19/76

Receive/accept apologies and welcome to the Public

19/77

Questions from registered electors

19/78

Declarations of Interest

19/79

Minutes

19/80

Report from Colchester Borough Councillors

Cllr Willetts reported:

• Election – Borough Cllr Lewis Barber was returned at the last local election.
• Speed Cables – received two sets of measurements from the two positions along Colchester Road, one showing average speeds of 34 and 36mph, but with a worrying 85 percentile at 42 and 43mph showing a clear speeding issue along that road. This is the evidence gathering time prior to coming up with the plans for controlling the situation. Cllr Smith asked about the results from the other two cables e.g. Lexden Road. Cllr Stevenson commented that ideas for slowing the traffic down in Colchester Road have been tied in with the Neighbourhood Plan plans such as crossings.
• Bakehouse Lane – Cllr Willetts was regretful that his temporary solution of calling that lane “Hollies Road” merely for the implementation of the new dust carts had led to the bureaucrats now refusing to re-name it to the residents chosen name of “Bakehouse Lane”. So, Hollies Road it will remain and the Clerk will now apply for a road sign.

9/81

Finance

a)

Statement of accounts for Apr 2019 (Link to P1 Apr Summary)

The final accounts for April 2019 were presented as follows:

8.3% of the way through the financial year. The Parish Council Account showed 46% income with first half of precept payment and good receipts of Bulletin advertising so far, 6% general expenditure, 5% environment expenditure and 6% expenditure overall, when the categories of general expenditure & environment are totalled together.

ACTION – Public Works Loan box will be moved from Hall accounts document to Parish Council accounts document. Also, a line will be added to highlight staff costs of the Local Services Fund.

b)

Payments

Payments List

Parish Council Account – May 2019

c)

To note the Chairman & Vice-chair of Finance Committee and those members appointed to the Staffing Sub-Committee

Cllr Savage was elected Chairman of Finance, P & P Committee.

Cllr Stevenson was elected Vice-chair of Finance, P & P Committee.

Cllrs Stevenson, Savage, Stone & Butcher were appointed automatically to the Staffing Sub-Committee, and the chairman of any relevant committee will also be invited to join, as appropriate.

d)

To approve quote for £740+VAT for repairs and repainting of John Lampon Hall external doors, as recommended by the Finance Committee

Quote to be approved by Parish Council as these repairs are listed as an item in this year’s (2019-20) Parish Council Projects on the Three-Year Plan. Finance Committee recommended the quote on the basis that the painting would include a primer, undercoat, gloss and colour to match the existing doors, which the Clerk has now agreed with contractor.

ACTION – Clerk & Cllr Tyrrell to supply contractor with correct RAL colour code

RESOLVED – Cllr Stevenson proposed to agree this quote, Cllr Church seconded. All in favour

e)

To approve new three-year agreement with Came & Co. Insurance at a cost of £2,547.68/year, as recommended by the Finance Committee

Three-year long-term agreement (LTA) with Zurich will come to an end on the 31st May. Clerk and Cllr Smith have approached four insurance companies and obtained three quotes, ranging from £2213 to £2548 per year for three years. Cllr Smith recommended the Came & Co. quote due to the comprehensive cover it provided both the council and the charitable trusts. The Finance Committee have looked over the quotes and recommended that the Came & Co quote be approved.

RESOLVED – Cllr Stevenson proposed to approve the quote, Cllr Short seconded. All in favour

19/82

Planning

a)

The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 15th May 2019 were received and the decisions made on following applications were noted (Link to Planning P2 May 2019):

• 191103 – Alcrofts Lodge, Bures Road, CO6 3DW – Support
  The Parish Council has no comment.
• 190690 (revised drawings) – Springbourne, Spring Lane, CO6 3HJ – Object
  There appears to have been no significant reduction in the ridge height of the proposal and so therefore the Parish Council’s comments remain the same: “The Parish Council is not opposed to an extension to this dwelling in principle, however, the proposal is not in keeping with the surrounding buildings. The application is contrary to the Village Design Statement adopted by CBC listed previously DG3, DG7, DG8, DG10 and specifically: DG37 (lack of a street scape), providing no information on the visual impact it will have on neighbouring properties and the greater effect on the street scene.DG13 (New buildings should respect the height of buildings immediately adjacent), being too tall next to the neighbouring bungalow and the existing extension of the house to the left. The roof pitch is significantly steeper.The neighbouring bungalow garden wraps around the back of Springbourne, and will now be overlooked by the first floor of the proposed extension. This area is identified in the emerging Regulation 16 West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan Map PP6 identified Spring Lane as part of a Character Area and therefore the loss of the uniqueness of the properties in this area which contribute to its particular character should be resisted. The PC would support a proposal with a reduce ridge height and more in keeping with the adjacent properties and with mitigating measures to address the overlooking.”
• 190423(revised drawings) – 89 Chapel Road, CO6 3HB – Object
  The Parish Council still considers this application as overdevelopment. The parking remains an issue and the Parish Council has been made aware that the previous owners of this property did not possess or park vehicles to the rear of the premises. Spring Lane is a private road and it is not at all clear whether there are private access rights for this property to all parking as shown on the planning application. This point should be checked before any granting of planning permission. There has been no improvement on the overpowering nature of the proposal on 89A Chapel Road. The Parish Council would therefore like to reitierate their previous comments: “The Parish Council are disappointed with the proposed redevelopment of the site, which is uninspiring. The proposals are clearly over development in a village location, the chalet style houses will be overpowering to the bungalow at 89A Chapel Road and will have a dominating effect to the junction of Spring Lane and Chapel Road. The current proposals are out of keeping with the existing street scene. Parking for four cars will affect the special nature of Spring Lane, will be detrimental to the village townscape and will be out of keeping with surrounding built form. The proposals are contrary to the Village Design Statement (adopted as planning guidance by CBC) Policies – DG2, DG3, DG4, DG5, DG7, DG8, DG10, DG11, DG35 and DG37. The proposal is contrary to the emerging West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan. The Parish Council are of the view that a one for one replacement would be more appropriate and the preferred option.”

b)

To note the Chairman & Vice-chair of Planning Committee

Cllr Tyrrell was elected Chairman of the Planning Committee.

Cllr Butcher was elected as Vice-chair of the Planning Committee.

c)

Update on the Gladman Homes Appeal at CBC from 14th May

Cllr Butcher reported on the Gladman Homes Appeal at CBC, which began last Tuesday and finished at lunchtime today. The Parish Council would like to express its’ thanks to all the members of the village who attended the sessions with the council, a petition was also submitted on the first day of proceedings. Cllr Tyrrell of West Bergholt Parish Council was allowed to read out an opening statement as was Cllr Butcher with a closing statement from the council today. During the hearing the council were able to pose questions and attend the site visit today which circled around the site and opposite at Daniell’s House. Cllr Butcher reported that the Gladman’s revised access drawings & related hedge removal contained numerous errors. The Parish Council can still comment on these conditions and the section 106 provision and there is a timetable for that submission.

Cllrs Stone and Stevenson attended the Planning session and were pleased to be able to pose probing questions to the expert witnesses representing Gladman’s. These questions surrounded the impact on the school, travel planning, traffic issues and why they were continuing to pursue their development plans when they had not asked for their site to be included in the Neighbourhood Plan or opposed the favoured site in the Neighbourhood Plan.

During the inquiry, CBC made much of West Bergholt’s Neighbourhood Plan, although Gladman’s tried to dispute its importance. The Neighbourhood Plan has been with the examiner who submitted his report on Friday. Fact-checking of his report needs to be completed and then it will go back to the examiner. The examiner has recommended that one or two policies require a little more evidence in the supporting text, also that policies which he did not think were Planning Policies are not deleted, but instead become Community Aspirations. He was supportive of the Coalescence policy and the site allocations A & B, but saw no positives in the Gladman site.

Once his report comes back, it will also be sent to the NEEB appeals and following an amendments meeting with CBC the referendum to adopt the Neighbourhood Plan should take place at the end of July. After the referendum, if adopted, it becomes CBC planning policy for West Bergholt for the next 15 years.

The chairman expressed his thanks to Cllr Butcher and others for taking a stand at the inquiry and working so hard on it, they have done the village proud. Thanks also to the CBC officers who were so prepared, professional and helpful during the appeal.

19/83

Neighbourhood Plan

To receive an update on the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan Examiner’s report

Much of this item was covered the previous one, except to note that the next meeting of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee will be on 5th June 2019.

19/84

Environment

a)

The minutes from the Environment Committee meeting held on 9th May 2019 were received. (Link to Environment P2 May 2019)

b)

To note the Chairman & Vice-chairs of Environment Committee and the Footpath & Transport Representatives

Cllr Gili-Ross was elected Chairman of the Environment Committee.

Cllrs Stone and Spencer were elected as Vice-chairs of the Environment Committee.

Cllr Gili-Ross was elected Footpath Officer and Cllr Smith was elected Transport Representative.

19/85

Premises and Recreation

a)

The minutes from the Premises Committee meeting held on 29th April 2019 (May meeting) were received. (Link to Premises P2 May 2019)

b)

To note the Chairman & Vice-chair of Premises Committee

Due to the timing of the Council elections & committee meetings, the election of Chairman & Vice-chair of Premises will now take place at the 3rd June meeting and will be noted at the June Parish Council meeting.

19/86

Special Constables

An update was received on West Bergholt’s prospective Special Constables

The Council has asked for the contact details of the Special Constable who gained their warrant card in February in the hope that they could come to a meet and greet with the Parish Council at the 26th June PC meeting. Hoping to develop Community Safety Plan for West Bergholt with the Special Constable’s valuable input.

Cllrs Stevenson & Savage are due to attend the attestation of the other Special Constable also currently in training at a ceremony on the 24th June 2019.

19/87

Methodist Church & Hall

An update was received on the Methodist Church. Document A has been amended and the changes agreed by all Councillors, this will be emailed tomorrow.

19/88

Training

• Highways Devolution Briefing – 17/05/19 – DS
  Cllr Short informed the Council that this briefing covered the support available to parishes currently taking part in the devolution pilot.
• ECC & RCCE Community Library Briefing – 21/05/19 – BTB
  Cllr Butcher relayed that this briefing was aimed at those communities who wish to set up their own community libraries or may wish to in the future. These libraries can hold between 250 and 2,000 books. West Bergholt is not so affected as some areas which are losing their libraries, however the mobile library visiting times have been cut substantially down to 30mins every 3 weeks. If we look to express an interest in the community libraries, then we are at least included on the circulation lists and receive an expression of interest pack.
  ACTION – Cllr Butcher to provide Cllr Church with the contact details for an expression of interest.
• Mayor Making Ceremony – 22/05/19 – CS
  Chairman Chris Stevenson attended the ceremony today when Cllr Cope was duly installed as the new Mayor of Colchester. The occasion was full of pomp & ceremony and it was thoughtful of the Borough Council to extend the invitation out to the parishes.

19/89

Items to Note

1. Correspondence Log – May 2019
   1. ECC Salt Bag Initiative – agreed & ordered earlier in the week.
   2. Speed Cable Data from Colchester Road (N and S) – discussed during the Borough Councillor’s report.
   3. VE Day 75 Celebrations – 8-10th May 2020.
      ACTION – Premises to add to agenda for discussion.
   4. University of Essex – Invitation to Chairman to attend Annual Meeting & Summer Reception – 21st June from 2pm – Chairman happy to accept.
      ACTION – Clerk to email University of Essex to accept.
   5. Jane Gardener (Deputy PFCC) has asked to attend 24th July Parish Council meeting
      ACTION – Clerk to add to July agenda
   6. Hall Chairs – need contact name & number for delivery of Orpen Hall chairs
      ACTION – Cllr Stone agreed to be the contact. Clerk to inform firm.
   7. First Aid Course – on Monday 17th June 2019
      Parent First Aid Course being offered at Heathlands School only £35 per person.
2. Crime Statistics – 15th Apr – 12th May 2019 – 1 crime reported
3. The Clerk – Vol.50 No. 3 – May 2019
4. EALC – County Update – No.182 – Apr 2019
5. EALC – Legal Update – Issue No. 14 – May 2019
6. Glasdon Catalogue

19/90

In Committee

19/91

Date of Next Meeting