Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday,
8th January, 2003 in the Village Hall at 8.00 p.m.
Present were:Mrs Burton, Mr Clark, Miss Collinson, Mrs Kesterton, Mr Knowles, Mrs Oliveira, and Mrs Clark (Clerk).
In Attendance:Mrs Cheetham.
1)Apologies for Absence
These had been received from Mrs Flook.
2)Approval of Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 13th November, 2002 were agreed and signed.
3)Matters Arising
a)Common Land
The Clerk had ordered a copy of the Register of Common Land and despite the cheque having been presented over a month ago it had not been received. The Clerk would pursue this. Notification of a one-day course being organised by EALC on Greens & Commons on 7th February in Dunmow at a cost of £39 per delegate had been received. Miss Collinson volunteered to attend. The Clerk was to book the place, mentioning to EALC that a daytime course precluded many members.
b)Dumping of Cars at Brick End
The cars still remained despite the enforcement notice issued on 6th November, 2002 giving a month for their removal. Mrs Cheetham advised that the Uttlesford Enforcement Officer was about to make a final inspection of the site before giving instructions for the removal of the vehicles. She noted that in a month’s time they should all have gone from the site. The cars still remained despite the enforcement notice issued on 6th November, 2002 giving a month for their removal. The Clerk was asked to write to Pestells, the agents acting for the landowner, once the cars had gone, asking for the site to be secured to prevent further dumping. If the owner was not prepared to do this the offer was to be made for the Parish Council to plant a hedge. It was noted that the problem had first been minuted in November, 2000.
c)Jubilee Village Sign
Mr Clark had yet to progress the matter. Mr Knowles had investigated the proposed site on the corner of Cranham Road and found the stump of the old flagpole to be in good condition. He had also checked the old flagpole and found that it could be cut down and used for mounting the sign. A clamp would be required which could be made by the blacksmith. It was unanimously agreed that the old flagpole be utilised.
d)Consolidation of Definitive Map of Public Rights of Way
Mrs Burton had attended the seminar and collected the new copies of the Definitive Map. She reported on a useful contact with the County Parish Paths Partnership co-ordinator.
e)Recreational Land
A letter had been received from Mullucks advising that its client was not averse to selling the land to the Parish Council if a suitable price could be agreed. Availability would, however, depend on whether a purchaser of the house required all or part of the land and with the uncertainties over the airport proposals it could be a protracted affair. The Clerk was asked to investigate the possible purchase of the field on the corner opposite the Old Vicarage which was still owned by the family of the late Arnold Willis, a one time owner of The Old Vicarage.
f)Emergency Planning
Miss Collinson had attended the meeting on November, 20th and would be attending the next meeting on 29th January. She would also deal with any necessary updating of the Parish Emergency Plan.
g)Freedom of Information Act 2000
The scheme adopted by the Parish Council had been approved by the Commission for the period 28th February, 2002 to 28th February, 2007.
h)Delfit’s Lane
It was reported that motor cyclists still appear to be using the lane.
4)Stansted Airport
Mrs Cheetham reported on the success of the Judicial Review which had found that the government had been unfair to exclude Gatwick from the proposals. The consultation process was shortly to be restarted for a period of four months with a possible decision by the Secretary of State for Transport in September. With the consultation period extended SSE’s need for funds was greater than ever, an estimated £175,000 being required to keep the campaign going for another year. It was unanimously agreed that a further £500 be donated now to the cause, with a further £500 pledged for 2003-2004, proposed by Mrs Kesterton and seconded by Mrs Oliveira. Members also agreed that the Parish Council organise some fund- raising events. Mrs Oliveira agreed to approach Alfie Wright and fix a date for a slide evening in early spring, and Miss Collinson offered to liaise with Michael Goulding to find a date for a village open garden day which did not clash with his annual opening as part of the National Garden Scheme.
5)Correspondence
a)District & Parish Council Elections 1st May, 2003
Members were reminded of the elections due on 1st May. Nomination papers would be available in due course.
b)Village Civic Amenity Scheme
Notification that the free skip would be in the village on 25th and 26th January had been received. It would be sited in the car park of the Village Hall. It had not been possible to advertise the date in the magazine since the rota had been received after the copy date.
c)Community Strategy Consultation Workshop 20th January in Harlow
Details of the above were given out.
6)Finance
a)Balances
Balances as at 31st December, 2002 at Barclays Bank, Dunmow were reported as follows:
Community Account (current) £693.75
Business Reserve Account (high rate deposit) £4,333.30
£5,027.05
b)Budgets
As at 31st December, 2002 these stood as follows:
Allocated Spent
General Admin inc S.137 £5,500.00 £1,138.79
Contingency Fund £1,000.00 £500.00 (donation to SSE)
Village Hall £1,000.00 £1,000.00
Queen’s Golden Jubilee (balance) £900.00 £693.84
Capital Fund balance of funds £480.88
c)Cheques
It was agreed to sign the following cheques:
EALC – delegate fee for ‘Greens & Commons’ £39.00
After some discussion it was agreed to make the following grants/donations, and issue cheques:
Five Parishes Magazine £300.00
MEDICS£200.00
St. Clare Hospice £200.00
Stort Trust £100.00
Buffy Bus £ 50.00
Uttlesford Home Start £150.00
Essex Air Ambulance £160.00
Stop Stansted Expansion£500.00
Broxted w. Chickney Church Committee £170.00
(towards upkeep of the Open Churchyard)
The above expenditure was all proposed by Mrs Oliveira as Chairman and agreed to unanimously. It was agreed that requests for funds from Molehill Green Cricket Club, Uttlesford C.A.B. and Bishop’s Stortford and District C.A.B. would all be received favourably.
d)Audit of Accounts 2001-2002
The necessary documentation had been with the external auditor since early October. Nothing had been heard.
e)Community (Current) Account
The Clerk reported that changes had been brought in from 30th December, 2002. All transactions remain free of charge and the restriction on 10 debit entries per month in order to maintain free banking had been lifted, but the interest received on this account had stopped. Since interest on the account from 1st April, 2002 to 31st December, 2002 had amounted only to 90p, the Clerk, as R.F.O., has agreed to these changes. The interest-bearing status could have been maintained but hefty charges on each credit and debit transaction would have been levied.
7)Planning Matters
The current position on planning matters is:
a)Tudor Cottage, Brick End - addition to single storey extension – conditional approval
b)Leswins, Chapel End – renewal of outline permission for the erection of a bungalow – conditional approval
c)Tuija’s Cottage, Pledgdon Green – erection of a replacement dwelling and garage – awaited
d)The Rise, Brick End – extension to workshop to provide new offices and welfare facilities – awaited
8)Any Other Business
a)Postal Deliveries
The matter of very late deliveries and some days no delivery at all was raised. The Clerk was asked to take the matter up with the appropriate body.
b)The Prince of Wales
The restricted opening hours and the general aura of neglect in recent months at the Prince of Wales was raised. The Clerk was asked to write to the leaseholders, TK Taverns, to enquire what was being done to remedy the situation.
10)Date of the Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Wednesday, 12th March, 2003 in the Village Hall at 8.00 p.m.
Mrs Cheetham was thanked for her attendance and the meeting closed at 9.30 p.m.