Held on 7th December2017 at Great Bentley Village Hall
MINUTES
Public questions: None
Meeting commenced at 7.35 pm
Present: Councillors J Hills (Chair), K Plummer, B Herbert, P Drew, R Taylor, and R. Adams. Also in attendance were ECC Cllr A. Goggin, District Councillor L. McWilliams, Parish Clerk K. Paradise and 12members of public.
12.17.172Apologies for absence: Cllr Balbirnie and Cllr Edwards
12.17.173Declarations of Interest:Cllr Adams declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 12.17.179(invoices from Father in law)
12.17.174Actions, information and reports since last meeting:
Projector and screen for Michael wright Room – cost can be shared with the Village Hall. Village Hall committee will investigate costs. LHP met today -await outcome for Flag Hill signs. One quote for tractor and mower service received, will be discussed under finance see minute 12.17.179
Allotment shed break-ins – Urge allotment holders to report break ins/damage to the police through 101 or easily done on line. PCSO is looking at village hall CCTV and taking items to forensics.
Allotment rents – 1 rent outstanding. Have 3 vacant plots – 19a, 19b and 23
Tenders for grass cutting have been updated. Will send to current contractors and announce on the web site
When ready
Query insurance for FoG litter pickersongoing.
12.17.175Minutes of the last meeting: Proposed: Cllr Drew, Seconded: Cllr Adams, Resolved: To approve the minutes of the meeting on 2nd November 2017 as an accurate record of proceedings.
12.17.176 County and District Councillors Reports
a)District Councillor – Cllr L McWilliams’ gave her report (Appendix A)
b)County Councillor - Cllr A Gogginapologised for being late he had just attended the Tendering Local Highways Panel. He gave his report (Appendix B)
12.17.177Other Reports:
a)PCSO – Praised for the work she does. Clerk to ask if crime list are just PCSO incidents or of all police incidents in Great Bentley. (Appendix C)
b)Transport – Mr Peter Nothing to report.
c)Footpaths- Mr D. Gollifer. Discussion regarding which footpaths to be contracted to the parish for cutting. Clerk
to contact ECC/Network re footpath 5 across railway line, footpath 7 to be retained by ECC.
(Report Appendix D)
d)Caretaker - Mr R. McWilliams report was read by the Clerk (Appendix E)
12.17.178Correspondence:
a) Request for Christmas tree shredding to be held on the Green in January agreed
b) Request for show tent to be used on the Green for a WaterAid ball deferred until next meeting
Clerk to add The Path signage to next agenda.
12.17.179Finance:
a)The monthly expenditure report was approved. Proposed Cllr Adams, Seconded Cllr Plummer, Resolved to
Approve the report.
b)The Bank reconciliation to 30th November was noted
c)Rialtas accounting system for Parish Councils was discussed. Proposed Cllr Taylor, Seconded Cllr Adams, Resolved to purchase the software system and maintenance as per quotation. The clerk will run both
current and new systems to the year end accounts.
d)Cost of Councillor e-mail addresses was discussed. Proposed by Cllr Drew, Seconded by Cllr Adams, Resolved
to add e-mail addresses for all Councillors to parish council domain.
e)The future of the tractor, mower and contractor were discussed. The discussion included cost of replacement equipment, storage, fueling and updating the current tractor. Proposed Cllr Adams, Seconded Cllr Drew, Resolved to service the tractor and fit indicators to H&S standard this year. Fund the new equipment through S106. Obtain 3 quotes for the equipment to submit for S106. The Clerk to forward schedule of S106 monies to Councillors.
f)Cllr Taylor submitted a report on playground equipment and cost and recommended the report to the Parish Council. Proposed Cllr Taylor, Seconded Cllr Plummer, Resolved to go out to tender. Cllr Hills procurement team will put out to tender with sealed bids to be returned to the Clerk.
g)Cllr Taylor submitted a report on the 2018/19 budget proposals. £5000 play equipment and £7500 streetlight conversion toLED have been released from earmarked reserves. Proposed Cllr Taylor, Seconded Cllr Adams, Resolved to agree the proposed budget and tax base. The budget will be adopted at the meeting of 4th January afterany adjustments.On behalf of everyone Cllr Hills offered his thanks to Cllr Taylor for work done on the budget preparation.
12.17.180Village Green Working Party
a) Cllr Herbert read the Green report (Appendix F) Cllr Herbert will arrange to have the self-sown trees outside
the boundary wall of Moorlands removed. He will arrange for the Southside Track to be repaired.
Clerk to find out how much a contractor would charge to cut the Green using their own equipment. Obtain
exact specification from Mick Dorling. Clerk to contact Mr Glover asking not to salt roads near the pond.
b)Cllr Hills will use his equipment to flatten the earth in the middle of the track in the allotments on a Saturday.
12.17.180Highways: Temporary road closure request for Bentley Half Marathon Sunday 4th February 2018 agreed.
Meeting closed 9.04 pm
Public Questions
Insurance for Friends of the Green litter pickers – this is being looked into.
Thank you to Moorcroft and Gibbon families who have organised a luncheon for 70 parishioners and Kevin Plummer and David Gibbon for the Christmas tree in Aingers Green.Clerk to write to Mr Moorcroft and Mr Gibbon
Request for streetlamps in St Mary’s Road, Aingers Green to be transferred to Parish Council and fitted with LEDs
Appendix A
Cllr Lynda McWilliams
Tendring District Ward Councillor Report to Parish Council
Planning
As you are aware TDC took the Inspectors decision of approval for Centenary Way to the Secretary of State asking for a Judicial Review. TDC received a response from the Secretary of State that the proposed approval has been withdrawn and Centenary Way will go to appeal again and be heard by a different Inspector. This will not be until next year.
As I expect you are all aware TDC’s Five Year Land supply has now been updated to give a 6.2yr land supply.
This is in part due to the new data on a change in population for Tendring from the Office of National Statistics.
I have included below part of a report and statements made by the Leader of the Council, Cllr Neil Stock, at the recent Full Council meeting.
Latest calculations reveal that Tendring currently has a housing land supply of 6.2 years which can be used to defend against unnecessary and speculative developments at appeal.
Tendring District Council (TDC) officers had been asked to undertake a review of the figure to ensure it reflected the up to date position.
Government inspectors have recently granted a number of planning permissions on appeal – which TDC had originally refused - on the basis they felt the Council could not identify a five-year supply of land.
However, at last night’s meeting of the Full Council the Leader Neil Stock revealed it presently stands at 6.2 years.
New data on the population change from the Office of National Statistics had had the greatest impact.
Other factors – such as sites being brought forward, which are in the Local Plan, and recent appeal decisions – had also had a significant effect.
The latest figure has been endorsed by the Council’s appointed demographics expert.
“These calculations mean that Tendring’s new housing requirement has dropped from 510 homes per year to 480,” said Cllr Stock, who also chairs the Council’s Local Plan Committee.
“As a consequence, this therefore means that the housing land supply figure has increased to 6.2 years.
“This is the figure that will therefore be used by the Council in forthcoming planning appeals and put forward to the Local Plan Examination in Public.
“It helps to ensure the Council’s position as a planning authority is as robust as possible moving forward.”
New Electoral Arrangements
The Boundary Commission submitted its final recommendations to parliament in July regarding the review of the electoral arrangements for TDC.
Parliament has approved the new arrangements with the number of Councillors being reduced from 60 to 48.
This means there are several changes in the makeup of each of the seats e.g. at present the elected councillor for Gt Bentley has just the responsibility of one parish, Gt Bentley, in future it will mean at the next elections in 2019, the elected councillor shall also be responsible for Frating and Little Bentley; this new ward shall be known as The Bentleys and Frating.
Chairman’s Quiz Night
The Chairman’s Quiz Night held last Friday evening in the Princes’ Theatre raised a record sum of £1249.
The Chairman raises funds for a different charity each month with this month’s charity being Stoma Awareness.
Appendix B – Still awaiting from Cllr Goggin
Appendix C
November PCSO Crime Report
Great Bentley.
Crime reports
25/10/2017-The Green- Residential Burglary. Lead stolen.
27/10/2017- Heckfords Road- Burglary dwelling- unknown if anything taken.
29/10/2017- The Green- Burglary Residential dwelling
03/11/2017- Take or make indecent images- Prank
09/11/2017- Criminal Damage to a dwelling.
13/11/2017- - Domestic/verbal abuse.
14/11/2017- Pine Close- Interference with motor vehicle.
15/11/2017- St Marys Road- theft from Motor Vehicle.
15/11/2017- Weeley Road- theft from motor vehicle.
15/11/2017- Pine Close- Interference of motor vehicle,
15/11/2017 - Harassment without violence.
17/11/2017- assault without injury.
19/11/2017- Flag Hill- Dangerous Dog.
Incidents.
26/10/2017-A120/A133- Animal related.
26/10/2017- A133- Assist other agency.
27/10/201- Nuisance youths. Allotments
29/10/2017- The Green- Burglary dwelling.
29/10/2017- A120/A133- ANPR Hit.
07/11/2017- Nuisance youths. (registrations obtained and Anti-social Behaviour warning letters issued.)
08/11/2017- Plough Road- Disturbance.
09/11/2017- Domestic.
13/11/2017- Domestic,.
14/11/2017- Colchester Road- Abandoned vehicle.
16/11/2017- Weeley Road- theft from motor vehicle.
16/11/2017- Sturricks Lane- Abandoned vehicle.
16/11/2017- High Risk missing person (misper)
17/11/2017- Thorrington Road- RTC.
17/11/2017- The Green- Sus Circs.
17/11/2017- the Green- Information.
17/11/2017- Assault.
19/11/2017- Flag hill- Dangerous dog.
20/11/2017- Colchester Road- Sus Circs.
21/11/2017- Weeley Road- Sus Circs.
22/11/2017- Domestic.
24/11/2017- Property.
24/11/2017- Disturbance.
25/11/2017- A120/A133- Highway disruption.
25/11/2017- A120/A133- Theft from Lorry.
Appendix D
Footpath Report for Great Bentley Parish Council, November 2017
The numbering of paths in the parish of Great Bentley is as stated on the “Definitive Map of Public Rights of Way for the County of Essex” dated 1 July 2002, scale 1:10,000. For descriptions of paths please see previous reports.
Notes on paths as at 30/11/17
17. Footpath sign fallen over, needs uprighting (Ref. No. 2539323 dd.26/10/17)
Application to ECC for funds for cutting schedule for Footpaths-2018
With reference to the response from PROW/ECC dd. 27 November 2017, I have the following comments:
I suggest that ECC retain Footpath 7, as it involves mowing on the sea-wall (291m)
I suggest that the Parish Council undertakes the following schedule:
Footpath 11, but this should be strimmed and not mown (439m)
Footpath 12, strimmed (129m)
Footpath 19, strimmed (90m)
Footpath 3, strimmed (346m)
Footpath 5, strimmed (191m)
Footpath 8 strimmed (226m)
Further remarks:
- Footpath 5 which runs from the Church to Frating Abbey Farm Road is the most used path. This year the path was not cut by ECC/Network Rail (NR) until August. Ideally funds should be made available by ECC for an initial cut during May and a follow up cut by EEC/NR during August.
- This year no paths were cut in the Parish by EEC except for Footpath 5 as noted above during August.
- I have attached a copy of the numbering of footpaths in the parish.
David Gollifer
Footpath Representative
Appendix E
Hi Karen, there were 5 lots of fly tipping this month, and pleased to report all have been removed. Play equipment in good order and clean and tidy. Bottle bank and clothing bank are both used well, clean and tidy. Station car park and village hall car parks clean and tidy. My weekly time sheets cover all other areas. Bobby McWilliams
Appendix F
Green Report 1712
Meeting held at the pond Sunday 26th November 2017 at 8.30am.
Those present Cllrs. Pippa Drew, Roger Adams, Bill Herbert and contractor M. Dorling.
Overgrown Hedges
There are still some overgrown hedges spilling out onto The Green, MD has spoken to the owners and we await some action. Outside Moorlands, at the front, are some scruffy, self-sown trees growing outside the boundary wall. Could we ask a contactor to remove these while the house is still vacant.
Rat Poison
We still have approx. £15 worth of poison left and now that we are using a contractor to do the job I would like to hand over to him, what we have not used.
Southside Track The track needs repairing again especially at the eastern end where a large hole has developed.
The PC did agree some time ago to get some stone delivered to fill it in, but it was not done.
Tractors and mowers
We discussed the replacement of equipment under the latest plan, but felt that perhaps we were not aware of enough financial detail and would defer our comments until after the Finance Meeting later this week. If we are to keep the Ford tractor for any length of time we need to get some indicators fitted at the next service
Allotments
In recent weeks there have been several incidents of vandalism. The latest on Monday 4th Dec., one shed door was kicked in (2nd time) and neighbouring windows broken. Both gates were locked. The PCSO is aware and has supplied alarms to put in the sheds. It is believed that a bench which had been stolen earlier ended up on the railway line.
Allotment Tracks
We have received a letter requesting that the earth in between the tracks is removed. When I have tried to do this previously I met with objections from holders who were concerned that it would encourage more vehicle use, which there is not room for. I would like to try rolling the track with a vibrating roll when the ground is not rock hard.
Forge Lane
Closed for installation of gas main 8th Jan. for 5 days.20mts from Thorrington Road?
Weather Warning from TDC 1800—today
Please can we remind Mr. Glover not to spread salt on the road between the Red Lion and the old post office, because that part of the road drains into the pond and salt will kill the wildlife.