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 12 November 2014 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

Police representative

Community Agent

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           VAT

            The council is now registered for VAT with HMRC and has been permitted to join the Annual Accounting Scheme. The “option to tax” has been exercised in respect of the garages. Direct debits have been set up to pay any VAT due to HMRC.

ii           Legal papers

            The council’s solicitor was preparing a bundle of documents to send to me which should include the final transfer which will be signed, but it has not yet been received.

2

Play Area, Edney Common

See attached report.

3

Verge adoption, St Paul’s church to bus stop

In response to Cty Cllr Aldridge’s query to ECC Highways on behalf of the parish council, an email has finally been received from Highways. A proposal for a footway extension from the church to Loves Green was put through the Local Highways Panel scheme validation process. The result was that a feasibility study is required and this has been added to the Chelmsford City LHP Potential Schemes List. As the budget for 2014/15 is fully committed, this study would be considered for funding in 2015/16.

Meanwhile the council’s initial letter about the verge has been passed to the Network Management Team as a request to maintain the land in the interim.

4

Precept 2015/16

The Localising Council Tax Support grant from CCC for 2015/16 was set at £713 in the end. The tax base for Highwood was 291.82 (higher than anticipated), so the council tax for the parish expenditure for a Band D property will be £84.99 (this figure might vary slightly due to CCC rounding), a decrease of 6% from last year’s figure.

5

RCCE Funding Campaign

The RCCE has asked the council to support its campaign against the withdrawal of its funding from central government. An email has been circulated to councillors with details. The council is asked if it wishes to sign the online petition and/or write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

6

Chelmsford City Council – Call for sites

As agreed at the last meeting, the council’s sites at Radley Green and Edney Common were submitted in response to CCC’s call for sites to be considered for future development in the new Local Plan.

7

Parish Polls

The government is consulting on proposals to change the arrangements for parish polls. A parish poll can be called by a very small number of electors, can be very expensive for the parish council as it bears the cost of the poll, and can be called on a matter over which the council has no jurisdiction. The result of the poll is not binding on the council; however, a poll is seen as an important democratic tool and a method for local electors to express strong views. Representatives at national level have been lobbying for a change for some years and this consultation is to be welcomed. A copy of the paper has been circulated to councillors.

The council is asked if it wishes to respond to the consultation and to support the proposed changes; I recommend that the council agrees this.

7

GRANT APPLICATION

St Paul’s Church has submitted a grant application as follows:

1          Magazine

            The cost of the magazine (printing and editing) in 2014 was £1,219.28. The council gave the church a grant of £1,428.28 in advance for the year. Thus there is a surplus of £208.80.

            The grant to be given in advance for 2015 would be based on the 2014 cost, £1,219.28, less the surplus from 2014, i.e. £1,010.48.

            The council is asked if it AGREES to payment of this grant. There is sufficient in the budget to cover it.

2          Churchyard grass and hedge cutting

            The church has asked for a grant of £600 to cover the cost of grass and hedge cutting in the churchyard.

            The council is asked if it AGREES to payment of this grant. There is sufficient in the budget to cover it.

8

FINANCE

8.1

Accounts for payment

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

8.2

To NOTE the account balances as at 5 January 2015.

9

HIGHWAY MATTERS REPORTED BY COUNCILLORS

1          Speeding Traffic (standing item)

2          Issues including drainage etc (Cllr Horsnell)

10

COMMUNICATIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE

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

1          Top Three Flooding Priorities

            ECC has asked the parish council for its top three flooding priorities. An email has been circulated to councillors.

2          CCC “Love where you live”

            CCC has invited the parish council to nominate areas requiring attention on a Parish Cleansing Day. An email has been circulated to councillors.

11

DISTRIBUTION BAG

Oyster, RCCE, Winter 2014

12

DOCUMENTS ON DEPOSIT

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

None.

13

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

a)

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

App. no.

14/01739/FUL

Location

1 New Barnes Cottages, Ingatestone Road

Proposal

Retention of existing concrete and fencing round agricultural barn

Comment

No objection

App. no.

14/01780/FUL

Location

Larkrise Cottage, Cock Lane

Proposal

Part retrospective application for demolition and reduction in maximum height of building. Retention of fences, outbuildings and hard standing. Non compliance with Conditions 5,6 and 7 in relation to planning application 12/00969/FUL

Comment

The council objects to the removal of planning conditions 5, 6 and 7 in relation to planning application 12/00969/FUL. The conditions were imposed for a reason and should not just be disregarded. The land is in the green belt and the conditions were put in place to ensure that status was maintained and protected, and to protect the visual amenities of the area. The original application for development in the green belt was granted on the basis of "special circumstances", which were that unsightly structures etc would be removed as part of the development, and if they remain, the special circumstances no longer apply. Nothing has changed to allow the conditions originally set to be relaxed now.

App. no.

14/01924/FUL

Location

Richmond Cottage, Loves Green

Proposal

First floor rear extension

Comment

No objection

App. no.

14/01854/FUL

Location

Highwood MOT Centre, Unit E2, Pools Lane

Proposal

Use of unit for general industry (Class B2) and M.O.T. station

Comment

No objection

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.

Comment

No objection

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

Comment

No objection

b)

To CONSIDER the following planning applications

App. no.

14/02069/FUL

Location

Cob Cottage, Nathans Lane

Proposal

Conversion from garage to annex accommodation

App. no.

14/01983/FUL

Location

Oak Tree Farm, Ingatestone Road

Proposal

Swimming pool and glazed enclosure

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.

14/01739/FUL

Location

1 New Barnes Cottages, Ingatestone Road

Proposal

Retention of existing concrete and fencing round agricultural barn

REFUSED

App. no.

14/01649/FUL

Location

Land north east of the Old Vicarage, Wyses Road

Proposal

Demolition of two existing structures and the construction of a stable block with solar panels on the roof & associated driveway

NO FURTHER ACTION

App. no.

12/01788/FUL

Location

Containers rear of Oak Lodge, Loves Green

Proposal

Retrospective application for the erection of 2.4m high fencing

APPLICATION WITHDRAWN

App. no.

14/01669/COUPA

Location

Church Farm, Edney Common

Proposal

Determination as to whether the prior approval of the Local Planning Authority will be required for the proposed change of use of an agricultural storage to a dwellinghouse (C3)

e)

PLANNING CORRESPONDENCE

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

None.

14

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.

15

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Wednesday 11 March 2015

16

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 personnel matters.

17

SALARY AWARD

See attached confidential report.

Works

Price £

1          Swing

Remove & dispose of middle swing

45

Supply and install a new cradle seat

115

2          Fence and gate

Supply and install new timber panel at bottom of fencing by gate

135

Supply and install a new timber to replace split timber at top of gate

250

3          Trim Trail

Supply and install new timber steps and attached rope

475

Supply and install new rope to Burma Bridge

355

Supply and install new ropes to parallel bars

265

Supply and apply paint works (including rub down, de-scale, undercoat, prime and re-paint with lead-free paint)

695

Remove all four items of play equipment

1,785

Additionally, to dig out and remove the concrete foundations on the roundabout and see-saw (optional, as the concrete could be left in situ)

720