Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on

Wednesday, 8th February 2006

in the Village Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Present were:

Mr Clark, Mrs Kesterton, Mrs Oliveira, Mr Perry, & Mrs Clark (Clerk).

In Attendance:

Cllr Mrs Down

1. Apologies for Absence

   These had been received from Mrs Burton, Miss Collinson, and Mr Rixson.

2. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting

   The minutes of the meeting held on 11th January, 2006 were agreed and signed.

3. Matters Arising

   1. Speed Monitoring

      It had been noticed that speed monitoring strips had been laid in the village at a number of locations.

   2. Speed limits – Woodgates

      In the absence of Cllr Walsh there was nothing to report.

   3. Report of the Area Panel Meeting 11th January

      Mr Clark reported on the first meeting of the East Area Panel. A great deal of time had been taken up discussing access to the new Dunmow Primary School. A number of parents and residents were present at the meeting. Concillors present resolved to take up a number of issues with the County Council and with Highways. Mr Clark and Cllr Mrs Down had requested that Stansted Airport appear as a fixed item on the agenda for all future meetings.

4. Stansted Airport

   1. Consultation on the Siting of Runway 2

      Mr Clark had produced a draft response, which was discussed. Mr Clark agreed to produce a second draft incorporating various amendments which would be circulated to members for approval.

5. Correspondence

   1. Questionnaires on the Future Organisation of the NHS Locally

      It was agreed that we should respond to this and similar questionnaires. Mrs Oliveira agreed to complete three questionnaires on the future organisation of the NHS in Essex.

6. Finance, including Signing of Cheques and Allocation of Grants

   1. Balances

      Balances as at 31st January, 2006 at Barclays Bank, Dunmow were reported as follows:

      Community Account (current)	£268.65
      Business Reserve Account (high rate deposit)	£7,950.98
      	£8,219.63	*

      * of which £1,000 is committed to the Village Hall, £1,000 is in the Professional Services Account, and £1,000 is in the ECC Grant Account.

   2. Donation from the Millennium Festival of the Five Parishes

      A cheque had been received from the committee of the Millennium Festival of the Five Parishes for £582.39, representing one quarter of the Festival's residual funds. It was agreed to investigate spending this on two new notice boards, as the present ones are beginning to deteriorate, or making a contribution to the Village Hall for refurbishing the car park.

   3. Grants and Donations

      Mr Clark, as a member of the SSE Response Committee, declared an interest and took no part in the discussion concerning a grant to SSE.

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

      Five Parishes Magazine	£300
      MEDICS	£250
      St. Clare Hospice	£250
      Buffy Bus	£70
      Uttlesford Home-Start	£150
      Essex Air Ambulance	£175
      Stop Stansted Expansion	£1,000
      Broxted w Chickney Church Committee (towards upkeep of the open churchyard)	£175
      Uttlesford Citizens Advice Bureau	£175
      Bishop's Stortford Citizens Advice Bureau	£175
      Uttlesford Community Travel	£100

      The above expenditure was unanimously agreed, proposed by Mrs Oliveira as Chairman.

      It was agreed to sign the eleven cheques.

7. Planning

   1. Pledgdon Barn

      Mr Clark reported on a visit he and the Clerk had made to a resident of Pledgdon Green where they had been shown videotapes of the activity at Pledgdon Barn. It appeared that the site was being used for the processing and transfer of scrap metal. The resident was advised to make an appointment with Uttlesford to show the enforcement and planning officers the videotape to back up her assertion that the activity on the site contravened the existing planning permission. This she had subsequently done, and had left the tape with the Council for other officers to see.

      Earlier correspondence from Uttlesford had been seen which stated that the activity at the site was covered by the existing Certificate of Lawful Use. Cllr Mrs Down was asked to talk to Planning Officers and the Enforcement Officer to resolve the situation.

   2. Other Applications

      The current situation on planning applications is:

      1. Wood Farm, Pledgdon Green

         Proposed triple garage block (x 2)

         Withdrawn

      2. Land adjacent to Leswins, Chapel End

         Detailed application for the erection of a bungalow

         Awaited

      3. Church Hall Farm, Church End

         Conversion of the barn to eight bed & breakfast rooms

         Awaited

      4. Chaureth Cottage, Cherry Green

         Demolition of rear conservatory, construction of a new extension and internal alterations

         Circulating

8. Any Other Business

   1. Hedge and Grass Cutting

      It was agreed to ask Peter Freeman to quote for grass and hedging cutting, as in previous years.

   2. U.A.L.C. Meeting 16th February at Thaxted

      Mrs Oliveira and Mr Clark hoped to attend this meeting.

   3. Parish Liaison Meeting 7th March, 2006 at Saffron Walden

      Mr Clark hoped to attend this meeting.

   4. Refuse Collection

      Cllr Down advised that Uttlesford District Council was going ahead with a revised refuse collection scheme, where households throughout the district would be supplied with three wheelie bins for refuse and recyclable materials. This new scheme would start in May and be rolled out across the district in the coming months.

9. Date of the Next Meeting

   The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Thursday 2nd March, 2006 in the Village Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Cllr Mrs Down was thanked for her attendance and the meeting closed at 9.35 p.m.