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Environment & Highways – 9th February 2023

Highlights of Environment & Highways Meeting on 9th February 2023

The Environment & Highways Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 9th February 2023 with topics including:

  • Equipment maintenance,
  • Clearance of Queen’s Head & Hall Road ponds,
  • Dog walking code of conduct,
  • Name for 3-acre field,
  • Emptying of dog waste bins.

Environment Committee Minutes

Meeting held on Thurs 9th February 2023 at 5.00pm in SC Mtg Rm & on Zoom

Members present:John Gili-Ross (JGR) (via Zoom) – Chair, Harry Stone (HS), James Owers (JO), Katie Pulford (KP) and David Short (DS)
Others:None                                                                                                                                  
Apologies:Manya Barrow (MB)

1.   Handyman Report

The strimmer and cutting equipment are in for their annual maintenance with Grasshopper. The ride-on mower hours to be checked to ascertain if it is due for a service.

Clean-up around the village entrance (Blue bridge area) has been undertaken. Bark chippings have been laid.

Re-installed benches beside LD football pitch are loose and require cementing in.

Handymen’s banked hours have been reviewed and all seems satisfactory at present – item to be kept under review.

2.   Ponds

Contractor will commence clearance of Queens Head Pond on the Friday of next week or the following Monday. Recommendation to Finance Committee.

Hall Road Pond to be cleared by handymen, JGR to instruct the handymen accordingly and that any work is carried out following liaison with DS.

3.   Environment

The hedging adjacent to the village entry sign is looking tired. KP to contact CCC with a view to possibly acquiring new replacement hedging.

The mayor’s trees on Poor’s Land inspected by DS and seem to flourishing – to be reviewed.

David Hewitt had been asked to produce a replacement mounting frame for the replacement wildlife sign located at the entrance to the Village Green/Heath. This frame is now ready for collection by the handymen and the replacement sign mounted within the frame prior to installation back on the Village Green/Heath.

New memorial seat at Queen’s Head Pond. Nothing further heard from parishioner so keeping the matter under review.

4.   Dog Walking Code of Conduct

This matter has already been approved by the PC and an article is to be prepared for the next Village Bulletin.

5.   3-acre field

The naming of the field remains under discussion for the March PC meeting.

Clerk to please include as an agenda item for same.

6.   Pedestrian Crossing

Remains as a matter for discussion. A volume of correspondence on this matter BTB, Cllr Barber et al is ongoing.

7.   Wildlife Signs

Wildlife signs for the Mumford Close area to be collected from DS and installed by handymen.

8.   Bin Emptying

The tender from TBS Hygiene Ltd was reviewed and it was recommended to be agreed for 1 year as a trial. It was noted that it may be possible for one of the handymen to carry out this task as an extra duty to be recompensed however the handymen will not be able to do this as the Council has no way to get rid of the contaminated waste (dog excrement) as Colchester Skip Hire does not have the appropriate licence for that.

9.   AOB

It was noted that the kerbside adjacent to the Church is disintegrating. JO to pursue this matter with Highways and/or CCC, whoever is responsible.

Following discussion about the state of New Church Road and Chapel Road, the Parish Clerk is investigating with Lewis Barber the possibility of a free sweep as he has organised this in the past.

10.        Date of next meeting

The next Environment Committee meeting is Thurs 9th March, at 5pm in the SC Meeting Room.

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