WESTGATE AND WESTBROOK
RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
MINUTES OF A GENERAL MEETING HELD AT THE
TOWN HALL BUILDING ON MONDAY 9TH JUNE
2014 AT 7.15PM.
PRESENT
Tom King, chairman and councillor, twenty seven members,
KCC Cllr Jeff Elenor, and Cllr Simon Moores.
The chairman welcomed all attending.
APOLOGIES
Apologies had been received from Abigail Carden,
Richard Charlton, Sam Secomb, Chris Smith, and John Vaughan.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
1) Number 35 Bus Service. This service will no longer be run by Carol
Peters after 27th July. Tom
has been in touch with KCC who say the service, which is much needed by residents to travel to
Westgate and the hospital, will go out to tender and continue from Monday 29th
July.
2) Village Green Westgate. Following the work by Graham Rickett and the
hearing at the Swan this green is now recommended for registration by KCC, and
the land is protected by the Act.
3) Waste and Recycling. Complaints had been received concerning
unemptied bins, there were roads that the collecting vehicles had been unable
to drive down. Waterside Drive and
Harold Avenue were two of the roads mentioned. It is hoped that management and
operatives can work out a solution.
4) Parish Councils. Tom said he had approached Cllr Bob Grove,
also of Minster Parish Council who is willing to come to the next meeting with
the Parish Clerk and bring information
and take questions about Parish Councils.
5) Welfare Benefits. Many of these go unclaimed, and Tom will be
arranging a speaker to give members information.
6) Coastal Management
Plan. Members wishes and suggestions for
increasing tourism will be welcomed by Alison Burgh.
7) Marc Lawrence Memorial. The final invoice has been received and on
payment of this the work should be completed in June. The total cost is £553.
8) Home Library Service. This is for those residents unable to go to
the library, details will be on the Bake House notice board.
Questions and Comments:
a) Number 35
Bus service. Tom confirmed that a
subsidy may be necessary.
b) Parish
Councils. James Brazier said the date
had now passed for returning the questionnaires on governance to the TDC, but
Tom felt we should continue to try and make local residents more aware of the
issues. Cllr Simon Moores said that it
will be important to know the mandate of as many residents as possible. After Cllr Bob Groves has addressed the
W&WRA meeting Tom said the next step will be to have larger meetings. Cllr Simon Moores warned of caution as many
parish councils had been disfunctional with little achieved. It was generally felt good to gain knowledge
of both the fors and againsts. Margate
town council and Westgate parish council would be separate issues.c)Home
Library Service. Tom confirmed that this would rely on volunteers.
d) Coastal
Management Plan. Suggestions were for more bins and better maintenance of the
grassy areas. Tony Sykes pointed out
that the Thanet Coast Project had lost one worker due to the cut backs but was
continuing with volunteers. The toilets in West Bay are in poor condition,
and the paddling pools filled up with sand.
MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
The minutes of the last meeting, (12th
May 2014), which had been circulated, were adopted on a prop by Don Eacott sec
by Derek Smith, and signed.
MATTERS ARISING
There were no matters arising.
COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
Cllr Simon Moores:
1)
Westgate is a deprived ward and there are many problems
that the councillors have to deal with.
2)
Neighbourhood Engagement Meeting. Information was that antisocial behaviour is
down, there had been problems with beach huts, there were campers under
the cliffs, but these were homeless and
had nowhere to go.
3)
Dog Mess. More
bins are needed, and there are too many
unruly dogs which have led to attacks.
4)
Refuse Problems.
Some disciplinary action had been threatened
KCC Cllr Jeff Elenor:
1)
Station Road.
KCC had now completed the work in Station Road. There were still one or two pot holes to be
repaired.
2)
Puddle outside Aldi.
The drain required a complete repair which is shortly to be done.
3)
Manston Airport.
This did not look good. An
information request had been made to Paul Carter to find out what he and Ann
Gloag had arranged. Tom King said that
TDC would need to do an assessment of viability before a compulsory purchase
order was made and the airport run by a partner.
4)
Flower Tubs.
Cllr Elenor was thanked for the flower tubs, and Stephanie confirmed
that this year's money for plants and flowers had been received from TDC and
Jackie from the nursery would be filling the tubs.
5)
Roads. Cllr Jeff
Elenor is still looking at the possibility of a zebra crossing for
Westgate Bay Avenue. Tom said that a review of drop kerbs for
those with battery car transport would help the disabled.
CORRESPONDENCE
1)
Walk and Talk Evening.
Westgate Heritage Centre have arranged a talk on the one hundred years
of local aviation history, starting from St Mildred's Bay and finishing at the
West Bay Cafe for a meal, cost £10.
2)
KCC Safe and Sensible Street Lighting. Notification of the trials for this has been
received.
PLANNING
1)
74-76 St Mildred's Road. Application for installation of double glazed
timber windows on first and second floors.
2)
Land Adjacent to 149, Sea road. Application for detached two storey dwelling
and parking.
3)
1A Ethelbert Square.
Alterations to front elevation, to put window in garage door and make
habitable.
4)
15, Sea Road.
Application for change of use from hotel to house of multiple occupation
(by the John Townsend Trust).
EDITOR’S REPORT
Derek requested articles and copy for the next issue by
the 25th June.
SOCIAL
1)
Outings. Three
are planned: Elham Valley 18th
June (full), Folkestone 2nd July, and Wingham 15th July.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
1) Gardening Club Meeting. Re the village green, speakers Graham Rickett
and Neville Hudson, 23rd June.
2) Westbrook Road Waste
Collection. The plastic bags had been
put out ready for the lorry but in the twenty minutes sea gulls had made a
severe mess.
3) Turret Court (April
House). Some areas had now been given
flat roofing, but this had been within the permitted planning.
4) Dual Carriageway-Plastic
Flowers. Comments were made about these
and also the weeds underneath.
NEXT MEETING
Monday 14th
July at the Conference Room in the Town Hall Buildings, in order
to accommodate all who wished to hear about parish councils.
There being no other business the meeting concluded
at 8.44pm.
