KELVEDON HATCH PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council
held on Tuesday 24th June 2005.
1. PRESENT
Cllr. A. Davies (Chairman), Cllr. D. Angel, Cllr. C. Brown, Cllr. V. Cook, Cllr. S. Darnley, Cllr. B. Ewens, Cllr. B. Hall, Cllr. C. Jardine, Cllr. J. Kerry.
E. Higgins, Parish Clerk.
Three members of the public.
PART 1
Items, which, in the opinion of the Parish Clerk, will be considered with the public present at the meeting.
The meeting commenced with Cllr. B. Hall in the Chair, Cllr A. Davies having previously advised that he would be arriving late at the meeting.
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Cllr. D. Hardy
Cllr. J. Wright.
Cllr. R. Dyson, ECC member
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & AMENDMENTS TO THE REGISTER OF MEMBERS INTERESTS
The following declarations of interest were made: -
Cllr. A. Davies Planning
Cllr. V. Cook Planning
Cllr. C. Brown Planning
Cllr. C. Jardine St Nicholas Church
Cllr. B. Ewens St Nicholas Church
4. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD 27th MAY 2005
The minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 27th May 2005 were agreed and signed by the Vice-Chairman subject to the following amendments: -
§ Cllr S. Darnley confirmed that he had sent his apologies to the meeting
§ Cllr. V. Cook advised that as she remains a substitute member on the BBC
Planning Committee she cannot sit on the PC Planning Committee.
§ Although it was agreed that the PC would continue to have a
Representative on the Kelvedon Hatch Village Hall Management
Committee, no such agreement was given as to whether we should
continue with a Representative Trustee. It was resolved that this matter
would be placed on the agenda for discussion at the July 2005 PC meeting.
Cllr. A. Davies joined the meeting at 7.45pm and took over the Chair.
5. CLERKS REPORT
The clerk updated members on a number of ongoing matters.
6. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND REPORT BY ECC MEMBER
Meeting suspended at 8.03pm to allow for questions from the public. The ECC member was not present.
Meeting resumed at 8.06pm.
7. RISK MANAGEMENT
a) The Chairman advised that he has not yet met with Richard Baranofski, BBC, re the CCTV coverage of the play area
8. ENVIRONMENTAL
a) The Environmental working party notes dated 16th June were received and accepted.
b) It was resolved that the clerk should seek alternative contractors to carry out pavement / footpath clearing duties to ascertain the likely cost and set an appropriate budget.
c) BBC have advised that the area around Swan Pond must have been used by local residents as of right for sport and recreation for at least 20 years if the area is to be registered as a ‘village green’. The BBC view is that such use has been permitted by license rather than as of right. The situation may differ if the land is designated ‘Public Open Space’and BBC are investigating this.
d) The Environment working party is taking advice re the suitability of planting summer bulbs in the hedgerows around the village
e) It was resolved that the Environment working party will look at the feasibility and possibility of upgrading the meadow land at Eagle Field to parkland.
f) Cllr C. Jardine reported that following his representations Highways have agreed to reinstate the old road markings at the Ongar Road / Blackmore Road Junction. It was resolved that the clerk should write formally to ECC Highways supporting the re-marking of the road at this junction.
g) Councillors considered whether the PC notice boards in the village needed replacing but it was resolved that, at this time, no further action is required.
9. FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
a) Committee report – No report
b) Balances: - Community a/c £1465cr
Business Tracker a/c £56117cr
Petty cash held - £37.10
Petty cash spent – nil
c) It was resolved to invite the Mayor of Brentwood to the Seniors Christmas lunch.
d) It was resolved to make a donation of £50 to the Mayors charity.
e) It was resolved that clerk should write to the police expressing the PC’s dissatisfaction that Community Support Officers have to rely on public transport to arrive at their patrol destination, time which would be better spent serving the local community.
f) Resolved to approve a budget of up to £50 for flowers in St Nicholas Church during the week commencing 7th August 2005.
g) Councillors considered whether PC meetings should move to an alternative night in the week. It was resolved that meetings will continue to be held on the 4th Friday of each month excluding August and December each year
Details of cheques issued since last meeting: -
24-Jun-05 / K Roast / 101742 / 120.0024-Jun-05 / Argents Ltd / 101743 / 119.85
24-Jun-05 / Carlton Baker Clarke / 101744 / 293.75
24-Jun-05 / RD Potter (Oddjobbers) / 101745 / 147.00
24-Jun-05 / E Higgins / 101746 / 149.48
24-Jun-05 / Fane Memorial Hall / 101747 / 21.00
24-Jun-05 / E Higgins / 101748 / 350.52
24-Jun-05 / Inland Revenue / 101749 / 91.20
24-Jun-05 / Playground Mgmt Ltd / 101750 / 254.98
10. VILLAGE HALL
The clerk read out the responses that the PC had received from both NALC and Lubbock Fine, auditors to the PC. In the light of the advice received it was resolved that the clerk should write to the Trustees of the Kelvedon Hatch Village Hall Charitable Trust advising that we have no legal obligation to pay their invoice dated 5th April 2005 in the sum of £12970 but indicating that the Parish Council would be willing to consider a formal grant application in due course.
The clerk will also reiterate to the Trustees the offer for the PC to agree a formal lease / license over the play area at a rent to be agreed by the District Valuer.
11. REPRESENTATIVES REPORTS
a) Kelvedon Hatch Village Hall Charitable Trust. – No report.
b) Community Primary School – no report.
c) BBPCA
AGM held 7th June 2005 – Salient points: -
o 60 hour course available for clerk to train for qualification, cost £300 plus clerks salary
o Annual subscription raised to £30 per annum.
o Travellers – suggested that each Parish should accept up to say 4 travellers families rather that one big site be imposed on one Parish.
o Stationery suppliers to ECC can supply stationery to PC’s cheaper than Viking Direct.
d) Brentwood Local Strategic Partnership – No meeting.
e) Essex Police Problem Solving Group - no meeting and it was resolved to take this item off future agendas unless advised by representative
12. PUBLICITY
a) Village News – Nothing to report
b) Website – Phillip George is progressing the design of the website and Councillors need to consider what personal information they are willing to have published on the web
13. PLANNING
a) The minutes of the planning meeting held 27th May 2005 were
received and accepted.
b) Enforcements – The clerk will investigate what BBC is doing re the three outstanding enforcement matters itemised on the agenda.
14. PARISH PLAN / VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT
The Environmental working party has called a special meeting on 14th
July 2005 to discuss how this matter can be moved forward.
15. INFORMATION ITEMS FROM MEMBERS
Members advised on the following matters: -
Cllr. V. Cook advised that she has been liaising with BBC Planning re the mobile home that has been placed on land at Groveside, School Road. Planning Inspectors will be visiting the site shortly.
Cllr. V. Cook advised that she attended a meeting of the Environmental Committee, BBC when the problems of the A128 /IOU cottages was discussed. BBC are fully supportive of the views of the PC and have taken on board all the alternative suggestions we made including re-routing the road onto highways land purchased many years ago. They will make representations to ECC who are now responsible for the Highways budget and will use this very real problem as a test case to see how the new road financing arrangements work.
Cllr. B. Ewens reported that some residents in Church Road are not having their recycling boxes emptied because they live up a small lane off the main Road. BBC is investigating.
Cllr. J.Kerry advised that he had attended the public meeting of the Police & Community Consultative Group held on 18th May 2005. The clerk will circulate a copy of the minutes.
The Chairman advised that he has a small stock of black plastic sacks if Councillors become aware of any Parishioners who have not received them.
Cllr. B. Hall advised that she had attended a training session on Play Area maintenance and that the PC should formally record in its minutes details of any work carried out at the playground.
Cllr. C. Jardine advised that residents who do not receive a copy of the free ‘Brentwood Weekly News’ will not receive a copy of the BBC publication ‘Vision’ as the distributors are the same. Clerk will write to BBC requesting that this gap in circulation is put right as all households are entitled to a copy.
16. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Friday, 22nd July 2005 at Fane Hall.
Members are reminded that there will not be a meeting of the Parish
Council during the month of August 2005.
PART 2
Items which, in the opinion of the Parish Clerk, will be considered with the public excluded from the meeting.
There were no items for discussion under this section.
Meeting closed at 10.05 pm
3