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Chairman's Newsletter - Spring 2002
Chairman: Cllr Tom Gibbs.
For a number of years, the Chairman of the Parish Council has produced an annual newsletter on the Council's activities which, this year, you should receive with your Folkestone Extra. Also enclosed is a Local Needs Housing questionnaire produced by Kent Rural Community Council. KRCC and the Parish council are working together to try and establish the need for cheap housing for rent or joint ownership on a shared equity basis. Distribution of the questionnaire has been purposely delayed that it might share the distribution arrangements for this newsletter. I would urge you to complete and return it as indicated as the first step in helping to provide those persons with accommodation who would otherwise be forced to leave the area.
The Parish Council is a hard-working body and achieves a lot for the village. Its precept increase this year, as part of your rates demand, was one of the lowest in Shepway. Much of the Council's energies are devoted to ensuring that the other public bodies, especially Shepway District Council and the Environment Agency (who are responsible for the seawall and the Willop Basin), fulfil their functions to the highest standard. It is not easy as their budgets are tight and they have the competing claims of other areas.
The parish Council maintains a burial ground, the Recreation Ground, the car park to the side and rear of the Village Hall and has seawall trading rights and rights on the foreshore from the Environment Agency and the Crown Estate respectively. In season, it employs car park attendants and beach managers. It has a groundsman and the Parish Clerk is Peter Leonard.
The Burial Ground is now effectively full-up and there is no replacement in the offing. The Council has decided against compulsory purchase of a new ground in view of the very great costs entailed but would welcome the offer of land through voluntary agreement.
The Recreation Ground is one of the best in the area but under-utilised with now only the cricket club, the City of London FC and the Tennis Club using it. The Tennis Club leases the tennis courts from the Parish Council and would like to upgrade them with lighting. Membership of the club has declined and this will be a major challenge. The tennis courts have suffered from vandalism as has the pavilion. The Council provided a skate board ramp a few years ago which also attracts damage. Let us hope that we don't have to follow Hythe's example and remove it to avoid constant repair costs. Apart from the Tennis Club's plans, there is a need for better pavilion facilities and there is a Users Group that is looking into possible developments.
The Council put together a bid for a Market Towns Health Check from the South East England Development Agency. It was unsuccessful whereas New Romney has succeeded. This measure could have led to major investment in the village, helping not only with improving Recreation Ground facilities but also two other Council initiatives- purchase of Martello Tower No 25 in the seafront car park from Shepway DC and its restoration to a tourist facility; and a major environmental uplift to the High Street and environs. The Council is now looking at the possibility of joining with New Romney.
Shepway DC has attracted funding for its previously publicised plans for environmental improvements to the A259 corridor. A start was made some two years ago on the planting of the Willop Basin frontage but it got no further than provision of a low fence on the highway verge. This year, however, landscaping has started in earnest of the land at either side of the A259 from New Beach to The Neptune. These frontages will be transformed and present an attractive approach to the village. The next stage entails construction of various artistic structures on the seawall to relieve its somewhat austere appearance; and eventually it is hoped there will be other improvements further along the route. It is understood that the reconstruction of the seawall through the village, previously on hold, has been confirmed so there will be much going on in the next few years, in all of which the Council will be deeply involved.
Time-and-again the Council receives complaints about dog fouling. This is an offensive practise and a health danger which sadly is largely the fault of certain residents who refuse to clear up after their pets. The Parish Council has paid for six new dog waste bins to go on the seawall but, of course, ordinary litter bins can be used and not just the dedicated ones. Other dog waste bins may follow. It is for Shepway to enforce the dog fouling legislation and more frequent attendance of their Wardens is constantly requested. The Recreation Ground and the Council's car park are within the scope of the legislation. The Council will publish the names of those convicted of dog fouling.
The Bathing Beach should be up-and-running again from Easter with all signs renewed. The Beach Managers do a good job and are well qualified now in First Aid. However, they are not lifesavers and incidents in the sea have to be dealt with by the emergency services. The paved area by the slipway has been enclosed with railings through a generous grant from the Rural Development Area.
Parking fees for the Council's Car Park have, again, not been increased this year (annual permits: ?7 per year for Dymchurch & Burmarsh Residents - ?14 for those of St Mary's Bay). The area of pot-holes just beyond the Village Hall is soon to be asphalted to maintain its attractiveness to users.
Vandalism is a continuing problem throughout the village - graffiti on bus shelters and smashed panels and forced hatches on seawall kiosks are cases in point. The costs of most of these incidents have to be met by the Council and not its insurers. The Council maintains nine bus shelters, one of which by Country's Field was installed a year ago while that by the Burmarsh turn was upgraded at about the same time.
Another example of unacceptable and dangerous behaviour is speeding on the A259. The Council has campaigned for many years for speed cameras but KCC's priorities have always been elsewhere. A public meeting in February chaired by the MP, Mr Michael Howard, has focused the attention of the Highway Authority on the problem and at last it looks as though Kent Police has agreed to set-up a Speed Watch scheme. This entails residents volunteering to operate hand-held radar guns to catch culprits and so freeing the Police to tackle wider crime. Training will be given and protective clothing provided. Volunteers are being sought now so please seriously consider whether you can serve your community in this way and give your name to any Parish Councillor or to the Parish Clerk. For its part, the Parish Council has expressed a willingness to assist with the costs of installing a Speed Indicator Display Unit but this initiative has had to be put on hold pending a governmental study.
The Local government act 2000 has imposed new ethical standards on all local councils notably the requirement to adopt a Code Of Conduct and for councillors to register their financial and personal interests where they could be relevant to the Council' business. All councillors have to declare such interests at meetings where personal or "prejudicial" interests are relevant to the business in hand. Registers of members interests are open to public inspection and, it has to be said, not everyone is willing for their personal affairs to be exposed to public scrutiny.
Cllr Bateman recently resigned from the Council and it is hoped to fill the vacancy by Co-option on 8th April. He had served the community well and took-on at his own initiative a number of causes to improve the lot of residents. The four-year Council cycle will end in May 2003 when there will be elections.
Government is also introducing the concept of Quality Parish Councils and Dymchurch PC will be seeking to be designated. In practise, I have no doubts that we are amongst the best performing local councils but we will have to make the case. Success would give us additional funding from central government and an active role in working with Shepway.
This is Royal Jubilee Year and the Council will be hosting a number of celebrations during Jubilee weekend. Cllr Joyce Cockerill has formed a small group to organise and oversee events. For the moment, the Folkestone Youth band will be performing by the slipway on Saturday 1st June and the Hythe Town Concert Band will be in the Village Hall for a free concert on the Sunday afternoon, 2nd June. The East Kent Morris Men will also be appearing in the Village on the Sunday afternoon.
The Annual Parish Meeting is in the Village Hall on Thursday 9th May at 7.30pm. Please make this a well-attended meeting. Any matters of local concern can be discussed with Parish Council members.
This has been my second year as Chairman. It is a privilege and a responsibility that I take seriously and which I combine with my work on the District council as one of the three Dymchurch representatives. The Parish Council works well as a team and it is unusual for there to be dissension. Moreover there is an enthusiasm extending beyond the Council Chamber with members working within the community and involving themselves directly in the work of associated organisations.
Thank you for your support.
REMEMBER - THE PARISH COUNCIL IS HERE TO HELP YOU, THE PEOPLE OF DYMCHURCH.
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