19/92

Receive/accept apologies and welcome to the Public

19/93

Presentation

This presentation and an update on the improvements will be published on the westbergholt.net website.

19/94

Questions from registered electors

ACTION – Premises Committee to discuss and let Nicole know their thoughts

19/95

Declarations of Interest

19/96

Minutes

19/97

Report from Colchester Borough Councillors

• Locality Budget – now open again for grants (£6,000 available between the 3 Borough Councillors). Cllr Brian Jarvis will be coordinating the grant applications.
• CBC Planning Website – many people would have noticed the changes to the Planning portal. The previous company ended their contract rather abruptly which resulted in CBC’s own IT department having to get the system working again. They have done very well in the time available, but there are more improvements to be made. The Councillor apologised on behalf of the Borough Council for any inconvenience.
• Waste Recycling Team – Have experienced a high level of sickness in the rubbish & recycling department, as often occurs during the Summer months, however last week the council were down 18 workers from the teams on one particular day. Which along with difficulties with the new waste recycling lorries lead to an inability to stick to the usual schedules. Rounds have since been completed, but would like to apologise once more.

Cllr Barber reported:

• Chitts Hill Development – 100 homes have been recommended for approval with access just past the railway level crossing on Chitts Hill. It is part of the emerging Local Plan.
• 32 Colchester Road Application – due to go before the Planning Committee next Thursday (4th July) for 13 houses. The Parish Council and Cllr Barber will both have an opportunity to speak.
• New Neighbourhood Services – replaces the Zone Management structure. New chap is Aaron Hunter. Contact details have been sent out to all Councils.
• Erle Havard Playground – owned by Colchester Borough Homes. Equipment to be renewed this year.
• Buses – Transport meeting in Colchester recently highlighted the issues felt by users of the 66 bus, i.e. that the service is often the “fall guy” when there are driver shortages. This will be looked into by those involved.
• Colchester Road Footpath – has been added to the list of 10 which ECC will be repairing in the near future.
• Crime – Police are due to do some patrols of Erle Havard area following several incidences of cars being keyed in that area.

19/98

Finance

The final accounts for May 2019 were presented as follows:

17% of the way through the financial year. The Parish Council Account showed 47% income, 15% general expenditure, 11% environment expenditure and 14% expenditure overall, when the categories of general expenditure & environment are totalled together.

Payments List

Parish Council Account – June 2019

Cllr Savage proposed, Cllr Stone seconded. All in favour.

Cllr Savage proposed, Cllr Church seconded. All in favour.

19/99

Planning

• 191409 – Blackheath Blub Company, Nayland Road, CO6 3DE – Observation- The Parish Council appreciate that this application is permitted development under Class Q. The Council is disappointed that the applicants have such uninspiring designs, these could easily be improved, also the buildings which are being converted are of poor construction quality and may have to be totally rebuilt to meet Building Regulations.
• 191309 – St Mary’s Church, Hall Road, West Bergholt (listed building) – Support – The Parish Council would defer to the Borough Council’s greater knowledge of listed building repairs but support all improvements to the old church.
• 191426 – Bali Hai, Nayland Road, CO6 3DG – Observation- The Parish Council would reiterate their previous comment that CBC satisfies itself with its usual planning policy guidelines for “annexes” and that it is for a family member’s use and not to be resold in the future as a separate dwelling. The Council would like to see that the Condition be added if approved which states that it is an ancillary building.
• 191285 – Land adj. Garden House, Queens Road, CO6 3HG – Observation – The Parish Council would like to make an observation on the lack of usable amenity space left for both dwellings. Could the plans be altered to incorporate more space? The Council would also like to be assured of the ridge height of the new dwelling before full application approval is given, by requesting that the dimensions be provided by the architect from the lowest ground level (back of footpath).
• 191374 – 1 Upton Close, CO6 3BJ 191103 – Observation – The Parish Council is concerned about the quality of the design and the lack of details of the remaining parts of the semi-detached properties, so is unable to ascertain the possible impact on the attached neighbour’s property.
• 181458 – 32 Colchester Road, CO6 3JG – This is a premature planning application CBC have been asked to clarify this application and defer it until after the Neighbourhood Plan referendum in September.

b)

• 191578 – St Ledger, Hall Road, CO6 3DU – Support – The Parish Council has no comment.
• 191522 – land adj. 67 Braiswick, CO4 5BQ (34 dwellings) – Object – West Bergholt Parish Council object to this application as it is outside of Colchester’s settlement boundary and premature as CBC’s emerging Local Plan has yet to be adopted. West Bergholt’s Neighbourhood Plan, which has passed the examiner’s inspection, is working hard to make sure that the areas of West Bergholt and Braiswick do not coalesce. The recent examiner’s report on the Neighbourhood Plan made no amendments to Planning Policy 22, which states: “Development will not be supported in the area shown on Map PP22 if individually or cumulatively it would result in increasing the coalescence between West Bergholt village and Braiswick, reducing their separate identity by reducing the separation between these two settlements.”
• 191252 – 37 Pirie Road, CO6 3TA – Object – With the garage being converted and the only existing parking space being reduced to 4.5m in depth as a result of the proposed extension, no suitable off-street parking is proposed. As the property is located in an area where there are severe parking issues (so much so that people regularly park on the pavements and the adjacent green open space) the Parish Council objects to this application and considers it contrary to the West Bergholt Village Design Statement  policies DG35 and DG36 adopted by CBC.

Cllr Tyrrell proposed to make these recommendations into decisions, Cllr Harlow seconded. All in favour.

19/100

Neighbourhood Plan

An update on the Neighbourhood Plan was received from Cllr Stevenson. The Steering Group are currently working through the amendments as directed by the examiner. He was however happy with the Coalescence Policy and the development sites. The Plan has lost some 13 Planning Policies, but some may become Community Ambitions.

Focus will now be on the referendum, which will be for CBC to organize. There will be a Neighbourhood Plan stall at the Village Fete so will get the Steering Group to advertise it there.

Thanks to the Steering Group and all those who have supported the Neighbourhood Plan so far.

19/101

Environment

Poor’s Land Gate – users of Poor’s Field not locking the gate properly.

ACTION – Clerk to tell BHYFC, Countrywide and Heathlands to use top hole of lock so that it remains secure.

Road Closures – lack of information coming to Council on road closures.

ACTION – Cllr Barber to send Clerk instructions to set up roadworks.org specific to the local area.

Devolution Project – Cllr Stevenson received an email from Cllr Goss wishing to clarify the grass cutting undertaken in the parish by CBC. There have been no changes to the grass cutting grants following devolution and therefore CBC will continue to cut the grass which they are being paid to cut for ECC.

Flooding in New Church Road & School Lane – gullies cleared by ECC. Ditches working well, but one 5-6m section to be cleared by parish. Essex Highways have agreed to put in a gulley where the water currently pools and will replace the raised gulley which is currently a trip hazard.

Cllr Stone updated the Council on the latest of the Playground refurbishment. Phase 1, agreed previously, regarding the refurbishment of the Multiplay Unit has now been done. The cone climber should be fitted very soon.

Phase 2, will be looked at later this year and are particularly looking at the swings and inclusive play items.

As an aside, Cllr Gili-Ross and Cllr Stone have met with the youths on the bikes, something might be possible with the mound by the Football Club. The youngsters will draw up the plans for July.

19/102

Premises and Recreation

Cllr Butcher was elected Chairman of Premises Committee

Cllr Tyrrell was elected Vice-chair of Premises Committee.

19/103

Special Constables

To receive an update on the council’s prospective Special Constables, following Cllrs Stevenson & Savage’s attendance of the Attestation Ceremony on 24th June.

Cllr Stevenson reported to the council that the ceremony went well. The newly attested Special will now undertake independence training just like the Special who attested in February. This training can take up to 2 years.

Deputy Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner, Jane Gardner, will be addressing the Council at next month’s parish council meeting (24th July) and may bring one or both of the Special Constables with her.

The Community Safety Plan still needs to be completed.

19/104

Methodist Church & Hall

An update was received on the Methodist Church and Hall. The consultation event was a success, with 75 people attending. The photos & suggestions for the future use of the site have gone onto the website at https://westbergholt-pc.gov.uk/lots-of-interest-in-future-of-methodist-church/

Survey Monkey consultation has so far received 77 responses and 1 hard copy.

ACTION – Clerk will register the buildings as an Asset of Community Value.

19/105

Training

• Web Accessibility – LW – 8th June 2019
• SLCC AGM & Annual Training Day – LW – 13th June 2019
• Planning Briefing – NS – 15th June 2019

ACTION – Clerk to check Cllr Smith is booked on the CBC Planning session.

• CALC Meeting – JGR & HS – 20th June 2019

19/106

Items to Note

1. Correspondence Log – June 2019
   1. Transport Meeting – 10/6 and Consultation on Bus Pass Concessions on Park & Ride
          ACTION – Clerk pass to Dave Kingaby to put onto website so that all can respond.
   2. Notes on School Meeting – 07/06 – noted.
   3. New Neighbourhood Service – Zone Manager changes – discussed earlier
   4. Trees at back of Albany Close – response due from CBC
   5. Adult Mental Health Training – late August/early Sept preferred.
   6. Bus Shelter Lexden Road – finally installed on 21/06
   7. Iceni Club – thank you to all who manage the Orpen Hall
   8. EALC/ECC Microgrant open – applied for digging beds for Orpen Hall/Bluebells
   9. Devolution Pilot – quarterly report on works – Cllr Gili-Ross will complete
   10. EALC Strategic Plan 2019-24 – noted
2. Crime Statistics – 13th May–16th June 2019 – 4 crimes reported
3. Oyster (RCCE) – Issue 43 – Spring 2019
4. EALC – County Update – No.183 – May 2019
5. EALC – Legal Update – Issue No. 15 – Jun 2019
6. Essex Highways Highlights – May 2019
7. Essex Warbler (RCCE) – Vol 22 – Jun 2019
8. Essex Heritage News -2019

19/107

In Committee

19/108

Date of Next Meeting