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Covering the villages of Four Elms, Hever & Markbeech

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Agenda for Hever Parish Council meeting to be held at FOUR ELMS Village Hall on WEDNESDAY 20 TH MARCH 2019 commencing at 7.30pm

March 12, 2019 /

To assist in the speedy and efficient dispatch of business, please contact the Clerk in advance of the meeting if further factual information is required on an item on the Agenda.

  1. To receive apologies and declarations of interest in respect of business specified on the agenda.
  2. *To approve the accuracy of draft Minutes of the previous meeting (15.01.19) (Chair).
  3. Public Forum (10 minutes)

The Council will receive statements and questions from the public (this is the only opportunity for members of the public to make a contribution during the meeting) and for members with pecuniary interests to speak on items on the Agenda.

Items for discussion / decision;

(during the meeting, can all Cllrs. please sign the Annual Declaration – required by Insurers**).

  1. Julie Terry, Tenancy Services Manager & Jo Mahieu, Head of Allocations – West Kent Housing Association attending to report on current housing provision and management within the District and Parish.
  2. Affordable Housing – (SS / CT / CC). To report on progress and call for sites.
  3. *Parish wide traffic review – report back from Clerk / AH / RBS following traffic review and recommendations for village gateways with costings for 2019 / 20.
  4. Four Elms school traffic project – to report back (BW).
  5. Shopping facilities in Four Elms.
  6. Gatwick update (DL, SL, RBS)
  7. Easter Litter Pick (RBS / AH) for Four Elms and Markbeech scheduled for Easter Saturday.
  8. *Elections – note District and Parish wide elections Thursday 2nd May.
  9. Remuneration for Cllrs. – HPC have not adopted a policy to date. NB. Co – opted Members are not eligible and this is separate to travelling and subsistence costs which may be claimed.  However, it could compensate for childcare / carer issues.  There are tax implications.  Does the Council wish to consider a remuneration policy for 2019 – 2020?
  10. Social Media – do the Members feel we should have a social media policy to cover conduct / representations made by Cllrs. on social media, or can this be part of the Code of Conduct?
  11. *HPC Annual policies – updated in advance of AGM. Could Members study the policies in advance of the meeting to ratify?  Please note, no changes to;

Continue reading

Fabulous new playground in Four Elms!

February 26, 2019 /

The Parish Council have spent many years saving and grant sourcing to be able to entirely replace the outdated play equipment in the only public space in Four Elms village. It is located behind the primary school and is used daily by school children and locals.

A new rural ground surface has been installed (GrassLok under the turf) and the 1960’s metal play equipment has been replaced to make an inclusive play space for under and over 5’s. This includes sensory play items so that the playground is inclusive to all.

The aspiration is to improve Continue reading

Hever Parish Council – Meetings 2019

February 13, 2019 /

Hever Parish Council – Meetings 2019

Planning meetings 7pm, full meeting 7.30pm

March  Wednesday             20th   Four Elms village hall

May

Thursday                  2nd       District and Parish Council ELECTIONS

Tuesday                    7th       Annual General Meeting Hever village hall

Thursday                  23rd     Annual General Assembly                          Four Elms village hall (6pm doors open, speakers from 7.30pm)

July

Tuesday                    16th     Hever village hall

Wednesday 31st     FREE Family fun day          10 – 2pm Markbeech village hall

August

Monday                    12th     FREE Family fun day          10 – 2pm Hever village hall

September

Tuesday                    17th     Markbeech village hall

November

Thursday                  21st     Hever village hall

 See www.hever.org or Facebook (Hever Parish Council) for Agenda or contact the Clerk with any queries or items for agenda clerk@hever.org / 01732 865547

Hever Parish Council – Call for Sites for Local Needs Homes.

January 18, 2019 /
“For many rural households, finding somewhere affordable in their local community remains a barrier. Small developments of local needs housing schemes can provide affordable housing for local people, thereby enabling them to stay in their community and contribute to village life.”
December 2014, the Rural Housing Alliance
Following the parish wide housing needs survey carried out in May 2018 (a survey was posted to every household) (1) by an independent Rural Housing Enabler (2), Hever Parish Council is working with English Rural Housing Association (3) to propose the development of a small scheme of eight affordable homes for local (4) people. This may include a range and combination of one bedroom flats to 3 bedroom homes, depending on the needs of locals (a second stage housing needs survey will be done in 2019).
These schemes are built on ‘exception sites’; this is land which wouldn’t usually be allocated by the planning authority (Sevenoaks District Council) for housing but can be considered for affordable housing to meet a proven local need. These homes will be for rent and shared ownership sale and can never be sold on the open market; remaining as homes only for locals forever. The Parish Council is currently looking at possible suitable sites in the Parish and there will be full Consultation on any proposals of course.
We would also like to hear from Landowners who might have a suitable site for an affordable housing proposal. Ideally, it would be located close to Four Elms, Hever or Markbeech and be a minimum of three quarters of an acre in size. In some cases, land has been gifted as a legacy to the Community by landowners who wish to support such projects.
 
Please submit details of your site to the Parish Council Clerk (clerk@hever.org) – deadline 28 February 2019.
 
For more information; 

For more information;

Summary of the 2018 Housing Needs survey; http://hever.org/973-2

Rural Housing Alliance http://ruralhousingalliance.net/

Sevenoaks District Council Core Strategy February 2011

Sevenoaks District 2017 Local Housing Needs study

Kent Rural Homes Protocal www.kenthousinggroup.org.uk

www.englishrural.co.uk

Campaign to Protect Rural England www.cpre.org.uk/

ruralkent.org.uk

REFERENCES / Further information

  • See hever.org/heverparishcouncil for details of previously published survey and results

As a parish council, we are obliged to undertake a housing needs survey every 5 years.  The motivation for HPC is to respond to the local need identified and to ensure that any affordable homes built in the parish are for local benefit.  Currently, those locals in housing need and on the housing register are part of the Sevenoaks District housing register and are unlikely to be allocated a home in the parish where they wish to live. HPC is made up of 10 Councillors who live locally and endeavour to make decisions in the interests of the local community, Councillors are not paid but volunteer their time to serve our villages.

  • Action with Communities in Rural Kent
  • ERHA is a specialist rural provider of affordable housing, owning and managing stock

across rural England.  English Rural owns and manages 1200 properties, in 120 villages, mainly across the south of England. The homes are built by English Rural in partnership with local landowners, parish councils and local housing and planning authorities.

Their role is to work with parish councils, using their expertise and experience, including through local public consultation to ensure the community is well informed and that any locals concerns about the project are addressed.

ERHA are a Community Benefit Society, which is a not for profit organisation that is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority with the specific intention that it must benefit the community.  They are registered with a Government body (currently the Homes and Communities Agency), so that service standards and the use of public money for housing can be monitored.

English Rural believes the long term security of tenure is important for those that they provide homes to and also the communities they live in. This approach of a ‘generational tenancy’ is on the basis that it was particularly designed to provide young families security whilst children went through education. This approach is about sustaining and building communities though housing local people close to their support networks.

  • What do you mean by local?

Local means a person who is; currently resident in the parish, was previously resident in the parish and wants to return, is permanently employed in the parish, or is connected by close family still living in the parish.

Won’t the housing developments in Edenbridge include affordable housing that could meet the local need?

No.  Any affordable homes built in Edenbridge will be open to anyone on Sevenoaks District Council’s housing register to apply for, so not local needs housing.  Those in greatest need from anywhere in the Sevenoaks District (spread from Swanley in the north to Cowden in the South) will be given priority.  The homes in Edenbridge also may not be the type and size that local people to the parish need and probably not close enough to family / work they want to stay close to.  However, affordable homes built locally with ERHA would be only for those with a local connection and could not be sold to residents under the right to buy.

Any proposals would go through the usual planning processes and consider the effectiveness of the green Belt, Conservation Areas, Local Wildlife sites, AONB etc.  Those sites with the least negative impact on the countryside will of course be preferred.  Agricultural land may be considered for such proposals.  All other planning considerations such as utilities and flood risks will also be considered.

 

HPC Meeting November – draft minutes attached

November 27, 2018 /

Headlines from the last meeting are; (1) HPC to work with other groups to comment on the new planning application (that appeared at the last minute in the SDC Local Plan) for 300 homes between Hever and Hartfield road (2) Budget for 2019 – 2020 was agreed and will be a REDUCTION in household council tax (by 7.4%) – thanks to careful spending & successfully obtaining grants for the Four Elms playground. (3) the Council agreed to work with English Rural Housing Association to study further any LOCAL affordable housing needs.😃

 

 

2018 Nov minutes draft

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