Minutes 19th June 2006
GOSFIELD PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on the 19th June 2006 in the Maurice Rowson Hall
Present: Councillors M Pawsey (Chairman), A Tucker (Vice Chairman), C Hough, D Jarvis, T McMillan, G Oates, J Paterson, P Wardle, R Waters. J Main (Clerk) In attendance: County Councillor J Pike, District Councillor B Broyd, Olive Cowell (ECC Highways representing B Wiltshire), and 9 members of the public. 01. Apologies for Absence: B Wiltshire unable to attend owing to illness. 02. Declarations of Interest: Cllr Jarvis declared a personal and prejudicial interest in planning application Kitani Lodge. 03. Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 15th May: proposed Cllr Paterson, seconded Cllr Jarvis and agreed that the minutes be signed as a true record. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council held on 15th May: proposed Cllr Hough, seconded Cllr Paterson and agreed that the minutes be signed as a true record. Minutes of the Meeting held on 15th May: proposed Cllr Jarvis, seconded Cllr Paterson and agreed that the minutes be signed as a true record. Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held on 5th June: proposed Cllr Waters, seconded Cllr Oates and agreed that the minutes be signed as a true record. 04. Public SessionReport from Highways on proposals for Church Rd Footway – meeting closed for Olive Cowell to speak. Revised plan presented, work to be carried out this financial year. Graham Allen expressed concern at the proposed width of the carriageway, Olive Cowell to confirm width and that two lorries will be able to pass. Concern also raised at dangers to children on the pavement from vehicles exiting Rookery Garage site. Copy of plan to be provided to G Allen. Cllrs Waters and Jarvis to mark out road on site. Noted no accidents have taken place in Church Road.Kitani Lodge - Mr Woods raised his concern at this planning application – the new dormer will give a town house effect and his rear garden will be overlooked. Mr Turbin thanked the Council for getting the light at The Firs repaired and asked if there was any progress on light outside The Grange. Noted this is still with EDF.Park Lane access track - Mrs Myers and Mrs Platt raised their concerns with this application including the traffic speed over what is a public footpath, Highways noted this point. Queries raised on planning application – item 6 is the application for office/warehousing/shopping – all these carried out at Glen Cottage. Item 9 any additional information – Glen Cottage not mentioned.Channel sweeping – problem reported with areas around school with cars parked to drop off children. Clerk to write to BDC to request that school times are avoided for channel sweeping. The meeting was reopened. 05. Matters ArisingUse of playing field for scarecrow weekend – PC still awaiting details of requirements in writing. Cllr Waters to chase Georgie Roy.Funding for play areas – letter written to BDC Chief Exec., copy to C Turbin.Appointment of Vice Chair – Cllr Oates proposed Cllr Wardle for this post. Cllr Wardle willing to accept position. Seconded Cllr Waters and unanimously agreed. Cllr Wardle also to sit on finance committee. Thanks extended to Cllr Tucker for his work as Vice Chair. Play Area committee – Cllrs Waters, Pawsey and Wardle. Clerk to draft Terms of Reference for this committee.Park Lane access track – retrospective planning application 06/00997/FUL now received. PC felt this application had been wrongly completed as the track is for access to Glen Cottage. Noted that the application was in Mr Butlers name but the plan had been drawn up for Mr Mauder. Access to the farmland is already available and track is not required for this purpose, but for business access to Glen Cottage. Proposed Cllr Jarvis, seconded Cllr Oates and agreed that this application be opposed on the grounds of increased business traffic on footpath 17 (Park Lane).Stop Stansted campaign – Proposed Cllr tucker, seconded Cllr Pawsey and carried 3 for, 2 against with 4 abstentions that the PC write in support of this campaign on the grounds of sustainability, increased CO2 emissions and noise and visual pollution. 06. Working Party reports a. Planning 06/01117/FUL Kitani Lodge, The Street, proposed loft conversion with rear dormer and pitched roof to replace flat roof at front – Proposed Cllr Waters, seconded Cllr Oates and agreed that this application be recommended for refusal on the following grounds – that the dormer visually increases the bulk and density of the property giving the illusion of a three storey property out of keeping with the surrounding bungalows and two storey houses. Cllr Jarvis left the room for this item.06/01095/TPOCON – Gosfield CPS tree work agreed no objectionECC Planning Gosfield Primary, retention of relocatable classroom until May 2009 – agreed no objection. b. The Pits Wardens report pre circulated and noted. Cllr Oates proposed agreement to the purchase of two life belts and nylon ropes for the Pits at a cost of £165.80. Seconded Cllr Waters and agreed. Noted that the recent burnt out car had been removed. c. Playing Field Management Committee Terms of Reference -wording of section two to be agreed at the PFMC meeting on Monday 26th June. Cllrs to attend.d. Footpaths – nothing to reporte. Skate ramp – revised signage noted. Clerk to chase GBH for start date. f. Children’s play area – wet pour repair completed. Noted surface needs renewal round roundabout. Grant application completed for replacement slide. 07. District Councillor’s Report – Cllr Broyd nothing to report. 08. Meetings attended by MembersCllr Pawsey – Parish cluster meeting – question of funding for play area raised,PC encouraged to write to BDC Chief Executive.Cllr Pawsey – BALC AGM – concerns raised at this meeting over the proposals for the reorganisation of local government. Advantages of registering land with the Land Registry also raised – Clerk to check if the Pits is registered.Cllr Pawsey – Highways - information on the community speedwatch scheme read out. Clerk to write to find out if Gosfield qualifies. Meeting of Parishes and Highways to be held later in summer to explore possibility of joint purchase of SIDS or vehicle activated speed signs. 09. Members ItemsCllr Oates – social/public information events – noted Earls Colne PC encourage members of the public to attend meetings by occasionally preceding them by a speaker with a topic of general interest. Suggested topics included lifesaving skills and BDC recycling proposals. This proposal was generally considered to be a good idea. Cllr Tucker – burglaries recently carried out in the village targeted money and jewellery. Police advice includes leaving a radio on a talk station and take photos of valuables. Marker kit available from Neighbourhood Watch. Clerk to note this in the Grapevine.Cllr Jarvis – fence round substation broken in places. EDF notified. Roger Smith to be asked to put tape round substation as a warning. Cllr Wardle – suggested that Grapevine is entered in newsletter competition.Cllr Pawsey – Mrs Wilson to be asked to tidy The Spinney for the best kept village competition.Cllr Tucker – hedge between Orchard Cottage and Primary School again very overgrown. Clerk to report to Highways. 10. CorrespondenceMr and Mrs Platt – dog fouling, Park Lane – more no fouling signs to be put up. To be reviewed in six months, with the possibility of installing another dog bin at the end of Park Lane.ECC broken seat Braintree Road– details of contractors supplied, replacement seat and installation to be taken up with contractors. Petersfield Lane Antique Village - recent correspondence from BDC enforcement officer read out. 11. Any other business the Chair may view as urgentNone reported 12. Financial Matters Accounts for PaymentProposed Cllr Waters, seconded Cllr Oates and agreed that the cheques be signed as per Appendix 1 in the total of £2029.54 Completion of Annual Return and adoption of Accounts for 2005/2006Proposed Cllr Waters, seconded Cllr Tucker and agreed that the Chairman sign the Annual Return as a true record of the Council’s transactions for the year. The meeting closed at approximately 9.45 pm Signed………………………….. Date………………………Chairman