Environment & Highways – 20th February 2020
The Environment & Highways Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 20th February 2020 and discussed:
- Pond cleaning & maintenance,
- Replacement trees, Mumford Oak, purple beeches & cricket bat willows,
- Handymen work schedule,
- Bus stops & school buses,
- Rejuvenation of Poor’s Land & Heath,
- Parks & playgrounds &
- A number of more administrative matters.
Environment & Highways Report
Committee Meeting held on Thursday 20th February 2020 in Social Club meeting room
| Committee members present | Phil Spencer, David Short, Jenny Church |
| In attendance | Laura Walkingshaw, Parish Clerk |
| Apologies | John Gili Ross, Harry Stone, Norma Smith. |
1. |
Village Ponds |
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| Ponds are full after all the rain.
Arranged for TCV to come and do some pond clearing on 14th April. Queens Road Pond railings to be done on March 3rd. Deep water sign to be replaced if too degraded. |
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2. |
Replacement trees |
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| Grant money for replacement trees – £400 from locality budget not yet arrived. Laura has spoken to Brian Jarvis who will chase the money. | ||
3. |
Handymen |
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| Phil has made a spread sheet of workloads for handymen. Handymen work ongoing, tree & hedge schedule on course to be completed by end of February.
Essex devolved work: – Bourne Road sign knocked down – new pole required; Drain at corner of Pirie Road and Chapel Road needs attention; Kerb by Doctors Surgery; Mumford Road kerbs; Pothole Lexden Road and Chapel Road. Play equipment – swings to be repainted when weather permits. |
PS | |
4. |
Bus stop in Lexden Road. |
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| ECC Highways have agreed to move the Hall Road bus stop in Lexden Road to a more suitable site along the road. | ||
5 |
School buses parking in Lexden Road |
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| At the Local Highways Panel, it was noted that following a site meeting with Anne Brown and First Buses, agreement was reached for buses to wait at another location and monitor this approach, rather than go ahead with the installation of yellow bus cages. Phil will see if the buses do move down the road away from Hall Road and will report if not. | ||
6. |
Area on edge of Poor’s Land/Heath |
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| This area needs clearing to rejuvenate it. The brambles, thistles and nettles need cutting back and removing following the guidelines of the Heath Management plan prepared for West Bergholt PC by Place Services of Essex CC. The area will require mowing in the future and clippings removed, to attempt to restore the original vegetation. | ||
7. |
Hedge planting |
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| Purple beech hedging has been planted on the greensward by the village sign. | ||
8 |
Cricket-bat willows |
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| Phil proposed a scheme he has encountered in other villages – planting cricket bat willows as an investment scheme on Trust Land in the village. The trees are harvested and sold to provide a long term income stream. Need to consider a suitable site for this project. | ||
9 |
Free Skip in the village |
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| The CBC attended freighter will be in West Bergholt at the Orpen Hall on the following dates: –
9th May; 4th July; 29th August. From 11am to 12 noon. |
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10 |
Mumford Oak |
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| This has been trimmed and made safe by T&LC. | ||
11 |
Manual Handling Poster |
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| The poster has been bought and will be put up for the handymen. | ||
12 |
Notices at Cooks Hall Road |
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| “No cycling”, “Dogs on Lead” to be sited. | ||
13 |
Play Park Inspection |
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| The inspection is due and has been booked. | ||
14 |
New swings |
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| The new swings have been ordered – await delivery | ||
| Date of next meeting – Thursday 12th March 2020 |