Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council held on

Wednesday 9 May 2007

in the Village Hall following the Annual Parish Assembly

Present were:

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

In attendance:

Cllr Walsh.

1. Apologies for Absence

   Cllr Down.

2. Acceptance of Office

   Following the uncontested election on 3rd May, Mrs Kesterton, Mrs Oliveira, Mr Clark, Mr Perry and Mr Rixson were elected to the Council. They each signed their Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

3. Election of Chairman 2007-2008

   It was proposed Mr Clark, seconded by Mr Rixson that Mrs Oliveira be Chairman for 2007-2008. Mrs Oliveira signed her Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

4. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting

   The minutes of the meeting held on 11th April, 2007 were agreed and signed.

5. Matters Arising

   1. Noticeboards

      These had now been erected. Thanks were due to John Oliviera and Philip Burton for their help. A number of appreciative comments had been received.

   2. Peace Oak

      Mrs Oliveira had attended to the oak tree, removing the secondary leader.

   3. Ditch at Chapel End

      A letter had been received from Uttlesford District Council. It was investigating the cause of the pollution, together with the Environmental Agency. The flow of water in the ditch would also be investigated, to assess whether improvements are warranted.

6. Village Hall

   1. Finance

      At 30th April the Village Hall account stood at £478.67.

   2. Tables

      Following receipt of a grant from the Stansted Airport Community Fund five tables had been ordered and were due to be delivered in the next week.

   3. Meeting 16th May

      Details of the meeting to be held on 16th May to hopefully form a management committee and a rota of cleaners/carers/gardeners was discussed.

   4. Refuse Collections

      A letter had been received from Uttlesford District Council regarding refuse collection. It was agreed to ask for three wheelie bins.

   5. Cleaning Materials

      The Clerk had spent about £25 on cleaning materials and sundries for the hall.

   6. Uttlesford Community Project Scheme

      An application for a grant under the Uttlesford Community Project Scheme for £899.44 for five more tables and 96 dinner plates had been made. The outcome would be known at the end of June.

7. Stansted Airport

   1. Public Inquiry in respect of Generation 1 Planning Application

      The Council's slot to make its representations to the Inquiry had been changed to 26th September. Mr Clark would be addressing the Inquiry in his personal capacity on 28th September.

   2. Road and Rail Consultation

      It was agreed to respond to the consultation, citing that it was not a real consultation as no alternatives had been offered; to bemoan the breaking of the historic link between Elsenham and Takeley and asking why a tunnel had not been considered; to object to the widening of the M11 between junctions 7 and 8 and to comment on the lack of improvements offered between junctions 8 and 9; to suggest that adding a third junction, junction 8b within half a mile was likely to prove very dangerous; and to insist that the number 5 bus link be maintained.

8. Footpaths

   Mrs Oliveira reported that a temporary closure notice had been placed on the byway from North Hall to Molehill Green to allow re-surfacing to take place.

9. Correspondence

   1. Highways

      A letter had been received from Highways advising that the annual parish visit, when small jobs were undertaken, would take place in May. The Clerk had forwarded a list of suggested jobs.

   2. Police & Community Consultative Group

      A letter had been received inviting us to a Police Liaison meeting in Thaxted on 17th May.

   3. Parish Liaison Meeting

      Members were reminded that the next Parish Liaison Meeting was scheduled for 13th June.

   4. UALC A.G.M.

      An invitation to the UALC A.G.M. on 21st June had been received.

   5. Code of Conduct

      Members were advised that a new Code of Conduct for Councillors came into force on 3rd May, 2007. All Councillors must sign up to this. The Clerk will circulate copies and the Council will formally adopt it later in the year. The Clerk would attend a training session run by Uttlesford District Council later in the month.

10. Finance

    1. Verification of Cashbook

       Mr Rixson performed the verification.

    2. Balances

       Balances as at 30th April, 2007 at Barclays Bank, Dunmow were reported as follows:

       Community Account (current)	£5,399.10
       Business Reserve Account (high rate deposit)	£1,596.16
       	£6,995.26

       The current account was high because the first instalment of the precept and the VAT refund for 2006-7 had recently been received. A sum had since been transferred to the deposit account.

    3. Signing of Cheques

       It was agreed to sign the following cheques:

       Essex Association of Local Councils	Annual Subscription	£128.06
       CVSU	Annual Subscription	£10.00

    4. Annual Review of Clerk's Salary

       This was again discussed without reaching a conclusion. Mrs Oliveira agreed to talk to EALC about pay scales and salaries paid to clerks in other parishes with similar responsibilities.

    5. Appointment of Internal Auditor

       It was agreed to appoint Mr Peter Lloyd as the Council's internal auditor.

    6. Adoption of Accounts for 2006 and Completion of Audit Statement of Assurance

       The adoption of the accounts was agreed unanimously, proposed by Mrs Kesterton and seconded by Mr Perry. The Chairman signed the various papers with regard to the Audit Statement of Assurance.

11. Planning

    The current situation on planning applications is:

    1. Tudor Cottage, Brick End

       Single storey extension and internal alterations

       Conditional Approval

    2. The Hollies, Broxted Hill

       2 storey rear extension and single storey side extension

       Refused

    3. Crabscrote

       Change of use from residential dwelling to dwelling of multiple occupation with resident landlord

       Awaited

    4. 1 The Maltings

       Two storey/single rear extension and front porch – amendment to previously granted permission

       Awaited

    5. Bell Meadow

       Change of use of land from paddock to small holding

       Awaited

12. Election of Other Officers

    It was proposed Mr Perry, seconded by Mrs Kesterton that Mr Clark be elected Vice-Chairman for 2007-2008.

    It was agreed to defer electing the other officers until two new members had been co-opted.

13. Any Other Business

    1. School Lane, Molehill Green

       Mrs Kesterton reported a recent incident when a horse her daughter was riding had been chased down the bridle path from School Lane, Molehill Green to Broxted by two fierce dogs. The owner of the dogs had apologised and agreed to pay the vet bills for the injured horse. Uttlesford's dog warden had been notified.

    2. Membership

       Mr Cousins, the member of the public present, agreed to be co-opted to the Council. He will sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office at the next meeting. The Council has until 25th June to fill the other vacancy.

14. Date of the Next Meeting

    It was agreed to meet on Thursdays at 8.15 p.m. in future. The next meeting was set for Thursday, 14th June at 8.15 p.m. in the Village Hall.

The meeting closed at 9.50 p.m.