Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
Held in the John Lampon Hall on 25th May at 7.30 pm
| Chair: | Chris Stevenson |
| Parish Councillors Present: | Brian Butcher, Jenny Church, Phil Cook, Andrew Savage, Murray Harlow, Philip Spencer, Harry Stone, Bob Tyrrell |
| Parish Clerk: | Laura Walkingshaw |
| Borough Councillors: | Councillor Willetts |
| Present: | 12 members of the public |
Part I – Public
1. To elect a Chairman
Chris Stevenson was proposed by Bob Tyrrell, Harry Stone seconded. Unanimously agreed. Chris Stevenson confirmed as Chairman of West Bergholt Parish Council.
2. To receive the Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office
Cllr Stevenson then signed the Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
3. Receive apologies and welcome to the Public
Apologies were received and accepted from John Gili-Ross.
4. Questions from registered electors
(maximum time allowed for this item is 15 minutes – please inform the Clerk if you wish to speak prior to the meeting commencing)
No questions were received from registered electors.
5. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Stevenson declared an interest in items relating to Essex County Council, particularly Highway issues.
6. Minutes
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 27th April 2016 were approved and signed with no amendments.
7. Presentation
A presentation was made to the three winners from Heathlands School for the best 20mph sign design. The winners were as follows:
Aaron Monks – 1st Prize, Claudia Boyer – 2nd Prize, Oliver Tuttlebee – 3rd Prize
The Parish Council thanked the winners for their participation and support. The new signs will really enhance the 20mph zone, placed at the entrance and exit of the zone & on School Lane. These are just a part of a whole series of improvements and an ongoing plan to make the area around the school safer.
8. Report from Colchester Borough Councillors
The Chair congratulated Councillor Willetts on being re-elected.
Councillor Willetts reported:
- that he would be “Calling In” application no. 161181 – Laborne, Chapel Lane to Colchester Borough Council’s Planning Committee. The Councillor agreed that too much was being shoehorned into too little space. He was not opposed to development on the site, but felt it was not in line with the Village Design Statement.
- informed the Council that newly elected Cllr. Lewis Barber would be following on from Marcus Harrington regarding the “Member Call In” of application no. 160531 – 91 Chapel Road.
9. Constitution
a) To elect Vice Chair(s) and RFO:
Vice Chairs
Harry Stone was proposed by Andrew Savage, seconded by Jenny Church. All in favour. Harry Stone was elected as Vice Chair to West Bergholt Parish Council.
Andrew Savage was proposed by Harry Stone, seconded by Bob Tyrrell. All in favour. Andrew Savage was also elected as Vice Chair to West Bergholt Parish Council.
Responsible Finance Officer (RFO)
Andrew Savage was proposed by Murray Harlow, seconded by Brian Butcher. All in favour. Andrew Savage was elected as Responsible Finance Officer to West Bergholt Parish Council.
b) To appoint members to the Planning Committee
The Planning Committee members remain as: Bob Tyrrell, Brian Butcher, Murray Harlow, Chris Stevenson, Andrew Savage & Phil Cook.
c) To appoint members to the Environment Committee
The Environment Committee members remain as: John Gili-Ross, Murray Harlow, Jenny Church, Harry Stone & Phil Spencer.
d) To appoint members to the Premises Committee
The Premises Committee members remain as: Brian Butcher, Murray Harlow, Jenny Church, Harry Stone & Bob Tyrrell.
10. Finance
a) Statement of Accounts for April 2016 (to be circulated at the meeting)
The final accounts for April 2016 were presented as follows:
The General Account showed 55% income, 17% general expenditure, 11% environment expenditure and 15% expenditure overall.
The Hall Account showed 15% income and 6% expenditure.
The Parish Council is now 8.3% of the way through the financial year.
b) To approve cheques for signature in accordance with 2016/17 budget
It was proposed by Cllr Savage and seconded by Cllr Church to make the following payments, All in favour:
| PAYMENTS LIST
May 2016 |
|||
| General Account | |||
| Salary Payments to Mrs Walkingshaw, Mr Hewitt & Mr Harkness | |||
| DD – CBC | Garage Rent | 50.08 | |
| DD – Public Works Loan | Loan Payment | 2684.13 | |
| John Gili-Ross | Poors Land hose pipes | 103.64 | |
| EALC | Councillor Training | 75.00 | |
| EALC | Clerk Training | 35.00 | |
| RCCE | Housing Needs Survey | 201.60 | |
| RCCE | Data Analysis | 525.60 | |
| Countrywide | Grass Cutting | 151.00 | |
| Thompson, Smith & Puxon | Legal Advice | 1188.00 | |
| Zurich Municipal | LCAS Membership | 174.00 | |
| Printerland | Printer Toner (Cy, Mg, Yw, Bk) | 149.70 | |
| EALC | Councillor Training | 150.00 | |
| EALC | Councillor Training | 50.00 | |
| WBFC | Grass Cutting | 40.00 | |
| Anglian Water | Poors Land Water Bill | 17.16 | |
| Tree & Lawn Company | Poors Land Re-seeding | 420.00 | |
| Laura Walkingshaw | Petty Cash Replenishment | 71.00 | |
| Laura Walkingshaw | Expenses | 85.84 | |
| A J Smart Training | Health & Safety Training | 65.00 | |
| HMRC | National Insurance & Tax | 282.37 | |
| Orpen Hall Account | |||
| Salary Payment to Mrs Beckwith-Cole | |||
| DD – Utility Warehouse | Mobile, Broadband, MUGA Electricity | 63.76 | |
| DD (3/5) – Col Skip Hire | Rubbish Skip | 125.92 | |
| DD(31/5) – Col Skip Hire | Rubbish Skip | 141.70 | |
| DD – CNG | Gas | 397.75 | |
| Zoe’s Cleaning | Cleaning | 684.00 | |
| Esposito McLean | Toilet Refurbishment | 1530.00 | |
| Victoria Beckwith-Cole | Expenses | 86.98 | |
| Zoe O’Connor | Holiday Cover | 36.00 | |
c) To approve the 2015/16 bank reconciliation figures and to confirm the financial year end figure to be carried forward.
Cllr Savage proposed that the figure of £47507.27 for the General Account and £ 24111.76 for the Hall Account should be confirmed as the financial year end figures for 2015/16, seconded by Cllr Stevenson. All agreed.
d) RFO to sign the Annual Return public inspection dates form.
Cllr Savage, as RFO, signed the Annual Return public inspection dates, making the accounts available to the public from Monday 27th June until Friday 5th August 2016.
e) To agree to purchase a 40ft storage container to solve the Parish Council’s storage problem.
It was agreed in principle to purchase a 40ft storage container, subject to planning permission and further investigation into the costs of siting it. Temporary planning permission would be awarded for 3 years at a time, as it is not a building. Cllr Savage proposed to agree this, subject to the details above, Cllr Harlow seconded. All in favour.
f) To agree to apply for a CIF Response Fund grant to aid the purchase of the said refurbished 40ft storage container.
The CIF Response Fund has been applied for, if planning permission is not awarded then the money can be returned.
11. Communications
- An update was received from the Communications Working Party from Cllr. C Stevenson. The Community Engagement Policy & Strategy has been written by Cllr Spencer and edited by Cllr Stevenson. That document along with the Strategy Action Plan will be ready for the next Parish Council meeting, once it is reviewed by the Communications Working Party on 13th June.
Cllr Butcher suggested a bullet point review for displaying on the notice board.
12. Progress Report from Clerk
Clerk presented her report and update of outstanding actions.
13. Planning
a) The minutes from the Planning Committee meeting held on 18th May 2016 were received and the decisions noted from the applications:
- 160847 – 52 Valley Crescent CO6 3ED – Support – The PC has no comment
- 160531 – 91 Chapel Road CO6 3HB – Object – The Parish Council has previously objected to the proposals previously submitted and continues to do so. In its previous response the objection was as follows:
“The PC are strongly of the view that there should be no development in front of the existing front wall of the now partly demolished bungalow. We believe the current ridge is still too high and should be about lower by about 1.00m thus allowing a more sensible transition between 89 and 93 Chapel Road. This will also help with the impact the proposal will have on Sanborn in Chapel Lane. The proposals is too close to 89 Chapel Lane. The PC would like a see at least a 1.00m gap to the West boundary, due to the scale of the existing cottage.”
Whilst it is acknowledged that some consideration has been given to its previous concerns, the Council still objects on the basis that the amended plans have not addressed its other anxieties concerning ridge height and the location of the house in relation to the existing front wall.
The Council would also wish to see a condition added to ensure that the property could not be extended under permitted development in the future, so that planning permission will need to be sought should the annex to the left hand side be proposed again at a later stage.
The “Member Call In” will be continued by Lewis Barber at the next Colchester Planning meeting, to be held possibly on 9th June.
- 161165 – 42 Albany Road CO6 3LD – Support – The Parish Council has no comment
- 161114 – 86 Lexden Road CO6 3BW – Observation – Whilst the Parish Council would support the proposal, it would however ask the Borough Council to review the closeness of the extension to the boundary of the property.
b) To agree the recommendations made by the Planning Committee on applications:
- 161181 – Laborne, Chapel Lane CO6 3EF – Object – The Parish Council object to this proposal on the grounds that it contravenes the CBC Approved Village Design Statement section DG7 – the proposals are out of proportion with existing properties, the plan form of the new dwellings is very dense and out of keeping with the existing village urban grain. The PC also has concerns over the potential excessive surface run-off, should the application be granted therefore the Parish Council would wish to see a condition added to ensure that all hard paved areas on site are permeable and there is on site SW drainage storage at the adjacent site.
Dennis Willets proposes to call this application in to Colchester Planning Committee.
- 161111 – 58 Chapel Road CO6 3HZ – Support – The Parish Council has no comment
Proposed by Cllr Stevenson to make these recommendations into decisions, seconded by Cllr Butcher. All in favour.
14. Environment and Highways
a) The minutes from the Environment Committee meeting held on 12th May 2016 were received.
b) To agree to look at a potential location for the storage container required to solve the Parish Council’s storage problems.
It was proposed to site the storage container behind the existing West Bergholt Football Clubhouse by Cllr Harlow, seconded by Cllr Stevenson. All in favour.
c) To agree the proposal to set up a practice area for 5-6 year olds to train at the bottom of the Lorkin Daniel Field.
It was agreed, in principle, to set up a practice area for 5-6 year olds, subject to Bergholt Heath Youth Football Club clarifying the numbers taking part. An agreement to charge £200 per annum for the area will be drawn up, although timings are important, they must be off the field by 10.30am and the use of toilet facilities will be outside of that agreement.
15. Premises and Recreation
a) The minutes from the Premises Committee meeting held on 2nd May 2016 were received.
b) To agree the location of new benches in the MUGA area, part funded by the Bergholt Youth Group.
The Premises Committee will defer to the Environment Committee on this matter. There will be no contribution from BYG and the benches will be placed in the vicinity of, but outside, the MUGA area.
16. Information Exchange/Items from Councillors to be added to the next agenda
a) Planning Committee
- Following a number of applications that have been “Called In” lately, there may be an increasing need for a member of WB Planning to attend CBC Planning Committee.
- Need to clarify who will be speaking on behalf of the residents regarding 91 Chapel Road.
- Colchester’s Local Plan will be published in June/July, may need to bring a CBC Planning Officer to attend a Parish Council meeting at that time.
b) Neighbourhood Plan
- Many thanks to Cllr Cook for all his hard work producing version 20 of the Neighbourhood Plan.
- Part of the Neigh. Plan Steering Group will be reviewing the latest version to provide feedback.
- The other part of the group will be working out the consultation timetable regarding when to talk to the public. This needs to be two weeks into the release of Colchester’s Plan.
c) Environment Committee
- Football nets – the debate will continue at the next Environment Committee meeting.
- Albany Close flooding – to be raised with Highways – Clerk
- Armoury Road pothole – possibly fixed three years ago by ECC. Requires a joint letter to Anne Brown & Dennis Willetts. – Clerk
- Bus Timings – to be put on Environment agenda
- Encroachment of Heath – to be put on Environment agenda
- A134-A12 J27 Rat Run. Great Horkesley are currently conducting a survey of car registration plates to see how many vehicles are using that route as a rat run.
d) Premises Committee
- Will be contacting Colchester Borough Council to alter our licence regarding the seating capacity of the Orpen Hall. Please note, if less than 50 chairs in use they do not need to be clipped together, however when there are 50-250 they do require clipping.
- Will be ratifying the appointment of the contractor for the toilet refurbishment at the next Parish Council meeting.
The Finance Committees should be added to the Information Exchange agenda next month.
17. Training
a) To note the training undertaken in the last month by Councillors or the Clerk
The Clerk has attended the following training:
- a Minutes & Agendas Workshop
- CILCA – part 1 – Core Roles
- CILCA – part 2 – Law & Procedures
Items to Note
(available on table at meeting)
- Simply Knitting – Issue 146
- Clerks & Councils Direct – May 2016
- The Clerk – May 2016
- EALC Legal Update – May 2016
- Crime Statistics – March 2016
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).
Date of Next Meeting
Meeting closed at 9.15pm – Next meeting will be Wednesday 22nd June 2016 at 7.30pm in John Lampon Hall, Lexden Road
Signed: Date: Position on Parish Council: