Minutes 20 Aug 07
Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 20th August 2007 at the Church Room, Chapel Cut, Mistley commencing at 7.30 p.m.
Present: - Cllrs Rose (Chair), Fairhall (Vice Chair), Forrester, French, G Carter, Horlock, Peacock, Rayner and Thompson,
R Ling (Clerk to the Council)
Cllr David Lines (Leader of Tendring District Council)
10 Members of the Public
Apologies Cllr J Carter
72.07 Declarations of Interest
There were no declarations of interest in the matters on the agenda but the
Clerk had circulated advice to all Members on whether or not they had an
interest in any matter and the way with which it should be handled.
73.07 Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting held on 9th July 2007 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
Proposed Cllr Horlock
74.07 Matters Arising
a. Affordable Housing The Chairman gave a report on a second meeting held
with representatives of the English Rural Housing Association and the Rural
Community Council of Essex. It was apparent that the next step was to
ascertain whether was a need for affordable housing in the parish. In order
to do this the R.C.C.E. were prepared to circulate a questionnaire to all
residents accompanied by a letter signed by the Chairman of the Council
. The draft letter had been circulated by the Clerk and was approved subject
to “Dear Parishioners” being altered to “Dear Residents” and the words
“This survey is important” being added to the second sentence of the
second paragraph.
Proposed Cllr Rayner
b. Furze Hill Warden The Chairman reported that, following an interview, Mr
Grahame Clarke had been appointed Furze Hill Warden in place of Mr John
Dent. The position is classified as a self employed position..
c. Feeding of birds along The Walls. Extracts from the minutes of the annual
meeting of the Suffolk Coasts and Heath Unit had been circulated in which
the question of feeding birds along The Walls had been debated. The
advice, once again, was that this feeding should be reduced in the winter
and stopped in the summer. Members agreed that there was no problem
with the number of swans but were seriously concerned about the number of
Canada Geese this feeding was attracting. It was agreed that Tendring
District Council should be asked, once again, to investigate the possible
public health risk and the Clerk was asked to write to Swan Watch asking
them to increase feeding from the Quay and reduce or cease feeding from
The Walls.
75.07 Public Voice
The meeting was adjoined from 7.47 p.m. until 8.20 p.m. to allow members of
the public to speak. During this time Cllr David Lines explained his role as Leader of T.D.C. and answered a number of questions. Other matters raised were (1) request for an item for “Reports” to be placed on the agenda (2) request whether Furze Hill could be designated Common Land to prevent any future development taking place (3) Village Hall Accounts and (4) Swan Court allotments lease from A Glasious
76.07 Action taken under Public Voice
a. With regard to (1) the Clerk to include this in future agendas, (2) Clerk to
make enquiries and report to future meeting (3) Clerk to request accounts
from Village Hall Treasurer and (4) the Clerk explained that the lease of
this land to the Parish Council had expired many years ago and the Council
had no more or less rights to occupation whether or not the original rent was
still being paid.
77.07 Finance
a. The following direct debits and standing orders were noted:
£653.00 (salaries)
£81.99 (photocopier)
b The following quotations were approved:-
Gregory Steel £390.00 for new seat at The Walls
Wybone Company £351.03 for new litter bin at Furze Hill
Essex Woodlands £450.00 for clearing damaged tree in Church
Meadow
Proposed Cllr Fairhall
c. A request for a grant to the Manningtree and District Museum was
considered and a £50.00 grant was approved.
Proposed Cllr French
d. The following payments were approved:-
EJ Dent £187.19 Electrosound £446.50
Wicksteed Leisure £254.98 Status Office Services £46.17 Open Space Society £30.00 (S 137) T.D.C £67.85
Bruce Landscapes £76.38 P Liverton Ltd £1609.75
Westover Woodlands £80.00 Essex Woodlands £528.28
Manningtree Museum £50.00 (S 137)
Proposed Cllr French
78.07 Planning
a. Recent planning decisions made by TDC since the last meeting were noted
b. The proposals for extensions of the Village Hal were referred to the
Planning Committee to be held 13th September
c. The Clerk was asked to write to TDC and ECC regarding the serious
probability of traffic problems in Station Road, and at the A137 roundabout
near Manningtree Station, resulting from any successful planning
application for a Tesco Store in Station Road, Lawford
d. Various new planning applications were referred to the Planning Committee
meeting on 13th September
e. The Clerk had circulated a letter from the East of England Co-Operative
Society advertising its proposals for extending and improving its facilities at
the Fiveways Store in Lawford. The plans are available for inspection and
comment during September within the front lobby of the Store..
79.07 Mistley Place Park
The Clerk reported on the many complaints he had received about brambles
and nettles growing over the footpath in New Road and The Walls from
Mistley Place Park He reported on correspondence he had had with ECC
about this problem and had been assured that ECC’s Contractors will shortly
be cutting the vegetation back and sending the invoice to the owners.
80.07 Correspondence
Recent correspondence was reported and the following decisions made:-
a. E.A.L.C. AGM on 19th September – Clerk to attend
b. E.A.L.C. Training day on 18th October – and Cllrs interested to contact the
Clerk
c. Bruce Landscapes – report on play equipment – Chairman to organise repairs
to fence adjacent to Secret Bunker.
d. T.D.C. various consultation documents (available on T.D.C’s web site) –
Clerk to respond after any comment from Councillors.
81.07 Clerk’s Report
a. The Clerk confirmed that he was about to send in the road defect forms to
E.C.C.
b. The Clerk reported on a meeting with the Chairman, D/C C Guglielmi and a
representative from T.D.C. to discuss signing to the Kiln Lane car park It
was agreed that a parking sign should be erected showing a maximum stay
of 3 hours.
82.07 Date of next Meeting
Monday 1st October 2007 at the Church Room, Chapel Cut
Meeting closed at 8.48 p.m.
