Agenda 11th March 2015

Highwood Parish Council 

66 Victoria Road, Writtle, Chelmsford CM1 3PA 

5 March 2015

 

To:            MEMBERS OF HIGHWOOD PARISH COUNCIL

 

You are hereby summoned to attend a meeting of Highwood Parish Council to be held at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 11 March 2015 in the Village Hall, Loves Green, Highwood, CM1 3QG, to transact the business shown in the agenda.

 

The press and public are welcome to be present.

Louise R Fuller

Clerk 

 

A G E N D A

 

1

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

To RECEIVE any apologies for absence.

 

 

2

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

 

 

To APPROVE the minutes of the meeting of the parish council held on 14 January 2015 as a correct record.

 

 

3

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

3.1

Councillors to DECLARE any disclosable or other pecuniary interest or other interest in any items on the agenda, in accordance with the adopted Code of Conduct.

Pecuniary or other interests should be declared at this time, or at any point in the meeting where they become apparent.

Councillors must inform the Monitoring Officer of Chelmsford City Council, via the Clerk, within 28 days of becoming aware of any change in their pecuniary or other interests.

 

3.2

DISPENSATIONS

To CONSIDER any requests for dispensation from the provisions of S31(4) of the Localism Act 2011.

S31(4) states that a member may not participate in any discussion or vote upon a matter, at the meeting, in which he/she has a disclosable pecuniary interest.

 

Requests for dispensation must be made in writing to the Clerk.

 

 

4

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

 

To RECEIVE questions from members of the public.

 

In accordance with the agreed procedure public questions will be taken and shall be limited to a maximum of 15 minutes or such other period as may be determined by the Chairman of the meeting.

5

REPORTS

To RECEIVE brief reports on the following matters.

 

Chelmsford City Council

City Cllr N Chambers

 

Essex County Council

Cty Cllr J Aldridge

 

Police

The police are no longer sending reports to parish councils so this item will be removed from future agendas.

 

Community Agent

J Pike

 

Play park, Edney Common

Cllr D Cameron

 

Village Hall

Cllr A Pipkin

 

Footpaths/Public Rights of Way

D Taylor

 

 

6

REPORT OF THE CLERK

 

To RECEIVE the report of the clerk

 

1

Purchase of land and buildings from CCC

i           The contract and transfer papers were signed and returned to the solicitor with a cheque for £15,000. A further amount of £349.60 was paid as agreed in respect of CCC’s advertising costs. The purchase was completed on 5 March.

ii           The loan for £15,000 was drawn down on 12 February 2015; with the fee of £25, the actual amount received was £14,975. The interest rate on the day was 1.74%. The loan is for five years, and there will be 10 repayments of £1,572.71, on 12 August and 12 February every year.

 

2

 

Play Area, Edney Common

As agreed, the play area was padlocked and a notice displayed to say that the play area was closed for the time being. The works as agreed to cut back the trees and vegetation have been carried out. The council really needs to decide what to do with the play area and whether it can be opened for use without further work to the equipment. The options are to consider the equipment safe to use and re-open the area, consider the equipment unsafe and carry out work at a cost as detailed to the last meeting, or have the equipment removed.

 

3

Verge adoption, St Paul’s church to bus stop

Nothing further has been heard.

 

4

Local Elections 2015

I attended a briefing at Chelmsford City Council which was useful and covered a number of points, some of which I will mention at the meeting.

 

5

 

 

RCCE Funding Campaign

The RCCE’s funding from central government has been reinstated for the coming year.

 

6

Emergency Plan

CCC’s Assistant Emergency Planning and Community Safety Officer has emailed to ask if (1) the parish council has an emergency team, (2) it has an emergency plan, and (3) if the parish requires assistance with the plan.

Revising and updating the plan was discussed a while ago after councillors had attended a briefing on the topic. The council is asked if it would like to accept the offer of help with the plan.

 

 

7

 

GRASS CUTTING CONTRACT

See attached report.

 

 

 
           

 

 

8

TO CONSIDER THE FUTURE OF THE PROPERTY PURCHASED FROM CCC

 

8.1

The three garages

To decide if the council wishes to dispose of some or all of the garages, and if so, to consider the appropriate method of doing so.

For information: the rental income from all three garages, if let throughout the year, is £1260. Ongoing maintenance and other costs are unknown. There will be a cost in administering the rentals and it will also take time for the clerk to do.

In the meantime, regardless of any future action, it will be necessary to contact the tenants, set up systems to demand the rent, ensure it is paid and account for it. New tenancy agreements should also be issued.

 

8.2

The proposed play area

To consider next steps towards installing a play area on the grass field.

 

8.3

To identify any other matters which need to be considered.

 

 

 

9

FINANCE

 

9.1

 

Accounts for payment

To APPROVE the accounts for payment (list will be available at the meeting).

 

 

9.2

To NOTE the account balances as at 2 March 2015.

 

 

10

HIGHWAY MATTERS REPORTED BY COUNCILLORS

1          Speeding Traffic (standing item)

2          Fallen road sign, Blackmore Road approach to Ingatestone Road (Cllr Horsnell)

 

 

11

BROADBAND UPDATE MEETING (Cllr Horsnell)

To discuss the broadband update meeting taking place on 18 March 2015.

 

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMUNICATIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE

To RECEIVE such communications and correspondence as the Clerk may place before the Council.

 

1          Quiet Lanes

            An email about Quiet Lanes has been circulated to councillors. The council is asked if it wishes to propose any roads for the status of Quiet Lane.

 

2          “Getting around in Essex” consultation

            An email about this consultation has been circulated to councillors.

 

 

13

DISTRIBUTION BAG

No items.

 

 

14

 

DOCUMENTS ON DEPOSIT

To RECEIVE notice of the following documents received by or deposited with the Clerk.

 

None.

 

 
       

 

 

15

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

 

a)

To NOTE the parish council’s comments made on planning applications between meetings.

 

 

 

App. no.

15/00029/FUL

 

 

Location

Land north east of Glengarry, Edney Common

 

 

Proposal

Construction of detached dwelling, garage and new access

 

 

Comment

No objection

 

 

 

 

 

 

App. no.

15/00012/FUL

 

 

Location

Ewsons Farm, Ongar Road

 

 

Proposal

Part two storey, part single storey front and side extension

 

 

Comment

No objection

 

 

 

 

 

 

App. no.

14/01968/FUL

 

 

Location

3 Kiln Cottages, Nathans Lane

 

 

Proposal

First floor rear extension

 

 

Comment

No objection

 

 

 

 

 

b)

To CONSIDER the following planning applications

None.

 

 

 

 

 

c)

To CONSIDER any other planning applications received since the agenda was prepared.

 

 

 

 

 

d)

DECISIONS BY CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL

To NOTE the following planning decisions by Chelmsford City Council.

 

 

 

GRANTED

 

 

 

App. no.

14/01924/FUL

 

 

Location

Richmond Cottage, Loves Green

 

 

Proposal

First floor rear extension

 

 

 

 

 

 

App. no.

14/01911/FUL

 

 

Location

Hawkins Smiths Farmhouse, Wyses Road

 

 

Proposal

Two storey front extension. Part single, part two storey rear extension. Ridge to existing house raised by 400mm. Demolition of existing detached garage and construction of new detached garage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

App. no.

14/01983/FUL

 

 

Location

Oak Tree Farm, Ingatestone Road

 

 

Proposal

Swimming pool and glazed enclosure

 

 

 

 

 

 

App. no.

14/02069/FUL

 

 

Location

Cob Cottage, Nathans Lane

 

 

Proposal

Conversion from garage to annex accommodation

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFUSED

 

 

 

App. no.

14/01799/FUL

 

 

Location

Longfield, Cooksmill Green

 

 

Proposal

Retrospective application for replacement timber fence and entrance gates and new laurel hedge in front of fence, to right boundary

 

 

 

 

 

e)

 

PLANNING CORRESPONDENCE

i           To NOTE any planning correspondence received and respond to             consultations as appropriate.

 

None.

 

 

 

16

OTHER URGENT BUSINESS – for information only

To NOTE any matter of an urgent nature which a Member or the Clerk may wish to draw to the attention of the Council, and/or request to be included on the agenda for the next meeting of the Council.

 

Note: no decisions may be taken during this item as the required statutory notice of the business will not have been given.

 

 

17

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Wednesday 20 May 2015; Annual Meeting of the Council.

The council meeting will be preceded by the Annual Parish Assembly at 7.30pm.

Please note the date, which is the third Wednesday of the month, not the second as usual.

 

 

18

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

To RESOLVE to exclude the press and public from the following item under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 as it contains confidential information relating to property matters.

 

 

19

INSURANCE OF GARAGES

See attached confidential report.

 

 

AGENDA ITEM 7

 

Grass cutting

 

The council’s current grass cutting contractor has withdrawn from carrying out the work this year.

 

1            Specification

The existing contract is as follows:

Play area, Edney Common

2 times per month = 9 to 10 times per year

Church verge

2 times per month = 9 to 10 times per year

Grass area to rear of Village Hall

5+ times per year

Verge near Green Man

3 times per year

Verge at Blackmore end of village (opposite Pools Lane)

3 times per year

 

There does seem to be some confusion as to whether the verge cuts were six times a year rather than three; the contractor thought he might have been asked to do six but said he had never managed to do this. The clerk only has information referring to three cuts a year. The exact areas cut on the verges is also unclear.

 

The contract starts towards the end of April and finishes in late September. In 2014/15 the cost was £538 (excl. VAT).

 

Appointing a new contractor is a good opportunity to be clear about what is required and maybe to amend the contract if necessary. Grass is already quite long by April and often continues growing well into October. Obviously adding additional work to the contract will make it more expensive, although a new contractor might come in at a lower price.

 

As the council has now acquired the triangle of grass by the garages in Sparrows Close, that will have to be added to the contract.

 

14 cuts per year for the play area, the grass area at the rear of the village hall, the Sparrows Close triangle and the church verge would cover from mid-March to mid-October, assuming there was little growth in August.

 

Seven cuts a year for the grass verges opposite Pools Lane and near the Green Man would cover March to October, without an August cut.

 

The council is asked to CONSIDER the grass cutting contract, and

1            DECIDE if it wishes to continue with the current specification, with the necessary addition of the grass triangle in Sparrows Close; or

2          if it wishes to change the specification. If so, then to DECIDE what work is required.

3            CLARIFY the verge areas to be cut.

i           north of Highwood Road between the Green Man and Wyses Road – whether the cut is just the area from opposite Church Farm behind the posts as far as the field entrance, or whether it should extend as far as the “pavement” a little way before Wyses Road thus forming a walkable pathway along the verge connecting Edney Common and Loves Green.

ii           the verge outside the church: to the left of the gate, the cut covers the whole area. To the right of the gate – to confirm that the cut should extend as far as the beginning of the informal lay-by and also include the short stretch of grass from the end of the lay-by to the bus stop, thus continuing a walkable pathway along the verge from the church to Loves Green.

iii          the verge opposite Pools Lane – whether the cut extends west just as far as the 30mph sign, or whether it continues as far as the entrance drive to Fidlers Moat or even further. Note: the grass verge beyond the 30mph sign is very rough and would be difficult to walk on.

 

2            Contractor

As it is now already March, a new contractor should be appointed as soon as possible. The clerk has already approached potential contractors to see if they are interested in quoting for the work, but without knowing the specification, it has not been possible to obtain prices.

 

The council is ASKED to give the clerk delegated authority to obtain prices and award the work to the company which seems best able to meet the council’s requirements. She can consult with members on the possible contenders prior to making the decision.