Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on

Wednesday 10 January 2007

in the Village Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Present were:

Mr Clark, Mrs Kesterton, Mrs Oliveira, Mr Perry & Mrs Clark (Clerk).

In Attendance:

Cllr C. Down and Cllr S. Walsh

1. Apologies for Absence

   Miss Collinson and Mr Rixson.

2. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting

   The minutes of the meeting held on 6th December, 2006 were agreed and signed.

3. Matters Arising

   1. Noticeboards

      The two new noticeboards had arrived and were being stored by Mr Perry. Mr Clark undertook to arrange a small working party to erect them. Mrs Oliveira agreed to hold a key for the noticeboard at Brick End. A key holder would be sought for Church End.

4. Village Hall

   1. Charity Commissioners

      A letter had been sent to the Charity Commissioners asking for guidance in the process of making the Parish Council the hall's trustees. A reply was awaited.

   2. Refuse Collection

      Uttlesford was considering providing village halls with one refuse sack a week, with the possibility of recycling bins as well.

5. Brick End Bus Shelter

   The claim had been submitted to the insurers on 22nd November, 2006. A chasing letter was sent on 6th January, 2007.

6. Stansted Airport

   1. Stansted Generation 1 Planning Application

      Details of how to participate in the Public Inquiry had been received from Uttlesford District Council, although no firm date or venue had yet been agreed. We will need to make any additions to our previous comments by 30th January. It was agreed that we would wish to speak at the Public Inquiry. The Clerk was asked to make the necessary application.

   2. SSE Community Conference — 4th February, 2007

      Notification of this had been received. Mr & Mrs Clark, Mrs Oliveira and Mr Perry hoped to attend.

7. Footpaths

   1. North Hall

      Mrs Oliveira reported that the byway from North Hall to School Lane, Molehill Green was very muddy — the result of its use by off-road vehicles. It was agreed to suggest to Essex County Council that a temporary voluntary ban on its use should be imposed. Mrs Oliveira would consult with Highways.

   2. Signs

      It was also reported that a number of footpath signs had fallen, been damaged or were obscured. Again, Mrs Oliveira would bring this to the attention of Highways.

8. Correspondence

   1. East of England Regional Plan

      The Government's responses to the East of England Regional Plan had been received. It was agreed to circulate these and to formulate our response at the February meeting.

9. Finance, including Verification of Cashbook and Signing of Cheques

   1. Verification of Cashbook

      Mrs Kesterton performed the verification.

   2. Balances

      Balances as at 31st December 2006 at Barclays Bank, Dunmow were reported as follows:

      Community Account (current)	£271.27
      Business Reserve Account (high rate deposit)	£5,575.53
      	£5,846.80

      In view of the Council's plan to become the trustee of the village hall it was agreed to no longer ‘ring fence’ the £1,000 set aside for the hall.

   3. Signing of Cheques

      There were no cheques to be signed.

10. Planning

    The current situation on planning applications is:

    1. Bell Meadow

       change of use from paddock to smallholding for keeping pigs and poultry

       Refused

    2. Woodview, Pledgdon Green

       conversion of bungalow to two storey building

       Refused

    3. Wood Farm

       erection of two triple garages

       There had been a site meeting on the morning of the Parish Council meeting which Mrs Oliveira attended. She had also attended the planning committee meeting later the same day and spoken in favour of the application. It had been agreed to allow the development, subject to the location of the two garages being altered.

    4. Old School House, Cherry Green

       removal of single storey section and erection of two storey extension

       Circulating

11. Any Other Business

    1. County Business

       Cllr Walsh asked if Broxted had any street lights that would be affected by the County Council's plan to turn them off from midnight. (The answer is that Broxted has no street lights.)

       He had noted our response to the mobile library consultation and would lend this his support.

       He also agreed to pursue Highways over our request for a speed limits at Church End and Woodgates End.

       Mr Clark reported that, following the recent icy weather and a number of minor accidents in Brown's End Road, he had been approached for grit bins by Brown's End Cottage and North Hall. It was agreed to write to Highways and request the bins.

    2. Les Carr

       The meeting noted with regret the recent death of Les Carr who had served as a Parish Councillor from 1965 until 2000. The Clerk had sent a letter of condolence to his widow.

12. Date of the Next Meeting

    It was confirmed that the next meeting would be held on Wednesday 14th February 2007 at 8.00 p.m. in the Village Hall.

Cllrs Down and Walsh were thanked for their attendance and the meeting closed at 9.10 p.m.