MINUTES of the Meeting of Wivenhoe Town Council held in the Council Chamber on Monday 20 January 2014.

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Present: The Town Mayor, Cllr. A. Vaughan (Chairman),

Cllrs: A. Aldis, K. Hall, N. Lodge, P. Kraft, R. Needham, F. Richards, K. Read, A. Stinson, D. Henley, B. Sinclair and N. Tile.

Borough Cllr. M. Cory.

County Cllr J. Young,

Mrs. A. Stinson (Town Clerk)

One member of the public

Press

Prior to commencement of business safety announcements were given

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Apologies for absence were received from Cllr. I. Endean and Borough Cllrs. S. Ford and C. Liddy.

2. MINUTES. RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 16 December 2013 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.


3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES. Under item 7.5 Community Opportunities Group - Cllr. Needham reported that a meeting date was in hand.

4. POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

A resident attended to express his concern on the parking in Old Ferry Road and he was given the contact details of Cllr. Young who was dealing with this.

5. REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY AND BOROUGH COUNCILS.
a) Essex County Council: Cllr. Young updated members on several budget issues: those budgets affected were youth services; children’s centres and the CBC projection of a 1.49% increase which will be decided on 11 February 2014. There were major school transport implications arising from ECC’s proposed changes which could seriously affect Wivenhoe students as Brightlingsea would no longer be the ‘nearest geographical school’ to qualify for free school transport. Members were very concerned to hear about this and a letter would be sent to ECC immediately the following day. On the local front potholes were still causing problems and some headway was being made on traffic issues with Old Ferry Road.

Cllr. Cory reported on the planning application for Valfreda Way, which had been withdrawn and that option 3b was still the current choice for the cycleway; concerning the Philip Road centre the User Groups had been asked to put together some proposals which could go forward with the Health Group proposals; concerning the Vine Drive feasibility study a full look would be taken of all of Vine Drive and Vine Farm Road area, there was some confusion as to the style of parking and Cllr. Kraft would retrieve the submission for the scheme. Areas of flooding at the junction of Manor Road and Stanley Road and also at the junction of Stanley Road and Rectory Road were reported to Cllr. Cory.

Cllrs. Liddy and Ford had submitted a written which was noted. Within the report the small unowned area of tarmac in front of St. Mary’s Church gates was referred to and Ward Cllrs had indicated that funding from the locality budget could be found to repair this if the Town Council placed the order with a contractor. The Town Clerk would look into this with the Town Council’s insurers. Town Clerk would also write to Elmstead Parish Council concerning the land opposite Millfields School and requesting what their proposals are for this land.

Peter Kay was thanked for his continued reporting on transport issues.

6. COMMITTEE REPORTS.
6.1 Planning
a) No applications had been received so the meeting scheduled for 7 January 2014 was cancelled. The next meeting would take place on 28 January 2014.

Members noted that the recent appeal against refusal for the ‘Innisfree’ planning application in De Vere Lane had been dismissed. There was a new application in for 6 dwellings in Belle Vue Road and this would be discussed at the next planning meeting.

b) Cooks’ Shipyard Working Group: Cllr. Read reported that NEPP had advised that they were responding to the number of objectors regarding the Cooks’ car park proposals. The Fisherman’s Store continued to be marketed and one more dinghy space had been taken up. Discussions had taken place with the Sailing Club regarding access to the waterfront.

c) Health Centre: Nothing further to report.

6.2 Personnel Committee. Meeting scheduled for 22 January 2014.

6.3 Finance and Administration Committee.

a) Date of the next meeting would be 6 March 2014. The Town Council’s precept figures

had been received by Colchester Borough Council.

6.4 Estates Committee.
a) Date of the next meeting would be 27 January 2014. Cllr. Richards reminded all members that they could attend if they wished. Upcoming agenda item would be the plot of land by One Stop.

7. WORKING PARTY REPORTS.
7.1 William Loveless Hall Working Party

a) Report of the meeting held on 15 January 2014 was received. Hiring costs were to

remain the same with a small increase in set charges only. A copy of the charges would be

put on the web-site. There had been problems with the floor again and this was being

investigated with the flooring company. Further research is necessary regarding the heat

detector going off, and if an extractor hood will help to prevent it being set off.

7.2 Wivenhoe Wood Working Party: Cllr. Sinclair suggested that the notice about the removal of wood from the coppiced areas be put on the website. The coppiced wood piles were an important habitat for wildlife and they should be left in situ for at least seven years. Removal of this wood was an offence and a legal notice to this effect had been put up by the Wardens to remind residents.

7.3. Minibus Working Group: More volunteer drivers were needed and a notice would be put on the website.


7.4 Youth Facilities Working Party.

Group in suspension at the moment.

7.5 Community Opportunities Group.

Cllr. Needham said he would be arranging a meeting in due course.

7.6 Diamond Jubilee Gardens Working Group.

Agreed to change the name to Garden Working Group from now on. Cllr. Sinclair reported that fruit trees and wildflower seeds would be ordered soon and work would commence shortly. Cllr. Kraft reminded the Group about the time capsule, which would need burying on the site.

7.7 Pavilion, Offices, Yard and Police Houses Working Group.
Cllr. Henley was formally Proposed and Seconded to take on the Chairmanship of the Group from now on. Members thanked Cllr. Henley for stepping in. The date of the next meeting would now be on 29 January 2014 at 3.00pm in the Council Chamber.

7.8 Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.

a) Minutes of the meeting held on 8 January 2014 were circulated. Cllr. Needham reported that a business breakfast meeting had been arranged for 20 February 2014 at 8.00am at the Black Buoy. A potential sponsor for the breakfast meeting had been identified.

7.9 Members' Individual Proposals or Reports:
a) Mayoral Activities: Cllr. Vaughan reported on attendances at the Anglian Ruskin presentation at Chelmsford on 17 December; Over 60’s Christmas Dinner on 20 December and opening Hart Estate Agents on 18 January. Total of 3 engagements.

b) Wivenhoe Community Safety and Neighbourhood Watch report: Nothing to report.

8. TOWN CLERK'S REPORT.
8.1 Burial Grants and approval of memorials.
The Town Clerk reported that no Burial Grants had been issued and two memorials had been approved since the last meeting. No interments had taken place either.

8.2 NALC/EALC Communications. December DIS had been circulated electronically and Making the Links communications were being circulated electronically when received.

8.3 Work Management.

a) The Town Clerk reported that Christmas lights had been taken down; contractors had completed repairs to the skateboard ramps and a tree inspection had been carried out on trees in the Wivenhoe cemeteries. Pyracantha in De Vere Lane had been cut back.

The number of visitors to the Council Offices for the months of December totalled 173.

9. FINANCE.
9.1 Current Financial Report
a) The December spending and income report was received and noted.

9.2 List of cheques numbered 504076 - 504085 drawn since the last Town Council Meeting was approved and signed.
9.3 List of Payments made from the Imprest Account since the last Town Council Meeting was approved.

9.4 Motions Under Standing Orders Recommending Expenditure. None.

9.5 Appeals for Financial Support. None.

10.1 Correspondence.

a) Wivenhoe Gilbert and Sullivan Society: A letter had been received from the Wivenhoe G & S Society concerning storage space for their equipment. After discussion it was Agreed that there was no available space at the moment within the Town Council yard but it was suggested that they liaise with the Pantomime Group to see if there was any space in their container. The Estates Committee would also be happy to meet with the Gilbert & Sullivan Society if needed.

b) Council Yard parking: Members were concerned to learn that Royal Mail staff would be increasing their usage of the yard with more vans. Town Clerk advised that Colchester Borough Council state that the yard is a shared area between all three users. Colchester Borough Council to be asked to establish the exact number of car parking spaces within the yard.

10.2 Conferences/Seminars. None to report.

10.3 Notices.

10.4 Licences.

10.5 Highway Matters.

10.6 Press Releases.

The meeting closed at 9.03pm

CHAIRMAN

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