Myland Community Council
Minutes of the meeting of the Community Council held on Wednesday 26th February 2014, 7.15 pm, at Mile End Methodist Church Hall, Nayland Road, Colchester.
Present: / Cllr Pete Hewitt (Chair) / Cllr John DicksonCllr Robert Johnstone (Vice-Chair) / Cllr Martin Goss
Cllr Richard Beauchamp / Cllr Dominic Graham
Cllr Catherine Clouston / Cllr Carolyn Hurst
Cllr David Clouston / Cllr Nick Marsh
Cllr Jean Dickinson / Cllr John Sutcliffe
There were two members of the public present.
164-13/14 Apologies
Cllr John Stewart
165-13/14 Declarations of Interest
There were none.
166-13/14 Have your say
Mrs White thanked Cllr Goss for the effective way he dealt with the Water Tower on Mill Road. She said it could be very nice if it was landscaped. She also said she believed there were Methane gas pipes in the area hence it would not be accessible by the public.
Mrs White said she had noticed the item on the agenda regarding the footpath over the A12 and said that Cllr Johnstone should be congratulated for pushing this forward and wished MCC every success in the bid. She added that she was concerned about the isolation of the area and said the bridge should be made vandal-proof.
Mrs White asked to address Cllr Beauchamp, she said she had read the previous minutes and had been in considerable pain and took exception to his comments regarding people not coming to MCC meetings because of her.
She asked the Chairman about the Neighbourhood Plan and the criteria on which the sub-neighbourhoods had been based. The Chairman said he would explain that in the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group.
The Chairman said that Councillor Dickinson was the initiator of the A12 footpath agenda item. He also said that he did not recall Cllr Beauchamp mentioning any names in his comments at the previous meeting.
167-13/14 Minutes of the meeting of the Community Council held on the 29th January 2014 to be approved as a true record and signed by the chairman.
The minutes of the meeting of the Community Council held on the 29th January 2014 were approved as a true record and signed by the chairman.
Proposed: Cllr Hurst Seconded: Cllr Beauchamp (9 For: 2 Abstentions)
168-13/14 Matters arising from the Minutes
The Chairman referred to item 156-13/14 and said that they had not reached any firm conclusions at the last meeting and said he and the Clerk would be looking at possibly revising the agenda for the April meeting. He also referred to the meeting with Nick Boles, a planning Minister, being arranged by Sir Bob Russell. This was now planned for 10 March but numbers are severely restricted. He and Councillor Goss would be attending.
169-13/14 Chairman’s Report
The Chairman said he thought last months’ debate was very important and he thanked everybody for their input and to those who had followed it up with further thoughts that would be addressed.
The Chairman also thanked Councillor Stewart for stepping-up to represent MCC during the Boroughs Myland Day of Action.
The Chairman reminded the Councillors that their input to the 2013/14 Chairman’s report would be needed soon.
170-13/14 Clerks Report
The Clerk said the repeal of s150(5) of the Local Government Act 1972, which requires two signatures on cheques, is imminent. This will allow Parish/Community Councils, once they have put efficient processes in place, to use on-line banking. This will also involve amendments to the Financial Regulations.
The Clerk said she had been in discussion with CBC with regard to having a PC, supplied by CBC, in the office for use by the public.
Planning Liaison
Footpaths – Still a problem with CBC making the Definitive Map and Statement available to the public – will continue to chase.
NAR RTR – CBC waiting for details of how the junctions e.g. Wallace Road, Dickinson Road will work with the RTR.
NAR3 – Vincent Pearce meeting with residents regarding the sound attenuation etc.
Chesterwell – MCC expressed extreme disapproval and disappointment regarding the way CBC are dealing with the S106. Pointed out various failings: education, flood risk, health, PRoW, affordable homes, etc. Vincent Pearce agreed to arrange a meeting between MCC, Karen Syrett and Alistair Day.
Severalls Phase 1 – Received the following update from David Whybrow, CBC, 11th February: I visited the site last month along with drainage engineer, Simon High, & the site manager. It was noted that there is a section of the site which has yet to be built upon (& which won’t be developed for a year or so) which lies immediately to the rear of properties in Thomas Wakley Close & contains water. The ground level had been reduced to allow construction to commence but as a result of the continuing heavy rainfall, there was considerable standing water in this location. As the level is significantly lower than the adjacent back gardens, we could see very little risk to any damage to the houses in Thomas Wakley Close which was a main concern of residents. We suggested however that Crest pump the standing water away into the surface water drainage system and tidy the area with top soil as much as possible. They had already dug a drainage trench taking excess water to the new pond in the lower, western part of the site. We noted that there was no breach of planning control as the approved drainage strategy for the completed dwellings was fully operational. The problem arose because of the extreme wet conditions which are being experienced nationwide.
171-13/14 To receive reports from Working Groups
Community Working Group – Cllr Goss said the last Community meeting had been positive they had started to think about the next Fete and discussed bus shelter repairs. He said the Group would be focusing on the website at the next meeting.
Footpaths Working Group – Cllr Johnstone said the Group had not had a meeting, he said the next meeting would be on the 5th March. He said that he and Cllr Sutcliffe had met with Brad Davis from Mersea Homes and had walked the Chesterwell site, which took one and a half hours. He said as an initial meeting he was fairly pleased with the views expressed by Brad Davis and the importance Mersea Homes put on PRoWs. He said there would be further meetings.
The Chairman thanked Cllr Johnstone for arranging the meeting and for Cllr Sutcliffe’s support. He said there had been a programme on BBC that week regarding a major PRoW review. Cllr Johnstone said that in 2026 there would probably be an official online definitive map and all footpaths unrecorded at that time would be lost forever. The Chairman said MCC was very grateful for all Cllr Johnston’s work.
Neighbourhood Plan Working Group – Cllr Hewitt said following last month’s decision to temporarily extend Emily’s hours to do the questionnaire input and because of the efforts of Working Group members the input should be complete and results summarised for analysis by the end of next month. Cllr Hewitt said the questionnaires were aimed at residents and the Group felt they needed to embrace, for example, north Colchester businesses and Cllr Dickinson was leading on this, and local groups and organisations which Cllr C Clouston was helping with. The Clerk had also suggested that the Group should look at ways of engaging specifically with young people and this would also be done. While these other engagements are taking place the Group would start to look at options that start to manifest themselves from the residential survey.
Cllr Hewitt said he had looked at other Neighbourhood Plans that had gone through the examination and adoption phases and had detected a criticism that sometimes the options selection was felt to be invested in a small and too select number of people. He said this could be avoided by taking up the option to run our ideas past those who have already offered, via the questionnaire, to be approached to help us further. This would be done by email to make that process quick and cheap. In summary, the momentum gathers pace.
172-13/14 To receive report from Planning & Development Policy Committee - Received
173-13/14 Finance - To consider and possibly resolve to authorise invoices for payment, receive copy Bank statements and details of expenditure to date.
It was resolved to authorise invoices for payment, receive copy Bank statements and details of expenditure to date.
Proposed: Cllr Hurst Seconded: Cllr Johnstone (9 For; 3 Abstentions)
Expenses
Date / Amount / Paid to / Reason11-Feb-14 / 57.60 / BT / Broadband
14-Feb-14 / 186.12 / Danwood / Office Equipment & Mtce
17-Feb-14 / 20.00 / Contract Services / Cleaning
20-Feb-14 / 177.99 / CNG / Gas
25-Feb-14 / 16.62 / Titan Telecom / Phone
26-Feb-14 / 33.00 / Mile End Methodist Church / Community Council Meeting
26-Feb-14 / 349.80 / The Leaflet Guy / Mylander
26-Feb-14 / 2,267.00 / Green Square Communications / Mylander
26-Feb-14 / 70.00 / C Clouston / Mylander Honorarium
26-Feb-14 / 30.00 / N Marsh / Mylander Honorarium
26-Feb-14 / 100.00 / P Hewitt / Chairman's allowance
26-Feb-14 / 0.79 / H Harris / Stationery
26-Feb-14 / 6.00 / H Harris / Notice boards inc mtce
26-Feb-14 / H Harris / Clerk Salary
26-Feb-14 / Essex Pension Fund / Pension
26-Feb-14 / HMRC / Tax & NI
26-Feb-14 / H Duin / Street Officer Salary
26-Feb-14 / E Hennings / Asst Clerk Salary
Income
Date / Amount /Received from
/ Reason03-Feb-14 / 45.00 / Chapman Finance / Mylander
04-Feb-14 / 45.00 / D Roche (Brighten up Cleaning) / Mylander
04-Feb-14 / 45.00 / West Bergholt Cleaning Services / Mylander
06-Feb-14 / 45.00 / D Smith (Jazzercise) / Mylander
07-Feb-14 / 70.00 / M & N Boorn / Mylander
10-Feb-14 / 45.00 / Vic Tallowin / Mylander
Income cont.
Date / Amount /Received from
/ Reason13-Feb-14 / 140.00 / Buxton Plumbing / Mylander
17-Feb-14 / 70.00 / Elements / Mylander
19-Feb-14 / 130.00 / Oaks Hospital / Mylander
19-Feb-14 / 45.00 / Trevor Cordwell / Mylander
24-Feb-14 / 130.00 / Colchester Borough Council / Mylander
24-Feb-14 / 3,634.91 / Colchester Borough Council / Grants
174-13/14 To consider and possibly agree that MCC will apply for funding from the CBC Community Groups (New Homes Bonus) fund, for up to £10,000 (TBC) to cover external fees to undertake a feasibility study for a new steel bridge as a footpath, cycleway, bridleway over the A12 with associated all weather routes linking Chesterwell Wood to the Essex Way. If resolved agree who to delegate to.
It was resolved to agree that MCC will apply for funding from the CBC Community Groups (New Homes Bonus) fund, for up to £10,000 (TBC) to cover external fees to undertake a feasibility study for a new steel bridge as a footpath, cycleway, bridleway over the A12 with associated all weather routes linking Chesterwell Wood to the Essex Way. If resolved agree who to delegate to.
Proposed: Cllr Dickinson Seconded: Cllr Johnstone (11 For; 1 Abstention)
Cllr Sutcliffe said he would have liked to have received a positioning paper and that it should have gone via a working group first. The Chairman said this was not a requirement in Standing Orders but if it was considered it should be then an amendment to the Standing Orders would have to be proposed.
It was resolved to delegate this item to Cllr Dickinson to lead with input from the Footpaths Working Group.
Proposed: Cllr Marsh Seconded: Cllr Clouston (Unanimous)
175-13/14 If 174-13/14 is proved viable then to consider and possibly agree that MCC will submit a full bid for Local and Lottery funding for a new steel bridge as a footpath, cycleway, bridleway over the A12 with associated all weather routes linking Chesterwell Wood to the Essex Way. If resolved agree who to delegate to.
Deferred.
176-13/14 To consider and possibly agree that MCC will support local businesses and organisations by providing the following services. If resolved agree who to delegate to.
a. to use the office address as their organisation / company registered address and receive post on their behalf
b. to provide meeting room facilities
c. to allow limited advertising on community notice boards
Deferred.
177-13/14 If 176-13/14 resolved to consider and possibly agree the rates that MCC will charge for these services (suggested rates below). If resolved agree who to delegate to – Cllr Dickinson
a. Company address and receive post £6.00 per month
b. Meeting room facilities £10.00-£15.00 per 2 hours
c. Community Board Advertising £5.00 per month
Deferred.
178-13/14 Report from County Councillor - There was no report.
179-13/14 Reports by Ward Councillors
Cllr Goss said that the New Braiswick Park School was moving forward and there would be more consultations.
He went on to refer to concerns regarding pot holes and said that ECC were not doing anything about them at that time.
180-13/14 Relevant information from meetings attended by Councillors and Clerk
Cllr Beauchamp said he had attended the NAP meeting and said this was probably the last one. He said MCC needed someone else to represent it.
Cllr Johnstone had been to the Care debate at the Town Hall and the main speaker had mentioned CCG but never said what it stood for. He said he felt it was shabbily done and presented.