Minutes of Parish Council 23rd July 2014

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting

Held in the John Lampon Hall on 23rd July 2014 at 7.30p.m.

Chair John Gili-Ross
Parish Councillors Present Murray Harlow, Rachel Howard, Rosemary James, Andrew Savage, Chris Stevenson, Harry Stone, Bob Tyrrell and Phil Walby
Parish Clerk Val Walsom
Borough Councillors Councillor Harrington, Councillor Willetts
Present: Brian Butcher

Part I – Public

1.    Receive Apologies

Apologies were received from Jenny Church and David Short.

2.    Questions from registered electors

No registered electors present.

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 for information.

4.    Declarations of Interest

Chris Stevenson declared an interest in Items 8 and 12 relating to highways.

Bob Tyrrell declared an interest in Item 11 relating to a planning application.

5.    Minutes

Item 7f was amended to add “to proceed with delegated powers to the Car Park Working Party (Planning Committee)”.  Following this addition the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 25th June 2014 were approved and signed.

6.    Report for Colchester Borough Councillors

Councillor Harrington gave the following report:

Two new litter bins have been sited, one in Colchester Road and one in Lexden Road.

7.    Finance

a)   Statement of Accounts for June 2014

The accounts for June 2014 were presented as follows:

The General Account showed 46% income, 26% general expenditure, 23% environment expenditure and 25% expenditure overall.

The Hall Account showed 28% income and 24% expenditure.

b)   Draw cheques

It was proposed by AS and seconded by CS to make the following payments:

Payment Details Expense Purpose Amount
General Account
D A Cant Trial hole investigations – car park 360.00
I Beckwith Grass cutting 230.00
Chris Stevenson Neighbourhood Plan/ink cartridge 127.75
G Dolden Associates Project management – car park 498.00
Inland Revenue PAYE 176.20
Orpen Hall Account
Mike’s Cleaning Cleaning 513.00
AtoZ Supplies Cleaning materials 93.82
Roberts Cleaning Window cleaning 30.00
V Beckwith Cole Keys 17.85
GW Commercial Heating Install urinals 934.72

Salary payments were made to Val Walsom and Stephen Cook from the General Account and Vicky Beckwith-Cole from the Hall Account.

[Click to view Summary Accounts – Summary Accounts June 2014]

Payment for the new urinals was queried.  PW advised that the quote received for the necessary work was valid for one month only and the Premises and Recreation working party agreed that the work should be completed as a matter of urgency.

c)   Committee and Sub-committee protocol

It was agreed that the Finance committee would continue under the definition of a sub-committee.  This will allow for HR issues to be discussed outside the public domain.  HR issues may not need to be dealt with by the whole sub-committee.

d)   Orpen Hall Car Park – financial update

The project has started and we await requests for payment and consequent claim for payment of the grant.

e)   Broadband update – ‘CIF Response’ Grant update

CS has contacted County Broadband to ask for more information necessary to be able to apply for the CIF grant.  If no response is received within a week they will be advised that we will not move forward with the application for a grant.

f)   Scout Hut Licence and rent update

The Licence has been issued to the Scouts which includes an arbitration clause to prevent a similar situation recurring. We await a response.  Photographic evidence of the current state of the building has been requested. An asbestos survey will be carried out and a register maintained.  The cost of this will be met by the Scouts.

The Licence includes confirmation that the last two years’ rent will be met.

The scouts have asked for a specific sub-let clause which may result in limitation on future use.

g)   Social Club – overdue payments

A revised invoice and a letter of apology following an error in the last invoice, which included some items which had, in fact been paid, was sent to the Social Club.  Payment was requested by 1st August.

8.    Traffic Safety Plan

Chris Stevenson declared an interest in this item.

There have been only a few negative comments following the public consultation of the Traffic Safety Plan.

The 20mph speed limit will be implemented in November 2014.  CS advised engaging with residents about the implementation.  It was agreed to put an article in the Village Bulletin and put at item on the notice board.

The parking restrictions will be implemented in September.

9.    Update on Orpen Memorial car park project

  • The project has been started.
  • Contracts have been signed by the Clerk and issued to the contractor.
  • Notices have been sent to users and local residents.
  • The programme of works has been advised to all Parish Councillors.  There will be 3 days in August when the car park will be unavailable.
  • An electricity cable was hit by a large vehicle.  UK Power Networks were on site very quickly to make repairs.  The Project Manager has reinforced all the health and safety issues to the contractors.

10.   Clerk’s Items to Note

a)   EALC Courses
  • Chairman’s Day 1 – 11/09/14
  • Chairman’s Day 2 – 09/10/14
  • Chairman’s Day 3 – 06/11/14
  • Social Media for Parish Councils Part II
  • CILCA Training – August 2014
  • Budget and Precept Course – 03/09/14
  • Roles and Responsibilities – 16/10/14
  • Council Finance – 03/12/14
b)   New HR Partnership – Vine HR

This is being provided to members of EALC to support HR issues for Parish Councils.

11.   Planning

a)    To approve comments and decisions for Planning Applications (Reports from the Planning Committee’s meetings on 16th July 2014 were received):

To approve comments for Planning Applications:

  • 145035 – Hill House Barn, Hill House Farm, 157 Colchester Road – The PC had observations.
  • 145196 – Field View House, 8a Hall Road – The PC supports the application with no comments.
  • 145210 – Sprawls Farm, Fordham Road – The PC is minded accept the Borough Planning Service’s lead in this case.
  • 145244 – Pattens Yard, Nayland Road – The PC made the following observations – As this apparently relates to a matter that CBC has already been in correspondence about, involving the movements of a single vehicle, it is minded to accept the Borough Planning Service’s lead in this case.
  • 145255 – Milton House, Hall Road – The PC supports this application with no comments.
  • 145256/145257/145259 – Bourne Barn Farm, Bourne Road – The PC made the following observations – In view of the nature of the existing building and the work in question, it is minded to accept the Borough Planning Service’s lead in these instances.
  • 145408 – 12 Albany Close – The PC objects to this application because the street scene would be adversely affected by the proposals.  The two storey front extension should be subservient to the main dwelling and not extended out to the same line as the neighbouring property.
b)   Neighbourhood Plan – Report

The outcome of the stall at the School Fayre was discussed.  This was successful.  A similar stall will be run at the Vehicle Rally in July.

An application for a grant of £3000 will be applied for to cover the costs of external consultants helping with the Village Plan.

The Futures Group has made a start on their textual aspect on the Plan.

12.   Environment and Highways

Chris Stevenson declared an interest in any items relating to Highways

Harry Stone has taken on the role of Chair in David Short’s absence

a)   Handyman work schedule

HS and JGR have met with Steve Cook to draw up a schedule of work.  A contract needs to be drawn up for 8 hours per week.  His role will mainly be to keep the village tidy.

Grass cutting, tree work and general maintenance will be carried out by Ivor Beckwith who will be issued with a Standard Order of Work for approximately 8 hours’ work per week, and provide an invoice to the Parish Council for work undertaken.

b)   Use of Highway Rangers

CS had provided a list of tasks the Highway Rangers would carry out.  PW has asked for three jobs to be carried out and the Highway Rangers advised these will be completed within a month.

Other issues

The hedge along the inside of the Allotments along Chapel Road has been cut by an Allotment holder.  It was proposed to offer John Thrussell £50 for carrying out this work.

Trees behind the football club – A resident of New Church Road has requested that the trees be cut back.  The sub-committee has had a look at this and agreed that the work is not necessary at this time but will be reviewed in the future.  The PC agreed to this decision.

Cutting of the Lorkin Daniell Field – Countrywide Grounds Maintenance do not appear to be fulfilling their contract of grass cutting for various reasons including Bluebells being on site and being turned away by the football club. Countrywide will be contacted to see if the contract can be reduced to exclude the grass cutting of the Lorkin Daniell Field but to continue with the cutting of Poors Land.  An alternate contractor has been cutting the field lately and will be asked to undertake future cuts of the Lorkin Daniell Field together with the PC’s land in Mumford Close.

It was agreed that Heathlands PTA can hold their Fireworks event on Saturday 8th November 2014.  They will need Poors Land from 8am on Saturday until 11am on the Sunday.

13.   Premises and Recreation

a)   Hall Bookings

Vicky Beckwith-Cole would like Parish Councillors to book the hall in advance of their meetings so that other users can be advised that a meeting is taking place.

b)   Contract for Hall Administrator

The Hall Administrator has not received a contract.  This will be drawn up as soon as possible.

c)   Posts to entrance of Poors Land

Security posts onto Poors Land have been damaged on the day of the School Summer Fayre.  The PTA to be contacted about this and asked to pay for the cost of repairing the damage.

14.   Communications

The website is being used slightly more but needs to be promoted.

The West Bergholt Hub and Community have been asked if they would like to have a link on the website.

15.   War Memorial

Report from Working Party

Rosemary James presented a report with a proposal for the work and a proposed design for the memorial.  The cost would be £12099 + VAT.  AS has been looking into grants for the project but has been unable to find any that fit the criteria of what the PC is hoping to achieve.  The PC will need financial support to achieve this.  An article will be placed in the next Village Bulletin to see if residents would be willing to help fund this.

It was suggested that a mock-up of the layout is made to assess the impact of the memorial.

16.   Emergency Planning

Report from Working Party

An article in the last Village Bulletin did not produce any response.  This will be resurrected later.

Items to Note

a)   EALC – County Update – June 2014

b)   Clerks and Councils Direct – July 2014

c)    SLCC – The Clerk Magazine – July 2014

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 were no matters discussed.

Date of Next Meeting

Wednesday 24th September 2014 at 7.30p.m.

The meeting closed at 9:25p.m.

Signed:Position on Parish Council: Date:

 

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