NONINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

Report of meeting held on Monday, 8th December 2003

Bus Shelter/Safety

The volume of traffic using the village is now a real issue Baxter Associates have done a traffic census in Nonington, this shows nearly 1600 movements of traffic in a 12 hour period from 7 am to 7 pm. The Safety Officer from D.D.C. should be informed of these figures. A meeting should he arranged for him to meet Parish Councillors on site to discuss methods of traffic calming including flashing lights at either end of the problem area next to the playground to the bottom of Vicarage Lane. A letter to be sent to the Safety Officer with copies going to Ray Ball the Highways Officer and Gordon Measev the man in charge of funding for a bus shelter. Might it be a good idea to contact Mr Plumptre regarding the land outside the public house. We have subsequently been informed that peak times are 8 - 9am and 5 - 6pm.

Councillors' Allowances Scheme

Notification of Acceptance by Nonington Parish Council of a Scheme of Allowances in accordance with the Local Authorities (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, having regard to the report of the Parish Remuneration Panel Basic Allowance The Councillors can vote to pay themselves a basic allowance of £108 per year per Councillor with the Chairman being paid £216 per year. This amount would be taken from the Annual Precept and this Parish Council is classed as small. If everyone took an allowance then it would affect the Precept. Alternatively the Chairman can be the only one to be paid an allowance. Even if the Councillors vote to accept the basic allowance they need not take it. It was suggested that the scheme be taken up and that it would then be up to the individual Councillors whether they took their allowance or not. The Chairman suggested we agree to the scheme but Cllr Ian Mowat objected and did not agree. If a decision is taken to accept the scheme it is unalterable, and cannot be changed in the foreseeable future. Details of the arrangements for allowances have to be made public.

Proposal To accept the principle of a basic allowance:-

Two - in favour

One - against

Three abstained

All Councillors agreed not to take the allowance.

Travel and Subsistence

This enables Councillors to claim mileage of about 49.1 per mile. Examples given were Councillor Mowat attending Police meetings, Councillors Rye and Barnett travelling to Eastry for a footpaths meeting and also the Snowdown Forum Meetings. It was agreed that Councillors are using petrol as part of their role as a Parish Councillor then they should be able to claim the mileage and be compensated.

Proposal: Do the Councillors agree to accept the aspect of Travel and Subsistence? Carried unanimously.

Clerk to find out the correct rates paid for mileage.

Bruderhof Footpaths

The diversion of footpaths EE3O5/EE3U6 on land owned by the Bruderhof was agreed unanimously.

Cutting of grass in Cemetery

The Parish Council had been asked by Philip Abbott, Warden of St. Mary the Virgin Church. Nonington to contribute to the cutting of grass in the Cemetery. He is under the impression that 'Local Government guidelines include that Parish Councils should support this kind of maintenance'. Clerk to research.

The Remuneration Panel’s Report is available from the Clerk for a fee of £5.00.

A record of allowances paid to Councillors will be available from the Clerk in written form for a fee of £5.00.