Minutes November 2007

PRESENT: Mr R Webb (Chairman), Mr J Marshall (Vice-Chairman), Mr B Saville, Mr T Speakman , Mrs D Tyrie, Mr P Wigg

Three members of the public were present, including the Community Warden.

APOLOGIES: Mr C Evans

Cllr Evans has tendered his resignation in writing to the Parish Clerk. The Council expressed sadness at the loss of a valuable Councillor, but were pleased to learn that Cllr Evans would continue to play a full part in the life of the Village. The Council is grateful to Cllr Evans for his hard work over the previous years.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: None

PUBLIC TIME: Suggestions were made to extend the playing surface around the basketball area and a waterproof meeting place with solar powered lighting would be appreciated by the youth of the village.

MINUTES
The Minutes of the last Meeting were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

GRANTS AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
Councillors have distributed to every house in the parish a summary of the grants available asking for ideas for improvements to the parish. See Public Time above.

The Parish Clerk had completed the paperwork for a grant for a noticeboard on the Playing Fields and was awaiting feedback from Councillors on the different noticeboards available. The Council agreed to look at the location for the noticeboard and the necessary permissions.

A new stile / stock-proof gate has been requested for the junction of Footpath 35 and Church Road. A response is awaited from the landowner (Bradwell Estates) regarding installation. A replacement sign has been requested on Footpath 21 at its junction with ??Footpath 19. The sign will be delivered when the Parish Clerk meets with ECC and Bradwell Estates to discuss the new stile / stock-proof gate.

VILLAGE HALL IMPROVEMENT
The official letter from the Church is still awaited. Once this is received Planning Permission will be sought. Neighbours and interested parties have been consulted.

PLAYING FIELD
No weekly reports had been received.

A new picnic table and bench were installed by the Councillors on Friday 9 November.

FINANCE
The Council discussed the draft budget, which had been prepared by the Clerk. The Council decided to increase the Clerk’s salary to SCP 18 on the LC1 scale in line with the national rate with effect from 1 April 2008. The draft budget will be subject to further discussion at the December meeting.

ECC Community Initiatives Fund Grant
A grant up to £7,500-00 has been awarded to the Parish Council for installation of additional equipment on the Playing Field for use by March 2008.

The invoice for the Panelstone 6-seater special access picnic table and bench will be [has been] forwarded to Essex County Council to be paid from the Community Initiatives Fund Grant.

A Wicksteed Windsor Metal Picnic Table with 3 seats on a concrete pad for £989 + VAT and a Wicksteed Jolly Gerald See-Saw including safety grass for £3,470 + VAT have been ordered.

The Clerk reported on the cost of fencing to prevent dogs accessing the play area.

PLANNING
07/02108/FUL Cashel Church Road Bradwell – Revised application
No objections were raised.

ESS/07/98/BTE Bradwell Quarry Noise Monitoring
Essex County Council had advised that the operations undertaken within Bradwell Quarry were in compliance with the set noise limits on 1 October 2007.

STREET SCENE PARTNERSHIP
Litter pick will go ahead in the autumn in co-operation with the Village Hall Committee. Litter picking equipment will be hired (free) from Braintree District Council.

PUBLIC PATHS PARTNERSHIP
The Council has been advised by the County Public Rights of Way Officer that “there is a green lane in dire need of some clearance (approx 250m) in Bradwell ( Bradwell 7) - a suitable project for a dozen or so volunteers with loppers and bow saws etc.” As the footpath joins Stisted 19, Stisted Parish Council have been asked if they wish to help. The respective footpath officers are investigating.

ROADS: A120 – The Clerk had spoken to Simon Wakeling Highways Agency
regarding the destruction of the traffic island on the A120 by a yacht

OTHER ROADS – The abuse of the Green Lane between Glazenwood and Paigels, Links Road had been reported to ECC Highways who had replied:

“The ‘Green Lane’ that you refer to in your email is actually a public byway. Vehicles do have a right to use it and the nation speed limit of 60 mph applies, however, it is expected that motorists will drive according to the environment irrespective of what the speed limit is.
Essex County Council do not have any powers of enforcement for speed restrictions or any other form of illegal driving. If you feel that some motorists are behaving in an illegal or dangerous manner I would advise you to contact Essex Police.”

The Clerk was asked to determine what authority the Parish Council had to close this public byway during the winter.

The potholes in Church Road had been reported to ECC Highways who have inspected them. The pothole in Glazenwood Road / Hollies Road has been reported to ECC Highways and has been repaired.

The Clerk was asked to inquire whether the footpath along the A120 LHS facing West could be made into a combined footpath and cycle track.

STANDING ORDERS
It had come to the attention of the Parish Clerk that the Standing Orders were not up-to-date and he was asked to submit revised Sanding Orders based on the NALC Model for the next meeting.

CONSULTATION PAPERS
There were no consultation papers to review this month.

EMERGENCY PLANNING
Sandbag storage – 200 empty sandbags have been requested from Braintree Council

POLICE
The report detailing the Community Warden’s work up to 30 September 2007 had been received and distributed.

The illegal parking of a vehicle in the Street has been brought to the attention of Essex Police and Braintree District Council. The Clerk has been assured that the A120 patrol cars will keep a lookout for cars parked on the yellow lines in the Street and will take appropriate action.

The Clerk was asked to, yet again, pursue the issue of yellow line extension with ECC Highways. (Note: The Clerk understands parking orders are made by the istrict Council and not by ECC Highways.)

The Highways Agency will be making a Clearway Order on the A120 Marks Tey to Marks Farm, Braintree, shortly and this will come into effect in early 2008. Braintree District Council will be the enforcement authority through Bradwell Village.

YOUTH CLUB
The Youth Service Mobile Unit is again back on Monday evenings 7 – 9pm outside the Village Hall. The Clerk was asked to check that this was so.

YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE (YOS)
The Council has asked the YOS to help with litter picking and clearing ivy from the Village Hall.

RECYCLING
The Clerk had reported the overflowing Glass Bins and Recycling Bins to Braintree District Council who have emptied the bins and generally tidied the site. The Community Warden asked that whoever was using orange bags for disposing of glass bottles should desist and use clear bags – orange bags are for medical waste only.

MOBILE LIBRARY
It is proposed to change the time: Hillary Close stop will change to Week 2 Friday 11.35-12.05 (currently Week 2 Thursday 11.25-11.55). A notice asking for comments has been posted on the Parish Noticeboards. No responses have been received to date.

PAYMENTS
The Council declined to make a donation to Stop Stansted Expansion. If any member of the Parish wishes to make a donation, the address is: Stop Stansted Expansion, PO Box 311, Takely, Bishops Stortford, Herts CM22 6PY

The Council approved the following payments:

E.On Street Lighting £ 54-04
Citizens Advice Bureau £ 40-00
Training course fees £100-00

The meeting closed at 10.00 pm

FUTURE MEETINGS
Commencing at 7.00pm in the Village Hall
10 December; 14 January; 11 February; 10 March; 14 April; 12 May