WINSTRED HUNDRED PARISH COUNCIL

Peldon   Great Wigborough   Little Wigborough   Salcott   Virley

Draft minutes of the meeting of Winstred Hundred Parish Council held at Salcott Village Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 8^th February 2011.

Present: Netty Knill Jones, John Walker, Lynne Simmons, Phil Gladwin, Jinny Gale, Jane Banks, Charles Dymond, Nicky Ellis, Kevin Bentley, Moira Groborz (RCCE), 3 Police Officers and 7 members of the public.

Apologies for absence: Les Lapwood, Terry Sutton, Andrew Ellis

Minutes of the last meeting were agreed by all and signed by the chairman

Police: Crime figures were given and though not huge numbers, oil theft is a serious problem and people need to be on their guard.  The Crime Reduction Officer can visit to give advice on preventative measures. Speed checks are taking place on our roads and some by unmarked motor bike officers.  NAP meeting reported on later Item 4.

The Police can be reached on 0300 333 4444 or 07966 197265 or 07966 197404.

Borough Councillors: CBC budget meeting will be held on 16^th Feb 2011 and our Borough Councillors will be asking for a reduction of 25% over 3 years instead of 50% all in one go as is proposed. An alternative that has been mentioned is to disband with all Parish Councils and leave the Borough Council to take care of everything.

The County Council have to save £300 million pounds but are not proposing to close any libraries or fire stations. No firemen or teachers will lose their jobs but 450 people will be made redundant from County Council backrooms.  There will be no free school transport for secondary school children or special needs children.

The 2011 Census Day is Sunday 27^th March 2011 and it is important for these forms, one per household, to be filled in as there is a fine for not returning a completed form and more money is forthcoming from the government for each form completed and returned.

Potholes are being dealt with reasonably quickly now after being reported. These can be sent to the parish or borough councillors to be emailed forward.

Public-Have Your Say: Large stones have been put on the roadside outside Hall Barn, which will be looked into with the planning department.

Due to a bad pothole a car was damaged and for a possible claim a letter may be sent to a Borough Councillor for this to be dealt with.

A resident’s emails had not been answered by the parish council but it would appear to be a misunderstanding rather than deliberate.

Declarations of Interest – None

1. Affordable Housing – Moira Groborz, RCCE Rural Housing Enabler had come to the meeting to answer any questions we may have after receiving the very detailed report following the survey that was carried out in all our villages.  There were a number of people who had said that they thought some affordable housing was a good idea.  If a need is established only half of those would then be built. It was agreed that this is a huge undertaking and more thought, discussion and consideration is needed and that probably a working party group should be formed to sift through this document at length and be sure that all the parish councillors understand and are in agreement about any further decisions that are made.
2. Individual roles for individual Parish Councillors is an on going topic and after receiving more ideas from parish councillors a paper of all the suggestions will be put together for a discussion at the next meeting.
3. Localism Bill has been published with the finer details to be established.  The main point of it is for parish councils to take on more roles from CBC and ECC.  The general feeling was that this would create problems rather than solve them.  It was suggested that we might like to join with other parish councils for a meeting with John Jowers speaking on the subject as he is very knowledgeable on the matter.
4. NAP meeting Wed 2nd Feb 2011 was attended by several of us and found it to be very informative and useful. Because there had been lots of salt/grit put on the roads of late the remaining residue is molasses which has made some areas very slippery.  The Police will be carrying out an accident reduction programme on the B1022 and it was requested for this to be carried out on the B1026 and on through Peldon as well. The number to ring to report fly tipping is 01206 282700.
5. Salcott crossroads bus shelter alterations to make it more weatherproof are going ahead as we have obtained a grant for the labour and a promise of the timber from the manufacturers. Terry to liaise with Littlethorpe for receiving delivery of the wood.
6. Flooding Issues – thanks where given to Phil for single handedly digging out the ditch at the top end of School Lane to alleviate the problem there. Flooding was particularly bad in Great Wigborough after the last heavy rainfall and Salcott still has some bad areas where more work is needed but many of the rural parts of Colchester had serious problems.  The Flood Summit Meeting is still to be arranged but has proved hard to get all the relevant bodies free at the same time, but it will take place eventually.
7. Actions and Reminders List was updated.

Planning:

102275 Proposal: The retention of a barn/stable erected for use partly as an agricultural store (in association with the applicants use of the application site for agricultural purposes) and partly for the stabling of recreational horses at Pantiles Farm, Peldon Road, Abberton

102622 Proposal: Certificate of lawful use for existing use of land as private garden at Beckton House Farm, Barnhall Road, Salcott

110147 Proposal: Reallocation of land uses (residential/equestrian purposes) and upgrade of existing access to unclassified road and erection of equine and cart store at Fourways Farm, Barnhall Road, Salcott

110185 Proposal: Erection of 50cm freesat dish on chimney facing east, top to be less than 60cm above ridge of roof at Sampton Wick, Wigborough Road, Peldon

Notice of Planning Decisions:

102625 Proposal: Change of use to B2 use from B1 use with restrictive condition 2 removed. The use of the building to be restricted to occupation by Swift Boats at Hosplant Ltd. Building 2, Unit 1, St Ives Farm, Peldon  –  Permission Granted

Finances:

101591 – Salcott Village Hall – year’s hire charges                                               £210.00

101592 – R S Pullen – clerk’s fee for February                                                    £353.53

101593 – Design Clark Ltd. – Repainting Salcott village sign                                  £220.00

101594 – T Simmons – play insp                                                                        £30.00

Please note Lynne Simmons is no longer able to be contacted by email but can still be contacted by post or phone, her number is 01621 860652

The next meeting will be held at Peldon Village Hall on Tues 8^th March 2011 at 7.30pm