Held on 3 March 2016 at Great Bentley Village Hall
MINUTES
In absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman Cllr Balbirnie proposed that Cllr Plummer chair the meeting. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Drew and agreed unanimously.
Present: Cllrs K Plummer (Chair), B. Herbert, R. Adams, R. Taylor, P. Balbirnie, L. Edwards, P. Drew and G. Wright.
Public Questions
- The inconsiderate parking on Plough Road north of the level crossing continues unabated.
- There was a report of a sports car parked behind Chapel Terrace inmiddle of The Green today. It was noted that this appeared to be a photo shoot?
03.16.347Apologies for absence: Apologies were received from Cllr J. Hills (recovering from an operation).
03.16.348Minutes of the last meeting:The minutes of the meeting held on 4 February were proposed by Cllr Balbirnie, seconded by Cllr Drew and agreed as a true record.
03.16.349Declarations of Interest:
Agenda items 356 and 364: Cllr Adamsnoted that Mr Dorling is his father in law.
03.16.350Information & Reports:
a)Cllr Edwards reported that he is involved in early discussions regardingfibre-optic broadband. He requestedthat is included as an agenda item next month.
b)Cllrs Taylorreported that he and Cllr Herbert went through all the documents in the safe. He agreed that he and Cllr Herbert would continue to examine the documentation and report back. He requested that is included as an agenda item next month.
03.16.351County and District Councillors Reports:
a)District CouncillorCllr L. McWilliams: Further to the letter received from schoolchildren the highway drains on Plough Road have been flushed through. Clarification was given that the post office now has new owners. The service has closed temporarily while the refurbishment of the Holland on Sea branch is undertaken.
b)County CouncillorCllr A. Goggin: Good feedback regarding ECC’s energy saving initiative with some people saving £000’s.ECC’s Council tax is set to increase in 2016/17. The authority must save £1,000,000/week over the next four years. Cllr Goggin has circulated the ECC Leaders Budget speech.
03.16.352Other Reports:
a)PCSO Update; The Clerk provided an update regarding PCSO Cox’s absence referring to correspondence received.
b)TDALC; Cllr Taylorreported that we are between meetings and therefore no report this month.
c)Transport; Mr Harryreported that station works has overrun further.Estimate completion date now end of March. Confirmation received that the 77 bus service will continue for next four years.
d)Footpaths; Nothing to report this month.
e)Caretaker; The Clerk read out Mr McWilliams brief report.
f)Village Events;Nothing to report.
03.16.353Correspondence:
a)Request to hold the Village Show and Dog Show on the Green on 3 September 2016; Agreed
b)Request to hold the Great Bentley Carnival on the Green on 25 June 2016; Agreed.
c)Complaint about vehicles driving on public open space on Larkfield Road and request for a barrier to be erected – Mr Gillings;Resolved: To write again to the residents in the vicinity requesting them not to drive on the green space and advise Mr Gillings.
d)Complaint about vehicle parking behind Chapel Terrace – Mrs L Mitchell;Further to a short discussion it was agreed to ask the VGWP to consider the matter and report back.
e)2 x items relating to fund raising on Wednesdays on the Green – Mr Hamilton;Comments noted and pass on to FoG for consideration.
f)Complaint regarding unnecessary attempts to manage traffic in the village – Mr A L Irwin; Noted.
g)Request from FoG to display notices on the Green; Agreed.
h)Proposal for Strategic Development and Community Infrastructure Pre-application Advice and Developer Contribution Enquiry Charges – ECC; Noted.
i)Rural Planning Review: Call for Evidence – ECC; Noted.
j)ECFRS Consultation Document; Noted.
k)Lower Thames Crossing Proposal - Consultation Events; Noted.
03.16.354Parish Clerk Report: (attached as Appendix A) The Clerk raised two items.
- Town Twinning request: Cllr Taylor volunteered to lead on the Great Bentley submission.
- Essex Police ANPR Consultation: No objections raised.
3.16.355Finance Report: An amended monthly expenditure report (attached as Appendix B) was tabled at the meeting. Cllr Edwards proposed the report from approval, Cllr Taylor seconded it and it was Resolved: To approve the contents of the monthly expenditure report for payment.
03.16.356Village Green Working Party: Cllr Herbert, Chair of the Working Party read out his report, which is attached as Appendix C to these minutes.Proposed by Cllr Herbert, seconded by Cllr Taylor and Resolved:
- Cllr Wright to ask Mr Sawyer to prepare a survey/specification for single kerbs outside the Methodist Church. Cllr Taylor to provide Cllr Wright with a plan. Once spec is received we can then seek quotations.
- To accept the donation of a bench to be located on the Green in front of the Methodist Church.
- To agree to plant nine semi-mature trees in a line with the existing trees behind Chapel Terrace.
- To approve the routine application of fertilizer and herbicide on the Green, the products applied to be purchased by the PC and cost passed on to any relevant end user. The application, storage and handling of materials including labour and machinery costs to be provided by Cllr Wright foc.
The Clerk was asked to include Forge Land kerbing and drainage on next agenda. Also to send a thank you letter to Vicky Brooks for her work preparing a soil analysis.
03.16.357Public Engagement Working Party: Pippa provided an update. Cllr Edwardshas volunteered to be first councillor to have his biography published in the Parish Magazine. Cllr Adams will be the second. Annual Parish Meeting proposal to be deferred until next meeting.
03.16.358Highways Issues – Matters Arising: Cllr Adams reported that pothole in front of the church continues to worsen and it has not been possible to identify when the repair work will be completed.
03.16.359Chapel Terrace – Parking at the rear: This item was dealt with under item 356.
03.16.360Village Pond: Cllr Wright passed on two quotations for the hire of a long reach diggerfor the proposed pond maintenance. He also submitted a quotation for a driver for the digger.Cllr Wright would provide tractor, trailer, driver and a suitable place to dispose of the unwanted waste material foc. He noted that if the work is completed in one day the cost for the digger will be approximately £440, increasing to £780 if it takes two days. Resolved: To undertake this work (in-house) at end of September/October.
03.16.361Atthill Trust: To agree nominations for Trustee positions.Cllr Edwards proposed,Cllr Balbirnie secondedand Resolved: To reappoint Cllr R. Taylor and Barbara Foulkes as the Parish Council appointments.
03.16.362Mobile Fish Bar:
Cllr Adamsgave a verbal update. It was noted that the Village Hall Car Park (or Station Car Park) would be more appropriate.It was agreed that that efforts should be made to attempt to accommodate the Fish Bar.It was agreed that Cllrs Plummer and Adamsattempt to negotiate practical agreement with the owner of the Fish Bar.
03.16.363Forge Lane: This item was dealt with under item 356 above.
03.16.364Mower Maintenance: The Clerk confirmed that the annual service of the mowers has been complete.
03.16.365The Queen’s Birthday Beacons: Cllr Drew provided a brief update. It was agreed in principal to participate on 21 April 2016 and to seek donations to fund the event. Cllr Drew volunteered to lead on the initiative.
03.16.366Car Park Improvements: The Clerk confirmed that the CIF operates two rounds per year (every six months). Members agreed that we should proceed to prepare an application for car park improvementsas soon as possible.Report back to the next meeting.
03.16.367Allotment Fencing: Cllr Wright reported that he has not managed to speak with Mr Roger Wright to clarify the outstanding issues. He asked that this matter is deferred until the next meeting.
03.16.368Housing Needs Survey: The Clerk confirmed that the PCis able to insert additional material in the survey envelopes. He then read out the anticipated timetable advising the RCCE should be able to print the survey forms by 8 April 2016. The PC will then deliver the forms. Four weeks will be allowed for completion and return of the questionnaires for analysis. It was agreed to include this as an agenda item next month.
03.16.369Great Bentley Primary School: The Clerk reported that no response has been received to his letter.
03.16.370Audio Minutes: The Clerk reported that the cost of the hardware required to facilitate audio-only webcasting of meetings would be £350.The ongoing cost of the service after the first FOC year would be £100 a month. Cllr Edwards tabled a motion, Cllr Drew seconded it and it was Resolved: That the Parish Council purchases the necessary hardware and signs up for the first year trial offer to broadcast audio recordings of the monthly meetings.
03.16.371Post Office: The sale and temporary closure of the Post Office was noted.
03.16.372Future Agenda Items: Items raised included;
- Best Kept Village Sign – next meeting
- The surface of Southside track
- Standing Orders Review - next meeting.
03.16.373Workplace Pensions: Cllr Drew proposed a motion that the business for discussion in agenda item 373 contains personal information and therefore should be discussed in part B of the meeting in camera. Cllr Adams seconded the motion and it was agreed unanimously. The Chairman closed the meeting at this point and invited questions from the public.
Public Questions
- It was confirmed that letters had previously been sent to householders regardingthe Larkfield Rd open space?It was suggested that further action is now required.
- Clarification was provided about the Housing Needs Survey (HNS).
- It was suggested that the HNS needs to focus on the villagesaging population.
- It was noted that there is an escaped cockerel looking for its owner.
- It was noted that the clock at the entrance of the School 8 mins out.
- Cllr Drew agreed to provide a progress report about the Thorrington pavement extension to the next meeting.
- Someone suggested that the ANPR cameras are a good idea.
03.16.373Workplace Pensions: The following motions were proposed by Cllr Drew, seconded by Cllr Adams carried unanimously:
Resolved:
a)Sign up with the Government designed NEST scheme.
b)Use Qualifying Earnings (Approximately £7,176 pa) as the basis to calculate contributions.
c)Keep to minimum employer contributions and the increases in these as legislated for future years.
d)Start on the staging date.
APPENDIX A
PARISH CLERK REPORT
3 MARCH 2016
- Town Twinning Request: The Tendring Town Twinning Association Committee is planning to produce a book as a gift representing all the different and diverse communities that comprise the Tendring District. This book will be mainly pictorial, but will contain a short text to say something about individual communities.The Vice Chair has written to the Parish Council asking for a contribution to this venture. They need a short text about Great Bentley and any photos that are representative of the community. This book is planned to be given as a gift to Valence, but may later be put onto the twinning website.
We need a volunteer to collate the Great Bentley contribution.
- Parish Council Website:
- All local planning applications are now being uploaded on to the website. Over time this will show a cumulative sequential list of planning applications in the Parish.
- I am pleased to report that four parish councillor’s have now subscribed update facility on the Council’s website.
- Hits on the website are now averaging just over one hundred per day.
- Village Green Registration Document’s: Further to member’s request I applied for and subsequently received a copy of the Village Green Register. This document will be stored in the safe in the Community Resource Centre.
- Declarations of Interest by Councillor’s: Member’s will recall that there is an outstanding issue relating to councillor’s declarations of interest and the Code of Conduct. I have contacted the Monitoring Officer to seek guidance and a definitive view. I have been informed that she is on leave until 23 April and will report her response once it has been received.
- Change of Authorised Signatories: The task remains outstanding.
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX C
Green Report 0316 Meeting held at Chapel Terrace. Sunday 21/02/2016. 10am
Those present: Pippa Drew, Roger Adams, Bill Herbert and our contractor Mick Dorling.
It was felt by the working party that the best way to prevent use of the Green as a turning circle and parking area would be to plant nine semi-mature trees in a line with the existing trees. This would still leave a gap at the end, which could be closed off with a pole on short struts, as outside the PC Office, perhaps with reflectors fitted. We would recommend that the price to sponsors of the trees should not be more than £100. If this idea is taken up we will need more sponsors. Need to advertise. The cost per tree would be in the region of £100 plus £35 for planting, staking and watering if MD does the work. He is at the moment waiting for a list of trees that are available.
Kerbs Could we consider having twelve kerbstones installed opposite The Methodist Chapel? In spite of all the efforts that Robert, MD and myself have put in it has become a muddy mess again. MD thinks we may get some funding from FoG.
Pond Questions were asked about the maintenance of the pond and how prepared are we? If we are to follow the Environmental Agency guidelines, we should not work in the pond until late September, early October.
Vandalism We are currently being targeted by an idiot in a car who has churned up several areas of the green during the hours of darkness. Areas affected so far are southside, play area and the triangle where the footballers park.
Dogs Since leaving the meeting I have been approached by two people reporting separate attacks by large untethered dogs. In the first our strimming contractor was knocked to the ground and in the second a child on the play area was knocked over. The carer of the child was not at all happy, especially because the dog was unaccompanied.
Bill