Meeting Minutes:

The meeting opened with Cllr Baker as existing Committee Chairman.

Cllr Baker requested nominations for the role of Committee Chairman. Cllr Compton proposed Cllr Baker, seconded by Cllr Layland. There being no other nominations, it was unanimously,

Resolved: that Cllr Baker be elected Committee Chairman for the ensuing year.

Cllr Baker requested nominations for the role of Committee Vice-Chairman, and from the Chair proposed Cllr Stockdale, seconded by Cllr Layland. There being no other nominations, it was unanimously,

Resolved: that Cllr Stockdale be elected Committee Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

Apologies were received, noted and accepted from Cllr Gemmell Smith.

None.

A member of the public confirmed he wished to hear the discussion regarding item 19, regarding a request from the Edenbridge Community Association (ECCA) asking Council to apply for an unmetered account with UK Power Networks (UKPN) on their behalf in the Council's name. As a member of ECCA, he provided an explanation on why the unmetered account was required - ECCA were not eligible for an account.

Another member of the public confirmed that he wished to speak briefly about item 18, regarding a request for Edenbridge Players to hire of a section of Stangrove Park for a summer production in 2026. He explained that the plans were only in the initial stages and that the request was to see if the idea was feasible before committing to formal arrangements.

Resolved: that the minutes of the Open Spaces Committee 14 April 2025 be signed by the Chair as a true and accurate record of the meeting (092/01-8).

Members noted the income and expenditure from 1 April to 27 May 2025; there was nothing unexpected to note.

Members had no comments.

Three replacement riding surface sheets for the skate park totalling £975 were required (part of 10 year Open Spaces maintenance programme). Members,

Ratified: the expenditure totalling £975 for the replacement riding surface sheets for the skate park.

Members noted that the 10-year budget allocation had allowed for:

• Path repairs in the churchyard and cemeteries, which would be assessed over the summer.
• Re-pointing sections of Doggetts Courtyard. This had been assessed and very minimal work was required. 

Members noted the positive feedback received from a resident who had called to commend the Council for the recent installation of a bin outside Swan Lane Allotments. The resident reported that the bin had been well utilised, leading to a significant reduction in litter, particularly dog waste, in the area.

Members noted the report, including routine seasonal work:

• Routine seasonal work
• Weed and moss treatment
• Maintained planters in and around the town, including Doggetts Barn and beds in cemeteries
• Topping up sunken graves
• Winter pitch maintenance
• Pruning of shrubs and bushes
• Pitch marking
• Watering
• Mowing all sites

The team had been busy painting gates and railings throughout the cemetery. At the Recreation Ground, the team had marked out 10 frisbee pitches for the UK Ultimate Frisbee Tournament. With the football season concluded, all goals at the Recreation Ground had been taken down, and work had begun to renovate the goal mouths and worn areas to ensure the facilities were ready for the next season.

The annual COSHH review was taking place and the team had been supporting the plot officer at Forge Croft Allotments by cutting back overgrown plots and clearing debris and rubbish for disposal. 

A contractor had carried out repair work on the rubber safety surfacing at Stangrove Play Park, which was approved at the May Council meeting, improving the safety of the area. Meanwhile, summer plants had been planted throughout the town and in the courtyard at Doggetts Barn. As agreed at the April meeting, the team also planted a new tree in Stangrove Park to commemorate 130 years of Edenbridge Town Council (ETC), alongside Councillor Bob Todd.

Members were reminded that at the site visits in May it was mentioned that Councillors would like to remove some tree stumps across various sites. This was something that could be done in house with the hire of a machine at a cost of £250 per day. Members,

Resolved: to approve the expenditure of £250 for the hire of equipment to remove tree stumps.

The gate to the street snooker play area in Stangrove Park was broken and was no longer closing properly. A new gate was required at a cost of £1,083 plus £150 delivery. No installation was required. Members,

Resolved: to approve the expenditure of £1,083 plus £150 delivery for a new gate for the street snooker play area.

At the September 2024 meeting Members resolved to switch from white diesel to HVO as a greener sustainable fuel, subject to checking that this would not affect the servicing, nor the warranty for the new Kubota. At the February 2025 meeting it was confirmed that servicing and warranties would not be effected.

On 15 May the first delivery of HVO was received. No issues had been reported.

Members had no questions, but Cllr Baker wanted to take the opportunity to praise the grounds team and comment on how great the grounds were looking.

Members noted the Open Spaces business which included:

Hanging baskets: The hanging baskets had been delivered and installed in the High Street and Doggetts Courtyard.

Playground inspections: 2024 playground inspections were carried out in November. The 2025 inspections would be booked for autumn.

Millennium Wood trail: New draft signage for the notice board and for Mowshurst car park had been designed, along with an activity sheet for children. Wildlife and nature plaques had been ordered, along with bug hotels and would be installed once delivered. 

Children's fair at Stangrove Park: The children's fun fair took place at Stangrove Park at weekends between 28 April and 18 May. There were no reported issues or concerns during the event, it was well attended and the area was kept clean and tidy throughout the duration of the hire.

Bulky waste collection: The bulky waste collection took place successfully on 3 May with no reported issues. The next collection date would be 19 July.

Stangrove Park Bandstand: An application to SDC CIL Board had been submitted to consider funding. The application was awaiting validation, meeting 02 July. Should the application be successful details would be submitted to committee for project specification and confirm the tender process.

Summer Fun Days: The fun days had been booked for 31 July, 7, 14, and 21 August. Additional activities included drumming on 7 August, children's entertainer on 14 August and face painting on 21 August. SDC's promotional leaflet had this year included all four dates for Edenbridge under other activities over the summer.

Cemeteries: Whilst the vast majority of graves were compliant with the rules there were a few that were not. Now that the new signage is up an audit would take place over the summer. For any graves that were not compliant the grant of right holders would be written to.

Members noted the Byelaws background which included:

• November 2022: Committee supported a draft set of amended byelaws, adapted from the Government’s Model Byelaws for Pleasure Grounds, Public Walks and Open Spaces 2018.
• December 2022: A copy of the draft byelaws was submitted to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for informal review and comment.
• February 2023: DLUHC responded (without prejudice to the Secretary of State’s eventual decision) confirming that they had not identified any blocking issues likely to prevent confirmation of the application.
• August–October 2023: Statutory public notices were published in: The Edenbridge Chronicle (August edition); The Edenbridge Magazine (September/October edition); The Council’s website and Facebook page 
• October 2023: Full Council resolved to proceed with a formal application to the Secretary of State for confirmation and approval of the revised byelaws.
• January 2024: The application was formally submitted.
• February 2024: DLUHC responded that the enabling powers under which the byelaws were being made were not clearly stated. The Council confirmed, on the same day, that the byelaws were made under: Section 164 of the Public Health Act 1875; and Sections 12 and 15 of the Open Spaces Act 1906.
• March 2024: DLUHC advised that the application must be accompanied by a supporting report demonstrating compliance with the necessary criteria. This was prepared and submitted in October 2024.
• April 2025: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) advised that the Secretary of State was unable to grant permission for the byelaws in their current form, citing conflicts with existing legislation in several clauses.

The draft byelaws had since been amended to address the issues raised. A revised version was attached (confidential) with recommended corrections. Members,

Resolved: to confirm that they had reviewed the amended draft byelaws and,

Resolved: to approve the revised version for resubmission to the Secretary of State via MHCLG.

Members noted the following burial report:

April: Two burials, one ashes interment.

May: Two burials, three ashes interments.

June: One ashes interment (to date).

Members were informed that there were 17 memorial benches in the Cemetery. The Open Spaces Officer had assessed the area and believed there was space for a maximum of 8 more benches, bringing the total to 25. Should more benches be permitted, a new Cemetery Benches Policy had been drafted for approval, subject to confirmation of the number of benches permitted. Members,

Resolved: to approve the addition of up to eight more benches in the Cemetery, should they be required. They also,

Resolved: to confirm that new benches will be fixed to the ground, where possible. Finally, Members,

Resolved: to confirm the Cemetery Benches Policy, with the addition that ETC will make every effort to contact the owner of any bench that requires removal before removing a bench.

No fly tipping had been reported.

Reported on item 12.7.

At the April meeting Members confirmed to introduce a £50 deposit to any new allotment tenants to reduce the financial burden on the Council for tidying neglected plots at both the Swan Lane and Forge Croft sites.

The tenancy agreement had been updated to reflect this.

4. Effective from April 2025 onwards, all new plot holders will be required to pay a £50 deposit at the commencement of their tenancy. This deposit will be refunded in full at the end of the tenancy, subject to the plot being returned in a clean, tidy, and well-maintained condition, ready for the next tenant. The decision to return the deposit will be at the sole discretion of the Council, based on an inspection of the plot at the end of the tenancy. Members:

Resolved: to confirm the amendment to the Tenancy Agreement as per above wording.

Members noted that there were 19 traders who attend the market, although not all were regular; averaging around 10 stalls per week.

On 8 May 2025 there was a VE Day 80 themed market. The market was decorated with bunting and the traders embraced the occasion. Balloons, hats, and pencils were provided to children who attended the market.

At Committee’s last meeting (April), members received and considered an application from the new Lingfield Farmers Monthly Market (LFM) for a market licence agreement. It was agreed that the market fees would be waived for the first market only, with subsequent events charged at the commercial rate. An invoice of £25 had been issued to cover the May and June markets, based on up to 25 stalls per event.

Legal Clarification on Market Rights

Following questions raised on behalf of LFM concerning the Town Council's authority to enforce market rights beyond its administrative boundaries - and specifically regarding the application of the six and two-thirds miles rule - the legal adviser from the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) provided the following clarifications:

• Market Rights Coverage: The leading case Halton Borough Council v Cawley (1985) confirmed that a market operator with established rights can enforce those rights within a six and two-thirds mile radius, even when that area extends beyond its own administrative boundaries. This was further affirmed in Newcastle City Council v Noble (1990).
• Statutory Market Rights: Under Section 50 of the Food Act 1984, and the supporting cases Wakefield City Council v Box (1982) and East Lindsey District Council v Hamilton (1984), a statutory market is deemed to have the same rights as a market established by Royal Charter, unless specifically restricted by legislation. No such restriction is known to apply in Edenbridge’s case. Therefore, the Town Council is entitled to apply Part III of the Food Act 1984 - including Section 50 - as the basis for its market licensing policy.

In correspondence with LFM, it had been made clear that the Town Council’s intent was not to be obstructive. The aim is to consistently apply its policies in a way that supports the successful establishment of regular market events.

Fee Structure and Current Status

LFM had yet to pay the £25 fees invoiced for May and June, and consequently, a signed agreement had not been issued. LFM queried the fee structure and was advised that charges are applied based on the number of stalls. The fee of £25 per market had been calculated on the understanding that the first event hosted approximately 15 stalls. Should the number of stalls regularly exceed 25 (assessed over a three-month period), the fee would be adjusted in line with the Council’s commercial rate structure.

In a follow-up email, LFM argued that it typically takes more than three months to establish a market -particularly for a monthly market - and referenced advice from other market organisers and the Kent Farmers’ Market Association (KFMA), which suggested six months was a more realistic timeframe for establishment.

Proposal

In response, the proposal was to continue charging £25 per market event for the next six months, with a review of the fee level to be undertaken at that time.

Members discussed this at length and noted the questions raised by LFM, but on balance, agreed to the principles of the policy. Ultimately, the purpose of the policy was not to restrict market events or community-led initiatives, but to ensure a transparent and balanced approach that supports the local economy, both now and in the future. The policy also provided reassurances and a framework of protection for other existing markets and events within the area. Discussions lead to a vote and Members,

Resolved: to maintain the principles of the policy.

At the April meeting Members concluded that the Council would not be taking responsibility of the Spitals Playground until the various issues and concerns were addressed by Sevenoaks District Council (SDC).

Outstanding issues including a damaged fence, loose fixing on the multi play frame, missing bin liner, and placement of picnic bench had been addressed by SDC and Ground Staff.

The Town Clerk, Head Groundsman and Open Spaces Officer carried out an inspection of the site on 14 May, and were satisfied with the condition of the playground and that all safety requirements had been met.

New signage was required for the playground as the old signage did not meet The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) guidelines. Upgrading of signs across all playgrounds was in progress to match the style of those at the Recreation Ground. Members,

Resolved: to confirm responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of Spitals Cross Playground and,

Resolved: to approve the expenditure of up to £250 for two updated signs for Spitals Cross Playground.

Members were reminded that the Edenbridge Gardens in Bloom competition had been launched and promoted on the Council's website and social media.

Due to staff sickness and increased workloads, prizes hadn't to be secured. It was proposed that prizes are purchased this year as opposed to donated. The estimated budget was up to £500, this was for eight main prizes and eight runner up prizes. Members;

Resolved: to approve the expenditure of up to £500 for prizes for the gardening competition.

Members approved the expenditure for a memorial tree to celebrate 130 years of Edenbridge Town Council at the April meeting. It was confirmed that the tree would be planted in Stangrove Park.

Members noted that the planting of the Liquidambar tree took place in May, and that it also marked the closing chapter of Councillor Bob Todd’s tenure as Chairman. 

Members were reminded of the replacement programme for the current year. Streetlights 55 and 230 were also raised on the annual inspection report for repairs, but as they were on the replacement programme, the interim repairs were not needed.

Members had no questions.

Streetlights had submitted its annual inspection report. Of note for repairs:

• 24 Chestnut Close (2020 column) – Required new 5m square cornered door - £105 + Vat.
• 52 Four Elms Road  (2020 column) – Broken Secondary Isolation unit, the lantern cable was too short and had pulled through. Un-noticed when pulling the Mains fuse to replace the lantern due to the brambles blocking access and having to do reach in at arms length, thus leaving the damage out of sight. Replace Secondary Isolation unit & rewire £110 + Vat
• 123 Marsh Green (1975 column for future replacement)  – Old worn sign needs removing from the column. Remove sign £45 + Vat.
• 228 Stangrove Road (2020 column) Required new 5m round corner column door – hit multiple times by vehicles. Column was a little dented to but was ok. Replace Door £105 + Vat

Total expenditure £365 plus VAT. Streetlight repairs budget allows £2,500. Members,

Resolved: to confirm the expenditure of £365 for the streetlight repairs.

As part of the inspection report columns 11, 25, 50, 52, 73, 80, 91, 99, 100, 124, 125, 126, 133, 134, 155 & 158 required pruning and ivy clearance required before Summer. £565. Members,

Ratified: the expenditure of £565 for pruning and ivy clearance required before Summer.

Cedar Drive columns were due for replacement, but had been put on hold until the building works by SDC were completed. Members were asked if they wanted to go ahead with the lantern repair/replacement at £365 or consider bringing forward the column replacement. Costs would need to be requested from UK Power Networks (UKPN) and presented back to committee at its September meeting. Members,

Resolved: to confirm that costs to be requested from UKPN and presented back to committee in September.

The report noted streetlight 50 Four Elms Road (1975 column) column needed removing. This was the only one not removed when the new columns were installed as part of the medical centre building works. It served no purpose with a new one in front of it and was lost set back behind the fence in the trees. Remove column (including disposal) £732 plus UKPN costs plus VAT. Members,

Resolved: to confirm the expenditure of £732 plus UKPN fees for disconnection of streetlight 50.

Streetlight 139 was damaged and subsequently removed following a vehicle accident in December 2022. The insurance was received in 2024, and moved into earmarked reserves (EMR), £5,444. UKPN quote costs £3,051 plus new column £1,515, total cost £4,566. Members,

Resolved: to confirm the replacement of column 139 and the expenditure of £4,566 from EMR.

Streetlights reported in May, the lantern on column 137 (opposite side of the hospital) had been vandalised and required replacement. However, this column was one that will require replacement as it was on the replacement programme (1975). Members were asked if to consider if they preferred to replace just the lantern estimated cost £400 plus VAT, or as this column was on the replacement programme, to proceed with full column replacement: UKPN works £2,803, new column £1,515. This would result in a budget overspend in 2025/26, but could be split with the vandalism budget. Members,

Resolved: to confirm to proceed with the full replacement of column and the expenditure of £4,318 and to split this cost with the vandalism budget.

At the April meeting Members confirmed to support the funding of self defence classes for women and girls subject to further research through an expression of interest. The Communications Officer created an online form for residents to complete if they were interested in the classes, this was shared regularly on social media and on the Council's website. Posters were also displayed in the towns notice boards, containing information on the classes and a QR code linked to the online form.

The deadline for registering interest was 5:00pm on Wednesday 21 May. A total of 11 positive responses were received for the 18+ classes, and 6 positive responses for the under 18 classes. The classes were promoted over a four week period, the social media posts reached approximately 1000 people in addition to the website and posters.

A comment was received from a resident suggesting the classes are opened up to girls who are starting secondary school (11+). This was raised with the organiser of the self defence workshop and they had confirmed that the content of the classes is not appropriate for children younger than 13. Primary school age children especially may struggle with the context of the classes.

Members were reminded that the cost was estimated to be £2,940 for a six week course or £2,450 for a five week course, consisting of a one hour session for girls aged 13-17 and a one hour session for women over 18 each week. Members discussed this item at length, and had concerns that this had not been budgeted for. This led to a vote and Members,

Resolved: to confirm the expenditure of £2,450 for a five week self defence course for women and girls.

Edenbridge Rugby Club (ERC) had confirmed that the ultimate frisbee event would return this year. The Lease included provision for charging for additional marking for other occasions: Section 28 (28.1):

(e) The Sports pitches will be marked out by the Landlord at the commencement of the playing season and the marking maintained as required subject to weather conditions. Any additional marking of the sports pitches at other times of the year must be carried out by the Landlord following a formal request by the Tenant and at a cost of the Tenant at the Landlord’s standard charge out rate.

ERC was requesting 10 frisbee pitch markings for the event on 7/8 June. Members,

Ratified: ERC hosting the frisbee event and the additional work to the pitches, charged at £75.80 per pitch.

The Town Band had made a request to hire Stangrove Park on Wednesday 16 July for a performance between 7:00pm and 8:30pm. The hiring agreement had been completed and required documents submitted. Members,

Resolved: to confirm the request for the Town Band to perform at Stangrove Park, at no charge for a community event.

Edenbridge Cricket Club (ECC) had submitted a request for permission to install a purpose-built sign at the entrance to Blossoms Park. The club had proposed two potential designs for the sign.

Both sign options would be mounted on posts secured into the ground with concrete. The sign would feature a white background, displaying the ECC crest, the club name, and the logos of their main sponsors.

Subject to Council approval, the Club would seek SDC planning authority advice and approval if needed. Members,

Resolved: to approve the request from ECC to install a sign at the entrance to Blossoms Park.

Nomads Football Club had submitted a grant application to the Football Foundation for funding to install a new storage container at Mowshurst. The proposed location for the new container was the site currently occupied by the existing garage, which was owned by Nomads.

To accommodate the storage container, the existing garage would need to be demolished, including the removal of the roof which contained asbestos. It was essential that these works were carried out by a certified asbestos removal specialist to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.

Additionally, a skip would be required in the car park area for the disposal of waste materials generated during the demolition process. All costs to be met by the Club. Members,

Resolved: to approve the demolition of the existing garage (subject to evidence that the work would be carried out by a certified asbestos professional) and permit Nomads to install a new storage container in it's place. Additionally, Members,

Resolved: to approve a skip being temporarily placed in the car park while works are carried out.

The Edenbridge Players had expressed interest in hiring Stangrove Park for an outdoor theatrical production planned for July 2026. Following preliminary site visits, two potential performance areas had been identified, one near the main road and another near the western access from Pine Grove.

The group was considering both daytime and evening performances. Daytime shows would encourage a picnic style audience and reduce the need for power and lighting, while evening performances would offer a better atmosphere. The preferred funding model was through audience donations or grants rather than ticket sales, which would help avoid the necessity of cordoning off sections of the park.

Limited vehicle access to both locations would be necessary, restricted to specific times to minimise disruption.

The Edenbridge Players planned to involve local community groups, including the Town Band and local schools, with activities such as programme design competitions and opportunities for children to participate in the performance.

As planning was at an early stage, the group was seeking the Committee’s initial feedback and guidance before proceeding with formal arrangements. Consideration for Stangrove Park hire fees to be considered later. Members were delighted by the prospect of an outdoor performance and unanimously,

Resolved: to approve of the request from Edenbridge Players to hold it's performances in Stangrove Park in Summer 2026, subject to satisfactory plans, risk assessments and hire agreements. Hire fees to be considered at a future meeting.

ECCA were proposing to add festive lights to some of the street lights in the High Street as part of their 2025 display. They had experienced some challenges with obtaining an unmetered supply account from UKPN and were requesting that the Council set up the unmetered account with UKPN. The Council would then invoice back to ECCA for the energy costs, plus any connection costs.

ECCA would be responsible for damages or faults and ensuring appropriate insurance coverage for installation, maintenance, and public liability, along with checking that the installation complies with all relevant electrical safety regulations, including wiring, fixtures, and load capacity.

ECCA would be responsible for the annual licenses required from KCC to permit Christmas lights on its streetlights. Members discussed this item and raised concerns over increased workload for officers, and,

Resolved: to approve the request from ECCA for Council to apply for an unmetered supply account with UKPN for use of streetlights in the High Street, with any invoices received invoiced back to ECCA for the full energy costs, including connection costs.

At its May meeting, the Council approved expenditure for sample testing of the five water tanks at the Pavilion for legionella. Following this, the attending engineer reported that the tanks were significantly stagnated and provided a quotation of £1,439 plus VAT to clean and disinfect the tanks.

However, the engineer also recommended that the Council consider commissioning a site survey to explore the feasibility of converting the Pavilion’s water supply to mains water. This approach would eliminate the stagnation issue altogether and legionella testing of the tanks.

The Council was currently in the process of commissioning a detailed survey of the Pavilion building, including existing heating systems, hot water boilers, and associated plant. This survey was being undertaken to inform a specification for the tender of the installation of new heating and hot water systems.

Given the scope of this survey, it was considered timely and practical to also explore the potential for converting to mains water at that stage.

Intrinsic, the independent specialist company previously appointed by the Council to carry out the building survey and develop the specification, had been contacted to provide a quotation for the additional work required to assess the feasibility of mains water conversion. 

At the time of preparation of these meeting papers, a confirmed cost had not yet been received from Intrinsic. However, to avoid delays, members are asked to approve an estimated budget of £1,500 for this additional survey work. It was hoped feedback could then be provide to Council’s July meeting.

Recommendation

Members were requested to consider and approve the following:

• That Intrinsic was instructed to carry out a survey investigating the viability of converting the Pavilion’s water supply to mains water. 
• That a budget of up to £1,500 is approved for this purpose, funding from Buildings Reserves.

Members,

Resolved: to support this recommendation.

Members requested news releases regarding HVO, self defence classes, the gardening competition and Spitals Cross Playground.

At Council meetings in October and December 2022, the Council resolved to proceed with the transfer of the parcel of land on which the flagpole was located and to develop the area into a suitable garden feature. Ongoing progress updates had been reported to the Council since that time.

The Town Clerk confirmed that she was satisfied with the legal documentation and recommended that the Council proceed. Members unanimously,

Resolved: to confirm that the Chair of the Council was authorised to sign: the Transfer of Part of Registered Title, and the Deed of Covenant for Title Number K781417 (Kent Police Station, TN8 5AB), in relation to the section of land.

The meeting scheduled for 28 July was provisional if required. It was proposed that the next meeting will be 15 September. Mmbers,

Resolved: to confirm that the next Open Spaces Committee meeting would be on 15 September.