling to two dwellings (including external alterations) (DOV/05/00876)
v) 2 Barton Farm Cottages, Westmarsh - erection of a two storey side extension and single storey rear extension (existing conservatory to be demolished) (DOV/05/00841)
vi) Plot 7 Lay Lane – erection of a detached dwelling and detached garage with 1st floor games room over (DOV/05/009230

Refused by DDC:
None notified

Trinity House, Ware – the porch has been inspected by the Planning Enforcement Officer and he reports that it comes under the category ‘permitted development’

99 Sandwich Road – outline application for demolition of bungalow and erection of 5 detached dwellings. An appeal was heard on 26 October but the result not yet known.

To consider LDF Dover Area Action Plan and Site Allocations Development Plan – the Parish Council is being asked to comment on the three Options for Dover (copy of Options distributed to each cllr). It was agreed that for the only Option 1 could be supported, but as there has already been considerable development in Ash recently and as the Local Housing Needs survey had indicated no further need in Ash, none of the sites in Ash indicated for possible development should be utilised.

228 Parish Plan
Nothing to report.

229 Recreation Ground Report
i) Quotes for raising the ground level of the roundabout and for safety surfacing were presented to the council, but the item was referred to the Finance Committee Meeting.
ii) Park Leisure have agreed to check the seesaw when next in the area, as a small amount of play in the ground fixing has been reported.
ii) The information requested is still awaited from the Tennis Club.
iii) Playdale Playgrounds – the meeting with the representative is being rescheduled due to a mix up last time.
iii) The gate into the play area is now completed satisfactorily.
iv) Repairs have been carried out to the flushing system in the gents toilet.
v) Allotments - Mrs Anderson requests permission to put a small free-standing greenhouse on her allotment – granted.

vi) Report from Environment Assistant:
• The chain barrier has been in place since the middle of October, but since then has
had to be repaired due to persons jumping on it.
• The toilets are closed for the winter, although the water supply to the allotments is still on.
• A small pothole at the edge of the grasscrete area will be filled with ballast.
• Being monitored due to play in the ground fixings are the climbing ladder, the barrel roll handrails and one hurdle.
• Large amounts of obscene graffiti have been cleaned off the teen shelter.

230 Parish Council Property and Environment
i) Bin on school gate – Mrs Chandler is arranging a replacement.
ii) I.D. Badges – a design and type was approved and it was agreed that every Councillor, the Clerk and the Environment Assistant should have a badge.
iii) Report from Environment Assistant:
• Guttering pulled off the bus shelter in the village centre is being repaired.

231 Highway Report
i) County Lengthsman Scheme – the following items are to be submitted on the Work Schedule Request Form:
• Cutting back needed at the 30mph sign on the left entering from Woodnesborough
• A trip hazard in the pavement outside 41 Sandwich Road
• Cutting back needed at the Playground sign on the north end of Queens Road
• Ineffective road drainage at Sandhills to the west of Ivy House
• Cutting back needed around lights on footpaths from Chequer Lane and The Street
ii) Potholes in The Street, opposite Burfords Alley have been reported to Highways.
iii) Signposts
a) Old style at Pound Corner – vandalised again – AW repairing it
b) New style at Pound Corner – destroyed totally by vandals – Highways to replace
c) Old style at Brookstreet – fell apart due to age – Miss Bennetts is repairing it
iv) A requested is to be submitted to Highways for the 30mph sign at Sandwich Road to moved further long towards the bypass, to take into account the new housing at that end.

232 Police Report and Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy Report
i) Report from the Police Parish Forum Meeting held on 20th October – Mr Swingland was unable to attend.
ii) Community Warden – application form for a joint application with Wingham is still awaited from Marilyn Howell of KCC, who says that Ash sharing a Warden from another area will not now happen as quickly as she hoped, due to problems in Elvington and Eythorne.
iii) PCSO - Sgt Guy Thompson will be attending next months PC meeting to talk about PCSOs. No Sandwich rep is available to attend the Ash meeting, as they are away on a Cinque Ports event, but it was suggests that someone from Ash attends the Wingham meeting on 14th November, where Sandwich reps will be talking about how the PCSO works for them. Mr Potts and Mr Foat hope to attend.
iv) Speedwatch – forms were submitted for PC Foster to consider the suitability of roads, but there has been no response to date.
v) PC Foster has sent through some information about ‘Gopeds, Buzzboards and electric scooters’ and summaries of this were distributed.
vi) On 26 October Aw reported an increase in broken bottles and drug paraphernalia being left overnight behind the pavilion. This was reported to the police.
vii) On 1 November it was reported that a large group of youths were being rowdy and messing around with the signposts again. P C Wright was contacted and he arranged a patrol to get there as soon as possible.
viii) It was agreed that as well as reported the more serious offences to the police, a log of all anti-social behaviour reported should be forwarded to DASBU on a monthly basis.

233 KAPC Report
Parish News 312 was distributed to all cllrs
Mr Potts gave a short report from the AGM.

234 Footpaths Report
i) Letter from PROW Office re natural surface vegetation on footpaths asked for the council’s priorities for clearing them. The necessary items were agreed and will be forwarded.
ii) Footpath EE117 – The Street to Glebelands has been reported to FP Officer as overgrown and as a result the lights are ineffective.
iii) Footpath EE108A – FP Officer agreed to erect barrier at the Sandwich Road end and this has now been completed.
iv) A request for a footpath barrier from footpath at the Puma development onto New Street is to be submitted.

235 Website Report
Nothing to report. It was suggested that more photos of the village could be added. Cllrs were asked to let the clerk have copies of any good ones they have.

236 Finance Report and Payments to be approved
The following payments were approved:
Employment expenses 1,400.69
Administration 136.30
Capital expenditure (gate into play area) 600.00
Maintenance 176.61
Grants 5,000.00
VAT 129.82

Receipts:
Allotment rent paid in advance 10.00
Book sales 81.00

Balances:
Current account 3,122.89
Capital Reserve account 36,109.49

237 Correspondence
i) DDC Standards Committee – voting papers for parish rep – The council opted for Bryan Curtis of Wingham with David Jones of Eythorne as reserve.
ii) DDC - asking for info about lorry parking – both laybys along the bypass will be reported as having lorries parking overnight and a tractor unit that parks in Chequer Lane.
iii) DDC – notice of Towns and Parishes Meeting Thurs 1st December 6.30 at Whitfield, agenda items – Cllrs Whitburn, Chandler and Foat hope to attend.
iv) KCC Kent Children’s University – offer to assist with setting up and claiming grants to pay for courses for local children – taken by Ms Chandler who will report back to the next meeting.
v) KCC – copy of a letter sent to DDC Transport and Project Manager regarding the subsidized local bus services – also a copy of the timetable.
vi) Sanctuary Housing – local connection enquiry – applicants were confirmed.
vii) BTCV – asking for donations to Tree and Pond Warden Schemes – refused.
viii) Commission for Rural Communities – Inquiry event for the South East – New Romney 21st November 6.30-9pm
ix) Town & Cinque Port of Sandwich – The STARR Initiative Committee has been set up to assist the completion of projects in the Action Plan – Mr Whitburn agreed to be the council’s representative.
x) Kent Highways – East Kent Divisional Office – Parish and Town Council Seminar – Friday 25th November 9.15 at University of Kent
xi) Dover Local Board Meeting – 9th November at Sandwich Tech School – 5.30 for 6pm start – Agenda items – The Coastal Guide; Operation Stack update; Dock Exit Under Jubilee Way; Education update; Local Board Funding updates – Mrs Chandler hopes to attend.
xii) Ash Village Hall – Important information with ref to Ash VH from the Management Committee – read out.
xiii) David Eaton at KCC – information about improvements to the bus service – Mr Whitburn gave an explanations of the new funding and proposals. He is to carry out an audit of existing bus stops in the village, which will be sent to KCC. The possible need for new bus shelters at certain locations was discussed.
Circulated
i) Kent Police Authority – The Relay Newsletter and information about the restructuring of police forces in England and Wales. The full report can be read on http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmic/docs/docs/closinggap.pdf and views are welcome
ii) Dover and District Compact
iii) DDC – Standards Committee agenda etc – includes further date from the Code of Conduct consultation
iv) ACRK – Annual Report, Rural News 69
v) DDC Focus Planning Group - notes of the three meetings held this year
vi) Dept of Transport – Traffic Information and Road works for the SE of England (none in this immediate area)
vii) Clerks and Councils Direct Mag
viii) Kent Police – The Relay Newsletter

238 Parish Council Newsletter
Mr Whitburn aims to have a draft ready for the next meeting to approve.

239 Press Release none.

240 Any other business
A complaint about Silver Birches on the verge behind 62 Glebelands was discussed. It was agreed to support the complaint with a letter to KCC Highways.