Minutes of the Meeting of the Great Burstead and South Green Village Council, held at
South Green Memorial Hall, Southend Road, Billericay
on Wednesday 4th September, 2013 at 7.30 p.m.
Present:-
Councillor M. Dear - Chair
Councillor Aly-Khan
Councillor J. Dear
Councillor A. Henderson
Councillor S. Hooker
Councillor Knight
Councillor Willingham
Also in attendance:-
County Councillor Twitchen
Martin Ainscough – Clerk to the Council
6 Local Residents
13/104 Apologies
There were no apologies for absence.
13/105 Declarations of Interest.
There were no declarations of Interest.
13/106 Minutes.
The Minutes of the Meeting of 3rd July 2013 were recorded as a true record and signed by the Chair. All in favour
13/107 Public Participation.
Recycling Facility – Southwood Court Grange Road / 2 residents of Southwood Court brought to the attention of the Village Council the problems associated with the Recycling Facility maintained by Basildon Borough Council located opposite to the residential accommodation. It was noted that residents had to suffer disturbance and noise at very unsocial hours while groups of youths also used the location as a meeting place. Furthermore there was evidence of possible drug use within the vicinity of the facility while others used it as somewhere to relieve themselves. The Council resolved to refer the residents’ concerns and complaint to the appropriate Officer at B.B.C. and report back on any response at the next meeting in October.Essex County Council Street Lighting proposals / The meeting received details of the Essex County Council’s plans to turn off the street lights in the Basildon Borough Council District areas with effect from 1st November 2013. This would mean that street lighting would be turned off between the hours of midnight & 5.00 a.m. It was noted that there would be exceptions to this proposal particular in high streets with pubs, restaurants & clubs & also in areas where residents might be at risk or vulnerable. Areas and roads where it was felt special exceptions should be made should be submitted to the appropriate dept. at ECC asap and it was agreed that Councillors should send any suggestion to the Clerk by the end of business on Friday 6th September for referral & consideration by ECC.
EALC Training & Awards - 2013. / The meeting noted Councillor Hooker’s recent attendance at the Budget & Precept Course and that Councillor Knight would be attending the AGM on 26th September. It was further noted that Councillor Knight had compiled and submitted the necessary information to enter the EALC Annual Awards for 2013 for the 4 categories previously agreed that the Village Council would try for. Councillor Knight was thanked for his efforts on the Council’s behalf.
13/108 Essex County Council Salt Bag Scheme – Winter 2013
It was noted that the arrangements for the distribution of salt as provided by Essex County Council had still to be formally confirmed for this year. It was the intention if possible to have the Village Council’s supply for this year to be delivered to Billericay Fire Station along with that for the Town Council. This it was stated would ease the distribution and on-going storage of the salt which had not been the case when it was delivered to the Barleylands depot in previous years.
13/110 Village Council Litter Working Party Report.
A. Village Council Petition –
Following the letter that the Clerk had sent to Gateway Properties as agreed at the July meeting a response had been received from Pier Management acting on behalf of Regis Ltd, who apparently were the landlord of one of the units at the Grange Road Parade of Shops. The content of the letter made it very clear that Regis Ltd in authorising and carrying out the recent repair to the steps and surrounding area had acted in the best interests of all parties concerned even though it was not clear from the current leases whether they as the freeholder or the leaseholder were responsible for such maintenance. In the light of this letter the Council agreed that an acknowledgment should be sent to Pier Management thanking them for acting so quickly and that hopefully the confusion in relation to the situation with the leases would be resolved to the satisfaction all parties as soon as possible.
B. Christmas Lights – 2013
The meeting noted that Piggott’s had been informed of the Council’s decision not to replace the tree lights with new LEDs for 2013. In turn Piggott’s had indicated that when they came to install the lamp motifs they would switch the existing tree lights on and if they worked all well and good, but if not then the 3 lamp motifs would make up the Christmas Lights scheme for 2013.
C. Trees on Village Green at South Green
The Clerk reported back following the decision at the last meeting to contact Basildon Borough Council with regard to moving the two fir trees on the Village Green which had been the subject of complaints from residents. It was noted that unfortunately the only reasons that B.B.C. would entertain moving any trees would be if they became diseased or dying or they were a threat to public safety.
13/111 Village Council Summer Event – South Green Village Green.
Deferred until the October meeting. Councillor Knight proposed that a meeting of the relevant working party be organised to take place before the October meeting at which some of the details of the above mentioned event would be confirmed. All in favour.
13/112 Great Burstead Village Sign.
Councillor Hooker reported that he had not progressed this matter any further since the last meeting due to family commitments. A letter had been sent to the two schools within the Village boundaries, but nothing had been heard back from either of them. It was noted however, that the letter would have had arrived with the schools just before the summer holidays and the autumn term had only just started by the time of this meeting.
13/113 South Green Memorial Trust - Grant Application.
The meeting received grant application from the South Green Memorial Trust in respect of a request for funding towards the cost of the installation of a new central heating system in the South Green Memorial hall. The meeting noted that the old heating system had failed to cope with the severe winter experienced last year and had therefore taken steps to address this situation in the light of loss of potential revenue from hirers of the hall. Councillors were in agreement that this application should be supported and that the memorial trust played an important role in the community of Gt. Burstead & South Green and agreed a grant of £2,000 should be approved as a contribution towards the cost of the new heating system.
13/114 Planning Applications
13/00779/OUT/ Slices Gate Nursery Coxes Farm Road Billericay Essex CM11 2UB / single detached dwelling with all matters reserved / object on the grounds that the site is within the Green Belt
13/00774/FULL / The Barn Burstead Grange Church Street Billericay Essex CM11 2SY / Proposed rear extension
/ object as the site is within the Green belt
13/00624/FULL
/ Gobians Farm Church Street Billericay Essex CM11 2TR
/ Demolish several former agricultural buildings and additions, extend and convert former cow sheds and re-build barn, to provide three dwellings with associated garages / object as the site in question lies within a conservation area andis designated as agricultural land
13/00623/CACBAS
/ Gobians Farm Church Street Billericay Essex CM11 2TR
/ Demolish several former agricultural buildings and additions within farmstead / object for the same reasons as for 13/0624/FULL
In addition the application below was a County Council application as it related to a school. This was therefore included for the information of the Village Council only as the date for determination of the application had passed.
13/00754/CC/ South Green County Infant School Ganels Road Billericay Essex CM11 2TG / Erection and use of a new permanent modular nursery building to replace existing Nursery unit that has become uneconomic to repair. To include the demolition of the existing Nursery unit; creation of a new play area in the position of the old Nursery unit; extension of the existing car park.
In responding to the Planning Department with the comments to the above mentioned applications the Clerk requested that he be advised as to when these applications might be due to be considered by the appropriate Committee in order that the Village Council could have representation at that meeting to put the Village Council's views in person if necessary.
13/115 Finance. - Approved payments:
Payee / Cheque number / Details / AmountMartin Ainscough / July & August salaries / £ 957.56(*)
H.M.R.C. 000705 / Underpayment of Tax – 2012/13 Tax Year / £ 233.14 (+)
H.M.R.C. 000706 / Income tax– July & August / £239.20
Martin Ainscough 000707 / July & August Expenses – stamps, postage, & ink cartridge plus contributions towards telephone/broadband & office expenses.(July, August & September 2013) / £21.17
£89.97
£62.49
£173.63
Billericay Nurseries 000708 / Preparation & Maintenance of hanging baskets together with the planting up & management of the beds at Bell Bollards plus the on-going maintenance costs incurred for July & August. / £900.96
£691.20 (July)
£696.00 (August)
£2,288.16
Piggott’s Ltd 000709 / 1st Instalment of cost of Christmas Lights - 2013 / £1,523.09
EALC 000710 / Cllr Hooker – attendance @ Budget/Precept Course -10/07/13 / £45.00
Crystal Print 000711 / Printing of Autumn Edition of Village Voice / £525.50
South Green & District War Memorial Fund 000712 / Grant – Contribution towards installation of new central heating system @ Sth Green Memorial Hall / £2,000.00
(*) salary now paid directly by bank transfer on 26th of each month.
(+) following telephone conversations with HM Revenue & Customs and the fact that they would not wait until the September meeting of the Council for this outstanding amount to be settled by the VC, the Clerk exercised his powers under standing orders Section 49(2) and raised a cheque for the above mentioned amount which was duly signed and sent off on 14th of August.
13/116 Village Council Newsletter.
Councillor John. Dear informed the meeting that all the articles previously agreed had been received and the autumn edition of the Village Newsletter would be distributed towards the end of September. The meeting thanked Councillor J. Dear for his efforts in putting together the Autumn 2013 edition of the Village Voice.
13/117 Refurbishment of the Church Notice Board.
It was noted that the refurbishment of the Church Notice Board was on going and that Councillors Hooker and Henderson would keep the Council informed as to the progress being made.
13/118 Adult Gym/Play Equipment
Deferred to the October meeting of the Council, following a meeting of the relevant Working Party referred to at 13/111 above. All in Favour.
Councillor Aly-Khan left the meeting at this point
13/119 Review of Standing Orders.
To note that in her capacity as the internal auditor/checker of the Village Council, Cllr Willingham, in conjunction with the Clerk, would undertake a review of the Standing Orders in the near future.
13/120 Billericay Children’s Centre Advisory Board.
The meeting noted that as agreed Cllr Willingham attended the last meeting of the Billericay Children's Advisory Board and was happy and willing to continue as the appointed representative of the Village Council on the Billericay Children's Advisory Board. Cllr Willingham gave a brief report on her attendance.
13/121 Essex County Fire & Rescue Service – Home Fire safety Visits.
The meeting received details of the Essex County Fire & Rescue Service’s initiative with regard to home fire safety visits. The scheme was to encourage those vulnerable individuals or groups/organizations within communities to ensure that they had the proper safety measures installed, for example, smoke detectors. Councillors with names of any groups or individuals that might benefit from such a visit were requested to pass the details to the Clerk who in turn would inform the appropriate contact at the County Fire & Rescue service.
13/122 Future Meeting Dates.
2nd October, 6th November, 4th December 2013
13/123 Close of Meeting – The Meeting closed at 9.00 p.m.