Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on

Wednesday, 9 February 2005

in the Village Hall

Present were:

Mr Clark, Miss Collinson, Mrs Kesterton, Mrs Oliveira, Mr Perry, Mr Rixson and Mrs Clark (Clerk).

In Attendance:

Cllr Mrs Down, Cllr John Whitehead and one member of the public

1. Apologies for Absence

   These had been received from Mrs Burton.

2. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting

   The minutes of the meeting held on 12th January, 2005 were agreed and signed.

3. Matters Arising

   1. Community Police Officer

      No date had yet been fixed for the post-coding visit. Emails to P.C. O'Mahony were not being delivered. The Clerk would make contact with her.

   2. Licensing Act, 2003

      Uttlesford had arranged a briefing session on the workings of the new Act on 24th February. Miss Collinson and Mr Clark planned to attend.

   3. County and Parish – Working Together

      A questionnaire as to how Essex County Council and Town and Parish Councils could work better together was completed.

   4. Speed Limit – Woodgates End

      Highways had responded to the request to extend the 30 m.p.h. speed limit through Woodgates End, saying that they would ‘assess and prioritise this new request for inclusion on the Locally Determined Budget reserve list’. A copy of their reply had been given to the resident of Woodgates End who had raised the issue.

4. Footpaths

   In the absence of Mrs Burton there was nothing to report.

5. Stansted Airport

   1. Visit to the Flight Evaluation Unit 26th January, 2005

      A number of members had visited the Unit and had been shown how track-keeping and noise monitoring was undertaken, and what actions were instigated against offenders. There had been an incident that very afternoon of an Antonov aircraft operated by Volga-Dnepr turning sharply over Molehill Green, almost one mile off track. The Unit promised to keep the Council informed of its investigation into this. It was understood that the noise monitors are situated on the permitted flight paths and there was concern that an aircraft deviating greatly from this path would escape the attention of the monitor. This concern was to be raised with Norman Mead for the consideration of the Track Keeping Committee.

   2. Control Tower Visit

      A visit to the control tower was requested, and this appears to be possible. As numbers would be very limited it was agreed to ask for two visits from a choice of April 6th, 20th, 27th or May 25th.

   3. Odour Monitoring

      Advice had been received from BAA that the Flight Evaluation Unit was now also monitoring odours emanating from the airport.

   4. Air Pollution Monitoring

      A request had been received from Uttlesford for a suitable location to site an air pollution monitoring unit. It was agreed that Wood Farm, Lea Valley, Woodview and West Oaks, all in Pledgdon Green Road, would possibly be suitable sites. The Clerk was asked to pass this information to Uttlesford.

   5. Takeley Parish Council

      A number of members had attended the Takeley Parish Council meeting on 2nd February. The meeting had been addressed by Roger Harborough from Uttlesford on the draft East of England Plan. An update on Takeley's court action against BAA over the operation of the H.O.S.S. scheme was also received. A further meeting to discuss this had been arranged for 22nd February and Mrs Oliveira, Mr Perry and Mr Rixson agreed to attend. The Clerk was asked to verify the time of the meeting.

6. Draft East of England Plan

   This plan is out for consultation. Mrs Oliveira and Mr Perry had attended a meeting at Dunmow on 14th January where an outline of the plan had been given by Uttlesford. The plan did not support the proposal for a second runway at Stansted. Because of the lack of Governmental funding for the necessary infrastructure with regard to the additional housing suggested for the region, the Area Assembly had subsequently withdrawn its support for its own draft plan, but was going ahead with the consultation. Briefing papers had been received from SSE and EALC and these were distributed to members. The Clerk and Vice chairman would draft a response to the consultation document which would be circulated to members and a final response would be agreed at the March meeting. A questionnaire received from Essex County Council was completed.

7. Correspondence

   Notification had been received from Uttlesford of the dates the rubbish skip would be visiting the village. Although we had asked for three dates we have been only allocated two – Saturday 14th May and Sunday, 6th November. The Clerk was asked to advise Uttlesford where to site these skips, and to advertise their presence in the Five Parishes Magazine.

8. Finance

   1. Balances

      Balances as at 31st January, 2005 at Barclays Bank, Dunmow were reported as follows:

      Community Account (current)	£339.70
      Business Reserve Account (high rate deposit)	£4,886.95
      	£5,226.65

   2. Signing of Cheques

      It was agreed to sign the following cheque:

      Local Council Review – Annual subscription

      £13.00

   3. Grants and Donations

      After some discussion it was agreed to make to make the following grants/donations, and to issue cheques:

      Five Parishes Magazine	£300
      MEDICS	£220
      St. Clare Hospice	£200
      Buffy Bus	£60
      Uttlesford Home-Start	£150
      Essex Air Ambulance	£175
      Stop Stansted Expansion	£500
      Broxted w Chickney Church Committee (towards upkeep of the open churchyard)	£175
      Uttlesford Citizens Advice Bureau	£150
      Uttlesford Community Travel	£100

      The above expenditure was unanimously agreed, proposed by Mrs Kesterton, seconded by Mr Rixson.

9. Planning Matters

   1. Park and Ride Scheme – Pledgdon Green

      Mr Clark reported a conversation he had had with the Uttlesford Enforcement Officer with regard to the action being taken to close this illegal operation. Papers had now been passed to the Legal Department to instigate an injunction. It was hoped that this would be actioned swiftly, thus ending the misery being suffered by local residents.

      An application had been received to permit the open storage of motor vehicles on this site. The Council had sent a letter to the residents of Pledgdon Green Road alerting them to this and suggesting that they write to Uttlesford with their views. The Council had written demanding that the application be refused, citing eleven reasons why the operation was unacceptable, and asking for it to become a committee decision and suggesting that a site visit would inform the committee as to why this application had to be refused.

   2. Other Applications

      1. Clovelly, Brick End

         removal of condition relating to occupation by present owners and their immediate dependents only

         Refused

      2. Goodacres, Church End

         erection of single storey rear extension and alterations to roof with four dormer windows

         Approved

      3. Chaureth Hall

         renewal of permission to convert farm buildings to a dwelling and garage

         Approved

      4. 1 & 2 Baldwins Cottages, Broxted Hill

         internal alterations to create one dwelling

         Awaited

10. Any Other Business

    1. Archaeology in the Pipeline

       Members were reminded that the information boards from the recent exhibition in Saffron Walden Museum would be on display in Broxted Church during March.

    2. Traffic Calming in Brown's End Road

       Mrs Oliviera advised the meeting that the traffic calming measures requested for Brown's End Road had now been completed. These consisted of some new road markings, and verges markers and chevron signs on the bend by North Hall Cottages. Following representations from some residents the height of some of the signs had been lowered.

11. Date of the Next Meeting

    The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Wednesday, 9th March, 2005 in the Village Hall at 8.00 p.m.

The meeting closed at 9.35 p.m.