Parish Council Minutes 13th June 2013

• Mr Sean McCarthy (Chairman)
• Miss Diana Frost
• Mr David Drane
• Mr Alan Weedon
• Mrs Sara Scott
• Mr David Haylock
• The Clerk

Apologies:

• County Councillor Simon Walsh
• District Councillor Simon Howell
• Mr John Sladen

Prior to the Parish Council Meeting David Wilde, a member of the Essex Broadband team described the plans to provide high speed broadband across the county. The target is to provide 26 to 30mbs speeds to 96/98% of the county over the next two to two and a half years.

A fibre optic infrastructure would have to be set up. Some areas had already been completed and the concentration would be on the most populous areas and where the most people had expressed an interest.

In response to a question Mr Wilde said that infrastructure could also be used to enhance mobile home coverage, the latter being a source of local concern.

The Parish council meeting was opened at 8.40pm

25. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

    held Thursday May 2013 were agreed as a correct record.

26. MATTERS ARISING

    There were none not covered elsewhere

27. 
    

    CORRESPONDENCE

    100 Parishes Website
    Miss Frost had responded to the request for information to facilitate the design of a webpage devoted to Hempstead.

    Mark Welbourn
    The council noted the correspondence with Essex Highways Department.

    Children’s Hospice
    It was agreed to respond to their contact with a £25 donation

    County Councillor Simon Walsh’s Report
    was noted.

28. ENVIRONMENT

    Village Green Re-registration
    The period for objections had almost passed and it was hoped that this matter could now progress more speedily.

    Appraisal Of the Village Conservation Area.
    The Council examined the map that had been produced and Mr Weedon’s page of notes. It was agreed that the clerk should pass on the latter to the consultation process. Further comments concerning the rather arbitrary crossing of boundaries and bisection of plots were also deemed necessary. Overall it was accepted as a valuable and constructive piece of work. The extension of the grazing area to the south of the Glebe was particularly appreciated.

29. PLANNING

    Turpin’s Cottage
    The Council agreed that the plans for the house alterations would improve the overall look of the site, but had concerns about the choice of hedging and the possibility that changing the access and clearing one end of the site could at some future date facilitate its use as a building plot.

30. POLICING

    Community Speedwatch
    Activities continue and are appreciated by the council.

31. HIGHWAYS

    The Footway Project
    There was no further progress to reportThere had been a Highways Panel Meeting that the Parish Council had not been aware of and had missed attending. This was frustrating and disappointing. County Councillor Simon Walsh had attended and provided a quick update in his report. His proposal for a further £100k was accepted, this added to then £49k from the first tranche will be a substantial contribution to the project. However Rissa Long had given revised costings of between £280 and £315k, this to include possible utilities relocation costs. Simon reported some resistance to the scheme, however the committee remains behind the scheme with potentially any shortfall being picked up from next year’s budget.

    Potholes
    A good deal of work had been done and the situation is improving. Mr Drane will maintain pressure to ensure the outstanding issues are addressed. Mr Haylock had continued to improve the condition of Wincelow Hall Road.

    Highway Rangers
    Mr Drane keeps updating our list of tasks that we would like to see carried out. Miss Frost asked if spraying of the weeds between paving slabs could be added to the list.

    B1054
    The clerk as reported in the pre-meeting discussion had now received a long awaited reply from ECC concerning issues with this road after last year’s fatal accident.

32. FINANCE

    The Year End Accounts and Financial Statement
    were agreed and signed prior to sending to the external auditor.

    New Homes Bonus
    Simon Howell, District Councillor had informed the Parish Council that the New Homes Bonus would be available to the tune of £666.66. It was agreed that this would be used in the form of a grant to the Village Hall committee towards the completion of the patio area refurbishment when received.

33. PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY

    Despite Miss Frost’s efforts no new contract still had not been finalised. ECC’s Ron Venables wanted a dialogue with Mr Haylock who agreed to contact him. The County seemed to be offering 7p a metre whereas the contractor, Harry Luff considered 8p was the minimum he could operate on. Negotiations would continue

34. COMMUNICATIONS

    Newsletter
    It was agreed to again mention the need for residents, particularly those working from home, to express an interest in the Essex Broadband project.

    The council informed that the current publishing and editorial team of Miss Frost and Mr Smith would be giving up their roles having given 3 months notice. They have carried out this work for many years on a volunteer basis and Mr McCarthy and the council expressed their deep gratitude for their sterling efforts over many years. The council were apprehensive about finding adequate volunteer replacements.

35. VILLAGE HALL

    Patio Area Refurbishment
    It was reported that the Village Hall committee were exploring various means to obtains funding to finish the project.

DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS – Thursdays 18 July, 15 August and 19 September all at 8pm in the Village Hall.

The meeting closed at 9.53 pm