Full Parish Council Meeting

Chaired a full council meeting. It was agreed to seek some quotations from professional tree service companies to survey the condition of trees on parish council land, mainly to ensure that they are all safe. It was noted that a response had been received from Network Rail regarding the timing of lighting at the railway station. The response was that the lights are on from dusk until dawn. We will be writing back to ask for the lighting to be turned off 15 minutes after the last train has passed through. A written report was received from Theresa Durrant on the recent meeting of the consortium of local parish councils. It was agreed to seek a meeting with Rick Bayne, from the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership, recently awarded £2.3m, to talk about possible improvements that could be made within the Eynsford stretch of the valley. Phil Ward gave a report on London Paramount, a huge leisure complex being proposed for Swanscombe. It was noted that Malcolm Richardson will be meeting representatives from South Eastern on 10th December to discuss the installation of cycle racks at the parish council's expense. District Councillor, Michael Horwood, reported that a grant of £1,500 from Sevenoaks District Council, as well as use of £500 from Michael's own allowance, will enable Speed Watch equipment to be published for Eynsford. This will make Speed Watch sessions much easier, there no longer being a need to collect and return the equipment. A report was received from PCSO Tim Darling on recent police matters within the village. It was agreed not to pursue Christmas lights for the village, given the lack of any positive responses to the idea. Andrea Cornwell reported on an NHS meeting that she had attended, the main thrust of which was to get health delivery agencies to work more holistically to enable people to recover in their own homes. It was agreed to pay £220 to the North West Countryside Project to do some clearance work on the Castlefield Nature Area. It was agreed to purchase 4 new waste bins for the Common Meadow, at a cost of circa £500. as well as to purchase a new gate for the cricket pavilion end of the Common Meadow fence, at £450.