Minutes of Parish Council 26th July 2017

Minutes of Parish Council Meeting

Held in the John Lampon Hall on 26th July 2017 at 7.30 pm

Chair: Chris Stevenson
Parish Councillors Present: John Gili-Ross, Phil Spencer, Bob Tyrrell, Brian Butcher, Andrew Savage, Harry Stone, David Short, Janet Crichton, Murray Harlow and Jenny Church
Parish Clerk: Laura Walkingshaw
Borough Councillors: None present
Present: 2 members of the public

 

17/96

Receive/accept apologies and welcome to the Public
  RESOLVED – Apologies were received and accepted from Borough Councillors Willetts, Barber and Jarvis

17/97

Questions from registered electors
There were no questions received from registered electors.

17/98

Declarations of Interest
  DECLARED – Cllr Stevenson declared an interest in items relating to Essex County Council, particularly Highway issues.

17/99

Minutes
RESOLVED – the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 28th June 2017 were approved and signed by the Chairman, with no amendments. (Link to Minutes P3 June 2017)

17/100

Report from Colchester Borough Councillors
  None received

17/101

Finance

a)

Statement of accounts for June 2017

(Link to P3 June 17 Summary)

The final accounts for June 2017 were presented as follows:

25% of the way through the financial year.

The General Account showed 49% income, 16% general expenditure, 23% environment expenditure and 19% expenditure overall, when the categories of general expenditure & environment are totaled together.

The Hall Account showed 21% income and 28% expenditure.

b)

Payments
  RESOLVED – To approve the following payments in accordance with 2017-18 budget. Proposed by Cllr Savage, seconded by Cllr Stevenson. All in favour.
 
PAYMENTS LIST

July 2017
General Account
DD CBC Garage Rent 50.58
GA170094 J & M Payroll Services Wages, Tax & NI 3472.92
GA170095 WBFC Grass Cutting 40.00
GA170096 J & M Payroll Services Payroll Services – June 27.00
GA170097 Countrywide Grass Cutting 155.50
GA170098 Ernest Doe VAT not paid last month 0.67
GA170099 Printerland Toner – Ridgewell PC invoiced in full 65.34
GA170100 Phil Chatfield War Memorial – revised drawings 83.20
GA170101 Brian Butcher Travel Expenses 39.40
GA170102 David Hewitt Tyre Sealer – Mower 5.99
GA170103 EALC Training (Planning 8th Aug) – Janet C 45.00
GA170104 KingServ Website Services – Aug-Oct 17 264.00
GA170105 Thompson, Smith & Puxon Professional Services – Mar-Jul 17 3136.20
GA170106 Laura Walkingshaw Petty Cash Replenishment 90.00
GA170107 Laura Walkingshaw Frame etc for Certificate 13.50
GA170108 John Gili-Ross Amber Light & Reg Plate for Trailer 25.15
Tfr Gen to Hall Account A4 Paper 16.49
Orpen Hall Account
DD Col Skip Hire Refuse Collection – June 164.78
DD CNG Gas – June 87.31
DD Utility Warehouse Mobile, Broadband, MUGA Electricity 65.91
HA170031 Zoe O’Connor Cleaning 792.00
HA170032 A-Z Supplies A4 Paper & Toilet Paper 98.33
HA170033 Kent Blaxill Garage Doors Primer 40.32
HA170034 Kevin Boyce Paint Materials 1000.00
Tfr Hall to Gen Account Wages 809.17
Tfr Hall to Gen Account Bolt for Internal Door 15.68
Tfr Hall to Gen Account Handyman Time – 2.5 hrs 28.54

c)

 RESOLVED – Cllr Savage proposed to approve a quote for £2716 to internally paint the walls and ceiling of the Orpen Hall, Cllr Butcher seconded. All in favour.

d)

 RESOLVED – Cllr Savage proposed to approve a quote to repair the drains which supply the Orpen Hall, Cllr Butcher seconded. All in favour.

e)

 RESOLVED – Cllr Savage proposed to approve purchase of a new projector for the Orpen Hall for approximately £1274, Cllr Tyrrell seconded. All in favour.

17/102

Council Documents
It was proposed to approve an addendum to the Committee & Sub-Committee’s Terms of Reference. All councillors in favour.

ACTION – Clerk to put addendum on website.

17/103

Planning

a)

The minutes from the Planning Committee meeting held on the 19th July 2017 were received and the decisions made on following applications were noted

(Link to Planning P4 Jul 17)
 
  • 171627 – Laborne, Chapel Lane, CO6 3EF – Observation – The Parish Council suggests that the developer speaks to the neighbours about his plans for the site and comes up with a conclusion which everyone is content with.
  • 170994 – Roundwood, 48 Lexden Rd, CO6 3BX – Support – The Parish Council is happy that their previous concerns have been taken into account by the developer and would like to note that the revised drawings are a vast improvement on what was previously presented.

b)

 RESOLVED – Cllr Tyrrell proposed to agree the following decision on a new planning application, which was received after the Planning Committee had already met this month:

  • 171870 – 1 The Waldens, Lexden Rd, CO6 3BE – Objection – The Parish Council has no objection to an extension to this property, however, it cannot support it and agrees with the objection from the neighbours. The proposed extension is out of character and keeping with adjacent properties. The Parish Council refers to policies DG3, DG7 & DG 9 of the CBC adopted Village Design Statement. A possible solution could be a hipped or normal roof, rather than the suggested mono-pitch, in order to match the other side of the house.

All in favour. This Decision is an amended version of the Recommendation printed in the July Planning Minutes, these concerns having been heard by the owners in attendance at the Parish Council meeting.

c)

 ACTION – Cllr Butcher will draft something to support Colchester Borough Council’s Local Plan and circulate.

ACTION – Clerk will supply Cllr Butcher with the password to the Local Plan portal so that he can then post it online.

17/104

Environment and Highways

a)

The minutes from the Environment Committee meeting held on 13th July 2017 were received.

(Link to Environment P4 Jul 2017)

For information, the Focus passed its MOT and the trailer will arrive on Saturday 29th July.

ACTION – Clerk to inform CBC that the garage in Mumford Road is in need of repair.

17/105

Premises and Recreation

a)

The minutes from the Premises Committee meeting held on 3rd July 2017 were received.

(Link to Premises P4 Jul 17)

Cllr Butcher informed the council that there is an amendment to item 4.1 of these minutes. Although it was agreed by the Premises Committee to accept a quote for less than £500 to replace the lights in the John Lampon Hall, at the Finance meeting it was agreed to investigate the purchase of LED low energy lights instead.

b)

 RESOLVED – Having been shown the new Conditions of Letting, Hiring Agreements and WBPC LA2003 document (regarding the sale of alcohol) the Council were all in favour of approving the newly amended Premises Licence to be sent to Colchester Borough Council for the Orpen Hall. The licence application was then signed by Cllr Stevenson and Cllr Butcher.

c)

 RESOLVED – Cllr Harlow proposed to approve hiring of part of the Lorkin Daniell Field for exercise classes on alternate weekend mornings at a charge of £10 per hour. Cllr Tyrrell seconded. All in favour.

17/106

Traffic Safety Plan

a)

Cllr Stone presented the Traffic Safety Strategy.

RESOLVED – Cllr Savage proposed to approve the new Traffic Safety Plan. All in favour.

b)

 RESOLVED – The Parish Council were all in favour to approve the traffic safety recommendations of Borough Councillor Lewis Barber that:

  • Chapel Road be limited to a speed restriction of 20mph
  • Colchester Road, where the speed restrictions are currently 60mph to 30mph, has an intermediate 40mph from both the Colchester and Bures directions.

ACTION – Clerk to inform the Borough Councillor of this approval

17/107

Community Special Constable
RESOLVED – Cllr Harlow proposed that the Council should agree in principle to proceed with a Community Special Constable, Cllr Stevenson seconded. All in favour.

Need to bear in mind some of the costs involved in setting this up and the ongoing costs for repaying expenses. Guidance figures have been given as approximately £2250 for recruitment selection costs, £500 equipment costs and £1000 per annum ongoing expenses.

Cllr Stone stated that the recruitment of a Community Special was the best hope to be seen enforcing the traffic safety plan.

ACTION – now this is agreed in principle a letter should to be sent to Jane Gardner (Deputy PCC) and Simon Anslow (Head of Special Constabulary). This should also be copied to CALC and EALC for circulation to other Parish Councils and is certainly an item for the Website/Bulletin.

It is possible that a Special could be part-funded with another village.

17/108

Training
  It was noted that the following training was undertaken during the last month by the Clerk or Councillors:
  • Budget & Precept – Cllr Butcher

Feedback from Cllr Butcher was that the bottom line is that we do not do a lot wrong and a couple of notes have been passed on to the Responsible Finance Officer and the Clerk.

17/109

Items to Note (available on table at meeting)
a) Correspondence Log – July 2017
b) Crime Statistics – Apr 2017 NOT UPDATED
c) Frame for Michael Culham – Cllr Savage to present at the Historic Vehicle Show

17/110

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).
  No items were discussed.

17/111

Date of Next Meeting
  Parish Council Meeting, Wed 27th September at 7.30pm in John Lampon Hall, Lexden Rd, West Bergholt
  Meeting closed at 8.45pm
Signed: Date: Position on Council:

 

Skip to content