Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on

Wednesday 14 March 2007

in the Village Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Present were:

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

In attendance:

Mr Rodliffe, Mrs Knowles, Mrs Greenway (Trustees of The Broxted Village Hall Charity), and Mrs Andersen.

1. Apologies for Absence

   Mrs Kesterton and Cllr Down.

2. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting

   The minutes of the meeting held on 14th February, 2007 were agreed and signed.

3. Matters Arising

   1. Noticeboards

      These had not yet been erected. Mr Clark would arrange the necessary working party now that the weather had improved.

   2. East Area Panel Meeting 27th February

      Mrs Oliveira had attended this meeting. She had again complained that Stansted Airport was not an agenda item, and had been assured that it would appear on the agenda for future meetings.

4. Village Hall

   The current trustees of the Village Hall were present at the meeting and a discussion was held about the transfer of the trusteeship to the Parish Council.

   The meeting of the Parish Council was adjourned whilst the Village Hall Trustees held a meeting.

   The Parish Council meeting was resumed, and was advised that the Village Hall Trustees had unanimously agreed that “The sole trusteeship of the Broxted Village Hall Charity should henceforth be vested in The Broxted Parish Council”. It was agreed that another public meeting would be held on Wednesday, 16th May to recruit those who might be interested in joining a committee to run the village hall with the Parish Council.

5. Brick End Bus Shelter

   Work had started on the re-building on 26th February and had been completed on 14th March. The invoices were awaited. It had not been possible to re-use the bricks and a buyer for them would be sought. Mr Turner had asked that if the Council was satisfied with his work could it provide him with a testimonial.

6. Response to the Secretary of State's Proposed Changes to the Draft Revision of the East of England Regional Plan

   This had been sent off.

7. Stansted Airport

   1. Stansted Generation 1 Planning Application

      Mrs Oliveira and Mr Clark had attended the Preliminary Inquiry Meeting on 5th March, where the rules for the Inquiry had been set out. The Inquiry would start on 30th May and the provisional venue was Endeavour House at Stansted Airport. The Parish Council would be giving evidence to the Inquiry and Mrs Oliveira asked everyone to consider what that evidence should be.

   2. ERM Health Impact Assessment

      The date for this had been changed to 26th March. Mrs Oliveira was no longer able to attend, but Mr Perry hoped to be able to go.

      A letter had been received from Mr McDermid, Generation 2 Director, attempting to discredit SSE's comments about the impartiality and competence of ERM. Members felt that the Parish Council was quite able to make its own assessment of ERM.

   3. BAA Owned Properties

      Repairs had been put in hand immediately after the last meeting, so the letter to Strutt & Parker had not been sent.

   4. Road and Rail Consultation

      All members had received the consultation documents. Members were reminded of the road shows taking place locally.

   5. Noise Seminar 23rd March, 2007

      Mr Perry hoped to attend this seminar.

8. Footpaths

   There was nothing to report.

9. Correspondence

   1. Parish Liaison Meeting 13th March, 2007

      Mrs Oliveira and Mr Clark had attended this meeting. Among the items discussed were the forthcoming elections on 3rd May, Biodiversity, the provision of wheelie bins for village and community halls, and the Chief Executive's vision of ‘Uttlesford 2011’.

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

    1. Verification of Cashbook

       Mr Rixson performed the verification.

    2. Balances

       Balances as at 28th February, 2007 at Barclays Bank, Dunmow were reported as follows:

       Community Account (current)	£542.08
       Business Reserve Account (high rate deposit)	£3,075.53
       	£3,617.61

    3. Signing of Cheques

       The cheque for the grant to the Bishop's Stortford and District Citizens Advice Bureau, signed at the last meeting, had been re-issued in favour of East Herts Citizens Advice Service as the provision of services had been re-organized. Our grant would be ring-fenced for use in Bishop's Stortford.

       It was agreed to sign the following cheques:

       Rural Community Council of Essex	Annual Subs (Village hall)	£35.00
       Mrs P. Clark	salary Oct – Mar £628.00, Expenses Oct – Mar £388.50, heating of Village Hall for meetings Mar 2006 – Feb 2007 £16	£1,032.50
       Peter Freeman	Hedge & Grass Cutting – first instalment	£120.00

    4. Annual Review of Clerk's Salary

       Mrs Oliveira asked that the review be deferred to the next meeting as she wished to carry out some research.

11. Planning

    The current situation on planning applications is:

    1. Pledgdon Lodge

       erection of stable and car port, removal of Condition C.23 (UTT/1539/02/FUL) with conversion of building to workshop, store and tack room.

       Refused

       The Council had subsequently been advised by the Enforcement Officer that action was being taken to have this building demolished, in accordance with the previously granted permission.

    2. Tudor Cottage, Brick End

       single storey extension and internal alterations

       Awaited

    3. The Hollies, Broxted Hill

       2 storey rear extension and single storey side extension

       Awaited

12. Any Other Business

    1. Hedge & Grass Cutting

       The Clerk had obtained a quotation from Mr Freeman for hedge and grass cutting in the village in 2007, as before, with the addition of some grass cutting at the Village Hall. It was agreed to accept his quotation of £240, and to pay the first instalment in April.

    2. Flooding in Brown's End Road

       Mrs Oliveira had reported flooding in Brown's End Road to Uttlesford District Council which had investigated and had asked Strutt & Parker to attend to the ditches that were causing the problem.

    3. Elections – 3rd May, 2007

       The Council is up for re-election this year. The Clerk will advise when nomination papers are available, but stressed that it is the individual's responsibility to complete and return the papers on time to the Electoral officer in Saffron Walden.

13. Date of the Next Meeting

    It was confirmed that the next meeting would be on Wednesday, 11th April, 2007 in the village hall at 8.00 p.m.