Annual Assembly Minutes 21 April 08
Present: Cllr I Rose (Chairman of the Parish Council), R Ling (Clerk to the Parish Council); D/Cllr C Guglielmi; P.C.S.O. H Howe; 16 Parishioners
Apology: M Rayner
01.08 Minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the previous annual assembly held on 30th April 2007 were read by the Clerk and were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
Proposed I Peacock
02.08 Matters Arising
There were no matters arising
03.08 Report by County Councillor
Cllr S Candy was unable to be at the meeting and sent no report
04.08 Report by District Councillor
Cllr Guglielmi gave a report on the work he had undertaken during his first year of Office. He mentioned in particular the number of problems and disputes with which he had dealt, some resolved, some ongoing. He thanked his fellow District Councillor M Dew, County Council S Candyand the Parish Clerk, R Ling for the co-operation he had received over the year. He had been successful in commissioning a feasibility study for the future of the Manningtree Swimming Pool and belongs to the Joint Consultative Committee that oversees the management of the Sports Centre. He is also a member of the Development Control Committee and has taken a particular interest in the planning application for residential development at Baltic Wharf.
From this year’s budget meeting the two main items affecting the parish were the provision of a sum of £2000 to each Councillor to be spent on any special project and, secondly, that the increase in Council Tax was about 4%. Also he mentioned a new venture named Project Tendring which will cost £1.3m to set up and is aimed at regenerating all parts of the District.
Lastly he mentioned that he was normally available at the Honeycroft Post Office should parishioners wish to contact him.
The Chairman thanked Cllr Guglielmi for his report.
05.08 Report from Police
PCSO Howe reported that since neighbourhood policing had been introduced in 2006 there had been several changes in the way the area is policed. A multi agency approach to prevent problems re-occurring, instead of reactive only, problem solving had been introduced.
Neighbourhood specialist Officers were now in post with the sole object of looking at ongoing problems.
Neighbourhood Action Panels had also been introduced as a way members of the public can either have their say about problems in the area or get involved in solving these problems. The Manningtree and District Action Panel had been very successful so far with the re-location of the seat in Manningtree, the mobile youth bus, the PCSOs car and raising funds towards camera equipment to help combat anti social behaviour in the area.
A scheme for an under 16s football competition had taken place during the summer and had proved very successful and well supported.
Community speed watch training was undertaken during the year and the volunteers should be seen on the roads soon.
Seven Primary Schools had been visited and talks given to the pupils about anti social behaviour. This resulted in some excellent poems that were displayed in the Library.
She was pleased that the clearway had now been introduced around the railway station but more parking spaces are clearly required and the situation will have to be closely monitored.
Lastly she included in her report the crime figures for 2007/08 compared with those of 2006/07. These showed a fall in nuisance offences and little difference in other offences. However the figures were very low and showed that the parish remained a safe place in which to live.
The Chairman thanked PCSO Howe for her report.
06.08 Report by the Chairman of the Parish Council
Cllr Rose gave a general review of the work and expenditure of the Parish Council during 2007/08. This was based on an Annual Report prepared by himself and the Clerk and is attached to these minutes.
The Annual report included the costs of all work carried out by the Council during the year and he was pleased to say the increase in Council Tax had been kept to just over 2%.
07.07 Public Voice
The Chairman invited members of the public to make comments or ask any questions regarding the work of the Council.
Matters raised were:-
1. The future management of the Village Hall
2. Use of Furze Hill Recreation Ground for charitable events.
Meeting closed at 8pm.
