PC Minutes 8th July 2008

WINSTRED HUNDRED PARISH COUNCIL

Peldon   Great Wigborough   Little Wigborough   Salcott   Virley

Minutes of the meeting of Winstred Hundred Parish Council held at Salcott Village Hall at 7.30pm. on Tuesday 8^th July 2008.

Present: Frances Fergus, Nicky Ellis, Jane Banks, Jinny Gale, Robert Davidson, Phil Gladwin, Lynne Simmons, Kevin Bradshaw, Sam Knill Jones, John Jowers and 4 public

Apologies for absence: Peter Crowe, Kevin Bentley

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

County Councillor: NATS are proposing to reroute the stacking area possibly over Dedham Vale and Saffron Walden but it will be over 8000 feet high. Another one is being considered over the Thames and Southend. The Bradwell Power Station application will be submitted soon and it is thought that Maldon Council will give their approval. The government talks of ECO towns which are really just new houses. A Countryside Commission Panel is being formed to discuss and take action on things such as local industry, using old redundant farm buildings etc.  The Abberton Reservoir application is now being considered.

Borough Councillor: There is a China Exhibition in the castle from July to September. The new stadium will open in 2 weeks time and will be used for other activities or events than just football. Money is to be spent on better cycle paths and road lanes to encourage people to cycle more.

Public – Salcott Village Hall is to have new toilets. Salcott will no longer hold a fireworks event but will continue with the Open Air Band Night which is a good fund raiser.

Declarations of Interest: None if item 10. is not discussed in detail.

Items for Discussion

1. Peldon Hall frontage – the hedge will receive attention now as it is badly needed.  Peldon parish councillors will meet on site (as 3 missed the last site meeting) to decide on future maintenance of the hedge and ditch.
2. Insurance/Sparklers – letters have been or will be sent to Zurich, NALC and Sparklers to clarify any misunderstanding with regard to this matter. Replies, if any by then, will be discussed at the September meeting.
3. Grant Applications – we received a suggestion for fencing along the creek on Salcott meadow but this would be against health and safety within our risk assessment we had done a few years ago. Applications will probably be submitted for new work at Salcott Village Hall, possibly Peldon Village Hall and new play equipment at Peldon as the wooden equipment is gradually rotting and will require a constant flow of money spent to maintain it in future years.
4. CALC – attendance to these meetings is felt necessary and will be attended by one or other of our councillors.
5. VDS – there has been some interest in carrying out a Village Design Statement that would cover all our villages together which would be considered within CBC Supplementary Planning Policy. A well thought out questionnaire to all is the next stage.
6. Communications Committee – a gold copy parish magazine was delivered to all with a summary of the parish council’s activities and achievements for the passed year. The extra cost for this has yet to be clarified.  A website course was attended by two of us and we will explore the idea of us having one during the next month.
7. Update on Salcott to Peldon Rose highways works – letters to residents have been sent by ECC Highways to explain a timetable of road closures and suggested diversion routes. Farmers are not happy that this is taking place during the peak farming period.
8. Playgrounds – maintenance has been carried out as per annual inspection. Lappset leg price with installation was discussed. The leg and steel foot will be ordered but more quotes obtained for installation.
9. Environmental Assessment Service – is a commercial organization making habitat assessments of pieces of land in our villages.

10.  Local Development Framework Site Allocations – sites can be added or taken out until the consultation period in January 09. Phil proposed, Lynne seconded and the majority agreed to wait until then for our reply, unless the planners say otherwise. When the list is complete we will probably hold a public meeting, possibly in conjunction with VDS work, to discuss all the sites in our villages.

Planning:

081159  Proposal: Single storey rear extension at Jubilee House, The Street, Salcott

081237  Proposal: Listed Building application for internal and external alterations at Brickhouse Farm, Lower Road, Peldon

Notice of Planning Decisions:

080886  Proposal: Construction of additional bedroom over existing garage. Cladding of ground floor utility room at Woodlands, Church Road, Peldon  –  Permission Granted

Bellwood, Great Wigborough – Vincent Pearce, Planning Service Manager has authorised a prosecution. Magistrates Court date to be advised.

The next meeting will be at Peldon Village Hall on Tuesday 9^th September 08 7.30pm.

There is grant money available for youth projects so if anybody has a suggestion or  idea for one would they like to get in touch with a parish councillor or the clerk.