Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
Held in the John Lampon Hall on 26th June 2013 at 7.30p.m.
| Chair | John Gili-Ross |
| Parish Councillors Present | Jenny Church, Murray Harlow, David Short, Harry Stone, Bob Tyrrell, Phil Walby, Rachel Young |
| Parish Clerk | Val Walsom |
| Borough Councillors | Councillor Harrington, Councillor Willetts |
| Present: | 4 members of the public |
Part I – Public
1. Receive Apologies
Apologies were received from Andrew Savage and Chris Stevenson.
2. Questions from registered electors
A resident of Colchester Road explained the problems she was having on her property with regard to flooding, and the lack of help received from ECC and Anglian Water. Councillor Harrington and a member of the public present agreed to assist her.
3. Receive items for information not on the agenda, which in the opinion of the Chairman should be brought to the attention of the Council
There were no items received.
4. Declarations of Interest
There were no declarations of interest.
5. Minutes
Minutes of the Council meeting held on Wednesday 22nd May 2013 were approved and signed.
6. Parish Council Committees and Working Parties
Following discussion the membership for working parties and committees was agreed. (See table at the end of the minutes)
7. Finance
a) Statement of Accounts for May 2013
The accounts for May 2013 were presented as follows:
The General Account showed 47% income, 20% general expenditure, 10% environment expenditure and 17% expenditure overall.
The Hall Account showed 17% income and 16% expenditure.
b) Draw cheques
It was proposed by JC and seconded by HS to make the following payments:
| Payment Details | Expense Purpose |
Amount |
| GENERAL ACCOUNT | ||
| Ernest Doe and Sons | Environment Items |
129.27 |
| Designclark | Dog Walking signs |
75.00 |
| Mail Boxes Etc. | Village Bulletin/NP insert |
800.00 |
| EALC | Course |
67.00 |
| Tree & Lawn Co | Remove branches from telephone wire |
114.00 |
| Phil Walby | Keys for posts – Lorkin Daniell Field |
20.00 |
| Anglian Water | Water rates – Poors Land |
10.41 |
| G Walls | Purchases and mileage |
261.48 |
| S Cook | Mileage |
156.00 |
| G Walls | Purchases and mileage |
369.75 |
| Dave Kingaby | Website manager |
212.50 |
| Harry Stone | Course travel |
33.15 |
| ORPEN HALL ACCOUNT | ||
| AtoZ Supplies | Towels/toilet rolls/refuse sacks |
75.00 |
| Ask Us Drain Services | Drain jetting |
120.00 |
| V Beckwith-Cole | Mileage/sacks |
72.46 |
| S J Andrews | Electrical work |
44.16 |
| Roberts Cleaning | Window cleaning |
30.00 |
| Mike’s Cleaning | Cleaning |
500.00 |
Salary payments were made to Val Walsom, Gary Walls and Stephen Cook from the General Account and Vicky Beckwith-Cole from the Hall Account.
[Click to view Summary Accounts – Summary Accounts May 2013]
c) New signatory for bank account
It was proposed by Murray Harlow, seconded by Jenny Church and approved by all councillors present to add Harry Stone as a signatory for the bank accounts.
d) Update on grants – Hall car park and stage lighting
Hall car park – see item 11.
Mike Poole from the Orpen Players has agreed to project manage the stage lighting and that the Orpen Players will contribute £500 towards the £4500 cost. The equipment will belong to the Parish Council. He will liaise with Phil Walby.
e) Scout Hut Licence and rent update
Progress is slow. Martin Hopkins continues to liaise with The Scout Association Trust but it is proving difficult to communicate with them.
The new Licence states that specific approval from the Trustees is to be sought for sub- letting. The Scouts Committee has been advised by the Trustees that liability insurance will need to be in place for any Sub-lettings. Martin Hopkins will be asked to communicate this to the Scouts Committee.
8. Clerk’s Items to Note
a) EALC Courses
- Chairmen’s Day 2 – 24/07/13
- 2013 AGM and Conference – 26/09/13
- Roles and Responsibilities Course – 03/07/13
- Budget and Precept Course – 10/07/13
- Declaring Interests flowchart
- Charles Arnold Baker 9th Edition – Local Council Administration has been published. It was agreed that the PC would purchase 1 copy at £55.
ECC
- Notice of Chitts Hill Level Crossing closure
RCCE
- AGM – 10/07/13
- Nomination form for election to the Board of Trustees
b) EALC Awards to be entered
- Communication
- Community Engagement
- Localism in Action
- Website
Health and Safety and Risk Assessment – The Parish Council’s arrangements for H&S and RA need to be reviewed and updated as relevant. It was agreed that DS will carry out an outline review and a contractor used if required to ensure satisfactory compliance with current regulations. This work will begin immediately.
9. Report from Colchester Borough Council
Councillor Harrington advised that Argents Lane is to be resurfaced sometime during the municipal year. The 20 mph Task and Finish Group is going to renegotiate with the new ECC Portfolio holder on a 20mph scheme for the village. He explained that a community must prove that a speed survey has been carried out in the area to prove that average speed is no more that 24mph. The cost of a survey will by £450.
Dennis Willetts advised that residents in Bures Road have produced a petition to reduce speed limits to 40mph. He felt that the probability of this being successful was unlikely. The accident record in the village is only 6 recorded accidents in the last 3 years, which included one fatality along Bures Road.
Electoral Boundaries are to be reviewed in 2015 due to an expected increase in the population. The changes would give a more equal population for the different wards. The Borough Council is looking to reduce its Councillors from 60 to 45. This would mean 15 wards with 3 Councillors each.
10. Village Bulletin and Communications
a) Website update actions
Murray Harlow reported that 70 businesses are now registered on the website. It was agreed that the website dispenses with the Twitter feed and use of Facebook will be reviewed in 6 months.
b) Receive update from Village Bulletin Editor
Bernard Colbron stated that Vicky Beckwith-Cole has taken over management of advertising in the Bulletin from Susan Swan. Susan Swan will continue to be involved as a reader.
It was agreed that the Bulletin is not the right vehicle for young people to advertise for pocket money jobs such as dog walking.
c) Receive update from Village Communications Officer
There was no report this month.
11. Planning
a) To approve comments and decisions for Planning Applications (Report from the Planning Committee’s meeting on 19th June 2013 was received):
130989 – 104 Mumford Road – Objected
130992/130993 – Sprawls Farm, Fordham Road – Observations
131215 – 9 Colchester Road – Objected.
[Click to review full report –Planning Committee June 2013 report]
Bob Tyrrell commented on the poor planning quality of some applications the Parish Council received.
b) Project plan for resurfacing car park
There is concern about the cost of Project Management should the project exceed the initial budget. Chris Stevenson is in discussion with the Project Managers on this.
c) Neighbourhood Plan
There was no report this month.
12. Environment and Highways
a) Village Safety Travel Plan Update
A village meeting has been arranged for 4th July at 7p.m. in the John Lampon Hall to discuss the build out in New Church Road and other aspects relating to the Safety Travel Plan.
b) Siting of Beacon
It was agreed that the beacon will be sited on the grass area by the village sign at the Chapel Road/Colchester Road junction. A quote has been received to carry out the work which will be discussed by the Working Party. It is likely if the beacon is relit in the future it would be temporarily moved back to the Lorkin Daniell Field.
c) Progress on build out on New Church Road
Two options have been put forward by Highways. It was agreed that a short distance of cycle track would not be necessary. Consideration needs to be given to the length of yellow lines needed. Sonja Church from Highways will provide drawings of the project before the public meeting on 4th July. Following the public meeting the Council will approve the type of build out for implementation which will be subject to ECC technical approval.
d) CBC’s Zone Manager – Recycle Bins and meeting with senior residents
JGR and DS met with Chris Halls CBC Zone Manager to discuss the recycle bins which are in a deteriorating condition and need to be removed when the car park is resurfaced. A meeting to be held with the Portfolio Holder Cllr Hunt on this matter
MH met with the Zone Manager during a senior residents meeting, however, he felt the role of the Zone Manager was unclear.
e) Openreach easement application to lay duct to Heathlands School for upgrade to telephone lines
Openreach have requested contact details for the Trustees should duct laying need to take place across the Village Green. The clerk will supply the details.
f) Request to use Poors Land for a Summer Athletics Club
A request from an employee at Heathlands School has been received to hold an Athletics Club for primary school pupils during the summer holiday on Poors Land. Safeguarding and insurance details to be confirmed before a decision is made.
13. Premises and Recreation
a) Orpen Hall kitchen repairs and refurbishments
Two sealed quotes have been received for the repairs to the kitchen. A further quote is due and these will be opened by the Finance Working Party at a special meeting.
b) Stage Lighting
Mike Poole has agreed to project manage the stage lighting, liaising with PW. The Orpen Players have agreed to pay £500 of the £4500 cost. The lights will remain the property of the Trustees.
c) Contracts for regular hirers of the halls
PW is working with Vicky Beckwith-Cole on drawing up the contracts.
d) To discuss a future village event
The possibility of holding a future village fete is to be explored further.
Items to Note
- EALC – Country Update – May 2013
- The Essex Playing Field – Spring 2013
- LCR – Summer 2013
Part II – In Committee
Matters taken in the absence of Press and Public (Public (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960) as the item contains exempt information as defined by the Local Government Act 1972 Sch. 12a Pt (1).
There was no discussion.
Date of Next Meeting
Wednesday 24th July 2013 at 7.30p.m.
The meeting closed at 9.55p.m.