BLACKMORE, HOOK END & WYATTS GREEN PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES
Of the Ordinary Meeting of the Blackmore, Hook End &
Wyatts Green Parish Council held on THURSDAY 21st MAY 2020 at 11.00am
Zoom Conference Meeting:
Members present: Cllr’s T Bennett (Chairman), Keeble (Vice Chairman), McCarthy, Watley, K Bennett, Cannon, Lockhart, Thomas and Clarke. S Clapham (Parish Clerk and R Nelson (RFO). Borough Cllr Peter Jakobsson.
- 1250 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCECllr Dean and Cllr Lennon (technical issues). T Smith (Herald magazine).
- 1251 APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 16.4.2020The minutes were signed as a correct record by the Clerk, on the Chairman’s behalf.
- 1252 DECLARATION OF INTERESTAllotment – Cllr’s T Bennett, Keeble, Watley
Football pitches – Cllr’s Keeble and Cannon
Private planning application – Cllr Clarke – Minute no.1261 – “Holly Lodge”. Mr Clarke did not participate in the discussions or decision making process of the Planning Committee. - 1253 OPEN FORUM (for Public Attendees) – none registered with the Clerk
Note: Public Notices of meeting dates have been posted on the Parish Noticeboards and the PC
Website. Interest from public and press attendees to be registered with the Clerk. - 1254 PROGRESS CHECKNil
- 1255 CORRESPONDENCEEnquiry from Blackmore Tea Rooms – They are planning to re-open on 1st July and are Putting in measures to comply with the Govt. safety and social distancing guidelines. They have enquired whether they could put up to 2-4 of their outside picnic benches on Horsefayre Green, enabling them to observe the 2 metre social distancing requirements.The Clerk reported that she had viewed the deeds and the Govt. legislation regarding this and had circulated her report to members prior to the meeting. Outcome: The PC are registered owners of this ‘common land’ and in accordance with the Commons Act 2006, it sets out that the land should be used for exercise and recreation purposes but does not permit ‘commercial exploitation of the land’ The PC therefore could not permit such use of the Green and the Clerk will inform the Tea Rooms of the decision, as unanimously agreed by all members.
- 1256 BOROUGH AND COUN TY COUNCILLOR REPORTSCllr Jakobsson had nothing new to report. He will be attending the BBC planning meetingnext week.
Cllr Keeble reported on the following:
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The Traveller incursion at 5 Acres, Warley had a ‘Stop’ notice placed on it by BBC.
BBC is taking action against them and so far, costs had been awarded in favour of BBC. Initially there were 6 caravans on the site, which had escalated to 21 caravans, totalling 65 people.
The fly tip at Ingatestone Road, past Wenlocks Lane had been reported. Pending removal.
The Travellers at Chelmsford road had submitted their planning application. Pending a
Decision by BBC. Cllr Jakobsson wished to place on record that after a site visit he had made, the applicant had stated that Cllr Jakobsson had quoted that it wasn’t Green Belt land. However, Cllr Jakobsson stated this was certainly not the case.
POLICY & RESOURCES 1257 Finance – Payments made online:
S Clapham – £-
HMR&C – £-
Pension – £-
R Nelson – £-
MDL (grass) – £1251.40 (inc. VAT)– Inv. no. 373.
BBC – Bin emptying 1.1.2020 to 31.3.2020 – £882.96 (inc. VAT) – Inv. No. 100329746. Kelhatch Press – Magazine production – £1560.00 – Inv. No. 4066.
Neil McCarthy – £143.88 – Reimbursement re ‘Zoom’ Blackmore Parochial Charities re field rent – £570.00 Essex Playing fields re annual subscription – £30.00 Essex Playing fields re competition entry fee – £10.00 Affinity Water – War Memorial – £1.30
Affinity Water – playing fields – £22.00
W H Norris – half Allotment rents – £500.00
Affinity Water – Allotment garden – £115.13
Mrs S Keeble – reimbursement re plaque ceremony celebration cake – £45.00 W H Norris – Head Landlord rent – £100.00
Blackmore Primary School – Pool grant – £750.00
Mini bus:
Clerk has declared SORN, as confirmed by DVLA – no Tax required at present.
Clerk has temporarily suspended the RAC renewal (due 5.6.20) whilst it is garaged and not in use – no payment required at present – £315.25 – pro rata – (from last year’s £289.33). The renewal fee will be due once the bus is back on the road.
Insurance renewal date 4.5.2020 – Clerk has temporarily insured this under a fire and theft only cover whilst it is garaged and not in use. The cost went from £1376.40 to £350.00. Action: Full cover will be put in place once the bus is back in use.
MOT & Service will be due once the bus is back on the road.
PC Insurance renewal (due 1.6.2020):
The renewal premium of £1900.82 to be paid online. This gives a saving of just over £204 on last years premium, based on a 5 year contract with existing Insurers, Zurich. The contracts were negotiated and moved from Allianz to Zurich 3 years ago and at the time reflected a 50% reduction in costs. The PC has continued to receive cheaper renewals with Zurich. The Clerk had checked with Zurich whether premiums would go up during the five year program. They confirmed that this would not be the case and would only increase if additional assets were added by the PC which would be reflected in the cover. Approval was proposed by Cllr T Bennett and unanimously agreed. Action: Clerk to implement the five year agreement.
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Payments made by credit card (as approved by the POS Committee, Clerk & RFO):
£1111.54 (inc VAT) – the purchase of two ‘Marmax’ planters for Mill Lane. These will be delivered to Matthews Plants and they be installed and re-planted in June along with all parish planters.
Income:
Half of the Annual Precept was received on 15th April – £43,165.00.
- 1258 Financial Report to 30th April 2020Mrs Nelson reported on the financial reports as distributed prior to the meeting. All approved with no amendments.
- 1259 Financial PowersThe Draft Accounts for the Parish financial year to 31st March 2020 were circulated prior to the meeting. Cllr K Bennett discussed the specific ear marked reserves, as follows:
– £10,000 pond work
– £5,000 tree work- £5,000 field treatment works (along with the £3,000 set aside in this year’s budget, giving a total of £8,000).
Additional reserves had also been made for legal expenses relating to the LDP.Cllr K Bennett advised that the balance sheet is looking healthy and should be OK for the Auditors. Mrs Nelson is currently preparing the necessary paperwork for the Audit, which may be done remotely this year.
Cllr T Bennett thanked Mrs Nelson and Cllr K Bennett for the work and contribution they make to getting the Audit completed.Cllr Watley proposed that the draft accounts be approved and this was unanimously agreed.
- 1260 MAGAZINE COMMITTEETemporarily suspended until further notice. The Parish Council’s Facebook page and website will be regularly updated with PC news and information. Cllr T Bennett wished to pass on his regards to Mr and Mrs Smith and hoped to see them back soon, Govt. regulations permitting.PLANNING COMMITTEE
- 1261 Planning applications were dealt with by Committee Members, and the Planning CommitteeChairman emailed the reports to the BBC Planning Department. The reports were approved without amendment.May 2020
20/00432/FUL – Holly Lodge, Tipps Cross Lane, Hook End. CM15 0HR – No objections – in keeping with the host property and complies with CP1 in the local plan.
20/00442/FUL – Land adjacent to Elm Farm, Chelmsford Road, Blackmore, CM4 0SD – Proposed new 3 bedroom bungalow with hard standing for 2 parking spaces – Objections raised – The design is identical to the previous application on this site which was refused on appeal. It does not comply with the exceptions to inappropriate development in the Green Belt and therefore conflicts with GB1 & GB2 in the Local Plan and s.143-145 in the NPPF. It will be a further erosion of Green Belt land and contribute to ribbon development and set a dangerous precedent for further development in this part of the village. The cesspit which has been installed on the site without planning permission should be removed to deter anyone from pulling up and connecting up to it.
20/00537/HHA – Highlands, Wyatts Green Road, Wyatts Green, CM15 0PT – No objections – Committee had slight reservations that the enlarged 1st floor may have an overbearing visual impact upon the adjacent properties.
20/00420/FUL – Land east of 1 Highland Cottages, Blackmore Road, Blackmore. CM4 0JT –
Although the designs of the 2 dwellings have some architectural merit, objections were made – It constitutes creeping ‘ribbon development’ and would therefore encourage urban sprawl in the area and contribute to undesirable development between the two self contained settlements of Hook End & Blackmore. The site is a well established woodland and the proposal would involve the felling of many mature trees and the roadside hedgerow. It does not comply with the ‘exceptions to inappropriate development’ in the Green Belt and therefore conflicts with s.143 & 145 in the NPPF and GB1 & GB2 in the Local Plan.
In addition to the above reports, Cllr Lockhart reported on the following:
Since the last set of planning application reports, the Committee had received notification of a proposed major development of 19 dwellings at Swallows Cross. (20/00576/FUL) which the Committee is still considering. The closing date for consultee comments is 27th May and Cllr Lockhart will send the PC’s report to BBC on Monday 25th May
It was also noticed that a 2M high timber fence had been erected on the corner of Tipps Cross Lane and Hook End Lane. This was the spot where a double garage was proposed and refused permission. Cllr Lockhart has queried the legality of this fence with the planning officer and she has written to the householder and is waiting to hear back.
Cllr Lockhart advised that viewing parish planning applications by email seems to be working OK, now that some initial teething troubles had been sorted. He felt there were benefits to this current system. Firstly, it avoids convening a formal meeting at which some members are unable to attend, so in effect, everyone is included, and secondly, members can view the applications at leisure and have more time to think about them in detail. Cllr Lockhart wished to thank all the planning committee members for their valued contributions and asked that all members submit their comments ahead of the deadlines and remember to click ‘reply to all’ when responding so that everything is transparent.
PARKS & OPEN SPACES
Committee meetings suspended for the time being – meetings will be scheduled remotely as and when required. The following items of business were discussed, as reported by the Clerk and Cllr Watley:
- 1262 Summer Planting (planters)Clerk has organised delivery of the two new ‘Marmax’ planters to be delivered to Matthew and he is scheduled to re-plant all planters in June.
- 1263 New bins (Blackmore)Clerk obtained prices – Glasdon ‘Topsy Jubilee’ dual purpose lidded bin: £289 (plus VAT) (plus ground fittings) – Subject to Glasdon UK re-opening for business. There was some uncertainty over the number of bins required, as the Clerk recalled it to be 3 or 4 but Cllr Keeble felt it was nearer to 7. The PC approved the expenditure to replace the number of bins deemed necessary but Cllr Keeble and the Clerk will reconcile the accurate requirement. Note: After the meeting, Cllr Keeble confirmed that only 3 new bins were required and the Clerk would place the order accordingly.
- 1264 Football pitch maintenance programme & grants proposalAs circulated to members ahead of the meeting, the following approval was sought:
In accordance with the ‘sample site owner and site user grass pitch maintenance agreement’, Cllr Keeble had enquired on behalf of the Village Hall Committee and the Football Club whether the PC could, A) complete and sign the agreement so that grant funding for the work required could be obtained by the Football Club (quotes were currently being sought), and B) that the invoices could be received by the PC so that the VAT could be reclaimed. The PC considered the contents of the agreement and the requests made. Cllr Tom Bennett proposed
that this be approved, and all were in favour of this. Action: The Clerk will sign the form on behalf of the PC.
- 1265 Pitch Maintenance (interim work)Quotation received for goalmouth repairs from Graham Bonney – £350.00 – It was agreed that this would be shelved for now, pending the outcome of the grants.
Cllr Keeble made a request to purchase a new 100 metre hose for watering the pitches – approval was proposed by Cllr Tom Bennett and unanimously approved. Cllr Keeble to purchase. - 1266 CIF funding – Ted Marriage Aerial runway (zipwire)The Clerk reported that ECC would soon be confirming whether the CIF fund would be re- opening for 2020. Subject to this, it was proposed by Cllr Lockhart, and unanimously agreed that the application would include a zip wire only and not the football kick wall as originally quoted. It was not deemed necessary as there are already two goal posts on the field.
- 1267 CLERK’S REPORT (Governance)
Remote PC meetings – Compliant with the legislation given by EALC and NALC. Noticeboards and PC website display notice of all PC meeting dates and the Clerk’s contact details should anyone wish to attend the remote meetings.
Play areas – signage displayed advising that use of the play equipment is currently prohibited, although it has been reported that youths are removing the signs.
The Village Green and cyclists – The Clerk wrote to the Police informing them of a breach of the Covid-19 social distancing rules due to groups of cyclists meeting on the village Green. The Police did attend the Green over the Bank Holiday weekend and moved on two families who were not observing the social distancing rules.
Recycling – All waste and recycling services have now resumed and are back to normal. The Community tips will re-open on 18th May (some will be operating a booking system to avoid long queues).
The orange bag recycling changeover – Moved from June to later in the year (late Summer/ Autumn) due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The free orange bags and green food bags can be collected from local Newsagents and Shops (the Co-Op, Blackmore, and Budgens, and the News Agent’s in Doddinghurst). The Clerk has a couple of boxes for distribution should anyone be shielding and not going out to shops, or if the stocks are not available at the local collection points. Chris Hossack will also be trying to co-ordinate a drop off to each household with the operations Team when they collect the household refuse.
Cllr Tom Bennett proposed that the Clerk send a letter of thanks for the waste collection operatives who continued to work during the current Covid-19 pandemic. The Clerk will register this with Mike Dunn at BBC. - 1268 Date of next PC Conference meeting – 18th June 2020 at 11.00am
- 1269 INFORMATION EXCHANGE/NEXT AGENDA ITEMSCllr Keeble stated that the waste collections in Church street seemed to have ceased. Action – The Clerk to check with UK Trade Waste/707 to enquire. The contract had been signed but the Clerk felt that the contractor may have temporarily suspended the contract in error as the collections at Tipps Cross Hall had been placed on temporary hold whilst the hall is in lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic.Cllr Keeble reported that the button seat on the new aerial runway/zip wire at Walter Hobbs was showing signs of a dog’s teeth marks. This had happened before and the seat had to be replaced due to the same problem, as advised by the playground company at the time of inspecting and replacing it.
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Cllr Cannon raised the matter of the Blackmore village hall potentially re-opening in July, Govt. legislation permitting – She advised that she is currently evaluating the requirements
And would make sure that the health and safety to staff and hall users would be followed, including sanitising the hall and supplying hand sanitiser stations to users. This was particularly important if the Blackmore Farmers Market returned as social distancing would have to be observed by visitors. The Village Hall Committee would ensure risk assessments were carried out and the facilities were compliant.
Cllr Cannon reported that the small footbridge joining Service Lane and the Walter Hobbs field was damaged and considered hazardous. Cllr Keeble said that he thought this bridge was originally built by a local resident and was not directly owned by the PC. However, the members considered the safety aspect and felt it was best to deal with the problem. Cllr Cannon and Cllr Keeble said they would first enquire with a local resident who might be able to repair it. The PC agreed that it would pay for the material costs and reimburse the resident if that was the case. The Clerk would also obtain a quotation from Total Landscapes.
– CLOSE OF MEETING – Cllr Tom Bennett thanked everyone for attending and reminded everyone to check their emails daily, wherever possible. There being no further items of business, the meeting closed at 12.15pm.
Signed…………………………………………………….Dated………………………………