18/36

Receive/accept apologies and welcome to the Public

18/37

Questions from registered electors

18/38

Declarations of Interest

18/39

Minutes

18/40

Report from Colchester Borough & Essex County Councillors

• Gladman’s Bakers Lane Appeal – dismissed. Reasons listed included the destruction of the countryside, the view down Bakers Lane and that there was no pedestrian/footpath linkage to facilities. The Local Plan came into consideration, but in this case the relevant Neighbourhood Plan did not specify sites, it only concurred with the Local Plan. Borough Councillors were pleased with the outcome, but wary for the Gladman’s application in West Bergholt. It was a learning curve.
• Speed Monitoring in Chapel Road – the Local Highways Panel would like to know where the Parish Council would like the cable located.
  ACTION – CS will let the Clerk know, who will inform the Borough Councillors

Borough Cllr Lewis Barber reported:

• Firmins Court – the entrance has now been resurfaced.
• Resurfacing of Colchester Rd & Bergholt Rd – this has been delayed due to the recent snap of very cold weather, the gangs were pulled off to complete more urgent work elsewhere. It has now been re-scheduled as overnight work on the 25th – 28th April. The Borough Councillor will inform us as soon as he hears anything.
• Broadband Announcement – this has been delayed until after the May elections due to purdah rules.
• NHS – there will be a big, capital investment in the local area following the merger of the Colchester & Ipswich Hospital Trusts.
• CCTV by the Doctor’s Playground – CBC are waiting for investment.
• Lampon Close – Cllr went to speak to the residents and put forward a recommendation for a H bar application.
• North Station Area – plans for regeneration of the area, as it is one of the first areas which visitors see when one first approaches Colchester. There will also be improved signage to show visitors that they can walk to town.

18/41

Finance

a)

Statement of accounts for Feb 2018 (Link to P11 Feb Summary)

The final accounts for Feb 2018 were presented as follows:

92% of the way through the financial year. The Parish Council Account showed 101% income, 69% general expenditure, 93% environment expenditure and 75% expenditure overall, when the categories of general expenditure & environment are totalled together.

b)

Payments

There will be the additional payments for the Neighbourhood Plan room hire, desktop publishing and planning consultant required by 31/03/18 as covered by the Groundworks Grant, however the invoices have not arrived yet.

RESOLVED – The Council agreed these payments in principle, so long as the figures are not in excess of the £4360 Groundworks Grant.

ACTION – Clerk to add final figures to next month’s Payment’s List.

c)

To approve the appointment of G P Allen as internal auditor for the 2017-18 Parish Council and Trustee accounts.

RESOLVED – Cllr Savage proposed, Cllr Short seconded. All in favour.

d)

To approve new annual maintenance contract with Countrywide for grass cutting of Poor’s Field for £1,585.00 per annum as recommended by the Finance Committee

RESOLVED – Cllr Savage proposed, Cllr Butcher seconded. All in favour.

e)

To approve the replacement Orpen Hall curtains quote for approx. £1,764.00 as recommended by the Finance Committee

Clerk has checked with the manufacturer that these curtains will not require reproofing if they ever get wet, therefore the Finance Committee were happy to proceed with the quote.

RESOLVED – Cllr Savage proposed, Cllr Stevenson seconded. All in favour.

f)

To approve the framing of the Orpen Hall pictures for £533.00

RESOLVED – Cllr Savage proposed moving this matter to the Trustees of the Orpen Memorial Hall, Cllr Stevenson seconded. All in favour.

18/42

Council Documents

To approve West Bergholt Parish Council’s Complaint Procedure

ACTION – Clerk to change any mention of “Chair” to “Chairman”

ACTION – Cllr Gili-Ross to send the points of detail to the Clerk for updating.

18/43

Planning

The minutes from the Planning Committee meeting held on the 21st March 2018 were received and the decisions made on following applications were noted (Link to Planning P12 Mar 2018):

• 180473 – High Trees Farm, 2 Lexden Road CO6 3BT – Observation – The Parish Council would defer to Colchester Borough Council’s knowledge of its own policy, on the basis that this is a variation of conditions.
• 180637 – 115 Chapel Road, West Bergholt CO6 3HA – Observation – The Parish Council is concerned with the ridge height of the extension.
• 180515 – Plean Cottage, Chapel Lane, West Bergholt CO6 3EF – Support – The Parish Council has no comment.
• 180654 – 61 Pirie Road, West Bergholt CO6 3TA – Support – The Parish Council has no comment.
• 180549 – Newbridge Mill Farm, Newbridge Hill CO3 9TB – Observation – The Parish Council’s only concern is regarding the ridge height of the building relative to the views of the River Colne valley. The Council would refer to policy DG24 of the CBC adopted Village Design Statement: “Any new agricultural buildings should be designed and sited to minimise the effect on the landscape”.
• 180380 – Pond Farm, Bures Road CO6 3DN (Listed) – Have previously commented, nothing more required.

The dismissed appeal decision of the Gladman application for Bakers Lane was also noted.

ACTION – Something will be put on the website as guidance for residents with regards the NEEB Holdings planning applications for Armoury Road & Colchester Road, along with an open invitation to residents to attend the next Planning meeting on the 18th April. The Parish Council’s comments will be decided at that meeting.

The decision on the Gladman Homes planning application for Colchester Road has been extended until May/June, after the elections. There were 20 areas noted around West Bergholt during Colchester’s “call for sites”, so the Council is not surprised that we are now receiving speculative planning applications.

With regards the Neighbourhood Plan, the Planning Consultant has come up with a very good set of resilient Planning Policies which have been passed to the planning officers at CBC for their comments. Also, another consultant (Alison Eardley) has submitted a quote for support with the Consultation.

18/44

Environment and Highways

a)

The minutes from the Environment Committee meeting held on 8th March 2018 were received. (Link to Environment P12 Mar 18)

Cllr Gili-Ross wished to note that we will now be entering the second phase of establishing the new storage unit on the week commencing the 9th April. The electrical work on the Parish Council garage should also be completed during the Easter period.

b)

To receive the West Bergholt Parish Council Tree Survey Report (Level 2) dated 19th March 2018 from Hallwood Associates

The Tree Survey Report noted that there were no critical or high priority works. A copy will be provided to the handymen, who will gradually work through it throughout the year.

ACTION – Clerk to send a copy to Mrs. Lewis at Heathlands School

18/45

Premises and Recreation

The minutes from the Premises Committee meeting held on 5th March 2018 were received. (Link to Premises P12 Mar 2018)

Regarding those minutes, the chair of Premises, Cllr Butcher, noted to the Council that item 3.5 – Staging/Curtains/Chairs, the verbal quote for redecorating was £350, however it was actually £400 when the written confirmation was received.

18/46

Annual Parish Meeting 2018

To receive an update on the plans for the Annual Parish Meeting on Wed 25th April 2018

Much of the agenda is now in place, have not received an acceptance from the Police yet though.

ACTION – Cllr Gili-Ross will send the Clerk details of his police contact.

ACTION – Clerk to check if the latest developments with the old Church are available to put on the website.

18/47

Training

Data Protection Reg Briefing – Tues 6th Mar – Cllr Gili-Ross

The message is not to panic, this is an EU directive aimed at the big companies. The Council has previously been complying with the original Data Protection Act. It will come into law on the 25th May. A Data Protection Officer will be required to inspect Council data, no one connected with the Council can take that role. Need to have an updated policy. Will need to destroy old lists and treat data within GDPR rules from now on.

18/48

Items to Note

The Clerk – Vol. 49 No. 2 Mar 2018

Good News – St Mary’s Parish Magazine – Apr-May 2018

New Contacts List

a)

Correspondence Log – Feb 2018

• NALC Review of Local Government Ethical Standards – complete by 27th April 2018
  ACTION – Clerk to send to Cllr Gili-Ross
• Changes to Mobile Library Service – Will now be coming once every 3 weeks starting from Thursday 5th April stopping between 3.10pm to 3.40pm at Lexden Road (by Scout Hut) only.
• Scouts – enquiry regarding hedge and grass around Scout Hut.
  Is in hand, just waiting for the drier weather. The grass will be cut when needed, at a variety of times during the year according to the growing season.
  ACTION – Clerk to inform Scout contact.
• Resident Enquiry into PA 180733 and 180732, NEEB Holdings application for land adjacent to Armoury Road and Colchester Road.
  Planning Meeting will be held on Wed 18th April to discuss these.

b)

Crime Statistics – Jan 2018 (11 Crimes) (Link to Crime Statistics Jan 2018)

Clerk now also receives the fortnightly Crime Statistics from Colchester District Neighbourhood Watch.

18/49

In Committee

18/50

Date of Next Meeting