Present:

Cllr David Cameron (in the Chair)

Councillors

Glenn Dobson

Trevor Horsnell

Peter Latham

Dot Merriday

Anthony Pipkin

Zoë Cain-Tyler

In attendance

Louise Fuller (Clerk)

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

Cty Cllr John Aldridge (to min. no. 68)

Brenda Smith (Village Agent) (to min. no. 68)

Five members of the public

64/2013-14

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

None.

65/2013-14

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

Members APPROVED the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 13 November 2013 as a correct record.

66/2013-14

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST and REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATIONS

There were no declarations of interest nor requests for dispensations.

67/2013-14

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

Members of the public asked about road flooding and the condition of the roads, the development at the Nest, and bridleway issues.

68/2013-14

REPORTS

Chelmsford City Council

City Cllr Chambers reported that she had arranged for planning enforcement officers to carry out a site visit at Pools Lane.

Essex County Council

Cty Cllr Aldridge spoke about highway matters and would ask about the street light on the corner by the church remaining on all night.

City Cllr Chambers left the meeting to go to another elsewhere.

Village Agent

B Smith had had a request to visit a Highwood family. She then left the meeting.

Police

No report.

Play Park

Cllr Cameron reported that all was well with the play park.

Cty Cllr Aldridge left the meeting to go to another elsewhere.

Village Hall

Cllr Pipkin had nothing to report.

Public Rights of Way

No report.

69/2013-14

REPORT OF THE CLERK

The Council NOTED the Clerk’s report.

1          Purchase of land and buildings from CCC

            NOTED that Anglian Water had agreed to take responsibility for the cost of maintaining the roadway from the gate of the grass area to the pump house, and to be responsible for a fair proportion of the cost of maintaining the access between the gate and Sparrows Close. The council AGREED that the transfer should refer to “a fair proportion of the cost” rather than specifying the arrangements in more detail.

2          Precept 2014/15

            NOTED that the parish council’s tax base for 2014/15 will be 274.57. The grant from CCC will be £814. CONFIRMED that the precept for 2014/15 would remain at a standstill net requirement of £25,515 (before taking the grant into account).

3          Daffodils

            Daffodil bulbs had been given to the council and these would be distributed to be planted on highway verges etc and in the school grounds.

70/2013-14

FINANCE

70.1

70.2

Accounts for payment

The accounts for payment would be considered after consideration of the grant applications.

The account balances as at 6 January 2014 were NOTED.

71/2013-14

HIGHWAY MATTERS REPORTED BY COUNCILLORS

i           Cllr Latham reported that Speedwatch was not permitted to go out in inclement weather. The records showed 8-10% of vehicles were speeding through the village and these were reported to the police; unfortunately many had “no known keeper”.

ii           Cllr Horsnell reported that there were still trees overhanging the roads, there was a lack of preventative road maintenance, and ditches were not being cleared.

72/2013-14

GRANT APPLICATIONS

72.1

Parish magazine 2013

The council noted the letters from J Graham, treasurer of St Paul’s Church, about the church’s financial position and receipt of the grant. It AGREED that the accounts provided for the magazine, i.e. a list of the monthly print costs and editor’s costs, were sufficient and copies of invoices etc were not required.

It was AGREED to make a grant of £1,153.08 for the cost of the magazine borne by the church in 2013.

72.2

Parish magazine 2014

The council AGREED to pay in advance a grant of £1,428.08 for the cost of the magazine in 2014, based on the actual cost in 2013. All costs during the year would be paid by the church. The actual costs for 2014 would be submitted by the church at the end of the year and the council would consider making up any shortfall, subject to an overall limit of £1,750.

72.3

Churchyard maintenance 2013

The council considered the grant request for £635 for churchyard maintenance in 2013 and AGREED to make the grant. However it noted that the cost was significantly more than last year, and more than had been budgeted, so a cap on the grant might have to be considered in future years if costs kept rising.

73/2013-14

ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT

The accounts for payment, cheques nos. 53-55 and on-line banking, were APPROVED.

74/2013-14

LITTER PICK 2014

It was AGREED that it was too late to find a volunteer and organise a litter pick for spring 2014. An article would be placed in the magazine explaining the situation and asking for a volunteer to come forward to organise the event in 2015.

75/2013-14

COMMUNICATIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE, and DISTRIBUTION BAG

The members RECEIVED the correspondence and communications placed before them.

76/2013-14

DOCUMENTS ON DEPOSIT

None.

77/2013-14

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

77.1

Parish Council Decisions

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

App. no.

13/01781/CLEUD

Location

Old Barns, Chelmsford Road

Proposal

Construction of a car port

Comment

No comment

App. no.

13/01732/FUL

Location

Eton Lodge, Loves Green

Proposal

Raising part of roof to create first floor habitable accommodation with rear balcony. Pitched roofs to replace existing roofs on both side elements. Alterations to fenestration.

Comment

Council objects to the application, as the works will create an unsightly mix of roof designs (hip and gable). The property is clearly visible from the road and the elevated roof will be even more so if the application is permitted. The resulting multiple shapes and designs are not in keeping with other properties nearby nor with the village environment.

77.2

To consider the following planning applications

App. no.

13/01387/CLEUD

Location

The Woodyard, Metsons Lane

Proposal

Storage retail and wholesale trade of timber and timber goods, office portacabin and storage sheds

Comment

No comment

77.3

Other planning applications received since the agenda was prepared

None

77.4

Decisions by Chelmsford City Council

There were no decisions made by Chelmsford City Council to report.

77.5

Planning correspondence

Noted that Royal Mail had had no objection to the naming of Woodland Way (the Nest development) and that CCC had decided the name would be adopted.

78/2013-14

OTHER URGENT BUSINESS – for information only

Cllr Horsnell was holding the salt bags from ECC and could give them to volunteers for spreading on public areas in their vicinities.

Cllr Cain-Tyler had reports of a logging business taking place in Cocks Lane adjacent to the bridleway, and wondered if planning permission was required; also large vehicles were making deliveries to the site causing serious damage to the surface of the bridleway.

79/2013-14

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

7.30 p.m. Wednesday 12 March 2014

The meeting closed at 9.00 p.m.