BLACKMORE, HOOK END & WYATTS GREEN PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES
Of the Ordinary Meeting of the Blackmore, Hook End &
Wyatts Green Parish Council held on THURSDAY 16th JULY 2020 at 11.00am
Zoom Conference Meeting:
Members present: Cllr’s T Bennett (Chairman), Keeble (Vice Chairman), McCarthy, Lockhart. Cllr Ken Bennett logged on temporarily. S Clapham (Parish Clerk and R Nelson (RFO). Borough Cllr Peter Jakobsson.
- 1297 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Cllr Dean, Cllr Lennon, Cllr Thomas, Cllr Cannon, Cllr Watley, Cllr Ken Bennett (had technical difficulties so left the meeting early), Cllr Clarke. T Smith (Herald magazine).
- 1298 APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 18.6.2020
The minutes were signed as a correct record by the Clerk, on the Chairman’s behalf.
- 1299 DECLARATION OF INTEREST
Allotment – Cllr’s T Bennett, Keeble Football pitches – Cllrs Keeble
- 1300 OPEN FORUM (for Public Attendees) – none registered with the Clerk
- 1301 PROGRESS CHECK
The Clerk reported that the damaged and over-hanging tree limb to the rear of 54 Wyatts Green Lane/Ted Marriage field had been tended to by Franklin Trees and the payment of £80 was paid online.
- 1302 CORRESPONDENCE
Nothing new to report
- 1303 REPORTS OF BOROUGH AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS
Cllr Peter Jakobsson advised that he had attended a BBC Planning meeting the week prior to the PC meeting. He said that the planning application had been refused at Elm Farm. Also, the new recycling regime would commence early August.
Cllr Jakobsson reported:
He felt that some enforcement action was still needed by BBC for the Elm farm site.
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• The new recycling bag scheme was scheduled to start on 3rd/4th August. Leaflets
going through residents doors as well as the BBC website. Cllr Keeble reported on the following:
BBC had reported there was insufficient evidence for an injunction at the Elm Farm site, even though it had been noted that power had been installed by UK Power and machinery was on site to carry out works. Cllr Keeble will follow up.
He had been liaising with BBC regarding the extra waste in addition to the bins situated on the Green, Blackmore. This was due to more visitors enjoying the open spaces. BBC confirmed with the Clerk that at present they were at full capacity and had no extra resources to provide additional collections. Currently the schedule is as follows:
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Monday – Social club and Millennium Park
Tuesday – Village Hall
Wednesday – Blackmore Green and surrounding area
Cllr Keeble will continue to monitor and liaise with the Clerk. He has been collecting additional waste to help resolve the problem in the short term.
The Clerk was asked to again report to ECC (Lesley Wagland) that the VAS outside the primary school is still defective and hasn’t been operational for approximately four years.
Cllr Keeble queried why ECC were still adamant that traffic calming measures could not be investigated for Nine Ashes Road (by the Primary school). It was noted that Weald school has traffic calming measures so what made the criteria different from Blackmore. The Clerk has asked Cllr Wagland for the technical reports of the speed surveillance tests carried out to clarify this. Cllr Tom Bennett will draft a letter to Lesley Wagland to pursue this on behalf of the PC.
Cllr Keeble has reported on several occasions the 30MPH sign which is still laying on the floor by Red Rose Lane – pending action by ECC.
POLICY & RESOURCES
- 1304 Finance – Payments made online:
S Clapham – £-
HMR&C – £-
Pension – £-
R Nelson – £-
MDL (grass) – £906.60 (inc. VAT)– Inv. no. 392.
Total Landscapes – £840.00 – to 3 new benches, Blackmore – inv.027060 Tipps Cross Hall – £255.00 quarterly office rentFranklins Trees – £80.00 – to remove the damaged tree limb on Ted Marriage/rear of 54 Wyatts Green Lane
Blackmore Parochial Charities – £570.00
EALC – £48.00 – Clerk’s online RoSPA training course (COVID Risk Assessments for play areas).Trevor Brown (Internal Audit fees) – £230.00
Fresh Toilet Co. – £129.60 – annual service of allotment toilet Castle Water – £138.95 – allotment supply
Castle Water – £22.75 – war memorial supplyPayments made on the credit card (June/July):
Amazon –
4 handy hoops (for litter collections) – £31.96
2 additional handy hoops for Ros & Geoff Rose (litter pick volunteers) – £15.98 Laminating machine for Covid Posters – £45.95
A3 laminating pouches – £14.99
Cable ties – £7.99Mini bus: Temporarily out of use. Income:
Nothing new to report.
- 1305 Financial Report to 30th June 2020
Mrs Nelson reported on the financial reports as distributed prior to the meeting. All approved with no amendments.
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1306 1307
In addition to the above approved payments, Mrs Nelson reported on the following online payments made:
Garsons – £6,840.00 – Walter Hobbs field treatment – the balance of £1425.00 for grass seed is also now due so Mrs Nelson will organise this.
A cheque for £8,000.00 had been received from the football accounts.
Financial Powers
Nothing new to report
MAGAZINE COMMITTEE
Temporarily suspended until further notice. The Parish Council’s Facebook page and website will be regularly updated with PC news and information.
In Terry Smith’s absence, the Chairman read out the update from Mr and Mrs Smith. They advised that they felt they were unable to collate and produce a suitable magazine during the current pandemic. He felt that the earliest publication could not be produced until perhaps December, but this would have to be reviewed nearer the time. Clerk will obtain information from other publication sources.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Planning applications were dealt with by Committee Members, and the Planning Committee Chairman emailed the reports to the BBC Planning Department. The reports were approved by full Council. Cllr Lockhart read out his report, as follows:
Since the last PC meeting, the planning committee had considered 4 applications in the parish: 20/00769/HHA – Leeway, Hook End Lane. Outbuilding in rear garden (no objection)
20/00814/FUL – Hi Ho Garage, Wyatts Green Road. Replacement extension to workshop (no objection)
20/00818/FUL – Cherith, Chelmsford Road, Blackmore. Variation of conditions (no objection)
20/00752/HHA – Wells Farm, Red Rose Lane. New outbuilding (no objection) but we did ask for a condition to be included in that the outbuilding should only be used for the purposes stated on the plans.
I have since received a revised application for Bluebells in Second Avenue (20/00757/HHA) which we are still considering and a TPO application for Waterbridge House on The Green. (20/00958/TPO). I will be sending our report on both to BBC on 20th July.
Results of recent applications that have been received from BBC are as follows: 20/00420/FUL – Land east of 1 Highfield Cottages, Blackmore Road. 2 detached houses (refused) Objected to by our committee on the grounds of creeping ribbon development in the Green Belt
20/00537/HHA – Highlands, Wyatts Green Road. First floor rear extension (approved) No objection by our committee
20/00285/FUL – Brambles, Blackmore Road. Side extension (approved) No objection by our committee
Finally, I understand that Blackmore Village Hall will be available for our planning committee meetings as from the end of July. In the last couple of weeks I have conducted a ‘straw poll’ to ask members if they wish to return to physical meetings after that date or whether to retain the present email system. From the replies I have received, there is a preference for resuming our meetings as before in the Village Hall, (with social distancing) but Andrew suggested that we delay the return of physical meetings until September, but this all depends on HM Govt guidance nearer the time.
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Sue will advise as necessary. If we do resume physical meetings, I shall send details of applications as I receive them to all the members before each meeting so that they can study them in advance which will result in a more informed discussion on the day. Joe did make a good point that if we only receive one or two minor applications, we might consider these by email rather than convening a physical meeting for 10 minutes or so”. Action: The Clerk will advise the Government legislation once received.
LDP Public Examination representation
Pending further updates from BBC.
PARKS & OPEN SPACES
Committee meetings suspended for the time being – meetings will be scheduled remotely as and when required. Items of business were discussed as follows:
- 1309 Summer Planting (planters)
Matthew Plants have now completed all planting, including the missed planters at Gunnells Corner. The Clerk has asked Matthew Plants to supply a quote for planting daffodil bulbs around the Green, possibly around the bases of the trees.
- 1310 New bins (Blackmore)
These have been installed by Total Landscapes and the invoice paid. As reported under item 1303, BBC are unable to provide any additional collection services for additional waste at this moment in time. This is being monitored by Cllr Keeble and Cllr Watley and problems to be reported to the Clerk.
- 1311 Football pitch maintenance programme & grants proposal
Cllr Keeble advised that a new 3⁄4” hose had been purchased to water the grass and new grass seed on the football pitches. Cllr Keeble proposed purchasing 2 x 50 metre hoses and sprinklers at a cost of £300. This was unanimously agreed. Cllr Keeble to organise and the invoice is to be sent to the Clerk for payment. Cllr Keeble advised that the slow release fertiliser costing £1600, as approved under the maintenance fund, be purchased in August. Cllr Ken Bennett recommended approval and it was unanimously agreed that Cllr Keeble could organise this and the Clerk would receive the invoices for payment.
- 1312 Footbridge – Walter Hobbs field/Service Lane
The Clerk had received two quotes from Deckanon for the handrails as follows:
Soft wood (treated) posts and two safety handrails – £858.00 (plus VAT).
Keyklamp handrails (metal) – £1320.00 (plus VAT).
It was considered and proposed by Cllr Tom Bennett that Deckanon be asked to supply and install the metal keyklamp handrails. This was unanimously agreed. Action: The Clerk will process the order and also ask Deckanon to supply a quote to replace the three old steps as well as the bridge safety strips. - 1313 Cockleshell foot path, Millennium Park (360 metre foot path – £2,300 plus VAT) The Clerk has placed the order with IPave.
- 1314 Trees on the Green – planting
The Clerk was asked to obtain recommendations for planting small to medium sized trees. She will discuss this with Hill Crest Nurseries and Matthews Plants. The School could be involved with the planting of wild flower seed for certain areas. Action: Cllr Tom Bennett and Cllr Watley will meet to identify suitable areas.
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- 1315 Roundabout on Walter Hobbs play area – seized up
The Clerk had received the quotation of £480 from Playquip Leisure. It was proposed and unanimously agreed that this work be carried out. Acton: Clerk to instruct Playquip.
- 1316 CIF fund (2020/21)
Clerk submitting an application for the zip wire at Ted Marriage – re-quote obtained from Playquip Leisure – £7,713.00 for zip wire and £1598.62 for bonded mulch below towers only. Prices subject to VAT. Note: Clerk has asked for quotes for all soil to be removed from site and also bonded mulch below entire equipment, not just the towers – Action: The Clerk is in the process of submitting the application ahead of the 16th August deadline. - 1317 CLERK’S REPORT (Governance)
ECC Locality Fund £1,250 – The Clerk is applying with Cllr Wagland for the two new seats at Ted Marriage.
The Clerk attended a RoSPA training course (via Teams, organised by EALC) on Friday 3rd July. This was ahead of the parks and open spaces being permitted to re- open on 4th July. The Clerk had posted the BBC Covid poster on all areas on 3rd July. Since then, she had produced more detailed Covid-19 safety information and this will be displayed.The Clerk’s informed the meeting of her booked annual leave dates. Mrs Nelson would be relief Clerk for those periods.
- 1318 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
P&R Meeting – 20th August 2020 at 10.00am via Zoom. PC Meeting – 17th September at 11.00am via ZoomRemote BBPCA Meeting – 29th July at 7.30pm
INFORMATION EXCHANGE/NEXT AGENDA ITEMS
- 1319 – Cllr McCarthy raised the subject of fixing the technical issues regarding the Zoom meetings
so that they would be easily accessible to all Cllr’s. Cllr Ken Bennett and Cllr Dean were still experiencing some technical issues with their tablets. Action: It was agreed that the Clerk would instruct Tracey of Bits & Bytes to visit them and resolve the issues they have been experiencing.
– Cllr Keeble advised that he had spoken with the resident of Langdon House, Church Street. The owner had been in contact with Ann Topham who owned the trees on the opposite boundary line to the rear of his garden. She had agreed with him that he could trim and remove (as appropriate), some of the Leylandii conifers in question.
– Mrs Nelson advised that three new people had recently signed up to allotment plots and she would obtain the Cllr signatures soon.
CLOSE OF MEETING
There being no further items of business, the meeting closed at 12.30pm.
Signed……………………………………………………. Dated ………………………………