Westgate and Westbrook Residents' Association Minutes March 2015

WESTGATE AND WESTBROOK


RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
MINUTES OF A GENERAL MEETING HELD AT THE WESTBROOK BOWLS CLUB ON MONDAY 9th MARCH 2015 AT 7.15PM.


PRESENT

Tom King, chairman and councillor, twenty one members, and KCC Community Warden Laura Bungard..

The chairman welcomed all to the meeting.

APOLOGIES

Apologies had been received from Ron Rolfe and Sam Secomb.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
1) Parish Council Westgate-on-Sea. This is to come into effect from 1st April 2015, and there will be elections on 7th May. A clerk is required to prepare for the parish council. Advice from the TDC solicitor is that provision is to be made to appoint councillors to be a "ghost" council of three to five people to facilitate setting up pending the election.

2) Campaign "No to 1000 Houses". Our response as a community through the offices of the W&WRA were taken to the TDC offices by the steering committee on 4th March. Twenty eight points of concern were made, having been very professionally put together by Tim Ingleton, Dave Morrish, Pete Sexton and others. This goes back to the TDC for amendments following this there will be another chance to respond before a decision is made. Tom thought the complete process would take until early 2017. A meeting is being planned at the Westgate Pavilion mid April when all local election candidates will be invited.


3) Libraries. KCC is moving towards a charitable trust to run this service. Tom is hoping to have someone from KCC to talk on this at a general meeting. There had been one hundred companies interested in this service. There is concern that there may be a conflict between the interest of the trust and the interest of the KCC.

Tom then invited questions on the three topics:

Qu Will members be able to read/see the twenty eight points?

Ans Yes they will be put in the Bake House, and should also be on the Development Concerns website.

It was noted that there are still many local residents unaware of the draft plan for the 1000 houses.

Qu Are copies of the order for the parish council available to see?

Ans Yes, they should be on the TDC website.

Qu Which councillors might be serving on the PC on a temporary basis?

Ans Tom was willing but could not speak for the others.
Tom further informed the meeting that due to the elections the TDC debate on the proposed draft plan and objections may be held on 16th July instead of April. Over 1,400 signatures had been handed in, and 281 more had been received, but not accepted by the TDC after the original submission, more signatures are still coming in.

It was noted that the consultation period concerning Libraries management ends on 8th April, before the next W&WRA general meeting.


Qu What will the PC be responsible for?

Ans Many of the local services can be taken on as felt appropriate. During the first year the PC will decide which services will be included. The precept for band D will be approximately £36.

Qu When will the names of the nominees be known?

Ans Tom agreed to phone up and check this.

Tom then welcomed back Laura Bungard KCC Community Warden who has already been busy helping the community. Laura asked that local residents be aware to keep clear from parking on the road in front of Eaton Lodge and Westgate Surgery as this has caused problems recently. Laura will be present on weekdays and has an office based in the library.

MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
The minutes of the last meeting, (9th February 2015), which had been circulated, were adopted on a prop by Don Eacott sec by Stephanie Sutton, and signed.


MATTERS ARISING

1) Westgate Community Centre Cheque. This had been presented and photos taken, it was thought that they would start by purchasing new chairs.

2) Westgate Pavilion Friends Group. Tom felt that the W&WRA would be happy to support this.

3) Plastic Kerb "Stones". KCC Cllr Jeff Elenor is looking into this.

4) Railway Footbridge Lights. It was reported that two out of three are still not working. Tom agreed to chase this up.

COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS

No other councillors being present Tom was prepared to answer questions.

Tom confirmed that the proposed pedestrian crossing would not be positioned as shown on the original plan.

CORRESPONDENCE

1) Dreamland Temporary Car Park. Due to ongoing work this is no longer in use, but parking is available in nearby Eaton Road and Grosvenor Road.

2) Phone Mast in Canterbury Road. This appears to have affected TV reception in the area, it may be possible to put in a filter to correct the problem. Don Eacott thought he may have a contact telephone number.

3) Linksfield Residents' Management Committee. Thanks had been received for Tom's help with service charges and various other matters.

4) Pancake Race. This had fallen in half term week but there was a good attendance. £120 had been raised and sent to the QEQM children's ward.

　

5) Dementia 24 hour Helpline is available tel 08005003014.
6) Westgate Heritage Centre. Events in April include the monthly talk by Dawn Crouch on 4th April on Westgate's original parish council being amalgamated with Margate, and a heritage walk over part of the Westgate boundary on Friday 10th April. On Wednesday 15th April at 7.30pm James Brazier will give an illustrated talk at Christ Church URC on beating the bounds in 1935 and how a new Westgate-on-Sea Parish Council has been created exactly 80 years after the old one was abolished.


7) Police Community Messages (by email). These included theft from a car in Westgate Bay Avenue, and a burglary in Canterbury Road. The main problems were from scams by phone or email. In one scam a caller states money is owed on a BT bill. A useful website recommended is www.hoax-slayer.com Any email suggesting sharing money or claiming to be from Pay Pal and asking for bank details are frauds. A telephone scam that interrupts your outgoing call telling you to dial 118820 may put you on hold for some time and then say the problem has been solved ends up with a charge of £11. Other telephone scams also take place trying to elicit details of phone bills and names, these should be ignored.

PLANNING

1) 45, Westgate Bay Avenue. Retrospective application for solar panels.

2) 8, Westleigh Road. Application for permission to erect a three storey building with 1x1bedroom, 2x2bedroom, and 3x3bedroom flats following demolition of existing building.

TREASURER'S REPORT

Sam's report was read out: The bank balance stood at £6,299 of which £1,852 had already been spent but has yet to leave the account. Young's nursery bill has now been paid, apologies due to Jackie for the delay.

EDITOR’S REPORT

The magazine has gone to the printers..

MEMBERSHIP

No report.

CIVIC REPORT

Westgate Heritage Centre (in St Saviour's Church). Events in April as in correspondence (6) above.
Margate Civic Society meet in the Walpole Bay Hotel on the first Thursday of the month, next meeting is 2nd April at 7.30pm and will be an illustrated talk by Dr Steven Alexander on the artwork of his father, Christopher Alexander.


PRESS REPORT

Richard told the meeting that the Gazette had failed to publish the W&WRA report, and he would go to the Thanet Extra.

SOCIAL

1) Quiz Night. Very successful and enjoyed by all, the next one will be arranged after the elections.

2) A trip to East Northdown Farm will be arranged.
3) A trip to Faversham takes place on Tuesday 17th March.


ANY OTHER BUSINESS

1) Chief Executive TDC. There is a closing date for applications for this post. The question was raised concerning the pay off for the previous office holder.

2) Community Governance Review. The question of the cost of this was raised, and if this is to be picked up by the Charter Trustees, and of how the assets are to be split with the new Westgate parish council.

3) Litter Bins. The bin near to the paddling pool at St Mildred's Bay has been removed, and Tom agreed to ask for a replacement. A new one has been placed at Ethelbert Square.

4) Trees. Chris Wyer pointed out that trees had been felled at Doon House Lodge and at 17, Sea Road/Westgate Bay Avenue. A large tree has become rotten and is leaning at Questeds, Canterbury Road.

5) Graffiti. Westgate library has been graffiti sprayed on the back wall.

NEXT MEETING
Monday 13th April, in the Town Hall Buildings, Westgate.


There being no other business the meeting concluded at 8.40pm.