White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne
Parish Council
Parish Council Minutes
Meeting held on 18 May 2009
WHITE COLNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council and the Parish Council Meeting held at
The Village Hall, Bures Road, White Colne on Monday 18th May 2009 at 7.30 pm.
Present :Cllr M Abrahams,Cllr S Adlem,Cllr J Brace,Cllr K Nolan(Chairman),Cllr C Pearcey, Cllr Taylor, Cllr J Watt
Also Present: Clerk D Williams, Police Community Support Officer, Community Warden and 10 members of the public attended.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
49. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE -
50. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
Cllr Nolan was proposed by Cllr Taylor and seconded by Cllr Brace. There being no further proposals Cllr Nolan was duly elected chairman and he took the chair.
51. ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN
Cllr Taylor was proposed by Cllr Watt and seconded by Cllr Brace. There being no further proposals Cllr Taylor was duly elected vice chairman.
52. ELECTION OF COMMITTEES
Cllr Nolan proposed that the following sub committees were re elected and all members
approved this:-
Footpaths – Cllr Watt
Transport – Cllr Pearcey and Cllr Watt
Meadows Management Committee – Cllr Nolan, Cllr Taylor and Cllr Watt
Village Hall Management Committee – Cllr Adlem, Cllr Pearcey and Cllr Taylor
Allotments – Cllr Brace
Newsletter, Website -
There being no further business the Annual General Meeting was closed at 7.33pm.
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
53. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE -
54. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS – Cllr Taylor declared an interest in minute 62 as she is a resident of Boley Road.
55. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING -
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
The meeting was suspended for questions and statements.
(i)A parishioner asked if issues could be discussed by the public during meetings rather than just making statements and asking questions at public question time.
(ii) The Labour candidate for Halstead at the forthcoming Essex County Council elections made a statement.
(iii) A parishioner asked who was paying for Lord Hanningfield’s trip to Europe.
(iv) The Police Community Support Officer said that there had been two road traffic collisions in the last month. He was asked to provide details and liaise with Essex County Council Highways regarding this. Speed gun training is continuing. The neighbourhood policing units are visiting the parishes.
(v) A parishioner said that what has been achieved with the Meadows project is wonderful.
The meeting was resumed.
56. CONSIDERATION OF ISSUES RAISED AT PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
(i)Cllr Nolan said that he did not want to stifle debate and there were pros and cons for having public questions at both the start and the end of the meeting. If it is specifically helpful to get public views at other times we try to include it.
The Police Community Support Officer and the Community Warden left the meeting.
57. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
(a) 09/00515/FUL Whites Farm, Bures Road -
general storage area – We supported the previous application 08/01044/FUL but with reservations
regarding the height of the building, considering its visual impact. We therefore consider that this
increase in height is unacceptable and we object to this application. Cllr Abrahams said that he
did not declare an interest but that he abstained from the discussions regarding this application.
09/00531/FUL Acorn Cottage, Bures Road – demolition of existing dilapidated Nissan hut, repair/renovate
existing single storey black barn, erection of storage annexe to barn and change use to holiday
cottage/leisure let – A neighbour’s letter was
considered. -
development from Parkhouse Lane/Wakes Green Lane as it is a protected lane, and the entrance
should be from Bures Road. We approve the elevation and footprint and that the use should be for
self catering holiday use only. Conditions on lighting not to cause a nuisance to adjoining
properties, and that the extension cannot be sold separately from the main property.
09/00065/TPOCON 14 Colne Park Road – tree works application -
branches close to the house now (and indeed at any time) and to allow pollarding to be
undertaken when the leaves are off the tree this autumn, but not before.
09/00078/TPO 2 Colchester Road – tree works application. We object to the
removal of the Tree Preservation Orders that would enable this work to be done for
the following reasons:-
1.The land is not owned by 2 Colchester Road owners; 2.It is in a conservation area;3.The trees are very important to the local street scene due to their considerable age estimated at 100 years. This was pointed out by local residents in the recent consultation regarding the village design statement currently being prepared; 4.According to a fourth engineer's report which was not included in the application, the extension will probably have to be underpinned anyway; 5.In reading the engineers' reports the heave damage could be worse than the subsidence if the trees are removed; 6.The movement is mainly restricted to the later extension which was constructed we are advised in 1989 even though the tree roots are under the older part of the house as well; 7. Subsidence has occurred in the local area for example the house to the right of the property we are advised was underpinned; 8. We are advised that Braintree District Council say that the trees are in prime health, considering the local occurrence of horse chestnut tree disease; 9. A local resident advises that the radius of the tree roots is in proportion to the height of the tree and so the heave caused by the possible removal may affect other local properties and the A1124 main road.
58. CONSIDERATION OF A REPORT ON THE HEADS OF AGREEMENT FOR THE TRANSFER OF
WCPC LAND TO ESSEX CC IN RETURN FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE VILLAGE HALL AND
LAND TO WCPC
Cllr Nolan said that the question of the parish council needing to insure the village hall building has been raised. He said that the solicitor acting for the parish council considers that we do not have to insure the building which should be insured by Essex County Council (ECC), and she suggested that the parish council seek confirmation of this from ECC. This was agreed and the clerk was asked to obtain this confirmation.
Cllr Nolan said that a further letter has been received from Lord Hanningfield, Leader of ECC, saying that ECC will not pay the outstanding additional solicitor’s costs. Our solicitors say that it would be time consuming to continue, and copies of the correspondence have been given to them and they are writing to ECC. It was agreed that the parish council continue to seek repayment, and Cllr Taylor suggested that copies of correspondence are forwarded to our Member of Parliament.
59. WHITE COLNE MEADOWS
Cllr Taylor said that there were no issues to report.
60. VILLAGE HALL
Cllr Adlem said that the management committee met in May and reported reasonably good lettings. She presented proposals covering the financial relationship between the parish council as landlord of the village hall, and the management committee as tenant. Cllr Nolan proposed that this is studied and considered at the next meeting.
It was agreed that the parish council reimburses the management committee for the cost of the installation of an injected dpc which was £666.71 including VAT, (£579.75 ex VAT). This is paid from the £1,000 budgeted for village hall costs.
Cllr Taylor said that the committee was considering a rain harvesting system for the operation of the toilets and was considering an environment grant application for this.
61. FINANCIAL MATTERS
(a)Payments -
Cheque Payee Details Amount £
1147 White Colne Village Hall – reimbursement of erection of solar light 50.00
1148 Holmes & Hills – solicitors fees for Agreement with Essex CC 1,347.80
1149 Braintree District Council – History Group orchard board 1,309.31
1150 Braintree District Council – Community Design Group logo costs 138.00
1151 Claire PB & Jonathan PR Ltd -
1152 C Pearcey – Community Design Group costs 83.28
1153 R Gourlay -
1154 Esex Association of Local Councils – annual subscription 128.73
1155 Allianz Insurance – annual premium 623.91
1156 Brian Alderman – web site maintenance Feb-
1157 R A Mortimer – grasscuts, village green & bins, village hall, Meadows 556.60
1158 R A Mortimer – sweeping paths & clean phone box April 73.60
1159 D Williams – clerk salary April & May 731.83
1160 Claire PB & Jonathan PR Ltd -
1161 1&1 Internet Ltd – History group 34.43
1162 White Colne Village Hall – History group 8.00
1163 White Colne Village Hall -
1164 C Pearcey -
1165 S Adlem -
1166 S Adlem -
1167 J Taylor – Carols costs £60.21, Trafalgar Day costs £10.50 70.71
D/D Eon – Village Hall electricity 126.89
D/D British Gas – village hall gas 140.36
TOTAL PAYMENTS £ 5,994.00
Since the last financial report, the following funds have been received:-
Adverts 100.00
H M Customs & Excise – VAT refund 4,151.21
White Colne Village Hall – chargebacks for 2008-
Allotments 20.00
Braintree District Council – half precept £4,894 & grant £1,711 6,605.00
Nat West Bank – interest 2.86
TOTAL RECEIPTS £ 12,349.51
(b)Following the above transactions there is a credit balance on current account of £ 14,376.04
on reserve account £ 10,168.15
Total £ 24,544.19
of which the balance held in reserve for the White Colne Meadows project is £ 1,125.32
and the balance held in reserve for the Local Heritage Initiative Fund is £
-
and the balance held in reserve for the Community Design Group is £ 4,752.97
Total of allocated funds is £ 5,763.32*
Thus the balance of unallocated funds is £ 18,780.87*
*NB The VAT refund monies received are to be allocated to the various funds
Bank Balance 16.03.09 £ 18,188.68
Plus total receipts £ 12,349.91
Sub Total £ 30,538.19
Less Total Payments £ 5,994.00
Bank balance 18.05.09 £ 24,544.19
(c) The clerk advised that the internal auditor is working on the 6 years accounts to March 2008. The accounts for the
year to March 2009 were being prepared for consideration at the next meeting. The accounts will include a balance
sheet, as the only balance sheet asset in the past has been cash. It was agreed that the assets in the parish council
insurance policy be included in the balance sheet, together with a valuation for the land owned by the parish council.
Cllr Taylor said that she would seek a verbal professional valuation of the land.
62. HIGHWAYS
Cllr Pearcey reported on various highways matters:-
The Colneford Hill wall repairs are delayed because of the sourcing of bricks.
The bus shelter installation opposite the former Kings Head is imminent, and a further bus shelter has been agreed on the south side of the A1124 near the Fox and Pheasant business centre.
Parish councillors are meeting Highways representatives on 10th June regarding the village green damage.
ECC Highways have advised that there is £35,000 in their budget to extend the public footpath to Heating and Eating.
The new direction sign to ‘Bures, the Church and White's Farm' on Colchester Road is obscured by the telegraph pole when approaching from the Colchester direction. The clerk was instructed to ask Highways to attend to this, and also to the last '30 mph' and 'national speed limit' signs as you leave the village in Colne Park Road heading towards Pebmarsh which are at an angle.
Cllr Watt said that on the A1124 opposite Colneford House the sewage manhole is not watertight/gastight as fumes are escaping. The clerk was instructed to ask Anglian Water to attend to this.
Cllr Taylor declared an interest concerning Boley Road. She said that cars are backing out from Boley Road onto Colchester Road because of oncoming traffic. She said that some years ago Highways visited Colne Valley Nursery and understood that the Nursery agreed to a No Left Turn sign as their customers left the Nursery. It was agreed that the clerk writes to Highways, reminding them of this and asking that this be instigated.
63. CLUSTER MEETING
Cllr Abrahams said that he had attended the recent cluster meeting, and he reported on items raised that have not been discussed elsewhere at this meeting. He referred to the recent planning application for a restaurant at the Fox and Pheasant Centre and said that once the Planning Committee have made a decision, no further action could be taken apart from a judicial review at the expense of the parish council. The parish council could have attended the planning meeting and spoke against this application.
Cllr Abrahams said that Braintree District Council are setting up peoples panels.
64. WHITE COLNE COMMUNITY DESIGN GROUP
Cllr Adlem said that the design group had a photo fun day, and have completed the unstructured liaison with the parishioners. The group are preparing the questionnaire to send out to parishioners.
Cllr Taylor left the meeting at 9.30pm.
65. ESSEX AIR AMBULANCE
Cllr Nolan said that Essex Air Ambulance and the landowners have submitted planning applications which have been rejected as they were invalid. There have been three test flights of the Ambulance helicopter. It was agreed that the council will await the planning application before making any comment.
66. COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY
Cllr Nolan said that Braintree District Council (BDC) had asked the parish to become involved in times of emergency by storing equipment used in an emergency until BDC officials arrived in the parish. This was agreed and Cllrs Pearcey and Watt agreed to be involved with the scheme. The clerk was asked to advise BDC accordingly.
67. CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED WHICH IS NOT DEALT WITH ELSEWHERE
From BDC regarding an Emergency Planning Awareness meeting on 10th September– Cllr Watt agreed to attend.
From Essex Association of Local Councils sending details of a Statutory Planning Course. It was agreed that Cllrs Adlem and Pearcey could attend, and the joint fees of £104 for the course were also agreed.
68. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Cllr Watt said that there was a rabbit problem on the allotments and that the fencing was being repaired. He said that the council is writing to plot holders who are not cultivating their allotments, asking them to either cultivate the plot or give up the plot.
Cllr Watt said that BDC are changing over completely from black sacks to wheelie bins for the rubbish collection. There are to be no exemptions and in some cases BDC will use small vehicles to collect the wheelie bins.
Cllr Nolan said that he attended the recent Annual General Meeting of the Braintree Association of Local Councils.
He said that Parish Councils have the power to rename as Village Councils. He also said that 9 parishes out of 52 in Braintree District have Quality Council Status. He referred to the Community Payback scheme and said that labour is available for schemes when needed. He said that social housing could be agreed for schemes that would not normally obtain planning permission. Cllr Nolan said that the Essex Association of Local Councils provide training opportunities, and details were circulated to members.
There being no further business the parish council meeting was closed at 9.58 pm.
Chairperson…………………………………………………. Date……………………………………….
White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne
ARCHIVE
