Environment & Highways – 11th June 2020
The Environment & Highways Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met via Zoom on 11th June 2020 and discussed:
- New trees & hedges,
- Wildlife areas,
- Street furniture & signs,
- School buses,
- Handymen activities, and
- Play Area.
Environment & Highways Report
Committee Meeting held on Thursday 11th June 2020 via Zoom.
| Committee members present | John Gili-Ross, Philip Spencer, Harry Stone, Jenny Church, David Short, Norma Smith. |
| Apologies | None |
1. |
Handymen Report and Activities |
| Strimming, bin emptying and spraying where necessary.
Repair of allotment fence (opposite Pharmacy). This will be temporary as a new panel will be required in the future. Excess foliage has been trimmed away and rubbish collected. Grass needs cutting back by the MUGA. The strip of land by Poor’s Field has been sprayed and cut tidily. Strimming and weeding of mounds on Lorkin Daniell Field. Erle Havard off Chapel Road cleared of overhanging nettles and hedging. |
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2. |
New Tree and Hedge revitalisation |
| Some of the new trees/saplings on the Lorkin Daniell field have died. Some parts of the hedging could be used to make into trees. Proposal to establish new trees from hedging in the future. Areas such as near the Blue Bridge could have hedging put in instead of trees with the plan to train some parts to grow into trees in the future. David supported this idea and all agreed.
Other areas in the village would benefit from tree planting in the future. |
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3. |
Designation for wildlife areas |
| This was a discussion item. Suggestion to leave certain areas to grow and allow appropriate wildlife to flourish. A plan would need to be developed beforehand. Areas should not be near roads. Queens Head area, Pond areas could be appropriate. Some areas could be mowed, and others left for wildlife. The areas should be left neat and tidy. Norma and Phil to monitor village for sites that could be appropriate for wildlife. | |
4. |
Street furniture and street signage |
| Monitor which signs are no longer appropriate. Some careful tidying up would be useful. | |
5. |
Winter salt supplies. |
| Stocks need refilling and monitoring annually. | |
6. |
PPE for handymen |
| Hand sanitiser, face masks, safety glasses, working gloves and disposable gloves made available. | |
7. |
Gate onto Lorkin Daniell |
| Residents wish to insert a gate onto the field for sole use by the residents,
Approval needed from the whole Trust. Letter to be sent to residents who are encroaching. |
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8. |
Play equipment area update |
| Signs have been put up notifying closure of the area at the moment. | |
9. |
School buses parking opposite Hall Road. |
| This hazard persists. We await action from Essex Highways and CBC. | |
Date of next meeting – Thursday 7th July. |