Present:

Cllr David Cameron (in the Chair)

Councillors

Julia Griffin

Trevor Horsnell

Peter Latham

Anthony Pipkin

Carl Sargent

In attendance

Louise Fuller (Clerk)

City Cllr Nicolette Chambers (to min. no. 68)

64/2014-15

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Cllr D Merriday.

65/2014-15

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

Members APPROVED the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 12 November 2014 as a correct record.

66/2014-15

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST and REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATIONS

There were no declarations of interest nor requests for dispensations.

67/2014-15

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

None.

68/2014-15

REPORTS

Chelmsford City Council

City Cllr Chambers reported on various forthcoming events, a proposed Cold Weather Plan, and a petition to “Stop the Speed” in Highwood. She then left to go to another meeting.

Essex County Council

Cty Cllr Aldridge was unable to attend due to another meeting.

Police

No report. Any councillor who wished to attend the meeting in Writtle on 10 February should contact the clerk.

Community Agent

No report.

Public Rights of Way

Nothing to report.

Village Hall

Cllr Pipkin reported that some hall hirers had been lost. The hall would struggle to balance the books but there was a reluctance to increase charges.

Play Park

Cllr Cameron had inspected the play area and had nothing to report.

69/2014-15

REPORT OF THE CLERK

The Council NOTED the Clerk’s report.

1          Purchase of land and buildings from CCC

            The Council noted that the registration for VAT and the Annual Accounting Scheme had been concluded, and direct debits set up to pay any VAT due to HMRC.

            The documentation package had been received from the parish council’s solicitor and councillors had had the opportunity to peruse it prior to the meeting, as a result of which some queries were raised and answered. It was unknown whether sewer pipes ran under the land but none had been found when the village hall was built. All the councillors agreed to proceed. It was RESOLVED to sign and seal the transfer of the property from Chelmsford City Council to the parish council, and any other documents necessary to process the purchase.

2          Play area, Edney Common

            The report on works to the play area was considered. It was AGREED not to proceed with any additional works as none had been identified on the annual inspection report as high priority. As some members still expressed concern it was AGREED to close the play area for the time being and to put an item in the parish magazine about this.

3          Verge Adoption

            Noted that a feasibility study for construction of a footway from St Paul’s Church to Loves Green had been added to the Chelmsford City Local Highways Panel Potential Schemes List. The parish 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

            Noted that the Localising Council Tax Support grant from CCC for 2015/16 was set at £713, the tax base for Highwood was 291.82, 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

            It was agreed to support the RCCE petition against the withdrawal of funding from central government.

6          Parish Polls

            It was agreed to support the proposed changes to the arrangements for parish polls.

70/2014-15

GRANT APPLICATION

The council agreed to make a grant to St Paul’s Church for the parish magazine for 2015; the amount to be based on the 2014 figure (£1,219.28) less the surplus (£208.80), i.e. £1,010.48.

It was also agreed to make a grant of £600 towards the cost of grass and hedge cutting in the churchyard.

71/2014-15

FINANCE

71.1

71.2

Accounts for payment

The accounts for payment, all by online-banking, were APPROVED.

The account balances as at 5 January 2015 were NOTED.

72/2014-15

HIGHWAY MATTERS REPORTED BY COUNCILLORS

1          Speeding Traffic

            Cllr Latham felt the problem arose from people’s attitude to driving at speed. Cllr Sargent felt that worn road markings exacerbated the problem.

2          Various maintenance issues were reported and will be reported to ECC (some of them as repeats of previous reports). Agreed to take no further action on proposing a weight limit for Wyses Road.

73/2014-15

COMMUNICATIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE, and DISTRIBUTION BAG

1          Top Three Flooding Priorities

            The council knew of no properties in Highwood at risk of flooding from rivers.

2          CCC “Love where you live”

            It was agreed to request litter picking at the lay-by on the south side of the A414 (Radley Green), and also in Ingatestone Road from where bridleway 28 crosses down to the parish boundary.

Mrs Linda Horsnell had volunteered to co-ordinate the village litter pick and this offer was gratefully received. Planned date was Easter Monday, 6 April 2015.

74/2014-15

DOCUMENTS ON DEPOSIT

None.

75/2014-15

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

75.1

Parish Council Decisions

The following comments made by the parish council between meetings were NOTED.

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

75.2

To consider the following planning applications

App. no.

14/02069/FUL

Location

Cob Cottage, Nathans Lane

Proposal

Conversion from garage to annex accommodation

Comment

No objection

App. no.

14/01983/FUL

Location

Oak Tree Farm, Ingatestone Road

Proposal

Swimming pool and glazed enclosure

Comment

No objection

75.3

Other planning applications received since the agenda was prepared

None.

75.4

Decisions by Chelmsford City Council

The following planning decisions by Chelmsford City Council were NOTED.

GRANTED

App. no.

14/01739/FUL

Location

1 New Barnes Cottages, Ingatestone Road

Proposal

Retention of existing concrete and fencing round agricultural barn

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

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

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

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)

75.5

PLANNING CORRESPONDENCE

None.

76/2014-15

OTHER URGENT BUSINESS – for information only

The village plan had been stolen from the Sparrows Close noticeboard and needed replacing; the plaque commemorating a previous chairman which had been removed from the bench outside the church also needed replacing.

77/2014-15

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

7.30 p.m. Wednesday 11 March 2015

78/2014-15

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

The Council RESOLVED to exclude the press and public from the following item under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 as it contained confidential information relating to personnel matters.

79/2014-15

SALARY AWARD

The national salary award of 2.2% to apply from 1 January 2015 was noted; also the one-off payment which was due in December 2014; these would be paid in accordance with the clerk’s contract.

The meeting closed at 9.20pm.