Page 1 of 16 · Mrs. Emma-Jane Ross, Lydd Youth Set. Town Clerk, Mrs. A. Alexander, Deputy Town...

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Annual Parish Meeting, 27th April 2015

Minutes of the ANNUAL TOWN MEETING of the TOWN & PARISH OF LYDD held in the Council Chamber, Guild Hall, Lydd on Monday 27th April 2014 at 7pm.

Present: Town Mayor, T. A. Dawes (Chairman). District & Town Councillors, Ms. V. M. Dawson, C. Goddard and A. R. J. Hills. Town Councillors, T. Allen, D. Chapman, R. S. Jones, E. H. Last, L. N. Laws, M. F. Sweeney, C. R. Tudor, F. Wood-Brignall and Mrs. C. J. Waters. Hon. Freeman, Mr. C. E. Albrow. PCSO M. Robinson, Kent Police. Mr. C. Buchanan, Chief Executive Officer, London Ashford Airport. Mrs. J. Beaumont, The Banks Sports & Social Club. Mr. R. Hooper, Lydd Allotment Association. Miss. A. Boxall, Friends of Lydd. Mrs. Emma-Jane Ross, Lydd Youth Set. Town Clerk, Mrs. A. Alexander, Deputy Town Clerk, Mrs. M. Weaver and Town Clerk’s Assistant, Mrs. J. A. Mathews. 10 members of the public, 2 Press members.

Absence: Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs. B. T. A. Hart, and Hon. Freeman, Mr. D. A. Prior, Past Mayor, Ms. R. G. Saunders, Greatstone Primary School Headteacher - Nicola Wood and Lydd Primary School Headteacher - Andrea Charman, Mrs. T. Paterson, Clerk to the Lydd Municipal & Other Charities, Mr. Paul Croft, Community Warden and Mr. & Mrs. L. Carter.

1. MINUTES The minutes of the meeting held on 28th April 2014, having been available for inspection at the Guild Hall, the library and on the Town Council’s website, were taken as read, agreed and signed.

2. TOWN COUNCIL REPORT The Town Mayor, Cllr. T. A. Dawes reported as follows:- “It has been a great privilege to have served for a second year as the Town Mayor of Lydd Parish, attending 59 function so far in various parts of the County and the Cinque Ports, and for the first time a visit to our twin town of Etrechy in France. I have been well supported by the Deputy Mayor and Civic Representative who have deputised for me on some occasions. This year has been extra special with the Commemoration of the start of World War One when our young people planted poppy seeds in various parts of the Town, which we hope will show next year. Lydd Town Council continues to work successfully in partnership with both the Allotments Association and Lydd Partnership. The Mayor’s Business Working Party has been progressing various projects of maintenance of Council property and the CCTV system is working well in achieving the aim of keeping down anti-social behaviour and crime. This year Lydd Town Council has been successful in funding applications for the installation of 3 new cycle stands in Coronation Square and a Community Covenant Grant which we worked on with Lydd Ranges and both Lydd and Greatstone Primary Schools. The funding will be used for an Army Adventure Day at the Ranges to be enjoyed by Year 6 pupils from both Primary Schools. A lot of help is asked of volunteers in our Community and I appreciate all who have come forward when asked, and thank all those who help with the youth groups and the elderly for all they do. I also thank Town Councillors and the staff for their support, without which the job of Town Mayor could not be done”.

RESOLVED: That the report be received. 3. TOWN COUNCIL’S ACCOUNTS (Appendix B– page 6 to 7) The meeting received and discussed the draft accounts of the Town Council for 2014 -2015.

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4. SHEPWAY DISTRICT COUNCIL (Appendix D– page 9) The meeting received the annual report of the District Councillors representing the Parish of Lydd on Shepway District Council from Cllr. C. Goddard, as follows:- “I am honoured to be asked to report on behalf of myself, Councillor Clive Goddard, and my fellow District Councillors Ms. Vicki Dawason and Tony Hills. I am also delighted to say that Shepway District Council’s share of the Council Tax will drop for the third year running with a 1% reduction meaning that the average band D property will see a drop in the Shepway portion of the bill from £229.05 to £226.80. Our commitment to delivering high quality services at the best prices continues and this year’s budget allows for an increase in investment in jobs, homes, green spaces, cleaner streets, communities and business support. As District Councillors we each received a £1,000 Ward Budget last year to help support local organisations. Cllr. Ms. Dawson gave money to Greatstone School for new books, the Children’s Centre Open Day, Lydd Twinning for a special trip, Lydd Methodist Hall towards refurbishment works and to the development of a new Marsh website. Cllr. Tony Hills gave his full allocation to Heysham Hall towards a new boiler and I supported Lydd Children’s Centre, Lydd Methodist Church, Lydd Youth Set, Coastal Meeting Point, Lydd Club Day and CARM with my Ward Budget funding. There are exciting things on the horizon. The District Council is preparing the Shepway Places and Policies Plan and recently two public consultations were held here in the Guild Hall to gather local views. As District Councillors we have been proud to speak in favour of the expansion of Lydd Airport which is now coming to fruition and we look ahead to the massive boost this will bring to the local economy. Likewise, the excellent news regarding the extension to Dungeness B Power Station which secures employment for hundreds of staff. Transport links are also improving in the Parish with Lydd-on-Sea benefitting from a half hourly bus service which will then run through Lydd and on to Camber and Rye. There are also changes to the boundaries in Shepway as a result of a Local Government Boundary Review. This means that our patch as District Councillors has grown from Lydd Parish covering Lydd Town and the Coastal villages of Dungeness, Lydd-on-Sea and Greatstone to include the surrounding villages of Brenzett, Bookland, Ivychurch, Old Romney and Snargate. This is now called the Walland and Denge Marsh Ward. As a result of the review there was also a reduction in the number of District Councillors from 46 down to 30. This means that there will now be only 2 District Councillors covering Walland and Denge Marsh after the election instead of 3 covering Lydd Parish. Cllr. Ms. Vicki Dawson, Tony Hills and me, Clive Goddard, have all been honoured and proud to have had the opportunity to work to support our local community over the last four years”.

RESOLVED: That the report be received.

5. LONDON ASHFORD AIRPORT REPORT Mr. Charles Buchanan, Chief Executive of London Ashford Airport thanked the Town Council for the opportunity of attending and reported as follows:- “Having been appointed as Chief Executive of the airport in September, it is a pleasure to be able to report on the progress the airport is making in delivering the plans to grow and become more competitive. As you will know the airport’s main traffic has been and remains “General Aviation”, that is mostly private flying. Lydd Aero Club has been based here for many years, and within the last year we have added two further flying training organisations – TG Aviation and South Coast Micro lights. Across these three companies there is now a full range of flying options from those who wish to learn to fly and to others wanting to part own and use a small plane. In addition there is Eagle Aero Engineering who support both the aircraft based at the airport and others flown in specifically for maintenance and technical tasks. Recent press reports have commented on Bristow’s operation of the new Search and Rescue service from LAA. Work has already started on the installation of their facilities and the base is set to go live on 1 July this year. This new operation will employ approximately 30 staff including pilots, rear crew, engineers and support staff. Last year, with the closure of Manston, Lydd saw a small number of charter operations during the summer. Due to the existing runway length, these aircraft were not able to operate with a full payload of passengers, but instead had to fly with some empty seats. This is the reason that we have been planning and seeking permission for so long to extend the runway length. Last summer the final planning hurdle to undertaking this work was jumped and we are now preparing to start construction, hopefully at the end of this year. As many will know, the planning permission granted contained a large number of conditions and requirements for us to satisfy to ensure that our development remains compatible with environmental concerns. We are fully committed to meeting our agreements on these points and working through these is the task in hand currently. Many of the issues have now been addressed, with information provided to Shepway District Council for their approval.

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5. LONDON ASHFORD AIRPORT REPORT cont’d There is a growing demand for the flying activity that we accommodate. In 2014 we handled 10% more passengers and 15% more aircraft movements than the previous year, and this year the trends are continuing. As part of satisfying this demand we have committed to building a new hangar, next to the existing one, that will be occupied by 20 or more private aircraft, saving them from having to park in the aggressive outside marine atmosphere. This new facility has the potential to attract more aircraft to be based here. As we grow so does the employment opportunities at the airport. In recent weeks we have engaged 7 new staff in various roles from Air Traffic Control to Catering, 6 of whom already live in the immediate local area. In addition to operating the airport, we also run Lydd Golf Club. We are actively investing in the course and are hosting a PGA event – The Kent Closed Competition – on 22

nd April. This will

demonstrate to the County’s leading professional and amateur golfers the exceptional quality of the course and greens – even at the end of a wet winter. We are always welcoming of new members and more casual players, so come along and use your local course. The year ahead looks exciting – preparing to extend our runway, growing our business, developing new facilities”. RESOLVED: That the report be received, with thanks recorded to Mr Buchanan.

6. POLICE REPORT PCSO M. Robinson reported as follows:- “I will start with a look back over the past year and highlight some of the key areas of work for Kent Police in the Lydd area. We have been involved with Lydd airport and Dungeness Power Station exercises, looking at the emergency responses of all services and how the Police assist with the response to such incidents whilst also making sure the town of Lydd and its residents remain safe. Both were very successful and although we hope there won’t be any incidents we feel ready should the need arise. Kent Police restructured in June 2014 to a local district policing structure and myself and PCSO colleagues now work in the Community Safety Unit. Whilst this period has been challenging we are all committed to making Shepway the safest community possible. Over the past year, Coronation Square has had a few issues, however, with the introduction of CCTV in the area we have seen a reduction in incidents and any that have been reported have been dealt with robustly including the use of a dispersal zone earlier this year. There have been no reports of anti-social behaviour to Police since the middle of March. Police will continue to provide a visible presence in the area, however, I feel it would be beneficial in seeking a long-term solution to explore the provision of youth engagement activities on the Rype. I particularly feel that some organised football sessions would act as a diversion for young people and inappropriate football play has been at the centre of most calls to the Square recently. Similar schemes in other areas of the district have been implemented and I would be keen to work with the council and partners to explore this further. Excess speed will also continue to be a problem nationwide. I along with other staff at Lydd have been conducting speedwatch in and around the town and the Marsh looking to educate drivers. We currently have 4 designated speedwatch spots in the town – Station Road, Paddock Close, Harden Road and Robin Hood Lane. We also have spots on Coast Drive. Those caught speeding have their details taken and sent to speedwatch in Maidstone who then contact the registered keepers. We have also had police officers in the area conducting speed enforcement. There were two Anti-Social Behaviour calls (both relating to nuisance vehicles) this month compared with 11 during the same period last year. Recorded crime has also reduced with 12 this month compared to 18 during April 2014. There are a number of factors that can help explain why we have seen a decrease. As I said earlier we have proactively patrolled hotspot areas and the town CCTV has also helped. Regarding the CCTV, after working very closely with the Town Council and Show Connections there is now a system in place with regard to accessing the CCTV and the use of it. The CCTV is currently being used in relation to a number of on-going investigations. Lydd is comparatively extremely safe and in order to maintain this we would urge parents to educate their children against the dangers of playing football and other games in the street and instead use the wonderful expanses of land we have in the Rype and the Banks. Along with long term fixes for such problems that I would like to explore further with partners, I am confident that we can make Lydd an even safer and enjoyable place to live, work and visit. Thank you for your on-going support”. RESOLVED: Report be received and thanks recorded to PCSO Robinson.

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7. COMMUNITY WARDEN REPORT The Town Clerk read the following report from the Community Warden, Mr. Paul Croft:- “Firstly I would like to thank the Town Council and the public for their support in maintaining the role of the Community Warden in our area. Some of the activities I have been busy working on were the community safety fun day, where over 600 people attended, the Christmas event around the carol service where over 300 people attended and lastly the pancake event held in our local church, where over 200 people attended. I also support Lydd Youth Set. My role is always changing: we are now working alongside Trading Standards, dealing with residents who have been scammed or are receiving cold calls; arranging people to visit residents for help with home improvements, security, tree work and garden clearing. Emergency planning is also a new role where we are involved with flooding issues, airport and Dover docks exercises. My work in Lydd School as a Governor, sadly, has come to an end with the school now an academy. However, I also teach the children road safety, personal and internet safety. I also attended outside the school over parking and road safety issues. My work with Kent Police dealing with low level anti-social behaviour, which is at an all-time low, due to the CCTV cameras and the new rules on dispersal areas, is also a great support for my personal safety whilst on late shifts until 2200 hours as I am a lone worker, leafleting areas where crimes have happened. They are also a visible presence in my local area. For interaction with young people during the school holidays I run football sessions on the Rype. My thanks goes to Lydd School for the loan of the goals. I also discuss with them implications of smoking, drinking and internet safety, where children have been approached online by strangers, I also give talks to local groups of young people, for example, the Brownies. Fund raising for many local groups including Lydd Youth Set, local elderly groups and a sewing group for young mums have all benefitted. We saw their great work in the church at the Christmas event. I have been working Shepway District Council dealing with fly tipping, parking issues, environmental issues, street cleaning, dog fouling, litter, housing problems and many more. Also supporting my local Town Council dealing with local issues. These are only a few of the things I get involved with as your KCC Community Warden”.

RESOLVED: Received. 8. LYDD PARTNERSHIP REPORT Chairman, Cllr. Clive Goddard reported as follows:- “Lydd Partnership was formed in early 2013 to identify, develop and deliver beneficial improvements to the whole of the Parish of Lydd which includes Lydd-on-Sea, Dungeness, part of Greatstone and Lydd Town, and achieved almost instant success by being awarded a grant of £8,158 from Shepway District Council’s High Street Innovation Fund in May that year. The funding was used to purchase market stalls and equipment which have been used to host craft markets and the well-attended Christmas market and continue to be available for the use of local groups. A second successful funding application for £4,679 provided the opportunity for Lydd Partnership to publish a leaflet featuring local businesses and attractions which was designed to put the Parish of Lydd on the map and encourage visitors to the area. We have printed 25,000 leaflets which are being distributed by Take One Media and Discover Folkestone, Hythe & Romney Marsh in Kent, East Sussex and Europe. The new leaflet will also be available locally at the Guild Hall, 13 High Street, Lydd, Lydd and New Romney Libraries and the Romney Marsh Visitor Centre. Whilst the funding pot was made available to regenerate High Streets in the District, I was personally very keen to ensure that the money could be used to promote the whole of our Parish and bring visitors here to experience all we have to offer in terms of our unique landscape, historical architecture, excellent sporting and leisure activities and great places to eat. Lydd Partnership is also tasked to bring improvements to the appearance of our Parish and we are currently working towards the renovation of the K6 red phone box in Coronation Square and fundraising to introduce planting schemes. Being involved with this initiative is an exciting opportunity to make a difference. I love the Parish and as Chairman of Lydd Partnership I will continue to work along with the other members of the Partnership to support local businesses and local people and attract visitors to the area to boost the local economy. I would also like to thank Lydd Town Council for the support they offer Lydd Partnership in achieving our aims”.

RESOLVED: Received.

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9. LYDD MUNICIPAL AND OTHER CHARITIES The Town Clerk read the report of the Lydd Municipal and Other Charities, as follows:- “The ex-officio trustees during the year to 31

st March 2015 were the Town Mayor, (Councillor

Tom Dawes) and the four senior Councillors Mrs. Marie Masters, Trevor Allen, Ms. Vicki Dawson and Clive Goddard, following the resignation from Mr. C. E. Albrow. The co-opted trustees were Councillor Fred Wood-Brignall and Mr. David Bourne. Fred Wood-Brignall is our Chairman who is elected at our Annual meeting usually held in November each year. The Clerk is Mrs. Tina Paterson assisted by Mrs. Beryl Crocker The income from Hart’s Farm from rent and investments in the CAF Bond Income Fund and CAF UK Equity Growth Fund, despite expenses for Hart’s Farm was sufficient to enable the Trustees to pay the PCC and Town Council £300 each in December 2014. The payment to 97 individual beneficiaries from Hart’s Farm and the other funds was £45 per recipient. No special needs payments were made in this year. During the year the widow of the late tenant of Hart’s Farm vacated the property which following advice and a great deal of soul searching, was sold by auction in three lots in October 2014. In view of the fact that the Trustees now have much greater liquid funds to invest they took advice from an independent IFA who was subsequently appointed to manage the funds for all the Charities under the control of the Trustees. It is anticipated that the investment income for the Thomas Hart Charity will increase substantially and enable the Trustees to pay greatly increased sums to the PCC and Council and, of course, in the benefits paid to the poor of Lydd, although at the time when the first payout is made in December 2015, we will not have had a full year of investment income. A total of 0.75 percent will be paid to the IFA and the Investment Company for their expertise. This is normal and funds previously invested with CAF, Charifund, Charibond, Charinco, etc. were all subject to fees, some quite a bit higher, but in a less transparent way than will be seen in our future accounts. Income was received net of all charges and free of income tax, which must now be reclaimed. However, it is anticipated that the return will be highger and the fees no more than previously paid. The Charities under the control of the Trustees are the Thomas Hart Charity (1560), the Thomas Godfrey Charity (1623) the Arthur Finn Charity (1929), the Harry Smithers Charity (1962), the S. J. Blacklocks Charity (1970) and that of G. T. Paine’s Charity (1982). The Charity of Thomas Godfrey now includes those of Clement Barling (1668), Mary Murray (1829) Mary Morrison (1870) and William Prescott (1929) whose generosity we should not forget. Finally, the value of the funds invested is now in excess of £400,000 which will necessitate the employment of Accountants to assist with the accounting procedures, reclaiming tax, etc.”

RESOLVED: That the report be received. 10. SCHOOLS The Town Clerk read a report from the Headteacher at Greatstone School as follows:- “Greatstone Primary School has continued to flourish this year managing to maintain a healthy roll, organised in 12 classes. The Nursery is also well attended with the majority of places being taken: children either having full or half day sessions. The school has a highly professional staff, both teaching and support, which enhance the quality of experiences for all our children. The children continue to make us all proud with their enthusiasm, good behaviour and friendliness; they never fail to inspire staff to worfk to their full potential. Our facilities are first class and superbly maintained by a dedicated maintenance team. During the coming year we will see this provision enhanced through building work to improve the school offices, staff and meeting facilities. We have been working very closely with the Marsh ‘Hub’ of schools and our own school calendar has been absolutely packed with events. The many school activities have included taking our 220 Key Stage Two pupils to London to see the Lion King; Taking our 140 Key Stage One children to Wingham Wildlife Park; Welcoming Chris Cooke an Olympic Swimmer for an inspirational assembly; Enjoying Paralympic Wheelchair sports; Supporting charities with non uniform days; Taking Year 6 on a residential to Kingswood Adventure Centre; A whole School Cultural Week. This is just a sample and has run alongside our relentless effort to support and ensure effective teaching and learning across the board. The Governors have continued to hold the school to account through their varied monitoring activities. The recent Governors Parent Survey showed overwhelming support from the parents for the school with 100% of the 165 respondents happy to recommend Greatstone Primary to another parent. Greatstone Primary School would like to thank the Councillors of Lydd Town Council for their support over the year and would like to offer any member of the Council the opportunity for a visit to the school should anyone so desire”.

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10. SCHOOLS cont’d The Town Clerk read a report from the Headteacher of Lydd School, as follows:- “Lydd Primary School is currently experiencing an exciting time as we have just joined the Village Academy and this has opened up new links and opportunities for us with other schools and their staff. Our roll has increased recently to nearly 250 on roll. The children are organised into 8 classes and a nursery. Y6 and Reception are taught in larger ‘units’ across two classrooms with extra staff, meaning that the children enjoy many opportunities for small group work. We have a stable staff and have recently welcomed back several staff members from maternity leave. We also benefit from a wonderful team of support staff which enhances the quality of experience for all of our children. Our support staff are lucky enough to currently be taking part in the ‘Every Lesson Counts’ training programme which they are finding incredibly rewarding and enjoyable. At Lydd we believe that we are never too old to stop learning and we constantly strive for ways to improve our practice and find out new things.

RESOLVED: That the reports be received. 11. THE BANKS SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB Mrs. June Beaumont gave a report on the activities of The Banks Sports & Social Club, as follows:- ‘As tenants the BSSC administer the grounds, pavilion and car park of the Banks Sports & Recreation Ground and pay the expenses to keep the pavilion open. The revenue to pay all the bills, i.e. electricity, water, rates, alarm, etc. is generated by use of the bar on match days, private parties and Friday openings, plus hall hire. The indoor net has been made ready for use, netting put up around the dyke to save losing cricket balls, and netting put around the wicket to preserve it over the winter. This year the wicket will need seed and loam to keep it in tiptop condition costing approximately £800. The BSSC now only have one team who play cricket, Lydd who play on Sundays. Unfortunately Brenzett who played on Saturdays has folded, as have many clubs in the local area over time. We also have midweek games arranged for the power station by a member of Lydd Cricket Team. Last winter we were happy to be able to include football, but unfortunately the Junior Grasshoppers who joined us with their girls’ and junior boys’ teams playing on Sunday have moved their operations to New Romney. The BSSC have all year round darts played on Wednesday in the Winter and Thursday in the summer. The BSSC also open the pavilion on Friday evenings for the local care homes, who are able to socialise, and play darts and pool. The BSSC also open for training during the day for the care homes and other organisations when required. Once again this year the BSSC was used successfully for the Lydd Half Marathon, raising money for the BSSC who did hot and cold drinks for the Scouts and Guides who provided hot food. I believe there was also a donation to the Council for deserving causes. We do not discourage people from using the grounds for picnics and dog walking etc. as long as they clear up after themselves. Unfortunately people are not clearing up after their dogs, even though there are two dog bins, which creates a health hazard to other users. We also have problems with golfers who dig up divots on the pitch and even in the area of the wicket which is netted off. When the pavilion and bar are open we welcome visitors to use the facilities. The car park does not have a gate so that visitors can use the facilities, if it does not clash with functions. Local people have always used the area when matches are not being played and we continue to encourage this use. It should be noted that the Lydd Cricketers are keeping the facility open and making sure the bills are paid and grounds administered properly and have been for a number of years. The BSSC also send annual audited accounts to the Council as proof of their ability to keep paying any bills which occur”.

RESOLVED: Report received. 12. THE FRIENDS OF LYDD Miss. Alice Boxall MBE, Chairman of the Friends of Lydd, gave a report as follows:- “The Friends of Lydd continue to meet each month with an interesting speaker, with the exception of July and August when the Museum is open. Our membership is keeping constant following the loss of a number of members about 5 years ago. The new members are very supportive and help with the upkeep of the Museum, i.e. cleaning, polishing, decorating and manning during the summer season. Each year we change at least one of the displays, although in the main roof this year we have kept the WW1 exhibition intact as it took a long time to collect the items on display. However, we now have a Family Nursery; all gathered from the items in store at the Guild Hall and this

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12. THE FRIENDS OF LYDD cont’d has been popular with our visitors over the Easter weekend. In addition we have moved the items from the Forge and these have a new display in the Fire Engine room. We are hopeful of more visitors this year as we open for the Bank Holidays in May, Club Day and then daily from July 18

th. In addition, we conduct walks around Lydd and thank the Council

for allowing us to bring the visitors to the Guild Hall and for Mr Hughes to show off the Chain of Office, Mace etc., which really is appreciated by us all”.

RESOLVED: Report received.

13. LYDD YOUTH SET Mrs. Emma Jane Ross reported as follows:- “Lydd Youth Set is in its 48

th year. We are currently open weekly Tuesdays for 9-11 year-olds

and Thursday for 5-8 year-olds and fortnightly Wednesdays for 11-18 year-olds. We have approximately 80 members, increasing week by week: all made possible by the continued support of our volunteers. We have been very busy: our re-Vamp was definitely our focus last year. The upper floor of the Youth Set has had a complete overhaul, starting with the ceiling being raised and re-boarded, then the addition of an indoor half pipe, the pool table had a very glamorous facelift, and to finish off we have just added some amazing dance mirrors and a ballet bar. We received donations of Ceiling insulation from parents and Echo Engineering. Over £1000 of plywood from Travis Perkins in New Romney. Timber and bolts from Lowries Modular Buildings. TV brackets from Sainsbury Ashford Crooksfoot A grant for a flat screen TV from Councillor Clive Goddard, Shepway District Council. Better than cost price paint from Brewers paint shop in Ashford. Not to mention over 1000 free hours from some very committed volunteers. We hope we are helping to continue this very worthwhile establishment that Lydd seems to have grown up with. It looks great! Well worth a look if you are ever passing and see any of us in there. The year has gone from strength to strength. Following the re-vamp we had £480 donated to us from ‘Variety’ for new scooters and helmets. EDF has donated a £500 Circus skills box of tricks. Fund raising is always an important part of our plans, and things are ticking over nicely at the moment. Focus is now turned to downstairs, plans and ideas are now on the table”.


14. LYDD TWINNING ASSOCIATION Mr. John Jones reported as follows:- “Over 40 years ago Lydd Town Council signed a twinning agreement with Etrechy. This agreement was an attempt to develop a closer relationship between the two towns through social, cultural and sporting activities. The leadership for the implementation was passed on to an association led by a majority of nominated Town Councillors and co-opted representatives from Lydd-based organisations. Presently this committee only has representatives from Scouting and Lydd Club Day Committee. The main activity in the last year was the hosting of youngsters from Etrechy and Ostrach for ten days at the end of July and beginning of August. This was largely funded by a generous grant from the Kent Community Foundation (wind farm). Other links with Europe was a visit to Etrechy by nine Lydd residents in October and the hosting for one day a group of over 50 students from Ostrach’s Realschule in May. This will be repeated this year, but with about 60 students. Fund raising has included quizzes and curry evenings at the Royal Mail Public House and a social evening in the Guild Hall. Most recently an Easter Egg Hunt on The Rype. Additionally we have been fortunate in receiving grants from Lydd Town Council and Kent Community Foundation, for which we are most grateful. Major expenses outside the funding of hosting visitors is insurance, being in excess of £300 a year.

15. LYDD TWINNING ASSOCIATION cont’d Future events include ‘Lydd Euroteen Teens’ (LET’s) visit to Etrechy in July, hosting students from Ostrach and a garden party on the last Saturday in May. Our gratitude to our Mayor and his wife for their unstinting support should also be noted”.


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16. LYDD CLUB DAY The Town Clerk read a report from the Lydd Club Day Committee, as follows:- “Lydd Club Day began in 1869 when the Pride of Lydd Lodge, Independent Order of the Oddfellows and The Pride of Dungeness Ancient Order of Foresters amalgamated. The day began with a Church service, followed by a luncheon on The Rype. The day then consisted of family fun and games to be enjoyed by all the local people. Club Day continued until the war years began, it was then restarted in 1948. Today’s Lydd Club Days still follow closely the programme from the early days, consisting of a luncheon, family entertainment and procession. Lydd Club day is organised by a small Committee of local people, it is financed solely through donation, sponsorship and fundraising. It costs approximately £10,000 each year to hold the event. The Committee work tirelessly to organise and find the funding for Club Day, also to keep the tradition of this much loved event going. We are well on the way to finalising the plans for this year, once again the large local companies such as Brett’s, Magnox, EDF and many more, have helped us greatly. A very successful Race Night fundraiser was held in March. This added nearly £1,000 to our funds. It is hoped that with the support of all local people, Councillors and businesses, we can continue to have Lydd Club Days for many years to come”.


17. CARING ALL TOGETHER ON ROMNEY MARSH (CARM) Helen Mattock, Manager of CARM, gave the following report:- “Caring All together on Romney Marsh (CARM) is a local charity that provides support and services to older and vulnerable people on Romney Marsh and parts of rural Ashford. Our mission is to support people who are socially isolated and/or lonely. Through this support we aim to improve people’s well-being, to help people remain independent for longer and to enhance their quality of life in the rural communities where we operate. CARM provides three key services to deliver our mission. All of the services are co-ordinated by a paid staff member but delivered by trained and dedicated volunteers. We have over 100 volunteers providing our services. The services are:- Befriending Reminiscence Meeting Points In Lydd we have a Meeting Point held at the Hardy Hall every Thursday morning between 10am and midday. The Meeting Point is like a coffee morning with extras, e.g. speakers, outings. The Community Warden is a regular visitor to the Meeting Point which people find helpful and reassuring. The lead volunteer organises speakers and outings for the attendees with the support of CARM’s co-ordinator. We also provide a one-to-one home befriending and telephone befriending service in Lydd. We were very pleased to receive a small grant from Lydd Town Council in July 2014 which helped to fund the costs of running Lydd Meeting Point for 2014/15. Also in March 2015 we were grateful to receive a grant from a Lydd Town and Shepway District Councillor from his ward grant (allocated from Shepway District Council) for the purchase of security gadgets and equipment for Meeting Point members, e.g. security pens and key safes”.

RESOLVED: Report received. 18. QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION The Town Mayor invited questions from members of the public of which there were none and he thanked everyone for attending. Chairman of the Parish Meeting ________________________________ Date_____________________

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REPORT FROM THE TOWN MAYOR, CLLR. T. A. DAWES (Appendix A – page 5) ANNUAL TOWN AND PARISH MEETING, 28th April 2014

It has been a great privilege to serve as the Town Mayor of Lydd Parish for the year 2013-14 and I feel honoured to have been put forward as Mayor elect for the forthcoming term. During my year in office I have attended 55 events, many with my Mayoress and wife Tina at my side; we are both very proud to fly the flag for Lydd on these occasions and hope that our presence will raise the profile of our area and encourage others to visit the special things we have on offer in our Parish, such as our beautiful Coast and historical Town.

The year has passed by quickly but I feel that during my year in office the Town Council has achieved several milestones. These include the installation of CCTV cameras in the Town, a much anticipated project which was delayed due to refinements being made to the specification – however, these changes have resulted in a superior and bespoke system for our Town and the benefit of residents.

Lydd Town Council is now also working in partnership with the Lydd Allotment Association Management Team who is successfully looking after the practical day to day running of the Allotments.

During the year the Mayors Business Working Party have discussed plans for much needed repair work and we hope that work will begin on these improvements to our buildings in the very near future to enable them to become valued and well used community assets.

We have also recently formed an Emergency Planning Working Group and as part of putting our plan together we are keen to identify local people who are willing to volunteer to assist but also those residents of the Parish who may need extra help or assistance should an emergency arise- if you fall into either of these categories please make contact with the Town Clerk.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Members of Lydd Town Council and in particular the Chairman and members of the Councils’ committees and working groups for all their hard work and to the members of staff who have given me their support during the year.

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REPORT FROM THE TOWN CLERK (Appendix B – page 6) ANNUAL TOWN AND PARISH MEETING, 28th April 2014

The financial internal audit has been satisfactorily completed for the 2013-14 financial

year and the internal auditor reported that he found the record keeping to be of a good

standard with the records accurate and up to date and the Town Council’s approach to

the management of the risks to be sound. This resulted in his being in a position to

complete Section 4 of the Annual Return (Annual internal audit report 2013-14). The

Accounts and Annual Return will then be put to the May Council meeting before being

sent to the external auditors.

A major change was introduced by Central Government prior to precept setting for the

last financial year, which was the replacement of the old council tax benefit scheme

with a local council tax support scheme. This had the effect of removing some of the

properties from the payment of council tax and increasing payments which the rest of

the properties are liable to pay. For the last financial year you will see from the income

section in the accounts that Shepway District Council passed on a grant from Central

Government to compensate for this of £18,139. For our current financial year this grant

has been reduced to £14,267

Apart from the Precept the Town Council has received income from the Allotments

which includes the mast and rent for plots, use of the Guildhall by the Ambulance

Service and we received a donation of £2,105 from County Councillor David Baker

towards a replacement bus shelter at Baldwin Road.

The CCTV project was the largest single item of capital expenditure which has resulted

in 5 cameras being installed in the Town. The system will allow for additional cameras

and this is a project that the Town Council could consider precepting for were there to

be public support.

The second largest capital project was the new roof on the Pavilion at the Banks.

Over the last two years staff costs have been reduced by over £16,000 per annum and

this is due to decisions made by the Personnel Committee but has not resulted in a

reduction to the number of staff employed by the Town Council. However, the

Groundsman chose to reduce his hours from full to part time and the Town Council

went out to tender for grass cutting and we now contract out that work.

The agreement for our printer/copier came to an end at the beginning of March and the

Town Council has a new machine which is on a rental agreement from Kent County

Supplies. The Town Council also changed insurers in the last financial year and the

new agreements for insurance and printing should result in savings over the next 3

years on these particular budget headings.

Over the new financial year the Town Council has set its objectives to include the repair

and maintenance of its assets. This will include work to the Guildhall and Manor Road

Pavilion which will enable the greater use of these facilities by local organisations and

the community.

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LYDD TOWN COUNCIL

ANNUAL TOWN AND PARISH MEETING, 28th April 2014

SUMMARY OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR

01/04/13 TO 31/03/14 (Appendix B – page 7) cont’d

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REPORT FROM Kent County Councillor David Baker (Appendix C – page 8) ANNUAL TOWN AND PARISH MEETING, 28th April 2014

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Shepway District Councillors Report – by Cllr. A. R. J. HILLS

Annual Town Meeting 28th April 2014 (Appendix D – page 9) Shepway District Councillors Report:

Thank you for the opportunity for me to give this report on behalf of your three District Councillors.

This has been another challenging year, with our community experiencing the worst winter weather in

living memory.

Your district council has once again kept the rates down, in fact this year we have reduced the rate

by half a percent. This is due to the tight fiscal management of the Council finances which has

reduced the cost to you the taxpayer.

This year your three District Councillors have allocated 6k of community grants within the parish.

We face major changes to our district next year when the proposed ‘Changes’ for Shepway get

passed into law. This will mean major enlargement of the district seat, not just the Parish of Lydd but

will also include the parishes of Old Romney, Brookland, Brenzett, Snargate and Ivychurch. The new

district seat is to be called ‘Walland & Dengemarsh’.

Your three Councillors have been active in the town and on the coast concerning a wide range of

issues.

Cllr. Ms. Vicki Dawson has been taking an interest in the renamed ‘Clinical Commissioning Groups’

and was present at a presentation concerned chiefly stating the need for easier access to our local

GP’s. Pauline Pogson is driving this in our Parish particularly concerning transport to hospital for

appointments & the distance the public can sometimes be expected to travel to other hospitals.

Pauline met with Damian Collins our MP and Cllr. Ms. Vicki Dawson at the Lydd Surgery, Information

from him told them more services are coming out of the clinic at Station Road, New Romney. There

is a mobile chemotherapy unit that comes to Hythe & more services are coming out of St Saviour’s

hospital.

Vicki has also been successful in getting a replacement bus shelter in Greatstone with the help and

funding support of our County Member.

Shepway Council having conducted a successful bid to bring superfast broadband to the coast, we

look forward to the implementation in the near future with all the economic benefits that this will bring.

Cllr. Clive Goddard has been pivotal in getting Shepway support for funding and advising on the

installation of the new CCTV for Lydd Town centre.

I have been serving on the Romney Marsh Partnership since its inception, I look after the interests of

the Marsh Parishes, we have been ‘key’ in persuading Stagecoach to

provide better bus access from the Marsh to Ashford to facilitate those who need buses at more

practicable times to access work.

I have with our MP attended various meetings including one with the Minister concerned to protect

our commercial fishing fleet for the district including Dungeness from unnecessary controls for the

pMCZ Hythe bay this is an important fishery for the future which we all want to protect.

Also I have been campaigning with the support of our County Member to get a review of the year

long test by KCC turning off the coastal lighting. It is not acceptable; we need to get our lights back

on down the coast for the first part of the night as in other residential areas.

Thank you again for giving me the time to present this report. Tony Hills on behalf of your District

Councillors.

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REPORT ON GREATSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL (Appendix E – page 10)

ANNUAL TOWN AND PARISH MEETING, 28th April 2014

GREATSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Greatstone Primary School has continued to flourish this year managing to maintain a healthy roll of 347 children, organised in 12 classes. The Nursery is also well attended with 72 children either having full or half day sessions The school has a highly professional staff, both teaching and support, which enhance the quality of experiences for all our children. The children continue to make us all proud with their enthusiasm, good behaviour and friendliness; they never fail to inspire staff to work to their full potential. Our facilities are first class and superbly maintained by a dedicated maintenance team The school calendar is absolutely packed with events and I am delighted to report that we have been working very closely with the Marsh ‘Hub’ of schools. Among the many shared events was a Marsh Sports in June held at the Marsh Academy and a Community Quiz, which was hosted by ourselves.. The Governors have carried out several monitoring visits with a clear focus on Teaching and Learning. The feedback from these ‘Learning Walks’ have been very positive indeed. The recent Governors Parent Survey showed overwhelming support from the parents for the school with 100% of the 165 respondents happy to recommend Greatstone Primary to another parent. Greatstone Primary School would like to thank the Councillors of Lydd Town Council for their support over the year and would like to offer any member of the council the opportunity for a visit to the school should anyone so desire. NICOLA WOOD Headteacher

Mrs N Wood BEd (Hons) N.P.Q.H.

Headteacher

Tel/Fax: 01797 363916

Email: [email protected]

[email protected]

Web: www.greatstoneschool.co.uk

Baldwin Road,

Greatstone,

New Romney,

Kent. TN28 8SY.

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Report From The Romney Marsh Day Centre (Appendix F – page 11)

Annual Meeting of the Town and Parish of Lydd 28th April 2014

The Romney Marsh Day Centre offers a varied programme of activities for the over 50s. The

centre is working hard to move away from the stereotypes of a place for ‘old people’. We have

a vibrant programme of exercise based activities ranging from Pilates and aerobic exercise to

meditation. Indeed over the past 12 months we have held three ‘Wellbeing Days’ offering

sample sessions for Reiki, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Yoga and Tai Chi.

We also have an on- site hairdresser and foot care specialist for those who enjoy a bit of

pampering at very reasonable prices.

Our aim is increasingly, to increase the range of opportunities and offer people the opportunity

to meet new people, learn new skills and enjoy an active life – whatever their age!

On a weekly basis, we have walking and cycling groups that are open for anyone to join - you

can find our full range of activities on our website - www.rmdc.co.uk

Romney Marsh Day Centre also promotes independent living and we are developing a full

programme of activities that will appeal to all ages. We have developed an art and painting

class, a cookery group and a knitting group alongside a wide range of day trips and visiting

speakers.

Romney Marsh Day Centre is also very fortunate to work alongside the South Kent Coastal

Intermediate Care Team with whom we share a building. During 2014, we are working closely

with the team to pilot multidisciplinary intermediate care assessments and we are consulting

with local Clinical Commissioning Teams and GP surgeries to find out how we can maximise the

opportunities for the local community that these clinics offer. For more information please talk to

Lyn Gregson Team Lead, South Kent Coastal Intermediate Care Team on 01797 366 774

So what are our plans for the next 12 months?

Currently we are working to develop our in house Information and Advice service which we offer

to people over 50. On Saturday 17th May 2014 we are opening the Centre for an Information

day where we will be joined by speakers from Carers Support, The Alzheimers Society, Caring

All Together on Romney Marsh (CARM) and our own information service, to present a wide

range of information to anybody from the local community. The day will last from between 10.30

-2.00pm and there will be an information ‘marketplace’ offering advice about anything from

housing and benefits to assistive technology.

We are also working on our planning for the next five years. Following discussions with the

Marsh Academy, we would like to develop an intergenerational project with students and

members of the day centre, we have an all-new membership scheme and we are looking to

expand our range of wellbeing services for carers and family members. Indeed it is our intention

to open longer hours and we are piloting this initiative with the introduction of a Breakfast Club

on Tuesday mornings from 08.30 and the first afternoon Tea Dance during March.

All in all - Romney Marsh Day Centre is moving forward and above all, listening to what our

members are telling us about the type of centre they are looking for the next decade. To achieve

our aims we are always looking for partners with whom we can share joint initiatives. If you

would like to know more about our centre, please contact the Centre Manager, Mr. David Chadwick

on 01797 363 888

http://www.rmdc.co.uk/

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Report From The Banks Sports & Social Club (Appendix G – page 12)

Annual Meeting of the Town and Parish of Lydd 28th April 2014

BANKS SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB

Dennes Lane Lydd Romney Marsh Kent TN29 9JZ

As tenants of Lydd Council we administer the grounds, pavilion & car park of the Banks Sports & Recreation Ground & pay the expenses to keep the pavilion open. The BSSC have two Teams who play cricket, Lydd who play on Sundays & Brenzett who play on Saturday. We also have midweek games arranged for the power station by a member of Lydd Cricket Team. This winter we were happy to be able to include football. The Junior Grasshoppers who joined us with their girls & junior boys teams playing on Sunday. We also have all year round darts played on Wednesday in the Winter & Thursday in the summer. We open the pavilion on Friday evenings for the local care homes, who are able to socialise, & play darts & pool. We also have training during the day for the care homes& others when required. We are happy to assist local organisations when required & have made the pavilion available to the guides when their headquarters was being upgraded. The revenue to pay the bills is generated by use of the bar on match days, private parties, & Friday openings, plus hall hire. We were disappointed that our & the Community Wardens plans to upgrade the sports & recreation facilities were vetoed by the police, as it was thought it might attract the wrong type of men to the area. This year we have made repairs & redecorated the changing rooms & shower & toilet areas in the pavilion. The indoor net, which was flooded when we had the torrential rain, has been made fit for use, netting put up around the dyke to save losing cricket balls etc. A decision has to be made whether to spend money on the indoor net, as it needs more repairs before the winter to make it viable. We do not discourage people from using the grounds for picnics & dog walking etc as long as they clear up after themselves. When the pavilion & bar is open we welcome visitors to use the facilities. The car park does not have a gate so that visitors can use the facilities, if it does not clash with functions. Local people have always used the area when matches are not being played & we continue to encourage this use. June Beaumont Treasurer Banks Sports & Social Club

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