Parish Council Minutes 8th May 2014

• Mr Sean McCarthy (Chairman)
• Miss Diana Frost
• Mr John Sladen
• Mr David Haylock
• Mr David Drane
• Mr Alan Weedon
• Mrs Sara Scott
• Mrs Colleen Buckland (A member of the public)
• Moira Groborz (RCCE)
• The Clerk

• District Councillor Simon Howell

Apologies:

• County Councillor Simon Walsh

Prior to the meeting District Councillor Simon Howell addressed the Parish Council and expressed his support for the Affordable Housing project. He updated the council about the Uttlesford Draft Housing Plan and planning applications and some of their implications in Saffron Walden. Councillor Howell then left the meeting.

Moira Groborz talked to the council about the next stage of an Affordable Housing Project in light of the survey of interest in Hempstead. The number of people expressing an interest would certainly justify going ahead with a small development of affordable housing. The next stage would be to identify possible sites and get in touch with Housing Associations to act as partners. She promised to forward names of possible candidates and a list of useful questions to ask. Mrs Groborz said that she would be available if any issues arose that the council needed help with. The Chairman thanked her and she left the meeting.

Mrs Buckland raised the issue of potholes at either end of Harvey Way. These have become very deep and present a particular hazard to bicycles. Mr Drane agreed to report to see what could be done.

The Parish Council meeting was opened at 8.50 pm.

14. ANNUAL ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN

    Mr McCarthy was unanimously re-elected and signed the appropriate register of acceptance of office.

15. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

    held Thursday April19, 2014 were agreed as a correct record.

16. MATTERS ARISING

    There were none, not covered elsewhere.

17. PLANNING

    The planning application for Church Farm Cottage was on the agenda for discussion. Mr McCarthy declared an interest and left the meeting. The council agreed that it was a sensible refurbishment and had been planned with advice from the district council due it its listed building status. It was agreed that no representations were necessary.

    Mr McCarthy rejoined the meeting and a protocol was agreed for the discussion of planning applications now that access to the applications on the Uttlesford website preceded the hard copy. It was decided that there should usually only be discussion of the application at Parish Council meetings, since there was normally adequate time to circulate the hard copy and reply by the deadline. If this was not the case, then the clerk would inform the council and comments could be collated by email.

18. CORRESPONDENCE

    Community Project Grant Scheme for 2014/5 had been advertised and it was considered that this may be useful for the pond project.

    The Draft Local Plan had been received and was available in hard copy. As the issue had already been discussed with Simon Howell no issue pertinent to Hempstead needed further discussion.

19. HIGHWAYS

    Pedestrian Footway
    As there was nothing new under discussion, no representatives of the village attended the Highways Panel Meeting on April 10. It was agreed that the next meeting, in June, should be attended to ensure that progress was being made towards the anticipated August start of the project.

    Speed Limits
    It was noted that Mark Welbourne was continuing to press Essex County Council on this matter.

    Mr. David Drane
    reported that he was keeping up his email pursuit of all the highway issues with only limited success.

20. ENVIRONMENT

    Trees at Waterloo Cottage
    Miss Frost had discussed the situation with Mr Johnson and a reasonable price agreed and endorsed by other members of the council as the work was now urgent. This enabled the work to go ahead as speedily as possible as some of the trees were causing concern.

    Pond and Fountain Area
    Mr Haylock had approached Mr Jossaume and although he had yet to visit the site he thought that the best solution would be a puddled blue clay foundation. These early discussions had indicated that it would not perhaps be as expensive as originally anticipated. However this would still possibly involve attracting some grant funding. The paved area also needs attention but no discussion had yet taken place with Mark Halls about quotation for a comprehensive re-furbishment.

    Village Green Re-registration
    The clerk indicated that he had emailed Lloyd Simpson a week ago and was awaiting a reply as to the progress of this issue.

21. VILLAGE JOBS

    Volunteers were being approached about repainting of the notice boards. The condition of the bus shelter, particularly the window in the side was also showing signs of needing attention

22. FINANCE

    Cheques were signed to
    Julian Basham for the first three cuts of the year of village greens and churchyard, plus £100 annual payment to cover fuel cost rises as approved in the Budget Total £550. Chas Johnson: Tree Work clearance behind the Village Pond and Waterloo Cottage. £400

23. PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY

    Miss Frost and the Clerk had had a meeting with Rob Venables, from the Public Rights of Way department of Essex County Council. This had focussed on how best to manage the cutting that the council wanted to do within the constraints of the financial situation. It was agreed that he would try to find funding to ensure that two cuts of the central paths and one cut of the more peripheral paths.

24. AFFORDABLE HOUSING

    In light of Mrs Grobrz’s presentation and advice it was agreed to set up a working party. Members would be Mr McCarthy, Miss Frost with Mrs Scott as Chairman. They would investigate sites and plan the next moves towards approaching a housing association to work with when the material is received ffrom RCCE.

25. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

    It had previously been agreed to hold this on Friday 30th May at 8pm. The Clerk had completed and circulated the Annual Report and so that it was available for distribution by hand. He apologised for some confusion with the distribution lists.

DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS – Thursdays June 5 and July 3 all at 8pm in the Village Hall.

The meeting closed at 10.05 pm