MINUTES OF A GENERAL MEETING HELD AT THE
BOWLS CLUB ON MONDAY 14th
JANUARY 2019 AT 7.15PM.
PRESENT
Ray Taylor (chair), twenty two members, TDC Cllr Ash
Ashbee. and WTC Cllrs Joanna Cornford and Matthew Scott.
The chairman initiated a few moments of silence in memory
of Simon Moores, who had died in an aeroplane accident the previous week, and
members of the W&WRA who had died during the last year. Simon
Moores had been a local TDC councillor and very helpful to the
W&WRA.
APOLOGIES
Apologies had been received from Pat Sawyer-Jones,
and TDC Cllrs Sam Bambridge and Carol Messenger.
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The minutes of the last meeting, (10/12/18), which
had been circulated, were agreed as a correct record on a prop. by Mavis
Vaughan sec. by Tony Snow, and adopted, and signed.
MATTERS ARISING
1) There were no matters arising.
REPORTS: Councillors-KCC, TDC, WTC. PCSOs and
Wardens.
TDC Cllr Sam Bambridge, (Report sent in and read by
the chairman):
1) Westgate Pavilion. This now had a new owner who told Cllr
Bambridge that the building was in a poor state and would need £200,000 to
restore. Work will start as soon as
possible so that it will be available to local people.
2) Manston Airport. The preliminary hearing of the DCO by the
inspectorate has taken place at the Winter Gardens
3) Ramsgate Port/Seaborne
Freight. The move to open up the port
again had been opposed by some (KCC) councillors.
4) Local Plan. This has been submitted for independent
inspection, and any queries should be sent in
before the hearing in April/May to Annette Feeney, (programme officer).
5) Planning – 14 Suffolk Avenue
(Fairdales). This has been called in by
head of planning.
TDC Cllr Ash Ashbee:
1) Manston Airport. Cllr Ashbee had spoken at the DCO examination
as a resident, business person, and councillor.
Most present supported the airport, some from Ramsgate were
against. After three months the
information goes to the secretary of state.
2) Ramsgate Port. This has lost money, as it has been kept in a
state of readiness, and government backing could be good news. TDC has to wait on the government
decision. If the port is not required it will be “moth balled”.
3) Dog Fouling. This seems to have escalated resulting in
many e-mails. The enforcement officer
has been patrolling, particularly round Westbrook Green, but the culprit has
disappeared.
4) St Mildred's Car Park
Recycling Bins. Some have been removed
as the cleansing officer felt there were adequate domestic collections in the
area, and some commercial waste was being deposited there.
WTC Cllr Matthew Scott:
1) Defibrillator
Placement. The Town Clerk has been
pushing to find the best location for this with maximum availability. The likely place will be Edwards. There is to be training for councillors this
week and later on also for residents.
2) Criminal Activity. There has been a recent increase, and the
local PCSO can be contacted through 101.
WTC is very keen to help, and the Town Clerk may be contacted.
3) Speedwatch. There is to be a session this Saturday, and
further training for more local people will be provided.
4) Planning Application 14
Suffolk Avenue (Fairdales). This has
been fully discussed by WTC, (and may be seen on the video of the
meeting). The application is under review.
5) WTC Surgeries. These are held on the third Saturday of the
month, at the library, the next one being the 19th January.
6) Westgate Library. The consultation ends soon. WTC
supports the library and needs local residents also to show support.
7) South and South East in
Bloom. There is to be a meeting on 30th
January at 7.00pm.
8) Westgate Day. To be held on 18th July. A meeting is to be held on 7th
February.
9) Knitted Poppies. Cllr Robert Micallef is organising the
knitting of poppies for the next remembrance day commemorations.
10) Pancake Race. This will take place as usual this year.
Cllr Scott said that the WTC wishes to work with the
W&WRA to benefit the area.
CORRESPONDENCE
1) From the Police by E-mail. Residents are advised to make properties and
cars as secure as possible as there have been some burglaries. A TV licence e-mail scam is being received,
stating there is a direct debit problem, and asks the recipient to enter
personal details. Also a telephone scam
to say the internet will be cut off by BT unless you press certain keys as the
voice directs. Both scams appear very
convincing but do not engage with them.
2) The Sunken Garden Group are meeting on 26th
January 10.00am to 1.00pm for snow drop planting, all welcome.
PLANNING
APPLICATIONS
1)
14, Suffolk Avenue, (Fairdales). Application for change of use from light
industrial to residential including conversion of barrel vault building into
8x2 bed dwellings together with erection of 12x2bed and 3x1bed dwellings
following demolition of existing office building, showroom and workshop. This application has been called in.
2)
52, Station Road.
Application for change of use of basement to 1x1bed self contained flat.
3)
19, St Crispins Road.
Application for single storey side extension and front porch with
formation of vehicular access and parking area.
GRANTED
TREASURER'S REPORT
No Report.
EDITOR'S REPORT
Ray Taylor reminded the meeting that the next magazine
would be going out at the end of March, when the subscriptions for the coming
year would be collected.
SUNSHINE REPORT
Mavis reported that one card had been sent this month to
a member who had been unwell.
MEMBERSHIP
Christina reported there was no new information.
CIVIC REPORT
Westgate Heritage Centre:
Saturday 2nd February at 10.30am at St Saviour's Church, a
talk by Heritage Centre Member Jean Cook of “Memories of Westgate over the
years”.
Civic Society: Thursday 7th February at the
Walpole Bay Hotel at 7.30pm, a talk about the Black Death and its aftermath by
Imogen Corrigan.
SOCIAL REPORT
1)
New Year Lunch.
This went well, and those making the arrangements were congratulated and
thanked. St Augustines would be informed
that many of those who had the steak
found it tough and dry.
2)
Next social lunch at The Swan will be February, date
TBA.
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
The Bake House: It
had been agreed that the W&WRA would vacate the Bake House to allow for
repairs and decoration. The return date
for the W&WRA had been given as 5th November which would have
given time to reinstate the furniture and erect the poppy tribute. Subsequently the chairman was informed that
further works were necessary, and on 2nd January received a text
stating that the Bake House would be available to us from 21st
January. Ray had then asked if committee
members could move in on 18th January to reinstate the furniture and
tidy up prior to opening the doors. A
reply asked for a meeting to discuss this further, at which he was told that
there would no longer be a monthly agreement, but the W&WRA would be charged
on an hourly basis, (and would not have sole use of the Bake House). On this basis the cost of the hire for each
coffee morning would considerably exceed the average takings and we would lose
the income from sub-letting the Bake House to other groups. The reason given for this change was that the
Bake House was under utilised and unfriendly.
Subsequently the chairman informed the committee and it
was agreed to put our thoughts to the membership and ask for their ideas. Possible ideas from the committee were:
1)
Remain in the Bake House and seek community funding.
2)
Create a rotating coffee morning schedule around
Westgate and Westbrook.
3)
The W&WRA has been offered use of the Ice House for
£50 per week (there would be restrictions in the summer).
4)
Create a social programme instead of coffee mornings,
which could include functions trips and tours.
Joanna Cornford replied that the Bake House could have
been available for 5th November except for final adjustments, but
the work people were called away for an emergency. She thought that the better option for the
W&WRA would be by hourly rental, and the Bake House would be open to all
organisations. It would be acceptable
for the W&WRA to leave their furniture and items in the Bake House, and the
Bake House now has WiFi and a
reconditioned PC that residents may use for training and learning The previous rent was £260 per month plus
utilities and insurance, which would all be covered by the new hourly payments.
Following discussion it was agreed that a cost comparison
and breakdown of potential out goings should be made (by the treasurer if
possible) to see if it would be viable for the W&WRA.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
1) Refuse Collections. Chris Wyer reported that the refuse lorry was
sent back to his road to collect rubbish left behind, but no equipment was
available to those giving this
service. Cllr Ash Ashbee agreed to take
this up.
2) Tree Problem, Street Court
Private. A large tree was causing damage
to buildings and a boundary wall. Advice
from the floor was to contact the Thanet Planning website, then move to the
Site Protection Officer, then forms will be available to fill in for TPO
Officers for the job to be done. The
clerk of Westgate Town Council could also be contacted for advice.
NEXT MEETING
Monday 11th February at The Bake House
(Hopefully?).
There being no other business the meeting concluded
at 8.40pm.
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