What Does the Parish Council Do?
The Duties and Responsibilities of Chilham Parish Council
The Parish Council carried out a full range of duties for the benefit of the residents and meets once a month to administer parish business. All parish councillors volunteer their time, the only paid employee is the Clerk who sets the agendas, minutes the meetings and implements the actions and decisions. The Clerk also ensures that we operate within the law. Members of the public are encouraged to attend our meetings and have an opportunity to speak to councillors during the Parishioners Questions during the meeting. The Parish Council is funded by a precept which is collected from residents by Ashford Borough Council as part of the Council Tax. Most importantly, the parish council is eleted to meet the needs and represent the views of its parishoners.
Finance
The Parish Council manages the precept as referred to above. We produce a budget and report against it on a quarterly basis. There are rigourous rules governing the financial arrangments of Parish Councils which are overseen by the Responsible Financial Officer and the Independent Internal Auditor.
Planning
The Parish Council is included in the consultaiton process for planning applications.
Insurance
The Parish Council carries 3rd party liability insurance
We recognise that many people in the parish don’t understand what the parish council can and cannot do, so this website and regular newsletters keep you informed about what your parish council is doing on your behalf. We welcome feedback, good or bad, so please use the form on the how are we doing page to let us have your views on the website or, for that matter, any issue that you think the parish council should be dealing with.
You can now also follow us on Twitter @ParishChilham
If you would like to receive emails that the parish council considers would be of interest with regard to life in the parish you can sign up for a newsletter!
A PROCLAMATION
Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second of Blessed and Glorious Memory, by whose Decease the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George: We, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm and Members of the House of Commons, together with other members of Her late Majesty’s Privy Council and representatives of the Realms and Territories, Aldermen and Citizens of London, and others, do now hereby with one voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now, by the Death of our late Sovereign of Happy Memory, become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His other Realms and Territories, King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom we do acknowledge all Faith and Obedience with humble Affection; beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign to bless His Majesty with long and happy Years to reign over us.
Given at St. James’s Palace this tenth day of September in the year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty-two.
GOD SAVE THE KING
Chilham Parish Council
Notice of conclusion of audit Annual Governance & Accountability
Return for the year ended 31 March 2022
Sections 20(2) and 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014
Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)
Notes 1. The audit of accounts for Chilham Parish Council for the year ended 31 March 2022 has been completed and the accounts have been published. This notice and Sections 1, 2 & 3 of the AGAR must be published by 30 September. This must include publication on the smaller authority’s website. The smaller authority must decide how long to publish the Notice for; the AGAR and external auditor report must be publicly available for 5 years.
2. The Annual Governance & Accountability Return is available for inspection by any local government elector of the area of Chilham Parish Council on application to:
(a) Paul Coles,
Clerk to Chilham Parish Council
3 The Square,
Rattington Street,
Chartham,
CT4 7JG
(a)Insert the name, position and address of the person to whom local government electors should apply to inspect the AGAR
Monday to Friday 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
(b) Insert the hours during which inspection rights may be exercised
3. Copies will be provided to any person on payment of £15.00 (c) for each copy of the Annual Governance & Accountability Return.
(c) Insert a reasonable sum for copying costs
Announcement made by:
(d) Paul Coles, Clerk to Chilham Parish Council
Date of announcement:
(e) 28th September 2022
Clerk's Update Report on the attendence of South East Water at the Council meeting on the 6th October, 2022.
Chilham Parish Council were joined by Head of Operations Kent, Head of Central Operations and Community Engagement Manager for South East Water
The length of the water main in the Shottenden, Chilham, and Old Wives Lees network is 27KM. Water comes from boreholes at Godmersham Water Treatment Works. Pumping into the system and up to Godmersham and Potters Corner Reservoir. Booster pushes Chilham and Howfield water into the system during high demand. Separate booster system supplying 250 properties in Old Wives Lees/Shottenden system. Average of 7 burst pipes per annum.
Supply issue in the Godmersham area:
• Power blips/power outage
• Increased power demands onsite
• Generator problems
• Burst water mains in the area.
SEW managed the interruptions
• Wider supply area from Godmersham Water Treatment works
• Number of new schemes
o Worked with UK Power Networks to improve power reliability to reduce outages
o Repaired faulty breaker for a more reliable auto-restart of the Generator
o Replace key valves, due to identified manufacturer fault
o Put in new ultraviolet disinfection treatment
o System automated so the water re-directs automatically if pump fails, this included new pipework and additional controls on our water mains
o The generator has been replaced with a new permanent generator and electrical controls to improve the power resilience of the treatment works
o Installed loggers across the area to monitor flows every 15 minutes
Total investment of £2.6million
Next steps
• On-going logging in the network
• Repair leaks in the area, currently four all scheduled
o Two in Ashford Road
o One in Lower Lees Road
o One in Selling Road
• Future work at Godmersham site to replace the existing main computer panels when software no longer supported.
Effect of Hot weather
Water supply issues July 2022
• 8 July-water use dramatically increased across SEW supply area from 595 million litres a day to 660 million litres (summer average 540)
• 5,000 leaks reported in August, typically 800 leaks a month.
Leaks can be reported on the SEW website-in your area map.
Question raised re 31st July Outage
What they believe happened. Power outage causing the pumps to stop. The generator did kick in but the pumps didn’t start. Pumps will not run if the high flow alarm kicks in-the pump thought there was a leak n the system. Doing tests to prove it.
Question regarding compensation if water is off
Guaranteed scheme if the water is off longer than 12 hours, automatic scheme.
Question re Leaks
Consistent loss of 25% of water, lower in the SEW region 19%. One third of leaks is due to customer pipes. SEW system looks and can find big leaks, hard to find small leaks.
If pipe bursts 5 times or more in a year will put in for replacement.
The chair thanked them for their attendance
Dated 10 October, 2022
Clerk to the Parish Council
Mr P Coles
3 The Square
Rattington Street
Chartham
CT4 7JG
Email: clerk@chilhamparishcouncil.gov.uk
QUEEN ELIZABETH 11
We offer our deepest sympathy and condolences to the Royal Family, on the sad death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11.
The Queen has been a constant part of our lives for the 70 years of her reign, and will be greatly missed, not only as Our Queen, but as a Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother.
We thank The Queen for her service to the nation, her sense of duty, dignity and respect for our traditions.
May you Rest in Peace.
CHILHAM PARISH COUNCIL