Meeting Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received, noted and accepted from Cllrs Aldridge, Damodaran, Layland and Read.

None.

One resident expressed concerns about the potential growth of Gatwick Airport and air traffic over Edenbridge and wanted to know how the Town Council could help support the campaign against air traffic and environmental impact. Concerns were raised with the Route 4 which had increased flights over Edenbridge, and the overlap with arrivals and departures; the intensification was unjust. The High Weald Council Aviation Action Group (HWCAAG) is campaigning on aviation matters and has seen a 10-year intensification of Gatwick. Edenbridge needs a voice to be heard and perhaps a Low Weald Action Group could be established with the support of the Town Council. It was noted that the Northern Runway consultation was on the agenda and the resident said they would expect the Council to object to this.

Resolved: that the minutes of the extraordinary Meeting of the Town Council meeting held on 23 May 2022 be duly signed by the Chairman of the meeting as a true and accurate record of the meeting; page 9731.

County Councillor Margot McArthur responded first to the resident’s concerns with Gatwick Airport. She said that Kent County Council (KCC) was concerned with the adverse effects of aviation on residents’ health and wellbeing, and the detrimental environmental effects. However, it also recognised that there was balance needed with the economic and environmental impacts. KCC were members of two groups, and she was its representative on both: Gatwick Airport Consultive Group (GATCOM) an independent advisory committee, it meets 4-6 times yearly, and puts forwards representations from local authorities, businesses, and groups; Noise and Management Board (NMB) is a consultative body whose objective is to manage Gatwick noise and mitigate aircraft noise.

She went on to say that there were currently two active consultations on the change of airspace and UK wide routes by 2024. In the Southeast, the Future Airspace Strategy Implementation - South (FASI-S) covered Cardiff to East Midlands airports, 18 different airports and was looking at widening the routes so more time was over sea and not land. This draft proposal would have a more positive impact on Edenbridge.

The proposed Northern Runway would be a departure only runway, using the current emergency runway which will be moved 12 metres to the north. This would also bring a range of infrastructure improvements as it was expected to increase passenger capacity by 10million(m); currently there was the capacity for 61-62m, so would see 70m passengers and a possible increase in night flights.
KCC was opposing the current night flight proposals and any increase to capacity. However, night flights are popular with passengers and the financial loss could be substantial, resulting in serious job losses.
Of interest, the first fully sustainable fuel flight had recently taken place. The investment of changing aircraft over was for airline companies.
Finally, Cllr McArthur mentioned that there were already several campaign groups if anyone was interested in: Gatwick Airport Conservation Campaign (GACC); Communities against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE); Gatwick Obviously Not (GON).

Other updates from KCC, Cllr McArthur advised that there had been 3,000 Ukrainian refugees matched with 1,200 sponsors, with a further 1.300 expected to arrive. Sevenoaks District had accommodated the largest proportion of refugees. School places for Ukrainian children was the same process as UK residents with children being placed where there were school vacancies; this was not always ideal when children had to travel some distance to school.
KCC had a further £11m household support fund to be able to provide free meals over the summer holiday period. £7m was being provided for potholes. The Children’s Service Ofsted inspection had finished, and the outcome report was expected soon.

Cllr McGregor referred to the draft Local Plan work and the recent Call for Sites; he said that the urban sites were being considered first, before looking at potential Green Belt sites. It was not expected to have the draft Plan ready until after the May 2023 elections as there was a lot of work involved.

Cllr McArthur, as the Cabinet member for Cleaner and Greener, said the Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) were currently working on its Contaminated Land Strategy.

Resolved: that the minutes of the meetings and numbered - Planning Committee – 16 May (9728- 9730); Planning Committee – 6 June (9735-9737); Planning and Transportation Committee - 27 June (9744-9747) be adopted.

Resolved: the minutes of the meeting and numbered – 23 May (9732-9734) to be adopted.

Resolved: the minutes of the meeting and numbered – 13 June (9738-9743) to be adopted.

Members noted the changes as advised by NALC to its Model Standing Order 18 (financial controls and procurement), as well as some procedural housekeeping updates to its Standing Orders and unanimously,

Resolved: to adopt the amendments to the Standing Orders (items 5.1, 18f/g and 19e) as presented and confirmed by the Finance and Governance Committee.

Resolved to Approve the Revised Insurance Cost from £12,500 to Up to £17,000 (council May Meeting Confirmed the Current Cover and Annual Expenditure of £12,500 Est.)

8.1 and 8.2: Members noted three quotes for the renewal had been requested based on the existing levels of cover, and to provide some playground cover. Zurich, Gallaghers (Hiscock insurance) and the current broker James Hallam (were Royal Sun Alliance insurance, now using Aviva insurance). Zurich would not quote as there was an outstanding claim (the Depot break-in). At the time of the meeting only Gallaghers had provided a like for like quote, with a 3-year rate stability option, which was comparable with the current policy and within the budgeted amount. James Hallam had advised that its quote was looking likely to be higher than budgeted premium. Members discussed and agreed that it would not want to compromise its level of insurance but if a saving on the premium could be made with a sector reputable insurer, then credence should be given to this. It was noted that the buildings valuations were last done in 2019 and insurance cover was based on last year’s levels. There was support from Members to consider desk-top valuations to ensure adequate insurance cover was quoted

Member unanimously, Resolved: to support the revised insurance expenditure from £12,500 to potentially up to £17,000, and the expenditure of £780 for tabletop valuations of six of its main properties (if suitable for desktop). Members also unanimously, Resolved: delegated authority to the Finance Committee to make the final decision on: • Confirming the recommended insurer • To consider and confirm a 3-year rate stability commitment • To finalise the insurance cover and renewal details

Received and noted. Not included in the report, the Town Clerk mentioned, the Tourism and Administration Officer (Lindsey Eaton) had almost completed the copy for the Visitors Guide and ready for publishing; it was anticipated to be ready for delivery to households by late summer. Also, the next Partnership and Communities Together (PACT) meeting, organised by SDC Community Safety Unit, was Monday 11 July, Rickards Hall at 1.30 pm.

Received

Received

Feedback in the Town Clerk’s report was noted: the lighting of the Beacon event was extremely well received by the community with over 1,000 people attending. The Town Band played a selection of known tunes and the official music for Beacon ceremony. The Bonfire Society ensured the success of the actual Beacon lighting. All food venders did well. The children’s crown making competition was popular and the mother of the girl who won the overall Chairman’s trophy messaged to say, “I just wanted to message say to thank you for all your hard work that you put into making last night a massive success. I came with my family and couldn’t believe the effort you had gone to along with flags, hats and free face painting”.

Members unanimously, Ratified: free hire of Rickards Hall to Eden Valley Museum for two Jubilee events on 2 and 3 June

Noted

Members unanimously, Resolved: the Town Clerk as a signatory so that payments can be raised in the absence of the RFO, thus having two officers able to raise payments

Members noted the update in the Town Clerk’s report: 18 months ago, some advice had been taken on the administration of the Recreation Ground and Blossoms Park Charities including from the Charities Commissions. This had since been looked at by the solicitor. The Land Registry has the Town Council as sole proprietor for both the Recreation Ground and Blossoms Park, and Indentures show the Parish (Town) Council to be the sole trustee, therefore as a corporate body, it is properly the sole trustee.

The legal advice is to correct the listing from individually named councillors to the Council as the sole trustee. Council January 2021 resolved: the expenditure of up to £4,000 for legal fees to look at the governing documents for both charities’ accounts (Recreation Ground Lingfield Road; and Blossoms Park) and prepare a memorandum deed of transfer of each charity. The Council as the sole trustee does not require the memorandum but does need the Charities Commission listing updated for both charities.

The Council, as trustee of each charity, should have a separate annual meeting at which the councillors forget that they are councillors and think only that they are running a charity. The procedures for this are already in place, with annual meetings. Day to day management can of course be carried out by officers.

Member unanimously, Resolved: to confirm the corrections to the Charities Commission listing correction - Lingfield Road ‘Recreation Ground’ charity number 302733; and Blossoms Park ‘Public Recreation Ground’ charity number 302732 - to Edenbridge Town Council as sole trustee.

Members noted that partly due to the consequences of Covid, and other resources, the work to the Market Yard/Church Wall was unable to be done. As time has passed, the faculty had expired and the quote from the builders needs to be revisited and quoted. Once the faculty had been renewed and the quote confirmed, this would be represented to Council to consider.

Members noted the scheme and consultation documents, which it had supported to introduce a 40mph buffer zone at the northern approach to Edenbridge along Main Road, had now been approved by Kent Highways. The consultation would be advertised Friday 8th July and run for three weeks.

Members referred to the summary in the Town Clerk’s report and expressed their disappointment with the response from SDC following questions raised about SDC Town Centres Strategy, published in May. This project was commissioned by SDC with the help of a consultancy company. It will feed into the policies within the Local Plan, the Economic Development Strategy and ongoing town centre feasibility work. Having circulated to Members, a meeting was then arranged with two officers of SDC Planning Policy team and attended by, Cllrs Aldridge, Baker, Layland, McArthur and the Town Clerk. They expressed concerns with inaccuracies and assumptions in the document. SDC explained that the strategy was to provide a vision having undertaken surveys, stakeholder engagement and baseline analysis which are referenced in the document. Reference was also made to concerns about some of the ideas for Edenbridge that had not been discussed with the Council first and were not deliverable ideas, but SDC said that the vision was the result of the stakeholder and public engagement. Some of the proposed amendments have been changed in the document – these are only some of the descriptive words - but SDC were reluctant to amend the vision. The document sets out a series of possible interventions to help each place develop positivity, providing ideas and showing potential, but does not necessarily mean that all the ideas would be deliverable.

The new Market Officer started in June and was currently getting to know the traders and looking at attracting some new ones.

Members noted that the 12-week pilot for the over 55s Games Club had now finished. Both SDC and Involve Kent, who provided funding for the Club, were keen to see the Club continue. The Community Warden and Town Clerk had met with Involve Kent who have agreed continued funding, and with the arrangement moving directly between them and the Town Council. This is great for the current members of the Club, the community, and for Rickards Hall.

Member unanimously, Ratified: the Service Level Agreements (SLA) grants as budgeted:  £6,500

Member unanimously, Ratified: the Service Level Agreements (SLA) grants as budgeted: £8,000

Member unanimously, Ratified: the Service Level Agreements (SLA) grants as budgeted:  £1,000.

Noted; and the annual review was scheduled for 8 September 2022

Member unanimously, Resolved: confirmation of the Council’s Health and Statement Policy Statement.

Member unanimously, Resolved: to adopt the Violence at Work Policy

Members noted the recommended minimum levels of trained First Aiders was two for the Council office and two groundstaff. Members discussed, agreeing that ideally all groundstaff would receive Level 3 First Aid at Work training

Members unanimously, Resolved: the expenditure of £1,395 plus VAT, for in-house training Level 3 First Aid at Work training course for six delegates.

Members received the Town Clerk’s report which outlined councillors’ responsibility with personal data and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). More parish and town councils were beginning to consider the viability of providing councillors with IT equipment to reduce the risk of data being transferred onto personal devices. Another consideration is councillors tend not to claim an allowance, but the cost of running adequate IT and software had increased considerably over the past two years.

As part of the Town Council’s compliance checks, councillors have their own council email, appropriate anti-virus software security in place, and the Council engages an IT company to manage these email addresses and electronic data storage

Members discussed if it was necessary for councillors to have separate IT equipment for council work. Many felt that that the only data they have access to was on email information, of which little was specifically ‘confidential’. There was also general feeling that the cost, if all Members were to be provided with a laptop or iPad, would be significant investment for the Council. The general consensus, was that there was not a need for councillors to have Council owned IT equipment. However, they recognised the increasing IT costs and agreed that should a councillor require a laptop or iPad in the future, that Council could reconsider.

Members unanimously, Resolved: to allow the works for BT Openreach to install fibre optic broadband at Frantfield/near the entrance to the car park to open up the road and make good after the works.

Members noted that the deadline for the next SDC CIL Spending Board meeting on 1 September was 17 July; this did not allow much time to prepare a bid. They also noted that criteria guidelines at SDC for CIL projects was being reviewed. The Town Council had already resolved to proceed with replacement aluminum framed windows and doors with shutters for the Recreation Ground Pavilion and was waiting for quotes.

Members unanimously, Resolved: for the Town Clerk to make the decision to submit a CIL Bid to the SDC CIL Spending Board for a contribution towards the Pavilion windows and shutters, based on if the quote provided would be sufficient to support the bid application.

Members noted this year’s free Summer Family Fun Days at Stangrove Park:

Thursday 28 July 2.00 – 5.00 pm - include ‘Cascade’ dance and yoga sessions at 2.30pm and 3.30pm (SDC funded). Friday 22 July 3.30 – 5.00 pm; Thursday 4, 11 & 18 August 2.00 – 5.00 pm – include games, inflatables, face-painting, magic, and craft activities (PlayPlace and Town Council funded).

Members unanimously, Resolved: to pass delegated powers to Planning and Transportation Committee for July and August.

Members asked the Aviation Working Group to consider the consultation.

None

None

None

Members viewed the Land Registry documentation for Forge Green