September 23, 2016September 23, 2016 by dave

Environment & Highways – 8th September 2016

The Environment & Highways Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 8th September and discussed a range of issues including football club storage, benches & seats, handymen, play equipment, ponds and flood risk on New Church Road.

Environment & Highways Report

Sub-committee Meeting held on Thursday 8th September 2016 in JL Hall

Sub-committee members present	John Gili Ross, Jenny Church, Murray Harlow, David Short
Apologies	Harry Stone, Phil Spencer, Janet Crichton

1.	Clerks Report
	(see attached)
	a) Item 8 – Bollards to Poor’s Land need checking. b) Item 13 – Missing 30mph sign on exit from New Church Road to Lexden Road – this has been rectified.	JGR
2.	Storage Facilities
	The planning application for a container behind the football clubhouse has been called in by Cllr Dennis Willetts so this will take more time now.
3.	Benches for Lorkin Daniell Field
	Murray agreed to investigate prices and where to purchase	MH
4.	Handymen work
	Dave and Matt continue with their work schedule. Some hedging in School lane and Poor’s Land was in need of attention and has been cut back. Some door hinges to Orpen Hall and JL Hall were discovered to be in need of attention by Dave and this has been reported to Brian Butcher. Equipment is being stored in the lock-up in Mumford Road at present and measures taken to stop water ingress from damaging items.	JGR
5.	School entrance from New Church Road
	The tree at the entrance has been pollarded and made safe. The seats throughout the village common areas will need attention in the winter	JGR
6.	Play Equipment
	All equipment has been inspected and is safe. Some minor issues were noted and will be dealt with by Handyman. The hedges around the Lorkin Daniell field will need attention during the winter months as necessary and form part of the work schedule.	JGR
7.	Village Ponds
	a) All 3 ponds require attention. Phil Spencer to be asked advice regarding Lexden Road pond and Hall Road Pond.	PS
	b) Jenny to contact The Colchester Volunteers.	JC
8.	A homeowner had asked that the ditch along NCR on the Heath is in need of clearance as they believe the water was not being carried away from the NCR properties. The ditch was investigated and concluded that whilst some clearance is necessary the slope of the road is such that water will always flow towards the properties and not the ditch. Clearance of the ditch is planned for the autumn and winter months but is unlikely to address the issue raised by the homeowner.	JGR
	Date of next meeting – Thursday 13th October 2016 at 5pm in JL Hall

Clerks Report – West Bergholt Parish Council – Environment Committee
Date	Type	Update	Information and decision made	Action taken and outcome	Date note closed
04/11/2015	4 (Env Nov)	No Change – 08/06/16	Clerk has logged the problem with Essex Highways (problem no. 2441579) on 14/01/15 to get hedge cut at Colchester Rd/Chapel Rd roundabout.	Clerk called 0345 603 7631 & spoke to Highways, they said the notes now state ” After a risk assessment the defect of the area is deemed a low priority” Nothing new on website – Does anyone from the Env Cmtt know if this been done?
17/02/2016	Enquiry		Mr D of Armoury Road contacted Clerk to report a large pot hole at junction of Armoury Rd & Colchester Rd. Clerk logged pothole with ECC (2449469). ECC inspected it on 03/03/16, however they stated that they do not own that road. Highways have noted each time I have called, but no action taken.	Pot Hole filled in !!!	26/07/2016
17/02/2016	Enquiry		With regards the dangerous parking on the junction of Armoury Rd & Colchester Rd. Clerk has now received 2 different complaints from residents.	To contact NEEP. Details now with Cllr Lewis Barber – Park Safe vehicle available from Autumn approx.
23/03/2016	APM	Update – 10/08/16	Vehicle Activated Sign not working in Lexden Road, CO6 3BW. Clerk reported 07/04/16 No. 2457347. ECC site now states “Essex Highways is not responsible for the maintenance of this location and we have passed it on to the relevant organisation.”Clerk spoke to team responsible (Street Lighting). Fault has been reported to the manufacturer and are awaiting approval for funding. Apparently, many VAS put in at same time, now all breaking at the same time.	Streetlighting team ([email protected]) have referred this to the Local Highways Panel. Solargen are the company Essex uses to repair these signs, they charge between £400-1,500.
27/04/2016	Email from JGR		ECC No. 2459110 – Drainage issue outside 34 Lexden Road. Email also sent to Anne Brown. On Cllr Lewis Barber’s List	Update – 25/07/16 “Highways have attended the site a number of times and the gullies have been jetted. Works will be programmed for a CCTV survey of the gullies however at this time we are unable to give a timescale for these works.”
12/05/2016	3e (May)		Parking on greensward opposite Ash’s store.	Clerk to ask Dennis Willetts regarding how to deal with this problem.
23/05/2016	Email from resident		Clerk has received an email from a resident of New Church Road concerned about the large delivery lorries turning into School Drive and encroaching on the Heath. Several bollards have been knocked over recently.	Clerk will write to delivery companies. Bollards to be fixed in the winter months.
04/06/2016	Bollards		Clerk noted that the bollards to the Poor’s Land do not lock, even with padlocks fitted	Bollards to Poor’s Land needs checking. Who from the Env Cmtt is checking that?
25/07/2016	Flooding		ECC No. 2478381 – Drainage issue at Albany Close. Email with Anne Brown. On Cllr Lewis Barbers List.	25/07/16 ” Inspection Completed. Raised as a defect. Due to have gullies cleaned out – no date given as yet”
25/07/2016	Flooding		Chitts Hill – ongoing flooding issue with water coming up throught the carriageway. Not a Highways issue & has been referredd to Anglian Water (03457 145145).	Cllr Lewis Barber will be contacting Anglian Water.
25/07/2016	Flooding		ECC No. 2478388 – Drainage issue at the corner of Mumford Road.	25/07/16 ” Inspection Completed. Raised as a defect. Due to have gullies cleaned out – no date given as yet”
01/08/2016	Flooding		ECC No. 2479467 – Drainage issue at 113 Chapel Road (cottages near Scissorhands). No kerb, water runs into houses.	Clerk reported this on 01/08/16 as Cllr Barber gave wrong address originally.
01/08/2016	Highways		ECC No. 2479507 – Missing 30mph sign on exit of New Church Road to Lexden Road reported by Rev. Mandy.	Clerk reported this on 01/08/16.
05/08/2016	Vegetation		72 Chapel Road – Complaints received regarding overhanging vegetation on pathway.	Clerk wrote to householders asking them to cut it back.
05/08/2016	Vegetation		30 New Church Road – Complaints received regarding tall trees & hedges blocking neighbours light.	Clerk wrote to householders asking them to cut it back.
08/08/2016	Vegetation		Overgrown Brambles on corner of Albany Road by no. 60.	Clerk reported this to CBC Zone 4 Manager Casey Harrison. Problem noted by CBC.
19/08/2016	Pavement		ECC No. 2477354 – Alcroft Lodge resident reported damaged pavement outside property.	ECC states work due to be completed within 4 weeks.
19/08/2016	Pavement		ECC No. 2482542 -Alcroft Lodge resident reported pavement along Bures Rd to junction with White Hart Pub.	Update – 01/09/16 “We are aware of a FOOTWAY DEFECTS at BURES ROAD, WEST BERGHOLT and will be inspecting it within the next 28 days”