WESTGATE AND WESTBROOK
RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
MINUTES OF A GENERAL MEETING HELD AT THE TOWN HALL BUILDING ON MONDAY 14TH APRIL 2014 AT 7.15PM.
PRESENT
Tom King, chairman and councillor, twenty seven members, and
KCC Cllr Jeff Elenor.
The chairman welcomed all attending.
APOLOGIES
Apologies had been received from Abigail Carden, Sam
Secomb, Chris Smith, Tony and Pat Snow, Tony and Sylvia Sykes, and John and
Mavis Vaughan
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
1) Village Green Enquiry Report. Tom introduced Graham Rickett who explained
that this piece of land has been used a great deal by local residents since the
war. It now belongs to King Ethelbert
School but they have not made use of it.
Seventy one local residents had given account of various uses of this
land, there had been a hearing in 2012 and as a result the KCC scheduled a
public enquiry for November 2013 with an independent inspector. Students from
Kent Law Clinic had helped, and were up against a barrister, but the resultant
judgement was that the area should be a village green, (or town green as
Westgate is a town). KCC still have to
register this as a green but this is usually a formality. Publicity is to be used as the school are
against it, and plans for the area and looking after it need to be drawn up. Don Eacott thought it would be a good idea to
have some plans in place before the KCC summer meeting. The final presentation event will need
support.
2) Community Governance Review
by TDC. Tom spoke of concern that very
few residents were aware that this was taking place, the meeting at TDC Offices
was poorly attended. There is a
possibility of Westgate having a parish council and there were fors and
againsts for this. Tom thought that a public meeting should be held. James Brazier also attended the meeting and
was one of only nine members of the public there. There is a questionnaire on line or in
printed form available from the Gateway, and those completed should be returned
by 2nd June. It would not be
an easy choice as various permutations could result, TDC hopes to come up with
the wishes of the public. A rise in
council tax could result. Tom felt that
the whole subject required a higher profile so that residents could understand
the options and make their wishes known.
After further discussion a proposal by Don Eacott seconded by Richard
Charlton that a meeting be held to explain and discuss parish councils was
carried unanimously.
MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
The minutes of the last meeting, (10th March
2014), which had been circulated, were adopted on a prop by Don Eacott sec by Sandra
Heald, and signed.
MATTERS ARISING
There were no matters arising.
COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
KCC Cllr Jeff Elenor:
1) KCC
Community Grant. This had been cut by
half by KCC, however the £400 towards a portable PA system has already been
made available, and the chairman thanked Jeff for his help in obtaining this
grant.
2) Highways/Zebra
Crossings. Various issues had arisen in
recent years, a request for a crossing in Westgate Bay Avenue had been refused
some time ago, and Tom reported that residents in Palm Court had asked if a
crossing could be considered for Sea Road. Jeff agreed to
contact Pat Bailey, a W&WRA member and resident of Palm Court.
CORRESPONDENCE
1) Correction
to local press report re new buildings consideration. Richard Charlton reported that a correction
had been made to the earlier report and that the correct number of suggested
building units was twelve hundred, some of which could be in the Garlinge area.
2) MS
Society Letter. Tom reported that a
letter of thanks had been sent for the £17.28 received from the collection box
in the Bake House.
3) Road
Crossings. A letter had been received
from Optima Care, who run a mental care home, requesting consideration of a
zebra crossing over Westgate Bay Avenue nearer to the Sea Road junction. Jeff
has a copy of the letter and will follow this up and ask KCC Highways to
look at it again.
PLANNING
1) 45
– 51 Sea Road. Work had been stalled and
complaints made by residents. Tom had
spoken to the developer, Mr Richardson, who claimed to have been misled by TDC,
but now the architect and TDC have met and a new application will be submitted,
and the drawings available for W&WRA members to see.
2) New
Benches. The bench by the Bridge Hotel
has been moved down and is now adjacent to the church grounds.
3) 30
– 35 St Mildred’s Road. Retrospective
application for erection of display of signs.
4) 69
Sea Road. Application for change of use
from care home to eight flats and insertion of UPVC windows.
5) 149
Sea Road. Application for a two storey
detached dwelling.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Sam Secomb had sent a brief report with her apologies for
absence. The balance sheets/statements
had now been received and work is in progress to produce the annual accounts
for the AGM. Any questions from members
would be welcome by telephone.
EDITOR’S REPORT
Derek requested articles and copy for the next issue by
the first week in June.
SUNSHINE REPORT
No report
MEMBERSHIP
No report.
CIVIC
1) The Civic Society Town Pride Awards are to be
held on Thursday 8th May at the Walpole Bay Hotel, and include two
properties in Westgate and one in the Royal Esplanade, Westbrook.
2) Westgate
Heritage Centre. A talk “Westgate in the
Summer of 1914” will take place on Saturday 3rd May at 10.30am at St
Saviour’s Church.
SOCIAL
1) St
George’s Day Party. To be held at the
Bake House on Wednesday 23rd April at 7.00pm. Numbers are limited
for safety reasons, those wishing to come should add their names to the list in
the Bake House.
2) Quiz. The next quiz will be held in May, details to
follow.
3) Outing
to East Northdown Farm. It is hoped to
arrange this for the coming season.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
1) Westgate Sign. Darren Ellis said he has some graffiti
remover and kindly offered to clean the sign.
2) Holm Oak Trees. On enquiry it had been established that
permission had been obtained for a severe pruning of these trees. They should however grow well again.
3) 1950 Shelter by Palm
Court. This had not as yet been
replaced.
4) Graffiti etc in the
Area. The pavilion near the allotments
and the phone boxes by the station had all suffered. Tom agreed to speak to one of the community
teams.
5) Dog Mess. Posters from TDC are still to come.
6) Litter Bins for Victoria
Avenue and Green. A member pointed out
the lack of bins in the area, and Tom agreed to ask about this.
NEXT MEETING
Monday 12th
May, at the Town Hall Buildings,
which will be the AGM and short general meeting.
There being no other business the meeting concluded
at 9.00pm.
