MINUTES OF A MEETING OF PURLEIGH PARISH COUNCIL, HELD IN THE WELLS PAVILION, HOWE GREEN ROAD, ON FRIDAY, 12^TH SEPTEMBER 2003 AT 7.30 P.M.

The Chairman and 3 Parish Councillors were available between 7.15 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. to talk to parishioners.

Members present: Mr. S. Potter (Chairman), Mr. K. Ascott, Mr. L. Cooper (District Councillor), Mr. D. Fleming, Mr. B. Oliver, Mrs. S. Owen, Mr. G. Staines, Mr. G. Strathern.

Also in attendance: Mrs. Jane Potter (Clerk).

Pc Paul Hughes and three members of the public attended part of the meeting.

1/09/03. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Dr. Woodcock who was unable to attend the meeting due to illness and from Mr. John Archer (District Council Chairman and Ward Member) who had been unavoidably detained.

Back to top

2/09/03. THE MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 8^TH AUGUST 2003

Having been circulated to all Members, were approved, and signed by the Chairman.

Back to top

3/09/03. TO DISCUSS ANY MATTERS OF INFORMATION ARISING FROM THOSE MINUTES:

3.1/09/03 Clerk: 9/08/03 Cultural Strategy for the Maldon District 2002 – 2007: Members noted that Mrs. Averil Spencer (Chief Community Services Officer) had apologised for the inaccurate text contained within this document. With hindsight, she acknowledged that the District Council should have checked the amended text with the Parish Council prior to the document being finalised. Mrs. Spencer would ensure that a note showing the correct text was included in all remaining copies of the Strategy.

9/07/03 Maldon District Council: Contract Monitoring: Members noted that the Clerk had met with Mrs. Maggie Saltmarsh (Contracts Monitoring Officer) on Wednesday, 29^th April 2003 to discuss refuse collection and dog warden services in the parish.

3.2/09/03 Members’: Members did not have any matters of information arising from the August 2003 meeting to discuss.

Back to top

4/09/03 PLANNING MATTERS

4.1/09/03 Decisions taken between meetings: FUL/MAL/03/00880 Demolition of garage and store building and the erection of single storey rear extension and detached double garage with games room over. Loggerheads, Hackmans Lane, Purleigh. Mr. and Mrs. D. Taylor.

The Parish Council RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.

FUL/MAL/03/00915 New vehicular access. Grebe, Chelmsford Road, Purleigh. Mr. P. Grace.

The Parish Council RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.

4.2/09/03 Current applications: There were no current applications for members to consider.

4.3/09/03 Notification of appeals:

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990
APPEAL BY: Mr. and Mrs. P. Smith
SITE ADDRESS: Land adjacent Turnstone, The Street, Purleigh
APPLICATION REF: FUL/MAL/03/00060
APPEAL REF No: APP/X/1545/A/03/1122843
DESCRIPTION OF DEVELOPMENT: Proposed construction of two storey dwelling with attached garage.

Members noted that an appeal had been received by the Planning Inspectorate in respect of Maldon District Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the above development.

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990
APPEAL BY: Mr. and Mrs. J. Brett
SITE ADDRESS: Land to the rear of The Orchards, Maldon Road, Latchingdon.
APPLICATION REF: OUT/MAL/03/00348
APPEAL REF No: APP/X/1545/A/03/1124250
DESCRIPTION OF DEVELOPMENT: Outline application for two detached dwellings (siting and means of access to be determined as part of this application).

Members noted that an appeal had been received by the Planning Inspectorate in respect of Maldon District Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the above development.

4.4/09/03 Maldon District Council Planning decisions: Members noted that Maldon District Council had APPROVED the following development:

• FUL/MAL/03/00789 Proposed conservatory. Carpenters Cottage, Fambridge Road.
• FUL/MAL/03/00676 erection of detached four bedroom dwelling. Land adjacent Cyn Coed, Maldon Road.

4.5/09/03 Maldon District Draft Replacement Local Plan: Pre-Inquiry Changes: Rookery Grove: The Parish Council noted that as a result of John Archer’s intervention (District Council Chairman and Ward Member), James Doe (Planning Policy Team Leader) had written to advise that he took the view that the listing of Rookery Grove as a designated Wildlife Site (being a piece of ancient woodland) was largely a technical addition to the plan. Consequently, he had given an undertaking that he would recommend in his evidence to the inquiry that Rookery Grove was listed as a Wildlife Site with a view to recommending that the District Council included the Grove in Modifications to the Plan once the Inquiry had ended and the Inspector’s report had been considered.

Members noted and approved that, at Mr. Doe’s request, the Parish Council had expressed its agreement to this course of action.

Howe Green, request for Conservation Area status: It was noted that Robert Scrimgeour, the District Council’s Conservation Officer was considering this matter and that the Parish Council would be informed of the results of his investigations in due course.

4.6/09/03 Maldon District Council Planning Enforcement Policy: A copy of the policy was placed in the circulation folder for Members’ information.

4.7/09/03 Planning and development Services – Best Value Review: As part of the District Council’s Best Value review process, the Parish Council was invited to complete a questionnaire (circulated to each Parish Councillor prior to the meeting) exploring the relationship between the planning service and local councils. Members noted that the outcome of the review would affect the way in which the District Council delivered its services in future.

Completed questionnaires were returned to the Clerk, so that she could collate the comments received and compile a collective response to the District Council, in consultation with the Chairman.

4.8/09/03 The disposal of trade waste: Members noted that the Essex Association of Local Councils had forwarded the Parish Council’s request for clarification of the legal position regarding the importation, storage and disposal of trade waste within a residential/conservation area to Tim Ricketts (Head of Legal Services, National Association of local Councils).

4.9/09/03 Other planning matters: Members did not have any other planning matters to discuss.

Back to top

5/09/03 HIGHWAY MATTERS

5.1/09/03 Barons Lane: Request for extension to 30mph speed limit and improved signage: Mr. Dellar (Essex County Council) advised the Parish Council by letter that he had visited this site with the Chief Constable’s Traffic Management representative. Although they had decided that the location did not qualify for an extension to the current 30mph speed restriction, they had agreed that the bends by the entrance to the vineyard would benefit from improved signage. Members noted that Mr. Dellar would therefore be arranging for a double bend sign with a SLOW carriageway marking and three single chevron boards to be erected at this location in due course.

The Parish Council remained concerned that the existing 30mph sign on the south side of the carriageway was almost always obscured by the roadside hedge and could not be seen clearly by motorists in adequate time, since it was situated on the inside of a bend.

5.2/09/03 Howe Green Road: Request for an extension to the 30mph speed limit: Mr. Dellar also advised the Parish Council that Members’ request for an extension to the 30mph speed limit in Howe Green Road had been reconsidered, and as a result had been added to the list of requests for Traffic Regulation Orders which were due to be considered by the three County Councillors for the Maldon District in the near future. If they approved, the road would be included in the speed limit programme and normal consultation procedures would take place.

5.3/09/03 Unfinished access Mapledean Industrial Estate: Members noted that Mr. Dennis Everard (Essex County Council) understood the Parish Council’s concerns about the unfinished access to the Mapledean Industrial Estate, particularly the dangers created by the traffic cones being knocked into Maldon Road.

Unfortunately, there was a problem on site which Mr. Everard had hoped would have been overcome by now. Prompted by the Parish Council’s correspondence, Mr. Everard had written to the developers again to try to resolve the problem quickly and enable the works to be completed.

5.4/09/03 Public Rights of Way signs: As a result of the Parish Council’s correspondence (Min: 5.2/08/03), Chris Brown (Essex County Council) informed Members that a replacement fingerpost had been erected at the Howe Green Road entrance to Byway 32 (Seagers Lane). The fingerposts indicating Footpaths 28 (in The Street) and 31 (in Church Hill) had also been re-erected.

Mr. Ascott informed Members that he had reported the demolished fingerpost in Hackmans Lane which had indicated Footpath 12 to Essex County Council.

5.5/09/03 To consider joining the Parish Paths Partnership Scheme: Members were reminded that the Parish Council had withdrawn from this scheme in June 2000 because Members had felt that the terms of the new membership agreement and risk assessment procedure placed too great a responsibility on participating councils.

Mr. Ascott informed the Parish Council that he understood that the administrative and risk assessment procedures associated with the scheme were now less onerous, and expressed his concern that Purleigh wasn’t benefiting from the Parish Paths Partnership Scheme unlike other parishes.

It was agreed not to re-join the scheme as the Parish Council was not paying for the clearance of any footpaths and was not therefore financially disadvantaged by not being a member of the Parish Paths Partnership Scheme. Members believed that the footpaths (formerly maintained by Mr. Knapp) were now being cleared as and when necessary by the County Council.

5.6/09/03 The installation of a litter bin in the Roundbush lay-by: Members noted that Maldon District Council had purchased and installed a new litter bin in the Roundbush lay-by.

It was agreed to write to the District Council thanking them for the litter bin, but requesting that it was repositioned in a more prominent location at either end of the lay-by. Members were concerned that being black, the bin was very difficult to see where it had been installed (i.e. adjacent to the hedge next to the telephone box).

5.7/09/03 Speeding traffic, The Street: The Parish Council received a letter from a resident expressing their concerns about the apparent lack of action to curb speeding traffic in The Street, and informing Members that some motorists were now practising handbrake turns on the bend in front of The Bell Public House.

Members noted that the Clerk had informed Pc Hughes, who had subsequently repeated his request for speed data to be collected in The Street. Neither Pc Hughes nor the Parish Council had previously been aware that motorists were performing handbrake turns in The Street.

It was agreed to pass the resident’s concerns on to Essex County Council, but inform them that the Parish Council had no evidence of speeding vehicles in The Street.

5.8/09/03 Other highway matters: Repairs to the pedestrian footway outside Cosy Nook, Chelmsford Road: Mr. Oliver reported that the footway outside Cosy Nook had been repaired, following some subsidence. The repairs had not been carried out to a very high standard however.

Road name signs: The Street and Church Hill: Members noted that new road name signs had been installed in The Street and Church Hill and that one of the new Street signs now indicated that the road went in two directions at The Bell Public House (i.e. towards Roundsmans Cottage and Purleigh Hall).

Members noted that there were now four signs reading ‘The Street’ in less than a mile of road. It was agreed to thank the District Council for the new signs but request that the new sign in the vicinity of Roundsmans Cottage be removed (as it was superfluous) and used to replace the old and dilapidated ‘The Street’ sign situated in front of Fairwinds where The Street commenced.

Capital programme 2003/2004 – Maintenance budget for the Maldon District: Mr. Cooper reported that two schemes in Purleigh had been included in the County Council’s maintenance programme 2003 – 2004 under the heading ‘Carriageway reconstruction and Resurfacing works’. These schemes related to the Lower Burnham Road (between the junction with Fambridge Road and Ulehams Farm) and Fambridge Road (outside Beekeepers Cottage).

Back to top

6/09/03 PLAYING FIELD AND OPEN SPACES

6.1/09/03 Children’s Play Area: monthly report: Mr. Ascott reported that that he had carried out his usual weekly inspections of the children’s play area and that all items of play equipment therein appeared to be in a satisfactory condition.

Members noted that as part of the routine maintenance of the site, Mr. Knapp had improved the appearance of the area by applying green timber stain to the wooden play equipment, painting the T bar of the cradle swings bright blue and scrubbing all the playing field signs.

Mr. Knapp had also spread new bark.

6.2/09/03 To receive recommendations from the Children’s Play Area Working Party: Members received a report containing recommendations made by the Children’s Play Area Working Party, who had met on site on Thursday, 14^th August 2003.

Having considered the working party’s recommendations, the Parish Council agreed to have the children’s play area sign repainted by David Rickers (signwriter) for the sum of approximately £40 plus VAT.

After giving careful consideration to the quotations for new fencing detailed below, Members agreed to replace the existing post and rail fencing with flat top fencing from Steelway Fensecure at a cost of approximately £3,506.30 plus VAT (Members noted that his quotation could vary depending on which pieces of play equipment were retained).

The quotation for new safety fencing were as follows:

Mr. Oliver proposed that the new fencing from Steelway Fensecure be purchased from Mr. May’s Legacy, a reserve earmarked for improvements to the pavilion and playing field. On being put to the vote Mr. Oliver’s proposal was carried, there being seven votes in favour.

Members agreed to reconsider retaining the rota-rider, pending receipt of Wicksteed Leisure’s quotation for repairing, re-painting and re-installing it. If Wicksteed Leisure’s quotation for this work was less than £500, Members agreed that the roundabout was worth retaining and that to accommodate it additional fencing may need to be purchased.

The Chairman, Mr. Staines and Mr. Fleming agreed to meet at the children’s play area on Saturday, 13^th September to measure the amount of fencing required should the rota-rider be retained.

The Parish Council agreed to defer discussion of replacement safety surfaces pending receipt of Wicksteed Leisure’s quotation for wet pour and safety grass. Once this quotation had been received, the Clerk was authorised to obtain comparative prices from other safety surface manufacturers.

Members noted that Mr. Tony Few and colleague from Wicksteed Leisure had met the Chairman and Clerk at the Children’s Play Area on Tuesday, 9^th September 2003 to advise on inclusive play and safety surfaces. After a lengthy site meeting, it had been agreed that Mr. Few prepare a quotation for the Parish Council which would include prices for the supply and installation of:

1. Wet pour safety surfacing (beneath each piece of play equipment)
2. Safety grass (beneath those pieces of equipment with a maximum fall height of 1.6m or less)
3. A springer to accommodate up to four children
4. The refurbishment, repair and re-installation of the rota-rider
5. A fantasy fun run to be situated outside the play area, on turf, utilising the grass mound left behind after the removal of the concrete pipe.

Members noted that the manufacturers of the existing swings and tower bridge had advised that it was not possible to replace the chains on both sets of swings with rigid or anti-wrap chains or to adapt the existing tower bridge/slide unit to accommodate a double width slide

The Parish Council agreed that the Clerk should complete an expression of interest form as the first step in applying for a grant from the Essex Environment Trust towards improvements to the play area

At this juncture, with the agreement of all Members, the Chairman changed the order of the Agenda so that Mr. Bernard Steeples (Chairman, Purleigh Playing Field Association) could hear the Parish Council’s discussion of Agenda item 6.7/09/03 before he had to leave the meeting.

6.7/09/03 To receive information about the future plans of the Purleigh Playing Field Association (PPFA): The contents of a letter from Mr. Bernard Steeples (Chairman, PPFA) regarding the association’s future plans were noted by Members.

In his letter Mr. Steeples explained that the PPFA had held a successful Fête, but with a lack of younger volunteers, the 2004 summer Fête was likely to be the organisation’s last major fund raising event. PPFA members therefore felt that they had one last chance to proceed with a significant investment in improvements to the pavilion, but did not wish to see their efforts diluted by the Parish Council and the PPFA working towards different goals to the detriment of both.

The Parish Council shared the PPFA’s wish that both organisations worked together to achieve improvements to the Pavilion’s facilities. Members agreed therefore to support, in principle, the PPFA’s aim for a major project to improve the kitchen and toilets to be carried out in the next financial year, as outlined in the sketch plan circulated to Members at the January 2003 meeting (Min: 6/01/03.2).

Members understood that G.J. Lynch Building Contractors had estimated that the project might cost in the region of £15,000 - £20,000, but that contractors would need detailed plans upon which to base accurate quotations.

It was agreed to express the Parish Council’s support in principle for this major project and to ask the PPFA to have detailed plans drawn up and to obtain three quotations for the work, which would be used to support grant applications to Maldon District Council and other funding bodies.

6.3/09/03 To receive a report of the access audit carried out on 21^st August 2003: Members noted that Mr. Jack Luckman, (Auditor, Essex Disability Access Services Ltd) had carried out an access audit of the children’s play area on 21^st August 2003.

Members noted Mr. Luckman’s recommendations which were as follows:

1. A tarmac path wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair should be laid connecting the Telephone Exchange Road entrance to the playing field with the children’s play area, as turf, when wet, presented problems to the wheelchair bound or those with mobility problems.
2. One of the gates in the play area fence should be re-located to connect up to the new path.
3. The bark safety surface should be replaced with wet pour or similar, or hardened paths wide enough to accommodate wheelchair users should be laid to link the pieces of play equipment and thus allow easier access for those with mobility problems.
4. Seating should be provided within the children’s play area.
5. A sign should be erected at Pump Corner directing people to the play area (once the new path had been laid).
6. Play equipment manufactures should be consulted with a view to providing new pieces of inclusive play equipment.

The Parish Council agreed to site one of the self-shutting gates in the new fence near the Telephone Exchange Road entrance to the playing field and confirmed their commitment to promoting inclusive play in the children’s play area.

6.4/09/03 Vandalism at the children’s play area: Members noted that on 12^th August 2003, Mr. Knapp had discovered that someone had ripped the head off the spring chicken. The crime had been reported to the Police and an insurance claim submitted.

Members noted that the cost of replacing the spring chicken with a spring horse from the same manufacturer was as follows

It was agreed that the Clerk would obtain quotations for spring animals from other manufacturers for Members’ consideration at the October 2003 Parish Council meeting.

Members noted that Allianz Cornhill insurance company had agreed to reimburse the Parish Council the sum of £415.68 (insurance value of £490.68 less £75 excess) on receipt of a copy of the Invoice for a replacement spring animal.

It was agreed that the Clerk try to persuade Allianz Cornhill to settle the Parish Council’s claim before any replacement piece of play equipment was purchased.

Mr. Fleming kindly volunteered to remove the concrete base of the vandalised spring chicken from the children’ play area.

6.5/09/03 Repair of the basketball hoop: Members noted that the new hoop and net had been purchased and installed.

6.6/09/03 Replacement of four showers in the Pavilion: Members noted and approved that with the agreement of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and five other Members of the Parish Council, Gary Lynch had been asked to replace the four faulty showers on the south side of the Pavilion with new ones whilst he was on site replacing the tiles on the same side of the building with waterproof PVC sheeting. Mr. Lynch had been asked to ensure that the new showers were the correct power.

6.7/09/03 To receive information about the future plans of the Purleigh Playing Field Association (PPFA): This Agenda item was discussed after Agenda item 6.2/09/03.

6.8/09/03 Wellingtonia struck by lightening, Purleigh Church: Members noted that on Monday, 11^th August 2003, lightening had struck this very tall tree. In the interests of public safety, the Chairman, in consultation with other Members, had arranged for the tree to be inspected by Broadacres Ltd, arboriculturists, and Maldon District Council’s Tree Officer.

Mr. Douglas Parsons (Broadacres Ltd) had inspected the tree and had concluded that it was no longer viable due to splits running the length of its trunk. He expected the cambium belt below the bark layer and the root system to have been damaged by the heat generated by the lightening strike and recommended that the tree was felled and the stump ground down to below ground surface.

The Chairman reported that Broadacres Ltd had made the tree safe and thus fulfilled the Parish Council’s responsibility. Mr. Gildersleve (Churchwarden) however, had insisted upon a faculty being obtained before any further work on the tree commenced.

It was agreed to pay Braodacres Ltd for the work carried out on the tree to date and to leave any remaining work to be carried out and paid for by the Parochial Church Council.

6.9/09/03 Other playing field / open space matters: Horses on the playing field: Members noted that two females were riding their horses over the playing field and around the outside of the Children’s Play Area without permission. Members agreed to try to identify the horsewomen and challenge their presence on the playing field, if they saw them.

Playing Field hedge: Members noted that Mr. Knapp would trim the hedge again in due course.

Colchester United football training sessions: Mrs. Owen apologised, but explained that she would not now be available to supervise one of the free football training sessions due to be held on the playing field on 20^th and 27^th September 2003.

Mr. Staines very kindly agreed to supervise both sessions.

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act: The Common, Farther Howe Green: It was agreed to put this matter on the agenda of the October 2003 Parish Council meeting.

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Re: Headstone at All Saints Church: The Chairman expressed his concern that despite the Parish Council’s letter to the Parochial Church Council in June 2003, repairs to the unstable headstone remained outstanding.

Mrs. Owen informed members that she understood that the Parochial Church Council had obtained some quotations for the remedial work required.

Back to top

7/09/03 TO REVIEW THE PARISH WEBSITE

Some concerns were expressed about the length of time it took to update the information on the website, particularly the Parish Council’s Minutes and Accounts.

The Chairman agreed to ask Mr. Apthorp, who was very kindly managing the website for the Parish Council free of charge, if it would be possible to speed up the process of updating information on the site.

It was also agreed to ask Mr. Apthorp to publish the article written by the Chairman on Purleigh’s history, contained within the Points of Contact booklet on the site.

Back to top

8/09/03 FINANCIAL MATTERS

8.1/09/03 To receive a report of receipts: Members received a report of the following receipts:

Members noted that the Clerk’s contribution to the telephone bill had increased because during the month she had subscribed to btopenworld and now had the benefit of an e-mail address.

8.2/09/03 To approve payment of an account between meetings: Members noted that the following accounts had been paid between meetings, adhering strictly to the procedures outlined in the Parish Council’s Financial Regulations 5.3 - 5.7.

8.3/09/03 To approve payment of accounts to hand: It was unanimously agreed to approve payment of the following accounts to hand:

Back to top

9/09/03 CORRESPONDENCE

Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE)
Introduction to the Planning System: Members noted that a seminar led by David Green (former head of Environment & Planning at Colchester Borough Council would take place on Saturday, 1^st November 2003 between 10.00a.m. and 1.00p.m. at Kelvedon Institute Hall, High Street, Kelvedon. The seminar was free to CPRE members.

Annual General Meeting: Members noted that the CPRE’s AGM would take place on Saturday, 4^th October 2003 at Copped Hall, Epping.

Essex Estuaries Initiative
The Parish Council was consulted on the Draft Management Scheme for the Essex Estuaries European marine site.

Purleigh Village Hall
Members received the Village Hall Management Committee’s notice of intention to apply for the renewal of a public entertainments licence under the provisions of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 for an Occasional (28 occasions, excludes Sundays) or Specific Dates (Max. 6) licence, for occasional music and dancing.

Mr. Cooper explained his understanding of Maldon District Council’s proposed new role as a Licensing Authority to the Parish Council.

Allotments
The Parish Council received a request from Mrs. R. Paul for permission to erect a shed on plot 7 to house a portable toilet. Members were unable to grant permission for the structure, as it would contravene the terms of the Council’s lease of the allotment site.

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
The Parish Council was invited to comment on the Government’s proposals for legislation regarding the agricultural use and management of common land.

Mr. Ascott agreed to place the consultation paper in the circulation folder for members’ consideration.

Back to top

10/09/03 POINTS OF INFORMATION

Members did not have any points of information to share.

CRIME AND DISORDER ACT 1998 (SECTION 17)

Consideration was given to the crime and disorder implications of all decisions made at this meting.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.20p.m.

Back to top