BARHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of an Annual Parish Meeting held at Barham Village Hall on Thursday 12
April 2007 at 7.30 p.m.
Welcome: The Chairman welcomed all to the Meeting.
1.
Present:
Cllr L. Davies (Chairman), Cllr E. Mullett (Vice Chairman) and Cllrs J. Callan, R.
Feacey, Mrs H. Pechey, Mrs V. Steer and D. Tamsitt and Mrs S. Baker, Clerk in
attendance.
2.
Apologies:
Cllrs Mrs M. Jenkins and M. Simpson.
3.
Minutes of Last Annual Parish Meeting held on Thursday 13 April 2006:
Approved at Parish Council Meeting of 7 September 2006.
4.
Provisional Financial Report:
The Clerk presented the Provisional Financial Report, which was circulated to all
members present. No questions raised by Parishioners or Councillors. Proposed by
Cllr E. Mullett and seconded by Cllr D. Tamsitt
5.
Chairman’s Report:
Members of the PC were introduced and all Councillors were thanked for their
continued support during the past year, as well as to the Clerk, Sharon Baker for her
hard work, help and guidance. Prior to reading out the report on the work carried out
during the year, the Chairman advised that at the Meeting held on the 5th April 2007, a
number of Parishioners asked for details of the new precept and why it had increased
so much compared with previous years. It was confirmed that the Parish Council had
decided to publish an open letter to all Barham Parishioners in order that the reasons
are clarified, and what is likely to happen in subsequent years. The Chairman
proceeded to read out the letter to be published to all who had attended the Meeting.
Planning:
Approximately 29 Planning Applications were received during the year, which
include some Planning Applications for work to be carried out on trees. Comments
are passed on many applications that are felt not to be sympathetic with rural
surroundings and on two occasions the PC have strongly objected to plans, with Cllr
Jim Callan attending at Planning Meetings at the Guildhall, Canterbury to represent
the PC’s views. Thanks were conveyed to Cllr Jim Callan for his assistance in this
regard.
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Village Green and Play Area:
During the past year the Village Green was designated as a Village Green under the
law and is therefore protected from unlawful trespass or encroachment. The toddlers
play area between Valley Road and Old Valley Road has been refurbished to a high
standard. A new gate and a picnic table are yet to be purchased using money from the
Social Fund. A memorial tree was planted inside the play area by family members of
the late Dr and Mrs Ingram who lived in the village for many years.
Roads, Footpaths and Maintenance:
The Clerk is in continual contact with the Highway Authorities concerning the terrible
state of our roads and eventually some of the work is carried out. “Derringstone
Hill”, which has been patched so many times, has thankfully had 75% of the road
resurfaced, which is a big improvement. “Out Elmstead Lane” and “The Street” still
remain on the list of “to do’s”. A new contract was negotiated for the repair and
upkeep of the streetlights, with many having to be updated at great expense and some
are still to have the electricity supply transferred from the old lamps to the new.
Please remember to contact Cllr Maureen Jenkins if a streetlight is faulty. Three salt
bins were put in place last autumn and a further two have been purchased for
“Rectory Lane” and “Heathfield Way”.
Social:
The Social Fund remains healthy. Two main events held during the year were the
Bonfire Night and the Annual Pensioners Luncheon Party in February 2007. The
Bonfire Night was a massive success with the biggest attendance since we started and
the largest fire ever, thanks to East Kent Timber who kindly provided several trailer
loads of timber. Special thanks to all who helped on the night, including several new
recruits. Christmas lights were purchased from funds and put up on the School tree in
December 2006. Serco installed and removed the lights and will store them to reinstall them again this year for a small fee. A new gate and picnic table are to be
purchased from funds for the refurbished toddlers play area. The Pensioners Party was
again successful, with entertainment being put on by the Brownies and four young
girls who sang to a captive audience. Many thanks to all that helped.
Youth Club:
The Youth Club sessions are now run independently, with funding from the PC
employing a Youth Worker supplied by Canterbury City Council. There is actually a
session in the main hall this evening.
Safety First:
The Safety First Group continued to push forward with the proposed footpath link
with our neighbours in Kingston. Unfortunately the slowness of the Highways
Authority to clarify legitimate concerns raised by the residents resulted in the project
being shelved. Some residents insisted that the 30mph speed limit should be
implemented before agreeing to any further consultation regarding the footpath. A
letter was sent to all residents in January 2007 stating that unless all the residents, as a
group, express a desire to progress this section we would not be taking the matter
further. The group has not met for some while but plan to meet later in the year to
plan our bid for further safety measures for our village.
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Website:
The Parish Council has a website which the Clerk, Sharon Baker has set up for us at
www.barhampc.kentparishes.gov.uk. If anyone has any forthcoming events or
interesting news that you would like to put onto the site, please contact either the
Clerk or the Chairman.
The Chairman closed her report and thanked everyone for attending the meeting.
6.
Guest Speaker – PCSO Susan Radcliffe of Kent Police:
PCSO Susan Radcliffe says that she works out of Canterbury and does the whole of
Barham Downs and rural Canterbury and is always at the end of a telephone. Also
part of the rural team is PC Gibson and PC Bell. Anyone can go on the Kent Police
Website and send an e-mail and whoever is available will attend to the matter
concerned. Crime has gone up by 8% and includes domestic violence which is a large
portion of the matters reported. PCSO Susan Radcliffe proceeded to answer questions
raised by Parishioners.
7.
Church & Various Village Organisations Reports:
(a) Art Club:
A report by Mrs Carol Allin was read. The club meets every Wednesday in the
Village Hall from 7.30 to 9.30 and has about 14 members. They have a tutor, Jean
Gage, on alternate weeks. Newcomers are welcome as well as those with previous
experience.
(b) Bell Ringers:
Mrs Nancy Ball reported that the bells were rung in April to celebrate the 80th
Birthday of the Queen, for which a letter of appreciation was received from
Buckingham Palace. The bells are ringing as normal for Sunday services and hold
practices on Fridays. New methods are gradually being learned. Nancy Ball wished
to thank the ringers for carrying on without their Captain when she was unwell for
some months in 2006. Thanks are also due to the Steeplekeeper Brian Woodgate, the
Training Officer Geoff Grabham and to the other loyal ringers for their support
throughout the year. Catherine Langley and Graham Manley were welcomed to the
band, with their now having a full quota of members for the five bells.
(c) Bowls Club:
A report by Mrs Dennis Rose was read out. The Bowls Club will be back on the local
green for its 77th season on 14th April 2007. The club owes its long survival to the
enthusiasm and hard work of its members. Recently a small group of keen members
has put a great deal of effort into refurbishing the Club House and the surrounds of the
green. The result of this effort and that of their long-serving Green Keeper Geoff
Grabham, are obvious to passers-by and will be appreciated by their members and
visiting bowlers. In 2007 they shall compete in the Dover League (Men) and
Shepway League (Ladies), a total of 31 competitive matches. In addition there will be
Home and Away matches of 24 friendly matches for the men, 30 friendly matches for
the ladies and 19 friendly matches for mixed teams. There are also 10 Club
Championships. This is an onerous programme and in recent years it has been
increasingly difficult to raise teams from our limited membership. The Club cannot
understand why the oldest Sports Club in the Village is so neglected by local
residents. Bowls is a friendly, inexpensive game which can be played by both sexes
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and all ages, with the youngest member being at school and the oldest member is well
over 70. Last season, of the 41 playing members only 9 were from Barham, 1 from
Kingston and 1 from Bridge and the remaining from as far afield as Canterbury,
Petham, Stelling Minnis and Sturry. On Sunday 6th May 2007 there will be an Open
Day for any visitor of any sex or age to be made welcome, offered refreshments and
an opportunity to try our game.
(d) Country Dancing:
A report by Mr Alf Mathews was read. The Club continues to function on a regular
weekly basis, except for Bank Holidays, on a Monday. Numbers do not change
much, in spite of the ageing process, as we do find new members coming in. Visitors
are also welcome on a casual basis. Classes held every Monday evening from 7.30 to
9.30. New members are welcome.
(e) Elham Valley Twinning Association:
Mrs Diana Forrest reported that contacts with the new twinning partners in the
Beaujolais region of France have been strengthened by the visit of the French to the
Elham Valley in April 2006 and a return visit by our members in October 2006. In
each case about 30 people travelled and a varied programme made both weekends
most enjoyable. The French are particularly keen to involve young families in the
twinning and for this reason we are hoping to recruit younger people. They are also
planning to set up special groups for such hobbies such as sport, music, gardening and
art so that members with shared interests could organise separate visits. Activities
over the past year included a car treasure hunt, “Boules and Beer” with a buffet lunch,
wine tasting, a visit to St. Omer for the Christmas Market and in January 2007, an
Epiphany party was held with a competition to choose the best home made French
“gateau des rois”. A full programme of events is planned for this year. These events
are a good way to get people together from all the villages in our valley as well as
experiencing French hospitality and friendship when we visit the region. This year’s
AGM will take place in Barham Village Hall on Tuesday 1st May 2007 at 7.30pm
starting with a glass of wine. Information, photographs, etc can be found on their
website at www.evta.org.uk
(f) Friends of Barham Church:
A report from Mr James Linington was read. As a programme for the major
redecoration of the interior of the Church is still awaited, the Friends held only two
major fund-raising events last year, which both took place in July, which was
unfortunate but could not be helped, due to Dr David Starkey’s heavy work schedule.
On a Friday evening Dr David Starkey had a good turn out in the garden of Red Oast
Cottage for his talk entitled “The Monarchy and the Church”. After this, over 90
people enjoyed supper provided by committee members. A fortnight later saw about
100 people turning up at the gardens of James and Angela Cross for the Hog Roast,
with entertainment provided by Vicky, a talented young singer from Herne Bay.
Sadly, only 3 residents where able to participate in the national Church Cycle Ride,
from which were raised £109.00. Thanks were conveyed to Nancy Ball who took
over the village organisation for this event. In December the Christmas Tree and
Carol Service in the Church was held in aid of the Friends, who provided mulled wine
and mince pies. In 2007 two events are planned being a Village Picnic at Jumping
Downs on 6th May and the Police Band Concert in the Church on the 6th October.
Further expenditure is about to be incurred in repairing two boilers, also necessitating
substantial work to the pipe-work costing approximately £10,000.00, for which the
Friends will be responsible, so this will eat heavily into their reserves.
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(g) Horticultural Society:
Mr Tim Bines reported that Barham and District Horticultural Society continue to
have strong support with over 250 members. During the year a number of events
were hosted, which included a coach trip to Kew Gardens, two guest speakers and a
plant sale.
(h) Karate Club:
A report from Mr Adrian Wright was read. The club has commenced its sixth year.
During the year, the club performed a display at the School fete and the usual
Christmas display for the parents. There is a child’s club and a junior/senior club,
which both have an excellent attendance record and no new members can be accepted
at present. It is anticipated that this year the club will have its first student/member to
achieve their black belt and two juniors hopefully will obtain their full brown belts,
allowing them to sit their black belt grading next year. The club is still financially
sound and is able to sponsor students to take their grades and purchase equipment.
There has been no increase in subscriptions since the club was formed.
(i) The Kingsbourne Players:
A report from Gubby Twigg was read. The Kingsbourne Players continue to enjoy
support from the villagers of Barham and has Barham residents among its
membership. Last summer, they performed “Anyone for breakfast”, which was a
comedy and despite problems in performance, audience figures were up. The
pantomime, “Dick Whittington”, was also well received with a slightly higher
attendance than the year before. Both productions showed a small surplus. Several
new members took part in the pantomime, including the Rector, although it was
regretted that there were not more children from the Village School. There will be
another new recruit in the forthcoming production, which is a farce entitled “Who
Goes Bare”. The Company are concerned that the current storage arrangements are
not adequate or weather-proof, especially as the forestage was found to be damp. It
would also be beneficial if refreshments could be served from a kitchen area to
audiences. The current arrangements for costume changes are not ideal, with adults
and children of both genders sharing the same area, although screens are used.
However, the group are thankful to be able to use Barham Village Hall to present
productions and to be an integral part of the life of the community.
(j) Motorcycle Club:
A report from Mr Eddie Mears was read. The club has had another successful year,
both financially and on the competitive side, and are looking forward to this their 78 th
year of continuous operation. An annual dinner is still held, although sadly not a
dinner and dance in the village hall, as was the case up until a few years ago. This
year over 50 members enjoyed a superb dinner at the Black Robin in Kingston. There
is a membership in excess of 30, despite not one Barham resident belonging to the
club.
(k) Neighbourhood Watch:
A report from Mr Richard Bailey was read. Neighbourhood Watch were happy to
report that fewer crime reports were received for the village and the surrounding area
than in the previous year. The most serious incidents were two closely-dated
burglaries at the A2 Service Station Shop. Reports of vandalism, domestic disputes,
etc were also much reduced. It is, though, very important that we all remain vigilant
and report immediately any criminal or suspicious activity to Canterbury Police.
Richard Bailey has available Neighbourhood Watch self-adhesive yellow logos for
anyone who would like to display the logo on their premises.
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(l) Normandy Veterans Association:
Mr Frank Risbridger reported that the past year had been a very busy one. Visits were
arranged to the Imperial War Museum in London on the 24th April 2006, to the Pilot
Inn at Dungeness on the 23rd May 2006, to the War and Peace Show at the Hop Farm
at Paddock Wood on the 23rd July early 2004 and to the Eastbourne Air Show on the
17th August 2006, all trips being free to members and their wives. A dinner was held
at the Canterbury Golf Club on the 7th July 2006 and on the 1st December 2006, a
Christmas Dinner was held at the Canterbury Golf Club, which was subsidised for
members. During this period they had three speakers namely Mrs Anne Wren from
Hi-Kent, who displayed equipment for the hard of hearing, the Area Commander
Detective Superintendent Peter West and Group Captain Patrick Tootal OBE DL RAF
(retired), who is the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Kent. Looking to the future, a trip has
been arranged on the 13th May 2007 to the London Eye, followed by lunch at the
Rembrant Hotel in Mayfair and then on to Westminster Pier for a trip down the river
to Greenwich, to pick up the coach to go home. Another trip to the Pilot Inn at
Dungeness, which is a favourite, is being looked at. Sadly, they will have to lay up
their standard on the 27th June 2007, which is Veterans Day, with a full service in
Canterbury Cathedral, were it will rest followed by a buffet lunch. They will be going
to the War and Peace Show on the 22nd July 2007, where Frank Risbridger will be
presenting the plaque prizes. The Christmas dinner is arranged for the 7th December
2007. Sadly, over the past year, 4 members died.
(m) Parish Magazine:
Mrs Nancy Ball reported that the magazine is still thriving, with subscriptions
remaining stable. Thanks go to all the many people connected with the production
and distribution of the magazines every month and of course to the advertisers, some
of whom have supported them for many years. The forthcoming events pages are a
popular feature, and hopefully prevent some serious clashing of events. Contributors
have been very good this year in observing the closing dates – with very few going
over the midnight deadline. Please continue to send in your wonderful articles.
(n) Pre-School:
A report from Mrs Elizabeth Rule was read. During the last year, Barham Pre-School
has continued to provide the highest level of care to all the children who attend and
congratulations should go to the staff who have worked hard to maintain these
impressive standards. In July 2006, 14 children moved from Pre-School to begin at
Barham Primary School, with 22 children moving on this summer. Although many
children are moving up, the Pre-School has a waiting list and envisage no problems in
filling the places vacated. Staff and Committee have continued their practical
fundraising this year with the traditional Christmas Fayre and Boot Fairs, and
continue to seek ways to swell the funds to improve the facilities provided to the
children. They have also been successful in applications made for grants and have
been awarded substantial funds for specific projects. One grant has been used to
install air conditioning and also to provide new windows for the pre-school building,
which will be more secure and more energy sufficient in the winter. A good deal of
the money has been used for new toys, games and craft supplies. Another grant was
obtained specifically to have a new surface on the outside play area, which is
designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injury to any of the children if they fall.
There have been changes on the committee, with new people volunteering for posts to
continue the good work of previous members.
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(o) Parish Public Transport:
Mrs Nancy Ball reported that the buses are still running regularly up and down the
valley. The 8.51 a.m. to Folkestone now runs from Monday to Friday throughout the
School holidays as well as during term time. The passes for the over 60’s have
proved very popular, and the buses are sometimes quite filled with happy chattering
pensioners. A hint for people visiting Kent & Canterbury Hospital – press the bell
immediately after the Bat & Ball and walk up St. Lawrence Forstal – it is shorter than
Ethelbert Road. Trains from both Canterbury East and Canterbury West are new
modern, comfortable and pleasant except for the mobile phones. Not quite so
convenient for bicycles, but manageable, if you know the best places to board. There
is now a fast train from Ashford to Brighton. You do not have to change and it
usually connects with the train from Canterbury West. Please note some timetables to
the buses from the Folkestone Bus Station change on the 15th April 2007 and this will
affect the number 10 that visits William Harvey Hospital.
(p) Sunday School:
Mrs Kathleen Townsend reported that the Sunday School continues to meet on
Sunday mornings in the Chapel at the new time of 10.30 a.m. for an hour. There is a
Bible reading, a story, prayers, activities, Hymns and games. They took part in the
annual Carol and Mince Pie Evening in the Chapel, which was very successful and
was in aid of the National Children’s Home. They all enjoyed going to see the village
pantomime “Dick Whittington”, cheering the goodies and booing the baddies. The
Sunday School breaks up for the summer holidays at the end of June 2007 and usually
have a party with fun and games. The good news is that although the numbers remain
small, they have had some new children join this year, which is encouraging. A big
thank you was conveyed to Beryl Ashley and Pauline Usherwood, whose help was
invaluable each week. All children from the age of 4 upwards are welcome.
(q) Tennis Club:
A report from Mr Davy was read. The club has had another successful year, with
membership now stable, with as many members as in the early 70’s during the club’s
heyday, although less Tennis is played. The Open Day was well attended, where
members enjoyed strawberries and cream, a glass of champagne, a game of tennis and
the chance of winning one of two pairs of tickets for the Centre and No. 1 Courts at
Wimbledon, by way of a raffle. Another Open Day for members will be held this
summer in June. Juniors’ coaching was very successful and is hoped to run again this
year. As it is difficult to organise coaching around people’s busy lives, adult
members are invited to make their own arrangements by contacting the coach James
Hager on 07717781586. This year a ladies tennis morning will be run every
Wednesday from the 18th April 2007, with coaching available. Members interested in
the ladies morning or wishing to contact other members for tennis should contact
Simon Cavalier at simon_cavalier@hotmail.com or on 01227-831367. They are in
the middle of a fund raising exercise to resurface the court and replace the fencing in
2008. Any assistance, bright ideas or donations are welcome. Club nights for
members are Friday from 6.00 p.m. and Saturday afternoon from 2.15 p.m. New
members are welcome at any time.
(r) Barham with Kingston UNICEF Support Group:
A report from Mr Tim Gambier was read. The two villages continue to give the
strongest possible support to the East Kent Network for UNICEF, to which the group
belongs. The mini-market in 2006 raised £778.00, the highest for a number of years.
This year’s date is the 6th October 2007, so please come and give the support you
always do. The money raised will be used to provide a range of treatments to prevent
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transmission of Aids from mothers to children in Mozambique, one of Africa’s
poorest countries. The next effort on behalf of the Network is a coffee morning in
Littlebourne Village Hall on the 19th May 2007 from 10.00 a.m. to noon.
(s) Village Hall:
Mr Roger Allin reported that during the last year, the ladies toilets have been
renovated and the kitchen has been updated with new cupboards, sinks and tiling.
Internal and external redecoration is the priority this year. The PC has proposed
greater involvement in the running of the hall and the Village Hall Committee has
welcomed this. In fact, most villagers believe that the hall is run by the PC anyway,
but this has never been the case in the hall’s 78 years of existence. The hall has
always been run by a Committee made up of representatives from every group that
uses the hall. The PC now has two members on the Village Hall Committee and is
also arranging fund-raising events. A dance in March 2007 raised £385.00 and
further dances are being organised. The Village Hall Committee is grateful for this
extra income, which will provide improvements. Not only is there a hall to run, there
is also the surrounding land to be maintained. The hall continues to provide excellent
facilities for groups to meet, for stage plays and pantomimes, for auctions and for
parties, and long may it continue to do so.
(t) Barham Village Website:
Mr Bob parson reported that he runs a website about the village, in its widest sense,
trying to tell the story of a community. It is non-political. It covers the village in terms
of its location, position in history, buildings and famous people, telling stories written
by local people. It has 139 pages of information and 123 images from its own files,
plus other pictures linked from other websites. Most pictures are free of copyright but
others are included with authority from the owners, such as Christies Auction House
and the US Library of Congress. The website has 20,000 page hits per month of
which 1,050 are unique visitors and 1,600 actual visits. Peak time for viewing is on
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday between 2.00 and 4.00 p.m. 57% of visits are from
America, 23% from the UK and the rest from 18 other countries namely Australia,
Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland,
Romania, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey. Main subjects for people to
view are around the village, famous residents and genealogy. Feedback is received on
a Guest Book and via direct e-mails – 2 or 3 each day. Many are about the history of
the village, some are from people who want to visit the village and most are about
people tracing their family trees, for which Bob Parsons holds the census from 1841
to 1901.
(u) Barham Wives Club:
A report from Mrs Marjorie Denereaz was read. The club continues to thrive with 39
members. Over the past year, there have been many interesting talks and visits, plus a
meal and theatre visit to the Marlowe. Just before Christmas, they were invited by the
Kingston Group to a very enjoyable evening in the Barn, which they shall return this
summer. At the AGM last week, it was unanimously agreed to raise subscription,
after many years, from £8.00 to £10.00 per year. They are always pleased to welcome
new members.
8.
Any Other Business:
Kathleen Townsend thanked the Chairman and Councillors for their work during the
year.
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There are trees and stinging nettles overhanging the footpath in Old Valley Road and
The Grove. The Clerk will report these.
City Councillor Martin Vye gave his annual report. One of the major issues
concerning local people in the village remains the speed of traffic. A great deal has
been done in recent years to create speed limits on Barham roads, thanks to the
determined efforts of the Safety First Group, who report to the PC. Having been
involved in this work, the latest achievement is the agreement by the highway
authority to extend the 30 mph limit on Valley Road as far as Out Elmstead Lane.
There remains a great deal to be done. As for the proposed footway between Barham
and Kingston, he continues to remain committed to this splendid project. Over the
last year one way of achieving this has been tried without success. However there are
other possibilities and feels driven to make this a priority for himself when he hears of
the dangers faced by families from Mill View Court taking their children to Barham
School on foot. Planning development control is an area that he is very interested in,
from the point of view of safeguarding the outstanding natural beauty of Barham’s
location. Fortunately, there have been no applications posing a major threat to this
during the year. One application, which is worrying, is the proposed pumping of
treated wastewater into the bed of the Nailbourne near Elham. An objection was put
in by him, as many residents did, on the grounds that it was uncertain how much
pollutant would remain in the wastewater and what affect this volume of water would
have on the flow of the Nailbourne, when it does flow. A fair proportion of his work
is concerned with housing services to council tenants. This can involve sorting out
repairs or dealing with queries about landlord’s responsibilities. However, the matters
which concern him most is the lack of affordable housing to rent compared with the
need. Congratulations were conveyed to the PC and local volunteers on continuing to
support the Rural Street Runner project, bringing a much need Youth Club to the
village. A County Council proposal which will make a difference for 11 to 16 year
olds is the impending introduction of bus passes. It will make it easier for them to
obtain a place at the school of their and their parents choice, as they will not face the
high cost of travel to a school which is not their ‘nearest appropriate’. The passes are
also valid throughout the day so that bus travel to facilities in Canterbury, in the
evenings and holidays for example, becomes much more accessible.
The meeting closed at 9.05 pm.
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