To:    The Members of Hever Parish Council

I hereby summon you to attend the meeting of Hever Parish Council to be held at FOUR ELMS Village Hall.

on WEDNESDAY  25th July 2018 commencing at 7.30pm for the transaction of business as set out below.

Signed;            Clerk             Date   25.06.18           *attachment / printed copy

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

 

Items for discussion / decision;

 

  1. *Community Led Housing – to update following the parish wide housing needs survey. (SS)

8.30pm Gavin Missons, CIHCM, Housing Policy Manager, Strategic Planning, Sevenoaks District Council attending.

  1. SDC Local Plan consultation.
  2. Footpaths – Review of footpaths and Footpath maintenance (JW)
  3. Possible village party 2019 (JW)
  4. Post Assembly review – lessons for next year. (JW)
  5. Local Broadband – report from AirFast (trading name of Crockham Hill Broadband C.I.C).
  6. Swathe and visibility cuts (working with Chiddingstone, Leigh and Penshurst PC) – update from lead Chidd PC. “It was deemed necessary to have an additional visibility cut early.

There were two concerns from residents (i) cow parsley (ii) conservation of wild flowers and animals.  The cow parsley grows due to pollution and actually chokes the wild flowers. We will look again before the next cut (probably end July) to see if any wild flowers growing. As a compromise, we’ve decided to seek areas where we can have a wildflower area, hoping if possible to have roughly the same area as the verges we’re cutting. This will help bees.

Do you think your councils might like to do something similar?

Cost: £1018.60 to HPC for our regular cuts.

 

  1. Family fun days – Four Elms parish rooms Wed 1st August and Hever village hall Wed 22nd August. Funded by SDC and HPC.
  2. General Data Protection Regulations – Update on progress to date, work outstanding. To consider allocating funds for 2019 – 20 for new HPC PC (with integral encryption) (Clerk).
  3. Four Elms playground update (Clerk). To advise on installation progress, and £3,000 secured from Community Infrastructure Levy from SDC.
  4. Gatwick update (SL / DL / RBS)

15i.   Grant applications – 1 received from local Church representative for £175 towards WW1 commemoration.

  1. To determine matters arising from the previous minutes for updating / noting (Chair)

Items for updating on / for information;

  1. *Planning and licensing; applications responded to and outcomes – attached to agenda. Including Summer festivals.
  2. *Financial update. (Clerk).
  3. Urgent issues at the discretion of the Chairman for noting or inclusion on future agenda (not for decision making or with financial implications) (JW)

 

  1. Other correspondence for noting / Consultations.

 

From Kent Police;

 

Police feedback post Assembly; I just wanted to thank you again for inviting us to speak at the annual meeting last night. There were some excellent discussions both before and after the main meeting.  Some information I promised to send over:

E-mails/Online Reporting:

Sevenoaks Police E-mail: csu.sevenoaks@kent.pnn.police.uk

Sevenoaks District Council Community Safety E-mail: community.safety@sevenoaks.gov.uk

Report Non-Emergency Crime/Incidents Online: https://www.kent.police.uk/services/report-online/

Emergency Calls (999):

  • You suspect a crime is in progress;
  • The suspect of a crime is still in the area;
  • You or someone else is in immediate danger;
  • A road is blocked due to a collision.

 

https://www.kent.police.uk/advice/community-support/speedwatch/

Sevenoaks District Council have purchased some SpeedWatch devices, so parishes don’t have to. All you’d need to do is get volunteers (about 6) and contact our SpeedWatch co-ordinator to discuss training and arranging a launch: speedwatch@kent.pnn.police.uk

A useful website for people to look at is: http://www.crashmap.co.uk/ which details all reported crashes in the last few years, including their severity.

I would also encourage people to get on Twitter and follow us (@kentpolice7oaks) as we post a lot of updates daily about events we are running, patrols we have conducted, people we have arrested etc.  Some parish councils are now doing this for the community and sharing what we post on Facebook groups or on e-mail groups.  I hope this is helpful and if there is anything else we can provide, please do let me know.  Nick Finnis

 

 

CONSULTATIONS

(1)        Kent County Council’s Big Conversation aims to find out if there is an innovative and sustainable way of providing transport to rural communities in Kent and we want to explore our ideas with you.

Alongside the online questionnaire, residents can attend public meetings which are being held throughout the county over the next five weeks. The meetings are an opportunity for you to understand the ideas in more details and ask questions about this consultation.

Details of the public meetings and further information about the consultation can be found at: www.kent.gov.uk/bigconversation.

Take part before the consultation closes on 8 August 2018.

 

(2)        West Kent NHS – in response to query about public events (none being in Edenbridge) “This series of public events is specifically to discuss the development of local care hubs in west Kent rather than building the combined hospital/GP surgery at Edenbridge. The project at Edenbridge is further along than the development of local care hubs and we held a formal public consultation last year looking at the options available for a combined hospital/surgery. The CCG has a long-standing commitment with the Edenbridge community to support its local hospital and although the new combined hospital/GP surgery will not serve the same population size as the local care hubs, there will be similarities in the flexibility that it offers patients and clinicians. While the Edenbridge development is working to a different scale and timeline than the development of local care hubs, the teams supporting both programmes are working closely together to ensure that the Edenbridge project fits closely with the hub structure and the teams share best practice.”  Joanna Brown, Finance Manager.  Edenbridge Medical Practice.

(3)        Kent County Council is consulting on the draft Rights of Way Improvement Plan which outlines our objectives for Kent’s Public Rights of Way network and wider public access for the next 10 years.

This consultation closes on 12 September 2018. Visit www.kent.gov.uk/rightsofwayimprovementplan to find out more and take part.

 

Summary of Rural Housing needs survey for HPC meeting 25.07.18

 

Background

 

In a report published in December 2014, the Rural Housing Alliance has stated that ‘For many rural households, finding somewhere affordable in their local community remains a barrier, with homes costing over eight times the average salary in 90% of rural local authority areas. This is an affordability gap which, in many areas, is even more extreme given low paid rural employment.’

 

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. This can make a real difference to the vitality of village services. The Rural Housing Enabler (RHE) undertook a parish wide survey to ascertain if there are shortfalls in affordable housing provision within the parish of Hever which includes the villages of Hever, Markbeech and Four Elms. This report provides overall information as well as analysis of housing need.

 

A survey was posted to every household within the parish in May 2018. 516 surveys were distributed with 127 surveys being returned, representing a 25% response rate.

 

Results

 

Analysis of the returned survey forms identified that 83% of respondents are owner occupiers.

 

67% of respondents have lived in the parish for over 10 years.

 

High property prices and a predominance of privately owned homes means that some local people are unable to afford a home within the parish.

 

At the time of writing the report the cheapest property for sale in the parish was a 1 bed apartment for £200,000; to afford to buy this home a deposit of approximately £30,000 would be required and an income of £48,571. The cheapest 2 bedroom property was for sale at £399,500; a deposit of £59,925 and income of £97,021 would be required to afford this home. To afford to rent privately an income of approximately £79,800 would be required to rent the cheapest and only property found available to rent in the parish which was a 3 bed house for £1995 pcm.

 

Overall, a need for up to 12 affordable homes, for the following local households was identified:

  • 3 single people
  • 4 couples
  • 5 families
  • 11 households currently live in one of the villages and 1 lives outside and wants to return

 

The 12 respondents in need of affordable housing indicated strong local connections to the villages of Hever, Four Elms and Markbeech.  7 respondents are currently living with relatives, 2 are housing association tenants and 3 are renting privately.

 

In total there are 19 adults and 9 children who have a need for affordable housing.

The survey also identified a requirement for 5 homes for older households, aged 50 years and over:

  • 1 single person
  • 4 couples
  • The 5 households all currently live in one of the villages
  • 2 of the older households need affordable housing. These affordable homes are required in addition to the 12 affordable homes identified above.

 

When asked how many bedrooms respondents sought/preferred, the following answers were given:

 

2 x 1 bed

6 x 2 beds

3 x 3 beds

1 x 4 beds.

 

Actual size of property will depend upon the council’s allocation policy and Help to Buy eligibility, see below.

 

In total, 6 respondents indicated an interest in shared ownership and 7 in a starter home (some respondents indicated more than one option); none of the respondents appeared to be able to afford a starter home. 2 households who indicated starter homes only, were assessed for shared ownership. In total, 7 households indicated that they may be able to afford a shared ownership property. More detailed analysis of their income, amount of deposit they have available and actual cost of the shared ownership property would be required to confirm affordability.

 

The survey has identified a total need for 14 affordable homes.

 

LOCATION OF NEED

 

Affordable general needs housing = Four Elms x 8, Hever x 3, Outside the villages x 1

 

Older Persons = Four Elms x 2, Hever x 1, Markbeech x 2 (the 2 older households needing affordable housing both live in Four Elms).

 

SUPPORT / OBJECTION AND LOCATION SUGGESTIONS FROM QUESTIONNAIRE

 

As expected, wide range of opinion but the vast majority supporting some affordable housing and some interesting suggestions of locations (main ones);

 

6 suggested out of parish in Edenbridge

6 fields in Four Elms

4 Uckfield Lane

4 Four Elms village hall

 

Typical quotes;

 

“No available property. I earn minimum wage and work full time. Moving back to the village would give support and help with child care needs and the support a young family needs. I spend all my day off with my parents in the village”.

 

“I am living with my parents. I would like to set up my own home near my job. I am a teacher.”

 

“Prospective first time buyer.  However houses are very expensive in these areas.”

 

“I am a lone parent with a young child. I have one wage and no other financial support. My mum travels from London to care for my child while I work full time in London Mon-Friday and she shares my son’s bedroom. With the cost of living ever increasing half my salary just goes on rent alone so more affordable housing would be a better option for me.”

 

We now need to consider and if appropriate to obtain a resolution from HPC to allow commencement of dialogue with potential site owners to establish their willingness or otherwise to make the land available on terms necessary to provide for a legacy of local affordable housing.

 

 

 

Planning Committee Councillors

Christine Thompson (BSc (Hons) Degree in Estate Management, Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), Duncan Leslie (a member of the RICS), Anita Sebastian (FCIS), Rick Brookes – Smith, Angela Haydon, Stephen Sadler (Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors).

Meetings bi monthly or with full meeting

Hever Village Hall.  See hever.org or contact the Clerk (clerk@hever.org) JULY 2018  meeting update

Hever Parish Council Planning record

SDC Ref.

Date / Address

Summary of application

HPC Comment

Outcome

 

SE/17/02703 CONVAR Seven Acres Farm, TN8 5DJ Note now in SDC Local plan draft – should be read in conjunction with site opposite too (Romani Way) – ref MX44, GT12 (10 pitches) Object
SE/18/00302/HOUSE High Buckhurst, Cowden Pound Road TN8 5NS Demolition of existing attached single storey garage. Erection of a single storey extension No objection Granted
18/00636/HOUSE / SE/18/00637/LBCALT The Thatched Cottage Hever Road Hever KENT TN8 7NH Demolition of existing lean-to utility room; erection of single storey extension.  

No objection

Granted
SE/18/00681/HOUSE Brocas Cottage, Brocas Road Hever TN8 7LE Erection of a first floor extension. No objection Refused
SE/18/01397MMA Riding Light, Cowden Pound Road Replacement of ground floor windows with door to front south elevation. No objection
18/01294/HOUSE Polands Hope Single storey extension No objection Refused
SE/18/01987/LDCPR The Old Bakehouse Buckhurst Lane Cowden KENT TN8 5PA Erection of single storey rear extension IS LDCPR

 

 

 

 

 

 

STREET NAMING & NUMBERING – SECTION 64 TOWN IMPROVEMENTS ACT 1847

Site: Bracken Barn Four Elms Road Edenbridge KENT TN8 6LT.

 

This dwelling is currently under construction, completion not expected before

December 2018. Please note that you may have Polands Farm as a historic address in your system; that was the main house on the property (now called Six Chimneys), the dwelling subject to this address change was originally an outbuilding to the main house. The two dwellings are now entirely separate properties.

 

We can confirm the address has been changed to: Polands Farm Four Elms Road Edenbridge TN8 6LT

Site: Polands Farm Four Elms Road Edenbridge KENT TN8 6LT

 

The property formerly known as Polands Farm has changed name. Please also note

that a new access drive has been created and the property is now addressed on Five

Fields Lane. Note new postcode.

 

FINANCIAL UPDATE – Hever Parish Council 2018 / 2019

Opening balance 3rd April 2018                                                   £ 27,320.52

Of which allocated for Fe play                                                    £ 19,030

Available balance on 3rd April                                                      £ 8,290.52

Expenditure between 3rd April – 13 June inclusive            £ 19,380.74

FE village hall hire outstanding from 20.03.18 40
playdale deposit 8589.84
playdale deposit 3107.52
Bobby Groves FE demolition 300
Hever village hall hire – defib, meeting 30
Bobby Groves pond, sigs, playground, grass 422.5
C Cole Salary, pension and costs till 20th April 1128.51
Bobby Groves pond, caretaker, grass 213
SDC pest at pond 105
HCS Hever field cut 162
C Cole vistaprint reimburse signs 144.69
C Cole vistaprint reimburse signs 12.58
C Cole vistaprint reimburse signs 33.55
Eden valley museum corporate membership 75
Bobby Groves pond, grass 137.5
C Cole Salary. Pension, office costs till 18th May 1248.46
Bobby Groves caretaker 242.5
Omni recycling skip for playground 222
S Sadler Cllr. costs 15.15
Mr Computing website costs 68.5
HCS Hever field cut 162
Viking office supplies 257.39
Gower retirement gift 50
Zurich insurance 589.3
R Bennett Caretaker 100
Hever primary school Grant towards new building 1000
Hever village hall Litter pick 15
D Williamson Annual audit 75
KALC Annual subscription 516.05
Streetlights 57.70
Bobby Groves play, grass 260
TOTALS 19380.74

Income                                                                        £ 22,978.97 (includes first half of precept)

RECEIPTS

10.04.18 HMRC – VAT rebate 09.02.17 – 28.02.18 1,375.73
30.04.18 SDC half precept 21,346.00
08.05.18 Community fundraiser towards FE play 100.00
13.06.18 HRA Training refund 60.00

Reserved for FE play                                                   £ 6,250.64

Available balance on 13th June                                 £ 24,668.11

Which reconciles with bank statements, as witnessed by member of Finance

Committee……………………………………………………………………………………………………. (sign & date)

 

Noting the budget for 2018 – 2019 planned for;

Fixed costs                                                                   £ 30,700

Grants to local groups                                                            £ 5,000

Projects                                                                       £ 5,000

Contingency                                                                £ 7,500