Purleigh Parish Council

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

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

Mr. J. Archer (District Council Ward Member) attended the public session prior to commencement of the meeting.

The meeting was not attended by any members of the public.

Apologies were received from Mr. G. Strathern who was unable to attend the meeting due to a prior commitment.

2/04/07 THE MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 9^TH MARCH 2007, having been circulated to all Members, were approved, and signed by the Chairman.

3/04/07. TO DISCUSS ANY MATTERS OF INFORMATION ARISING FROM THOSE MINUTES:

4.1/04/07 Clerk: 8/03/07 Future funding of the Malbus service: Members noted that Essex County Council had forwarded a network route plan and timetable for the Maldon District Services, operated by Stephensons, which had started on Monday, 2^nd April 2007. Copies were placed in the circulation folder for Members’ information.

Members understood that the new service had experienced some teething troubles, with the Thursday bus service being unable to cope with passenger demand. It was hoped that this problem would be swiftly addressed.

4.2/04/07 Members’: 5.4/03/07 Parking in The Street: The Clerk reported that Essex County Council had not yet responded to the Parish Council’s request that Officers investigate the width of the highway in the vicinity of Michelette.

4.1/04/07 Decisions taken between meetings: FUL/MAL/07/00245 Extension of pond to form lake for private angling. Oakfields, Hackmans Lane, Purleigh. Mr. G. W. Brown.

The Parish Council recommended APPROVAL, provided the extension of the pond did not in any way interfere with Purleigh Footpath 11.

FUL/MAL/07/00308 Retrospective application for alterations to replacement dwelling as approved under planning permission FUL/MAL/02/01257. Thistlecroft, Hyde Chase, Purleigh. Mr. E. Ryan.

The Parish Council recommended APPROVAL.

FUL/MAL/07/00310 Provision of store to garage. 4 Roundbush Farm Cottages, Burnham Road, Purleigh. Mr. and Mrs. J. Green.

The Parish Council recommended APPROVAL.

4.2/04/07 Current applications: FUL/MAL/06/01364 Change of use of the site to include buildings 4 and 5 for uses falling within Class B1 light industrial and office and B2 general industrial. Relocation of existing portacabin for use as offices. Use of open yard for external storage and car parking ancillary to the use of all buildings. Units 4 and 5 Mapledean Works, Maldon Road, Latchingdon. S. P. Bardwell Ltd.

The Parish Council RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, but would reiterate the request that all the landscaping conditions attached to previous applications at the site were implemented and subsequently enforced. The Parish Council would also ask the District Council to ensure that the site was cleared of the waste material and debris left over from earlier development of the site, which had created an eyesore for Purleigh parishioners living opposite and was having a detrimental environmental impact of the surrounding area.

FUL/MAL/07/00357 Barn comprising agricultural store, tractor and machinery store, and farm workshop. Palepit Farm, Latchingdon Road, Cold Norton. Mr. D. Carter.

The Parish Council RECOMMENDED REFUSAL on the following grounds:

Members also felt that the proposed barn did not represent the compromise claimed by the applicant, being larger than that already approved under planning consent AGR/PN/MAL/05/00020.

4.3/04/07 Notification of Appeals: Members noted that the Parish Council had not been notified of any Appeals between meetings.

4.4/04/07 Maldon District Council planning decisions: It was noted that Maldon District Council had APPROVED the following applications:

and had REFUSED to grant permission for the flowing development:

4.5/04/07 Construction traffic for proposed wind farm: Members noted that discussion of this item had been deferred from the March meeting, so that Parish Councillors could consider the correspondence from BATTLE plus enclosures, which had been placed in the March circulation folder (Ref: Minute 4.5/03/07).

The Parish Council expressed its doubt that wind farms such at that proposed would be economically viable or cost effective.

In response to Cllr. Helm’s request for the Parish Council’s views on the matter, it was agreed to thank him for his interest but advise him that the Parish Council did not need him to represent its views at the forthcoming appeal.

4.6/04/07 Parish Council request for an Article 4 Direction to be placed on Kent Wood: Members noted that Mark Jackson (Development Control Officer, Maldon District Council) had reviewed the Parish Council’s request of 13^th February 2007, that an Article 4 Direction be imposed on Kent Wood.

Mr. Jackson advised the Parish Council by letter that the service of an Article 4 Direction should not be done lightly as it removed the rights of the individual to undertake permitted development. Indeed, in the past the legislation used to impose Article 4 Directions had required the agreement of the Secretary of State for the Environment. District Council Officers would only seek approval for Article 4 Directions therefore when land was seriously threatened.

Mr. Jackson’s letter continued that in Officers’ opinion there was little or no threat to Kent Wood. The current planning applications relating to the wood required the benefit of planning permission and an Article 4 Direction would not change this.

His letter concluded by inviting the Parish Council to inform Maldon District Council of any information that might be of interest to Officers in seeking to protect any piece of land coming under threat. The Council being particularly interested in proposals for ‘Paint Balling’ and the selling off of small pieces of land.

It was agreed to reply to Mr. Jackson that the Parish Council was of the opinion that it was obvious from the granting of planning permission for a tree house to be built in the wood, that the planning system did not adequately protect the wood and that if an article 4 Direction had been imposed when Members first asked it to be, such development, along with the erection of the fences now in situ, would have been prevented.

Mr. Cooper advised that there could be negative repercussions if an Article 4 Direction was applied for and subsequently refused.

4.7/04/07 Maldon District Council consultations – ‘Facing the Future: Members noted that the consultation concerned the Local Development Framework (LDF), which was designed to provide a blueprint for the development of the District up to 2021. The LDF would help the Council decide planning applications and would also guide decisions on topics such as education and training, housing, the environment and employment. ‘Facing the Future’ was Maldon District’s Sustainable Community Strategy prepared by the Maldon District Local Strategic Partnership and formed part of the LDF.

The District Council requested the Parish Council’s comments on the consultation (two documents) by 24^th April, and also asked the Parish Council to encourage as many local people, organisations and businesses as possible to respond to the consultation.

Members voiced the opinion that consultation exercises such as this, which were so widely circulated, were tokenistic rather than a genuine attempt to seek the views of consultees, and that responses were rarely taken into account. In the case of a Parish Council or similar organisation, Members felt it would be very difficult to arrive at a consensus, so it was agreed that Members would respond to the documents on an individual basis should they wish to do so.

4.8/04/07 Other planning matters: Corporation Farm. Hackmans Lane: As a result of complaints about increased noise emanating from the site, it was agreed to ask Maldon District Council to investigate whether the activities conducted there complied with the planning permissions granted. There was concern that a concrete manufacturer may be operating from the site without the benefit of planning permission.

5.1/04/07 To receive an update on outstanding highway defects in the parish: Damaged finger post – Slough Lane/Marlpits Road/Goat House Lane: Members noted that the County Council had advised that the fingerpost had been repaired.

It was agreed to inform the County Council that one arm of the finger post was still missing.

Drains – Mill Hill: It was also noted that the gullies in Mill Hill would be cleared as soon as possible.

Cold Norton Road / Palepit Corner: Essex County Council advised that the missing and damaged signs should be reinstated in the near future. Some signs however were still waiting for electrical connections.

Post box – Roundbush lay-by: Members noted that, at the request of the Parish Council, the County Council had recently visited the site in wet weather and that Officers had agreed that the recent ‘lay of tarmac’ by the post box, although improving the surface, had probably exacerbated the pooling of water in this area. Once the lay-by had dried out the County Council would be in a better position to assess the situation and decide on appropriate remedial works.

5.2/04/07 Other highway matters: Roundbush Road: It was agreed to ask the County Council to remove the ‘Loose Chippings’ signs in Roundbush Road.

Verge outside Purleigh Law, Walton Hall Lane: It was agree to remind the County Council that they had agreed with Maldon District Council to repair the damage to the verge outside Purleigh Law, Walton Hall Lane, caused by the District Council’s waste collection contractors, and to ask that repairs to the verge in front of Fairfields, Church Hill were also put in hand, as it been similarly damaged.

Fly tipping in Simmons Lane: Members noted that the asbestos dumped in Simmons Lane had been reported to the District Council and was awaiting collection.

6.1/04/07 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 thanked Mr. Ascott for collecting the mass of litter, which had accumulated in the play area over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

6.2/04/07 To approve the pavilion and playing field accounts 2006/2007: The Parish Council received the Playing Field Accounts 2006/2007. It was noted that during the financial year ended 31^st March 2007, income from the pavilion and playing field had amounted to £1,947.50, whereas expenditure on the facilities had totalled £4,311.40. This represented a deficit for the year of £2,363.90, but did not take into account money spent on insurance, grasscutting, and the purchase of a new fridge, which amounted to an additional £3,003.28.

Members noted that at the end of the financial year two debts had been outstanding, namely Purleigh Football Club (£400.00) and the Purleigh Playing Field Association (£52.50). The Football Club’s fees had been banked on 10^th April 2007 and the PPFA had been reminded that their fees were overdue. For the purposes of the playing field accounts only however, these monies were taken as received by 31^st March 2007, to avoid a misleading deficit. The Statement of Accounts and four-column analysis however showed the debts as outstanding.

6.3/04/07 Non-domestic rate relief: Members noted that the District Council had advised that the liability for the period 01.04.07 to 01.04.08 for the pavilion was £826.87. The Parish Council’s grant application for non-domestic rate relief had been successful however and the Council had been awarded discretionary charitable relief and small business rate relief. The total amount payable therefore for the financial year 2007/2008 was £90.46.

The Clerk was thanked for submitting a successful grant application.

6.4/04/07 Other playing field and open space matters: Vandalism at the Pavilion: Members noted that another window had been broken in the Pavilion extension, making two broken windows since 1^st March 2007.

Yew trees in the Churchyard: The Parish Council received a request from the Parochial Church Council (PCC) that two dead Yew trees be removed from the Churchyard and replaced with new. It was agreed to remove the dead trees and to write to the PCC suggesting that the shrubberies, which had grown out of control, overwhelmed the Yews and caused their death be removed at the same time. Once the shrubs had gone the Parish Council could replace the Yews. Members considered it a shame that the Yews had died, as they had just reached their centenary.

7.1/04/07 To receive a Statement of Accounts for the period 01.04.06 to 31.03.07: It was unanimously agreed to approve the Statement of Accounts for the period 1^st April 2006 to 31^st March 2007:

Bank Statements detailing the transactions in three of the Parish Council’s bank accounts for the financial year 2006/2007 were available for Members’ inspection, as part of the internal audit process. Unfortunately the bank statement detailing transactions in the Parish Council’s current account had been lost in the post and the Clerk was still waiting to receive a copy from the bank.

Members noted that Mr. Stichbury would carry out the end of year independent audit on either Thursday, 17^th May 2007 or Thursday, 24^th May 2007.

7.2/04/07 Financial review 2007/2008: As part of the Parish Council’s internal audit process, Members received a detailed breakdown of receipts and payments for the period 1^st April 2006 to 31^st March 2007, and considered and approved estimates of income and expenditure for the financial year 2007/2008.

7.3/04/07 To sign the payments and receipts account for the year ended 31^st March 2007: The Chairman and Responsible Financial Officer signed the Receipts and Payments Account for the period 1^st April 2006 to 31^st March 2007.

7.4/04/07 The annual audit of accounts for the period 1^st April 2006 to 31^st March 2007: Members noted that the Parish Council had not yet been notified of the date of the Audit of accounts for the year ended 31^st March 2007.

7.5/04/07 To receive a report of receipts: Members received a report of the following receipts:

7.6/04/07 To approve payment of accounts between meetings: Members noted and approved 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.

Memorial safety: Members noted that the Health and Safety Commission had recently issued a set of key principles about the sensible risk management of memorials, which could be viewed at www.hse.gov.uk.

The principles advised authorities to bear in mind:

Burst water main, Birchwood Road: Mr. Staines informed the Parish Council that he had reported the burst water main in Birchwood Road, between Thatched Cottage and Kent Wood to the appropriate authorities.

Retiring Councillors: The Chairman thanked those Parish Councillors who had decided not to seek re-election very much for their hard work and support. He considered it a privilege to have worked alongside them. The Chairman’s comments were heartily endorsed by all present.

Representative of Purleigh School’s Governing Body: Mr. Fleming confirmed, that although not standing for re-election to the Parish Council, he would be willing to continue to represent the Parish Council on the school’s Governing Body.

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

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.40 p.m.

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