17/51

Receive/accept apologies and welcome to the Public

17/52

Questions from registered electors

17/52

Declarations of Interest

17/54

Minutes

17/55

Report from Colchester Borough Councillors

• Locality Budget – this is now available for this year’s submissions, there is no need to wait until the end of the year. £2,000 has been allocated to each Borough Councillor again, making it £6,000 for the ward as a whole. There were 8 successful applications last year.

Borough Councillor Lewis Barber reported:

• Bakers Lane – This was closed last week for a couple of days whilst preparation work was completed in anticipation of the re-surfacing which is due around June time. Highways have asked residents to provide any ideas to improve the safety of that road.
• Congestion in Colchester – Essex County Council are looking to improve the congestion problems in Colchester with a review, as issues have been getting worse following the new development projects. Cllr Stevenson declared an interest at this point as he will attend the review in his professional capacity.
• Argents Lane – Eight Ash Green Parish Council have been asking people what they think about Argents Lane/Chitts Hill.

17/56

Parish Councillor Vacancy

17/57

Finance

a)

Statement of accounts for Mar 2017 (Link to P12 Mar 17 Summary)

The final accounts for Mar 2017 were presented as follows:

100% of the way through the financial year.

The General Account showed 125% income, 143% general expenditure, 88% environment expenditure and 128% expenditure overall, when the categories of general expenditure & environment are totaled together. The Summary sheet for the General Account looks slightly different as we have had to split the Precept and the CBC Revenue & LCTS (Localising Council Tax Support) Grants and list the contributions from the Parish Council’s charitable trusts in order to meet with the requirements of the Annual Return form.

The Hall Account showed 110% income and 89% expenditure. Legal costs of £2,235 are to be transferred to the General Account in the next month.

b)

Payments

c)

To agree earmarked funds for year 2017-18

General Account

End of Year Figures: £40,671.46, of which:

Earmarked Funds:

Of the £ 20,905.51, it was recommended by the Finance Committee to earmark:

Hall Account

End of Year Figures: £32,197.46 of which:

Earmarked Funds:

Of the £ 12,197.46, of which £ 2,235 legal costs have been transferred to General Account in Apr, leaving £9,962.46. It was recommended by the Finance Committee to earmark:

RESOLVED – To agree the Finance Committee’s recommendations for Earmarked funds for the year 2017/18. Proposed by Cllr Savage, seconded by Cllr Tyrrell. All in favour.

d)

To agree £522 to be spent from the Hall account on roof repairs

17/58

Planning

a)

The minutes from the Planning Committee meeting held on the 19th April 2017 were received and the decisions made on following applications were noted (Link to Planning P1 Apr 17). At this point, Cllr Tyrrell redeclared an interest in Planning Application 170664:

• 170854 – 39 Lexden Road, CO6 3BW – Support – The Parish Council has no comment.
• 170664 – 6 Heathside, CO6 3JT – Support – The Parish Council supports this application with a proposed condition that the annex is never sold off separately from the existing building in the future.
• 170924 – 8 Newbridge Hill, CO6 3ER – Objection – The Parish Council refers to policy DG7 of the adopted Village Design Statement. The Council is concerned at the poor attempt to create a contemporary building due to the choice of materials & proportions as they are out of keeping with the adjacent properties. The Parish Council would like to see a street scene showing the front elevations including the existing garage and its relationship to these adjacent buildings.
  The current design and proposed proportions & finishes result in it appearing alien to its local surroundings and therefore makes it impossible to support.

b)

To approve the recommendation of the Planning Committee on late planning application:

• 170839 – Land north of The White Hart, Nayland Road, CO6 3DD – Objection – The Parish Council strongly opposes this application as it is outside the current Settlement Boundary and the emerging Neighbourhood Plan’s proposed settlement areas. The Planning documents contain many inaccuracies and misrepresentations. The developer, house types, styles, elevations and details ignore the Essex Design Guide and the adopted Village Design Statement which seeks building to be in keeping with local architecture. The layout is very urban in character and again out of keeping with the semi-rural location. It also fails to take into account its position adjacent to the Grade II Listed White Hart Public House.

RESOLVED – to approve the recommendation on Planning Application 170839. Cllr Tyrrell proposed, Cllr Savage seconded. All in favour.

17/59

Environment and Highways

ACTION – Cllr Stevenson will recirculate the notes from ECC on their duties & responsibilities and details of how community groups and other organisations can access grants.

17/60

Premises and Recreation

17/61

Training

• CBC Planning Information Session – 23rd Mar – Cllrs Butcher & Harlow

17/62

Items to Note (available on table at meeting)

17/63

In Committee

17/64

Date of Next Meeting