Minutes of Parish Council 23rd September 2020

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Receive/accept apologies and welcome to the public

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West Bergholt Covid 19 Response

To receive an update on the latest WBPC COVID-19 developments

• The Village Bulletin’s Lockdown edition has now been delivered to all residents.
• Heathlands School has reported one positive Covid-19 case, with one class sent home for self-isolation as well as 6 members of staff.
• Orpen Memorial Hall
  • Rule of 6 will now apply to indoor sporting activities.
  • Social Club as a licensed premise will now need to close at 10pm.
  • A QR code will now be required for the Hall for Test & Trace.
  • The Hall’s special conditions of hire will need to be amended.
• Cllr Barber reported that he recently attended a meeting with the Police who stated that they were currently checking 3 licensed premises per evening and 65 locations in the Colchester area, from Mersea beach to alleys where prohibited activities might be taking place. Now that the rules have changed from guidance to regulations it has provided the police with more power to act.

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Questions from registered electors

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Declarations of Interest

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Previous Minutes

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Report from Colchester Borough Councillors

Borough Councillor Jarvis reported:

• That it had been a quiet month with no issues reported by residents.

Borough Councillor Barber reported:

• Meeting between PC and Highways Officers – this meeting was held in relation to the infrastructure required for the WB Neighbourhood Plan (NP) Development sites. Cllr Barber will be asking the CBC planning department if they could think more holistically about the NP planning applications, otherwise looking at each site individually is not going to generate enough funds to pay for the necessary safe crossing requirements.
  Cllr Stevenson added that during the meeting, the attendees travelled virtually down Colchester Road. Matt Tiller, a Highways Strategic Officer, is actioned to contact CBC Planning to ask if the section 106 agreements from the individual applications can be pulled together. Jon Simmons, the local Highways Liaison Officer, is looking into the Local Highways Panel’s next steps following the speed cable results which previously highlighted a speeding issue on that stretch of road. What’s needed is a crossing and/or speed reduction features, but it doesn’t help that there are four separate Planning Applications.
  Borough Cllr Jarvis commented that this has come up many times on many applications, being a member of the Colchester Planning Committee, they have raised it with Highways previously, because when they are presented with an application of e.g. 100 houses, they can only judge the application based on that evening, even if they are aware of another one coming in the next night in the same area and infrastructure will be desperately needed as a result.
  Cllr Stevenson finished by saying that the PC just doesn’t want to miss the boat on this and have pledged to help with the siting of any crossing, if required, as there is Trust land opposite and so there maybe something it can do to assist.
  There is another meeting scheduled for 3 weeks’ time. The state of the footway between the White Hart and Hall Road was also highlighted.

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Finance

a)

Statement of accounts for Jul-Aug 2020 (Link to P4-5 Jul-Aug 20 Summary)

The final accounts for July-August 2020 were presented as follows:

42% of the way through the financial year. The Parish Council Account showed 49% income, 21% general expenditure, 17% environment expenditure and 20% expenditure overall, when the categories of general expenditure & environment are totaled together.

Bank Rec at £62,513.17 on 31^st August 2020.

b)

Payments

Proposed by Cllr Savage, seconded by Cllr Spencer. All in favour.

PC Payments List – Aug 2020

PC Payments List – Sept 2020

c)

To approve the Finance Committee recommendation to apply for the Emergency CIF grant to create a pathway to run alongside the MUGA for the less abled.

Cllr Savage noted that there is also £2,000 in this year’s Projects available specifically for this path.

RESOLVED – Cllr Savage proposed to approve application to the Emergency CIF grant, seconded by Cllr Spencer. All in favour.

ACTION – Cllr Savage & the Clerk will work on the application form. They will also put something together for Borough Cllr Jarvis in regards to the Locality Budget.

d)

To note the belated new NALC pay scales for 2020-21 and their effect on this year’s budgets.

The new pay scales were noted and that the increase will slightly affect this year’s predicted staffing costs.

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Planning

a)

To note the following decisions made by the West Bergholt Parish Council Planning Committee via their Zoom meeting of 19th Aug 2020 (see Planning Minutes P5 Aug 2020):

• 201460 – The Treble Tile, Colchester Road, CO6 3JQ – The Parish Council supports this application for a proposed change of use, to ground floor offices and a single flat to the first floor, as it is in accordance with the WB Neighbourhood Plan’s aim to increase local employment opportunities, subject to Colchester Borough Council having satisfied itself that the policy regarding a pub closure has been met.
• 201555 – 4 Garthwood Close, CO6 3EA – Support – The Parish Council has no comment.
• 201472 – Barton Olivers, Colchester Road, CO6 3JY – Object – The application for a new two-storey poorly designed house behind 181 Barton Olivers, Colchester Road is clearly outside the West Bergholt settlement boundary however it falls within the remit of the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan. The development is backland development, out of keeping with the existing urban grain and threatens the village coalescence with Colchester, being close to the A12. The application is contrary to paragraphs 15.3.2 and 15.3.3., policies PP9, PP10 and PP12 in the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan now adopted as planning guidance, also contrary to CBC Planning Policies on no development outside settlement boundaries SD1, DP1 and ENV1 which WBPC fully support. Finally, to West Bergholt’s Village Design Statement, approved and adopted by CBC in 2011 specifically policies DG1, DG2, DG3, DG4, DG5, DG7, DG8, DG10, DG11, DG35 and DG37.
• 201642 – 155 Colchester Road, CO6 3JX  – Object – The application for two bungalows adjacent to the Colchester Road and is outside the West Bergholt settlement boundary but falls within the scope of the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan. The Parish Council totally disagree with the planning statement “that new housing within this existing developed cluster does not threaten coalescence” the new bungalows are adjacent to the main road and thus very visible much of the year and will connect to property on the east of Colchester Road making the cluster double in size. The statement also makes no more than a derisory reference to the adopted Neighbourhood Plan and ignores the fact that the Inspectors decision on 179 Colchester Road was based, as the decision notice says, on the then emerging Neighbourhood Plan. The application is contrary to paragraphs 15.3.2 and 15.3.3., policies PP9, PP10 and PP12 in the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan now adopted as planning guidance, also contrary to CBC Planning Policies on no development outside settlement boundaries SD1, DP1 and ENV1 which WBPC fully support. Finally, to West Bergholt’s Village Design Statement, approved and adopted by CBC in 2011 specifically policies DG1, DG2, DG3, DG4, DG5, DG7, DG8, DG10, DG11, DG35 and DG37.

b)

To note the following decisions made by the West Bergholt Parish Council Planning Committee via their Zoom meeting of 2nd Sept 2020 (see Planning Minutes Ex Sept 2020):

• 201744 – Alcrofts Lodge, Bures Road, CO6 3DW – Support – The Parish Council has no comment.
• 201771 – 1 Moss Way, CO6 3LJ – Support – The only comment would be that the design could be improved by amending the location of the side wall of the extension to create a return to the rear living room window.
• 201686 – Land south of WB Cricket Club, Colchester Road – Support – The Parish Council supports in principle the outline application, for up to 18 dwellings with access off Colchester Road, However, the Council has checked the site, as it advised the applicant at the meeting it would do, and it appears that part of the development (measuring some 2020m2) is outside of the new settlement boundary.
  Therefore, the Council cannot support the current layout as shown. The Council requires that the proposals are modified before any approval is given in order to be in accordance with the CBC-adopted, West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan map PP9/2. Indeed, the Parish Council requires CBC to ensure the application is in FULL compliance with the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan (WBNP). In that regard, the Council requires compliance with PP13 in the funding of speed reduction measures on Colchester Road by the developers of the site. Further, from the WBNP project list, developer contribution to the construction of a mini roundabout and a pedestrian crossing should be required. If there had been a public consultation it is likely that residents would have raised concerns regarding the establishment of new buildings along what is a very busy road without the additional safe crossing for adults and children that the WBNP requires. The Parish Council would also reiterate their previous advice to the applicant’s agent that the Council would prefer no independent access to the site as this will result in an unnecessary new access onto Colchester Road. Access should be made through the adjacent Hopkins site.

c)

To note the following recommendation made by the West Bergholt Parish Council Planning Committee via their Zoom meeting of 16th Sept 2020 and to agree as a PC decision:

• 201925 – Land adjacent, 12 Colchester Road, West Bergholt, CO6 3JG – Support – The Parish Council supports this outline application in principle, for up to 7 dwellings with access off Colchester Road, subject to the proposed site access being moved further east as per the letter sent to Andrew Black in January 2020 (copy of which now also sent to Planning Officer Chris Harden). The letter states: “The main issue the Council has is with the access point: Access to PA 181458 & sites A/B: As neighbouring residents have made representations to the council, it would reiterate its previous comments that access to the site should be moved further down towards Colchester (eastwards) even if this is only by another house-width. In fact, adding a gentle curve within the site to the junction with Colchester Road would slow cars travelling in the development. Also, obviously all parties will be entering into section 106 agreements with these proposals in the near future. The Parish Council would make two recommendations at this stage: 1. Parking restrictions (i.e. yellow lines) will be required in front of the Poor’s Land along the B1508, Colchester Road, to stop dangerous parking accumulating there. 2. Staggered junctions would be a good idea to slow traffic passing in front of these new sites. There is an opportunity to do this as the Price’s application has not yet been decided by CBC.” The Council would reiterate, that as with Planning Application 201686, this application requires compliance with the West Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan Policy PP13 in the funding of speed reduction measures and parking restrictions on Colchester Road by the developers of the site. Further, from the WBNP project list, developer contribution to the construction of a mini roundabout and a pedestrian crossing should be required. If there had been a public consultation it is likely that residents would have raised concerns regarding the establishment of new buildings along what is a very busy road without the additional safe crossing for adults and children that the WBNP requires. Regarding the “Potential Site Access”, the Parish Council finds this wholly unacceptable, the creation of yet another access on to the busy Colchester is to be avoided at all costs. Please also note that the Council was disappointed at the lack of reference to the Neighbourhood Plan and in fact no reference to transport in the application’s Planning document.

RESOLVED: Cllr Tyrrell proposed to agree the above comment, Cllr Butcher seconded. All in favour.

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Environment & Highways

To note the minutes of the Environment Committee from their meeting of the 10th Sept 2020 (see link to Environment Minutes P6 Sept 2020)

Just a couple of items of note:

• Refurbished Lexdon Road Pond – received a scum query, but all is fine.
• Received an email about the pathway in front of St Mary’s Church & graveyard on New Church Road. Very valid point made, the path has been falling apart for years. This needs to be flagged up to Anne Brown as it requires new kerbing and joining the tarmac to the kerb/roadside as it is used continually during the school run.

ACTION – need to forward the email to Cllr Brown as the problem has now been highlighted, it is very relevant due to the footfall along that path and/or we could investigate the cost of getting contractors in to do it through the Devolution route.

• The Council will be engaging a new contractor this year to do the hedges and flail the Heath.

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Council Publicity

The WBPC Publicity Officer updated the council with the following posts this month:

1. WB Bears event – where 4 people were awarded with blue plaques by the PC for their work during lockdown.
2. Lexden Road Pond – as a notice to inform residents of the upcoming work.
3. Query on the missing gate to the Poor’s Land – which had a quick & easy response.
4. Colchester Recognition Award – shared with community.
5. Change in black bag refuse collection back down to 3 bags per household – most popular post this month.
6. Singalong aimed at dementia residents – shared with community.
7. Cllr Spencer wrote an article on the Heath for the website, shared on Facebook.
8. Cllr Spencer also wrote one on the completion of the Lexden Rd Pond work with photos.
9. Care Network being up and running again – shared with community.
10.  Mental Health Training – shared with community.
11. Great September Litter Pick – photo of bags collected – led to 11 comments. Will repeat photo and share next month after the usual Litter Warriors litter pick.
12. Appeal for more Village Bulletin distributors (as some are still shielding) – no volunteers.
13. Live Well – shared with community.
14. Receipt of the £1000 grant from SaferColchester and the upgrade to the CCTV was shared with community.

The last item led to a review of the process required to answer residents’ queries in a more regulated manner. Cllr Smith now has a standard response to politely ask residents to contact the Clerk directly if they have an official question, in order to record any queries for posterity on the Council’s email.

ACTION – Cllr Stone will forward the letter to parents send out to encourage people to walk to school to Cllr Smith for posting on the local Facebook Hub.

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Council Action Plan

To receive an update on 2020-21 Projects:

The Council Projects for 2020-21 are progressing as follows:

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Council Documents

To approve the WBPC Reserves Policy (see link to WBPC Reserves Policy)

RESOLVED: Cllr Stevenson proposed to agree the Reserves Policy, Cllr Gili-Ross seconded. All in favour.

ACTION – Clerk to send a copy of the policy to Dave Kingaby for the website.

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Training/Events

To note & receive feedback from the training/networking undertaken during the last month by Councillors or the Clerk.

• EALC AGM taking place tomorrow – 23rd Sept 20 – CS, BTB and JGR in attendance
  Cllr Gili-Ross is looking for support for his new motion to the EALC Constitution, which those representing WBPC at tomorrow’s AGM were in agreement with.

ACTION – Clerk to pass email trail onto Cllr Gili-Ross regarding the difficulties experienced in booking onto a recent NALC course.

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Items to Note

• Neighbourhood Plan Development Sites – Overview Summary
• MUGA Working Party Minutes – came in too late for this month and there will be a second meeting in October.

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Date of Next Meeting

(via Zoom)