Tuesday 3 March 2020

WESTGATE AND WESTBROOK RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION Meeting Feb 2020




MINUTES OF A GENERAL MEETING HELD AT THE BOWLS CLUB ON MONDAY 10th  FEBRUARY 2020 AT 7.15PM.


PRESENT

Tom King (Ch), and thirty five members, including TDC Cllr Ash Ashbee-Welch, WTC Cllr Joanna Cornford.  Also present Tim Green and Penny Wells, prospective candidates for the forthcoming Westgate Town Council election.

APOLOGIES
Bob Loxley.

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
1)       General Meetings.  Tom informed members that the monthly meetings would continue, alternating between Westbrook Bowls Club and Christ Church URC. Due to various commitments the second Monday was difficult for a number of committee members, and Tom asked the meeting if the first Monday in the month would be acceptable.  This was agreed.
2)      Information for Members.  The notice board near “Krusty Kobbs”, and the window of Tescos Westbrook will be available for notices of meetings etc.
3)      Constitution.  This requires updating and clarifying.  Some of the previous committee had been looking at this and Don Eacott had supplied a suggested revised text for consideration.
4)      Membership Lists.  Information is awaited.
5)      New Businesses in Westgate.  Two have opened, a Pizza shop, and “The Little Brown Fairy Cake”.
6)      WTC Bye-election.  The two candidates had both come to the meeting to address members, unfortunately at this point Tim Green who is in the fire service received a call out and had to leave.  Penny Wells told the meeting that she had lived in the area since the 1980s and had been involved in the community in many ways and hopes to help look after Westgate especially in view of the forthcoming development.

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The minutes of the last general meeting, (14/10/19), which had been circulated, were agreed as a correct record on a proposal by James Brazier sec. by Don Eacott, and signed.
The minutes of the EGM held on the 13th January 2020, also circulated, were agreed as a correct record on a proposal by Derek Smith sec. by Stephanie Sutton, and signed.


REPORTS Cllrs, PCSOs, WARDEN'S:
WTC Cllr Joanna Cornford:
1)       Advertisements in the new WTC magazine.  Cllr Cornford pointed out that these had not been “nicked” from the Record magazine.
TDC Cllr Ash Ashbee-Welch:
1)       Tree Project on Council Land.  TDC has managed to win a bid for a large amount for an urban tree project for Isle of Thanet trees.  The funding is matched by the airport owners and voluntary labour matchfunding.  There will be 1,200 trees in all.  Help and advice will be given by Luke Evans, (Thanet Forestry Community School), and Peter Hasted.  Trees will be planted in Dane Park, Dane Valley Green, (which will help prevent travellers from camping), the Sunken Gardens and George V Green.  This will hel;p raise Thanet’s tree canopy coverage which is now only 4%, (London is 29%).
2)      George V Avenue.  KCC is to build a large soakaway which is to prevent flooding, after which all the green will be put back and trees planted.


KCC Warden Laura Bungard: (Report sent in and read by the chair):
1)      Scams.  Golden Rule do not have a conversation or agree to work being done by anyone who calls at the door, recently offers to clear gutters or do odd jobs have been unsatisfactory.
2)      TDC Lorries, Pot Holes and Drains.  Problems with these are being chased up.
3)       Contact.  Laura may be contacted by email laurabungard@kent.gov.uk or by phone 07969 583922, and her details are held at the Town Council Offices.

Police Messages (by email):
1)      Scam.  Calls received supposedly from BT or Open Reach asking to add a program to your computer to help it work faster.  Disregard this.
2)      Scam.  Spurious drain/sewer unblocker calls, claiming to be from the local council and asks for bank card and pin to pay for the work.  Do not get involved.

PLANNING
1)      30, Bowes Avenue.  Application for single storey rear extension.
2)      2/74, St Mildred’s Road.  Application for removal of chimney.
3)      Budget Beaters, Station Road.  Application for change of frontage.  This is to be called in.
4)      5, Bowes Avenue. Application for single storey front side and rear extension.
5)      3, Westcliff Road. Application for single storey rear extension.
6)      Paul’s Bar.  Retrospective application for external shelter.
7)      Springfield.  Application for change of use from care home to five bedroom detached dwelling.
8)      Royal Sea Bathing Hospital.  Application to build two metre boundary wall following demolition of old wall.


TREASURER'S REPORT (Jane)
Jane reported that the paperwork had been received, and the accounts are being audited as arranged by the previous treasurer.
The bank account stands at £4,420.  The necessary forms have been sent to the bank for change of name of treasurer.
Expenses had included £960 for postage etc. and the meeting at The Swan, and payment for entries in three editions of the WTC magazines totalling £1,400.  The deficit for the year had been £775, in spite of refunds from the electricity company which were owed.
In answer to a question Jane confirmed that the subscriptions would continue as before, and may be paid by direct debit if convenient.
Jane undertook to give a brief report at each general meeting for transparency regarding the state of the account and ins and outs of the month.

EDITOR & PRESS REPORT
Ash reported that she was in touch with Emma Dublin of “Westgate Matters” for help in setting up a facebook page for the W&WRA, it would be an outward only page.
Minutes are to be only available for W&WRA and not available to the general public or on other websites.
The Record magazine used to pay for itself with the advertisement fees, and it has been relatively costly, @£350/month, to use pages in the WTC magazine.  Ash had contacted Adam Robson and as a gesture of goodwill two pages have been made available for the next edition free of charge.  It is hoped to have the “Record” magazine up and running as soon as possible.
The postal address will remain at St Augustines for correspondence.
Jane asked that any road stewards who had copies of their rounds supply these in order to help to help with delivery of magazines and subscription collection.  Jacquie said she had hard copies of these she could supply.

SOCIAL REPORT
A suggestion to hold a VE Day Lunch in place of the New Year Lunch was put to members for feedback.  The idea appeared to be received favourably.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS
1)       Travellers’ Sites.  Chris Wyer enquired if the council had been able to allocate sites.  Cllr Ash said there is a working party for this, which was a difficult problem to solve and some sites had been refused and it was back to review.
2)      Tennis Courts by St Mildred’s Bay.  Don Eacott pointed out that there was no fence round the lower pair of courts, and asked if this could be remedied. Cllr Ash replied that there was no spare finance at present.
3)      Laura Shawyer thanked all committee members for their voluntary hard work, and expressed the hope that the W&WRA will go forward in a positive way.

NEXT MEETING
This will be held on Monday 2nd March at Christ Church URC (54, Westgate Bay Avenue) at 7.00pm for 7.15pm.

The meeting concluded at 8.48pm.

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