WESTGATE AND WESTBROOK
RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
MINUTES OF A GENERAL MEETING HELD AT THE
TOWN HALL BUILDINGS ON MONDAY 14th DECEMBER 2015 AT 7.15PM.
PRESENT
Richard Charlton, (chair), twenty five members, Thanet
District Cllrs Ash Ashbee and Carol Partington, Westgate Town Cllrs Ash Ashbee,
Richard Charlton, and Tom King, and KCC Warden Laura Bungard.
The chairman welcomed all to the meeting.
APOLOGIES
Apologies had been received from KCC Cllr Jeff
Elenor and TDC Cllrs Sam Bambridge and Bertie Braidwood.
CHAIRMAN
1) Richard told the meeting
that the editor, Derek, would be stepping down after the spring issue of the
magazine, and that the committee had co-opted Mike Linder as editor elect.
2) Volunteers Shop. A cheque for £100 with a letter had been
received, Richard read the letter out, and it was somewhat difficult to understand exactly why it had been sent as throughout every third or fourth word
was “volunteer”. This volunteers trust
did not appear to be registered with the Charity Commission, so a decision was taken to return the cheque with a polite
letter.
3) Planning Reports. These were not now being sent by TDC, but
Cllr Carol Partington agreed to forward copies to Richard for the W&WRA.
MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
The minutes of the last meeting, (9th
November 2015), which had been circulated, were adopted on a prop. by Tony Snow
seconded by Mavis Vaughan.
MATTERS ARISING
1) Business Rates Refund
Application. The TDC had now been
informed that the W&WRA had been hiring the room, and the landlady had supplied
proof of this so that the refund should be forthcoming in the not too distant
future.
2) Railway Footbridge
Lights. Richard agreed to contact Cllr
Bertie Braidwood to see if the repairs were in hand.
3) Litter Bags in
Birchington. Chris Wyer had contacted
the group and been advised that they would be tidied up.
4) Post Boxes. It was pointed out that most of these were in
need of repainting.
5) Westgate Library. Enquiries had been made as to the poor state
of the building, but Property Services Dept said there were quotes out to
rectify this.
6) Briary Close Hedge. An entrance had been made through this for
agricultural purposes. The old entrance
was at no 11 but due to developments was no longer usable.
Comments and questions: The post boxes and library
should be looked after by the Westgate-on-Sea TC. Laura Bungard has her office in the library
and there have been repairs quoted for the roof and a new boiler fitted. Chris Wyer said it would be good to have a
lift at the library when finances allowed.
COUNCILLORS' / WARDEN'S / PCSOS' REPORTS
WTC Cllr Richard Charlton:
1) 8, Westleigh Road. There is a problem with this planning
application.
2) War Memorial. There is no formal memorial to indicate that
the Lymington Road playing fields themselves were given as a memorial to those
who lost their lives in WW1. Abigail
Carden pointed out that the allotments are also part of this memorial.
3) Lighting Issue Survey. Full night street lighting was voted for and
KCC are rolling out the new lights.
4) PCSO. At present there is no PCSO for Westgate.
5) Westgate TC. Any resident who wishes to address the TC may
do so providing a request has been made to the clerk. The meetings are held on the first Monday of
the month.
6) Division of Assets. There had been no agreement yet regarding the
division of assets between the Charter trustees and Westgate Town Council.
Cllr Ash Ashbee:
1) Road safety. The recent tragic death of a school child was
much in the minds of all, and Cllr
Ashbee was trying to sort out issues as to whether a further zebra crossing on
the Westbrook side of Boundary Road might help and would be subject to
consultation with TDC. The issue of
speeding traffic in Westbrook Avenue and possible use of speed signs and dummy cameras
has arisen. There had been yet another
accident on Saturday at the Margate end with injuries resulting, and a car had
crashed into the hedge by the tennis courts.
Residents had also been aware of speeding cars colliding with stationary
vehicles during the night. It was
thought that the drivers were avoiding the number plate recognition cameras in
Canterbury Road. A request had been made for 10mph signs and a car park arrow
for the Barnes Car Park. Richard said that letters to the press, debates and
meetings were needed.
2) Westbrook Bowls Club. The club is congratulated on obtaining a
grant for improvements. Membership is
open to all the annual fee being £10.
Cllr Carol Partington:
1) Road Safety. Following the recent fatal accident Cllr
Partington had been in touch with TDC safer neighbourhood dept, and following a
certain number of reported accidents certain measures can be taken so that the
whole picture is looked at and measures put into practice such as safety
training for children. The new zebra
crossing is good but there is some concern that the nearby legal parking
obstructs the road view of those crossing.
2) Refuse and Recycling. Requests for more bins in St Mildred's Bay
Car Park have been made as the contents have been spilling over. Dispensers for dog excrement bags will be sited. Waste collection strategy is being looked at
again, some smaller trucks will be used and plastic inserts for wheelie bins
will be tried.
3) 8, Westleigh Road. The developer's application for six flats
would cover a large area on a not so large plot, this went to appeal and was
refused. It was resubmitted with a
doorstep play area and modifications and subsequently accepted. There had been concern to check that correct
procedures and planning law had been followed. WTC Cllr Tom King suggested that
the overview and scrutiny committee should be asked to look at this, and WTC
Cllr Ash Ashby felt this was very important as the site was on Sea Road at the
front.
KCC Warden
Laura Bungard:
Laura reported working with the elderly with regard
to heating and living alone, and had reported to Age UK. There had been break-ins in Canterbury Road,
The Aqua Club, and Westbrook Cafe.
Vehicle problems, if no MOT then the insurance is void and the vehicle
can be moved. Anyone can “check a
vehicle” on the internet, the details flash up and when necessary can be
reported.
CORRESPONDENCE
Volunteers letter and cheque—see chairman's report page 1.
PLANNING 8
Westleigh Road—see top of this page (item 3).
TREASURER'S REPORT
Bank Balance stands at£6,441.
Bake House Rental due to rise from £235 to £260 per month.
Accounts: Two items
were queried from the floor, after verification of which the accounts should be
formerly adopted at the next general meeting.
EDITOR’S REPORT
The new magazine issue delivery is almost complete.
SUNSHINE REPORT
Mavis reported that four cards have been sent out to
members this month.
MEMBERSHIP
Christina thanked all road stewards for their work..
CIVIC REPORT
Civic Society. No meeting in January.
Westgate Heritage Centre.
Saturday 9th January
at St Saviour's Church 10.30am when there will be a talk about the Huckstep
family. (Second Saturday of Month).
SOCIAL
Jane reported:
1)
Recent Events.
Lunch at the Golf Club, forty five members had enjoyed this, Jane
thought that a smaller choice of menu would reduce the delay in service to the
tables. The outing to Pole Hill Garden Centre with Carol Peters had been a good
success, and members had enjoyed the nativity play at Minster Abbey. The Christmas lights switch on had seventy
stalls present and a good crowd, but had been windy. Thanks are due to
Birchington volunteers who helped keep the streets clean.
2)
Christmas Social in the Bake House Tuesday 15th
December. This will be with a fish and
chip order (collected together but each member pays for their own), with mulled
wine, tea/coffee, and crackers supplied.
Also members welcome to bring their own drinks. To accommodate a larger number of members two
sessions will be held, one lunch time and one evening, at present the bookings
are ten for lunch time and twenty two for the evening.
3)
New Year Lunch at St Augustines 10th
January. There are eighty bookings to
date.
4)
Items planned:
Quiz in February, Outings start in March.
Comments from the floor:
The discount on Mondays scheme is not shown in the magazine, Westgate may need more Christmas lights.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
1) Westgate Against
Rubbish. Ray reported fourteen bags of
rubbish were collected.
2) Bake House Tea/Coffee
Prices. In view of rising costs the
committee had recommended moderate increases of 20p to 30p. Following a short discussion this was
proposed by Stephanie Sutton seconded by Dee Hooper and agreed
unanimously.
3) The Nott Pub. Chris Wyer informed the meeting that there is
to be a planning application for town houses in the car park and a micropub in
part of the old pub.
4) Westgate Community Centre
Association. Abigail Carden reported
that £350 had been raised during the Christmas lights party towards
repairs. There will be an Easter event
for children for which volunteers will be needed.
NEXT MEETING
Monday 11th
January, at the Westbrook Bowls Club 7.00pm for 7.15pm.
There being no other business the meeting concluded
at 8.50pm.
