WINSTRED HUNDRED PARISH COUNCIL
Peldon Great Wigborough Little Wigborough Salcott Virley
Draft minutes of the meeting of Winstred Hundred Parish Council held at Peldon Village Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 10th March 2009.
Present: Jinny Gale, Phil Gladwin, Jane Banks, Kevin Bradshaw, Lynne Simmons, Nicky Ellis, Sam Knill Jones, Kevin Bentley and approx. 30 members of the public
Apologies for absence: Robert Davidson, Andrew Ellis
Minutes of the last meeting were agreed and signed by the vice chairman. Nicky proposed, Phil Seconded and all agreed to state the minutes as Draft as that is exactly what they are until agreed by all at the following meeting.
Borough Councillors: Abberton Reservoir Liaison Group had their first meeting recently. The planning application has been granted conditional approval with the Community Funding to be sorted. This Community Fund is to be set up to help compensate in various ways closely affected areas. The main raising work will begin in January 2010. A transport plan has yet to be compiled. The main work will be given out to tender. Minor works will begin in April this year. Woodland felling had started but halted again while birds are nesting. A road will be built around the reservoir to help contain all construction work. The new visitors centre will be completed in August 2010. There is to be a memorial bench to Peter Crowe erected somewhere suitable.
Public – Have Your Say: Jinny requested for any public comments about Item 1. – Flooding in Salcott, to wait for that part of the meeting. A follow up on speed gun training was requested and with the evenings getting lighter this will take place soon – speeding motorists beware! We would still like everybody to report to us any accidents along this main road for our log to continue for further use in campaigning for a speed reduction. Reports about blocked ditches in Peldon will also be chased up.
Declarations of Interest: Sam declared an interest in Item 1. and was asked to stay but not enter into the discussion at all.
Items for Discussion
- Flooding at Salcott – the vice chairman gave a full and explanatory account of the proceedings up to now with regard to complaints, correspondence, parish council regulations and requirements. Mr Martin Parmenter read a prepared statement about flooding at Salcott cum Virley and procedures about the production of the Parish Council’s Minutes. He asked that a copy of the statement be included in the Minutes. As explained at the meeting the Council’s policy is to record decisions in the Minutes but not discussions pertaining to those decisions. Accordingly Mr Parmenter’s statement has not been included. It will be held with the Parish Council records and copies can be obtained from the clerk in line with the Freedom of Information Act. Any such copies will be provided in hard copy form and will be free of charge.
With regard to the flooding at Salcott, Mr Chris Knill Jones has stated that he is not in a position to consider making any changes to his land which had been suggested to him. Also another landowner regarded the suggestion as making his land more susceptible to flooding. It was considered to be a far wider issue and any changes to land, counter walls and sea walls etc. would require careful monitoring and planning by the Environment Agency. Phil proposed, Lynne seconded and all agreed that we should write to the Environment Agency about the situation requesting that they keep us informed of any visits or decisions they make. CBC will also be contacted to alert them of the severity of the problem and ask if they have any plans, surveys or suggestions to help the situation. The increased number of houses in Tiptree has made the situation worse; was that considered when planning applications were granted? Also with regard to the roads flooding from an excess of rain water ECC Highways have met with people at Salcott and written to land owners requesting clearance of ditches. Hopefully people will be vigilant and keep their ditches cleared at all times. It was suggested that the whole problem of flooding at Salcott be on the agenda quarterly to assess the situation and any progress to date.
- Salt bin at Salcott – Phil proposed, Lynne seconded and all agreed for us to buy Salcott an additional salt bin to be situated along Salcott Street. This will be at a cost of £350 which includes maintenance and filling by ECC Highways.
- Communications Committee – had a meeting and certain matters were discussed. We have been informed that emails between us on parish council matters are not in the public domain as previously thought but can be requested under the Freedom of Information Act. With regard to the Act we are in the process of compiling ours gradually as it is a lengthy document to sort out making sure everything is included that is appropriate to us, but we have adopted an interim cover. Website quotes were considered and a decision was made to use someone who had been recommended to us by another parish council and whose website appeared to be just right for us and within our budget. We also decided that in future the parish council will acknowledge receipt of any correspondence by return with the matter therein to be discussed at the next meeting with a full reply following.
- Local Development Framework – our response to the consultation was read out and has been circulated for all to see.
- Village Design Statement – the questionnaire is being printed, CBC will supply freepost return envelopes and the parish council will distribute these to all houses in our villages from 5th to 15th April. There will be four cash prizes for completed and returned questionnaires, 2 for adults and 2 for children, with the draw taking place at the May Festival at 4pm. This will help to form the basis for our Villages Design Statement for which we have received a grant from Rural Action East.
- Dog Bins – new ones as requested have been situated at the end of Copt Hall Lane in Little Wigborough and at the start of a footpath along The Street in Salcott.
- Meetings Attended – it was learned at the Clerk’s Forum there is a Community Bus that is situated at troublesome points in and around Colchester at night for young people to enter for guidance and help. During the day it has many uses for helping the community. Any enquiries or donations for this scheme should go to Debbie Farthing on 01206 766096.
- Emergency Plan – updating our plan is another lengthy procedure and hopefully will be completed and returned to CBC by next month’s meeting.
Planning:
090208 Proposed extension at Fourways Farm, Barnhall Road, Salcott
090165 Agricultural building at Beckton House Farm, Salcott – correspondence
Finance:
101460 A Moore – play area insp, repair to picnic table, empty bin £60.00
101461 R S Pullen – clerk’s fee for March £349.02
101462 T Simmons – play area inspection £25.00
The next meeting will be in Salcott Village Hall on Tuesday 14th April 2009 at 7.30pm
